Demazong
Bhutia families have an older name for Sikkim: Demazong, the hidden valley of rice. Behind it lies a belief that the land was hidden on purpose, for a later age.
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The beyul
The old texts name Sikkim a beyul, a valley hidden by Guru Rinpoche for a later age. Tradition puts its heart at Tashiding, a monastery hill in West Sikkim between the Rathong Chu and the Rangeet rivers.
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Tashiding
The Tashiding hill is read as the pistil of a lotus. Its four petals are sacred caves, one to each direction, so the whole of West Sikkim falls into place around that one hilltop.
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South
The southern cave, Khandro Sangphuk, the Secret Cave of the Dakini, lies about 6 km from Reshi, which has hot springs down by the Rangeet. Pilgrims come to pray for long life. It wants a spare hour or two and a guide who knows the path.
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West
The western cave, Dechen Phug, the Cave of Great Bliss, lies near Dzongri, about 4,000 m (13,120 ft) up on the Goecha La trail. Trekkers on their rest day at Dzongri have it pointed out on the walk above camp.
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East and north
Sharchok Bephug keeps the east. Lhari Nyingpo, in the north, is three days' walk away and held to be the holiest of the four, and the one that takes real time to reach.
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Where to start
Most travelers meet the hidden valley at Tashiding itself, walking up past mani walls to its 41 chortens, where Demazong is the word you will hear. The southern cave adds a few hours from Reshi; the western one comes with a trek.
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