Khangchendzonga National Park Has Been Declared As A World Heritage Site By UNESCO

Sikkim's Khangchendzonga National Park is India's newest entry in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list.

Here's a proud moment for every Indian. More so for those who love to travel.

The Khangchendzonga National Park, a lesser-known destination in Sikkim, has been declared has a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. This is for the first time that any Indian destination has been under the Mixed criteria of UNESCO's heritage sites list, thus recognising the outstanding universal values for its both natural and cultural significance.

Located  at the heart of the Himalayan range in Sikkim, the Park is home to dozens of lofty mountain peaks, 18 glaciers, lakes, waterfalls and some unique flora and fauna.

A favourite among trekkers, this place has a unique biodiversity that includes an interesting mix of wildlife species and the presence of plains, valleys, lakes, glaciers and spectacular, snow-capped mountains covered with ancient forests, including the world's third highest peak, Mount Khangchendzonga.

Besides, the National Park is highly regarded by the state's local population because of several mythological stories that are associated with the caves, rivers, lakes, forests and other natural elements in this place.

The UNESCO designation not only adds prestige to the park, but also entitles it to financing from the World Heritage Fund.

"The UNESCO recognition will give a further push to eco-tourism in our state, while also helping us to regulate the high influx of visitors to more popular destinations with only a minimal negative impact of tourism," said Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling.

"This is important since tourist arrivals to our state more than doubled to 38,479 in 2015 and our target is around 12 lakh visitors by 2025," he said in a statement.

"At the same time, while there are no major developmental projects like roads or buildings within the Khangchendzonga National Park, tourism associated with the protected park provides local communities with substantial incomes," said the Chief Minister.

"As a result, there has been significant improvement in living conditions, especially at Pelling, Yuksom, Gangtok and Ravangla. Tourism-related activities like running pack animals, portering, guiding and lodge management have become major economic activities."

"The park has 18 sub-forest types. It has a large diversity of species of higher plants (1,580), mammals (124) and birds (300). There is no other protected area found in the Indian Himalaya with such variety of sub-forest types and species diversity," an official said.

The park is home to the red panda, snow leopard, great Tibetan sheep and musk deer. The birds include black-necked crane, grey peacock pheasant, Himalayan monal pheasant, Sikkim's state bird blood pheasant, Tibetan snow cock and Himalayan snow cock.

What is also unique about its eco-system is that it has permanently snowcapped mountains, glaciers, high altitude lakes, grasslands, cold deserts and varied forest types. Consequently, the floral and fauna is also diverse and a delight for visitors.

It has 20 peaks above 6,000 metres--11 between 6,000 to 7,000 metres, eight between 7,000 to 8,000 metres and one above that. And that is Mount Khangchendzonga (also called Kanchenjunga), which towers at 8,586 metres and is the third highest in the world.

The park also has religious significance. Sikkim is presented in Buddhism as a "hidden land" and as per scriptures, what now constitutes the park is the sanctum sanctorum, where religious masters have hidden religious texts and treatises marked for discovery in later times.

Officials explained that these hidden treasures, known as "ters", are destined to be discovered by ter-tons, literally treasure revealers, from the sacred spots littered across the park. This has ensured that the sacred places are not defiled, thereby sustaining preservation.