Culture and history · Lachen
Evening in a Lachenpa kitchen
Sit by the stove in your homestay kitchen before an early dinner and ask about the Dzumsa, the Pipon and winter in Lachen. Most families are glad to talk while they cook thukpa or dal, and you leave knowing how the village actually works.
In Lachen's cold months the kitchen is the family's sitting room, with a stove going from dusk. If you are staying in a homestay, ask politely in the afternoon if you can join while dinner is made. Most families say yes. It is the best place to understand the village, far better than the main road.
Ask about the Dzumsa: how the Pipon is chosen, what the council decided about tourism vehicles and homestays, and why the village is careful about waste. Ask about the summer herds at Thangu, about the 2023 flood and the closed road, and about children going to school in Mangan or Gangtok. Listen more than you talk.
Food will be simple: rice, dal, a vegetable, perhaps meat or eggs, and tea. Thukpa or thenthuk may appear on cold nights. Eat early, by 7.30 pm, because you will be up at 3 am for Gurudongmar. Do not ask for alcohol, and if offered home brew, decline politely before the high drive.
Cost: Included in homestay stay
Questions people ask
Good to know
What is the Pipon in Lachen?
The Pipon is the elected headman of Lachen's Dzumsa, the traditional council in which every household is represented. The Pipon chairs meetings, settles disputes and speaks for the village. Lachung has its own Pipon and Dzumsa. The system dates from the first half of the 19th century.
What food is served in Lachen homestays?
Simple home food: rice, dal, a vegetable such as potato or radish, eggs and sometimes chicken, with tea. On cold nights you may get thukpa or thenthuk noodle soup. Dinner and breakfast are usually included. Tell your host about dietary needs when you arrive.
Can I drink alcohol in Lachen before Gurudongmar?
It is best not to. Alcohol dehydrates you and makes altitude sickness more likely and harder to spot. With a 3–4 am start for a lake at about 5,180 m, a clear head and a full night's sleep matter more. Save it for Gangtok.
Also in Lachen
