Richenpong

Richenpong is a town in West Sikkim, India. It is famous for the Rigsum monastery and trekking routes. Richenpong is located at an altitude of 1,700 metres and situated amidst a heavily forested area.

This happens to be the site of a historical battle between the forces of the then "Chogyal" (King) of Sikkim and the invading British forces. The latter faced a thorough drubbing in what could be described these days as "biochemical warfare". The Lepcha tribesmen used a concotion of unidentified herbs to poison the only water source, a lake (local term : "pokhri"). As a result more than half of the British forces were wiped out in a humiliating defeat which stopped the British invasion and resulted in an accord.

The lake remains poisoned even to this day an is known as "bikh-pokhri" (poisoned lake).

External links

* [http://www.rangan-datta.info/rinchenpong.htm Travel article on Rinchenpong by Rangan Datta]