Walk to Bikh Pokhari, the Poison Lake

Bikh Pokhari means poison pond in Nepali. It lies near the junction on the path towards Rinchenpong Monastery, a small, still body of water among trees. It is not a scenic lake, and that is not the point. The village remembers it as the place where, during a British advance into this part of Sikkim, local Lepcha and Gorkha defenders poisoned the only water source with a mix of herbs. Wikipedia's Rinchenpong article records the account, including the claim that the poisoning killed many soldiers and forced a peace.

We tell this as local tradition. We have not found a dated British record that names the place, and the details shift depending on who tells it. What is certain is that the story matters here: the pond is pointed out to every visitor, and people still say the water is unsafe. Respect that. Do not drink, wade in or throw anything into it, and keep children and dogs back from the edge.

The walk takes about an hour from the bazaar there and back, and is easiest combined with the monastery visit, since the path is the same. A local guide, about ₹500–800, adds the version of the story his own family tells, and points out medicinal plants along the way. Wear shoes with grip; after rain the path is muddy and leeches appear from June to September.