Legship - West Sikkim

Legship is the doorway to West Sikkim. It is positioned on the banks of river Rangit, on the most important road linking Gezing and Pelling with the remaining parts of the state. From Legship the road leads up towards Pelling. There is a little market at Legship from where usual taxi services are available to nearly all other destinations in south and west Sikkim.

Legship is also the spot for a large hydro-electric dam. The large lake formed by the dam is also the spot where locals visit for day outing or picnicking. The place is known as Rangit Water World and rafting facility is available here. The local people of Legship had an important role to play for the development and promotion of this location as a tourist destination.

There is a great temple complex too on the bank of the Rangit River. Locals from Legship over and above villagers from neighboring areas visit this temple. The main temple is well-known as Kirateshwar Mahadev Mandir.According to neighboring mythology of Legship, the area where the temple has been constructed is in reality the location where Arjuna of the epic Mahabharata meditated. On being content with the devotion of his devotee, Lord Shiva appeared in front of Arjuna in disguise of a hunter (Kirat). It is from this name, the Kirateswar temple is thus resulting.

There are extra temples in the complex of many other gods and goddesses for instance Rama and Durga. All the way through the year quite a lot of festivals are held in the temple compound. The most significant among them is the festival of Bala Chaturdesi held in the month of November or December.

Supplementary places of tourist interest in the region of Legship consist of a hot spring close by and an herbal and park with medicinal plantations created by NHPC near the site of the dam.
Legship is frequently visited by the tourists on their way to Pelling. There is no well-mannered accommodation at Legship. One can visit Legship from Tashiding or Rinchenpong / Kaluk area too.

How to get there:

Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim is connected by all weather road to Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Siliguri and also to all the District headquarters within Sikkim.

Two nearest railway station are at Siliguri (114 km) and New Jalpaiguri (125 km) stabilizing link to Calcutta, Delhi, Guwahati, Lucknow and other important cities in India.

Nearest airport is Bagdogra in North Bengal( 124 km).