culture · Aritar, Gangtok
Walk to Ari Bangla, the 1895 dak bungalow
John Claude White arrived in Sikkim in 1889 as the first British Political Officer, and for the next two decades he ran much of the state's administration. Dak bungalows were part of that work: plain rest houses along the main routes where officials, surveyors and travellers could sleep and change ponies. Aritar, on the trade path from Kalimpong to Jelep La, got one in 1895. Locals still call it Ari Bangla, the Aritar bungalow.
In 1897 Sikkim's first police outpost and its first treasury were set up on the same premises. It is worth a moment to imagine that: a small ridge-top building, a few constables and a strongbox, at a time when most of Sikkim had no police at all. White described these years in his 1909 book, Sikhim and Bhutan: Twenty-one Years on the North-East Frontier, which you can find in libraries and online archives.
The walk up from the lake takes 15–25 minutes on a road and path. Whether you can go inside depends on the caretaker and on official bookings, so treat the interior as a bonus. The building and the view from its lawn over Lampokhari are the reason to go. Combine it with the gompa nearby for a slow morning, and carry water, as there are few shops on the ridge.
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Questions people ask
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Who built the Aritar dak bungalow and when
The Aritar dak bungalow, known locally as Ari Bangla, was built in 1895 under John Claude White, who served as the first British Political Officer of Sikkim from 1889 to 1908. Two years later, in 1897, Sikkim's first police outpost and treasury were set up on the same premises. These facts are recorded in the Wikipedia articles on Aritar and on White.
Can tourists go inside the Aritar dak bungalow
Sometimes. The bungalow is a government building, and access to the interior depends on the caretaker and on whether it is in official use. Many visitors only see it from outside, which is still worthwhile for the building and the view over Lampokhari Lake. Ask your homestay or at the gate politely, and do not enter closed rooms without permission.
How far is the dak bungalow from Lampokhari Lake
It sits on the ridge above the lake, a 15–25 minute walk up by road and path, or a few minutes by car. The climb is moderate, so most people manage it easily with a break or two. Go in the morning or late afternoon for softer light on the lake below, and combine it with a visit to Aritar gompa nearby.
