Sumin Reserve Forest

27°13′23″N 88°31′38″E / 27.22306°N 88.52722°E / 27.22306; 88.52722Governing bodyGovernment of India, Government of Sikkim

Sumin Reserve Forest ( also known as Sumen) is located about 20 km from Rangpo town in Pakyong District of the Sikkim state in India.

Geography

Altitudinal Range of Sumin Reserve Forest lies between 800 metres to 1900 metres. At the top of Sumin Forest is Gari Fort. Some natural cave formation can be seen at the higher ridges of this reserve forest.

History

Very little human habitats are there inside this community reserve forest, since histrocal and socio-religious beliefs have conserved and protected this place. For both Hindus and Buddhists this place is considered as a sacred groove. Gadi fort or Budang-Gadi fort is the ruins of the fort built by Chogyal of Sikkim to protect Bhutanese invasion from the east. As per local narrative story - The king of Bhutan attacked kingdom of Sikkim to get back the princess "Pendi" as she flew with the king of Sikkim. The frightened king of Sikkim (or Chogyal) erected a fort to prevent the attack. There is a nearby village, called Pendam; which was named after the princess Pendi.^[1]^[2] Moreover, there is a Hindu Kali Temple as well at the top. During the time of Rama Navami and for other Hindu festive occasions local pilgrims do offerings to the deity Goddess Kali. Management authority is governed by Directorate of Ecotourism, Govt of Sikkim and Joint Forest Management Committee.

Natural History

Biomes

Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests of the Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests biome
Tropical and subtropical coniferous forests of the Himalayan subtropical pine forests biome

Fauna

Birds at Sumin Reserve Forest include species like the kalij pheasant, hill partridge, satyr tragopan, bar-throated minla, black-eared shrike babbler, white-crested laughingthrush, rusty-fronted barwing, Crimson-browed finch, common green magpie etc.

Mammals, that are regularly seen in this park are barking deer, yellow-throated marten, himalayan striped squirrel, hoary-bellied squirrel etc. Beside these, Bhutan giant flying squirrel and particolored flying squirrel is also seen here. From primates, assamese macaque, rhesus macaque and himalayan grey langur are frequently seen.

Gallery

Drongo Cuckoo
Blue-winged Laughingthrush
Grey-sided Laughingthrush

References

^ "Sacred Groves of Sikkim" (PDF). Retrieved 22 June 2021.
^ Mudadla, Sankararao; Panigrahi, Ashok Kumar; Sahu, Alaka (August 6, 2017). "A note on the Gadi Central Pandam Sacred Grove of East Sikkim, Sikkim, India". Annals of Plant Sciences. 6 (8): 1656–1657. doi:10.21746/aps.2017.8.1 – via www.annalsofplantsciences.com.