Owing to its rich and enchanting culture, Sikkim is naturally a delightful shopping destination, offering plenty of opportunity to its visitors.

Suggested below some of items to procure while visiting Sikkim:

Prayer Flags

Found all over the landscape, the prayer flags can be easily spotted fluttering in the air. Locals believe that with each flutter, a flag releases the prayer printed on it into the air which in turn carries it to the heavens. The more the flag flaps, the greater is its divine value.

Thangka Paintings

Thangkas are religious scrolls, richly fabricated and even embroidered sometimes and standing as a strong symbol for compassion, strength and wisdom. Thangka is a miniature painting that depicts either the scenes from Buddha’s life, Bodhisattvas, Buddhist deities or the mystic Mandalas.

Prayer Wheels

A prayer wheel is a small cylinder carved in metal or soft wood that is attached to a holding stick and having a beaded thread hanging from it. The prayer scrolls are kept inside the cylinder and people are suppose to rotate it in a clockwise direction. These too are believed to send good and positive energy into the air when the holder rotates the wheel. It is said that person can reach to meditative state with a continuous focus on it.

Masks

Giant wooden masks can be spotted in the Buddhist monasteries to ward off the evil eye. It is an important asset of the rituals and ritual dances in Sikkim. Many tourists and travellers pick these up and hang it outside their homes to protect them from negative energies and evil spirits.

Sikkim Tea

Sikkim is 100% organic state and has its own lovely tea estates. Temi tea is Sikkim’s biggest Tea brand that is sold and also exported largely along with other popular brands such as Kho-Cha and Golden Tips. This is a perfect gift to pick up from Sikkim.

Dorjee Bell and Thunderbolt

The Dorjee Bell and Thunderbolt represent the male and female energies respectively and are typically placed together. It is believed to destroy all kinds of evil while its nature itself is indestructible.

Singing Bowl

It is used in Tibetan therapy with power and beauty of ‘Sound Healing’. Having mantras engraved on them, it holds in itself many petals of meditation, internal toning and the healing of mind and soul. It uses vibrational sounds to help in altering consciousness, reducing stress and most importantly creating a deep sense of peace and tranquillity.

Sikkimese Traditional Dress

The traditional Sikkimese dresses are crafted in silk and brocade and are an interesting souvenir. Even Sikkimese cap would be a nice accessory to own.

Sikkimese Jewellery

Apart from the blue and green stone necklaces and handcuffs, Ghau pendants and Akor earrings are attractive souvenir to buy. Ghau pendants are an ornate box wherein one can store prayer scrolls. They are also used to keep relics of departed gurus or sacred herbs. The Akor earrings are traditionally worn by the Lhasa women. Its distinct identity is that the long earrings end in a lotus bud.

Damru

While thinking of Himalayas, vivid images of damrus and rudraksh invades one’s mind. That is because it is home to Lord Shiva. The two-headed drum called damru is an hourglass-shaped instrument that can also be a beautiful memory to keep in one’s altar room.