The third edition of the month-long expedition between 3rd March to 3rd April 2025 was flagged off by Shri Aditya Golay (Tamang)
Royal Enfield in collaboration with UNESCO kicked off the third edition of The Great Himalayan Exploration in Sikkim on March 3, 2025. This motorcycling expedition documents the ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’ of the Indian Himalayan region. The 2025 edition especially focuses on exploring and preserving 10 unique ICH practices of the region. It was flagged off by Shri Aditya Golay (Tamang), the local MLA, with the first ride commencing to Gangtok. The month-long expedition between 3rd March to 3rd April 2025 will have two groups of rider-researchers who will interact with local communities and document their living heritage.
The two groups will ride through different routes while gaining firsthand insights into the Sikkimese tradition and how it continues to thrive despite the modernization. During the expedition, riders will also attend the Bhumchu Festival at Tashiding Monastery. Just so you know, the monks open a sealed pot of holy water to predict Sikkim’s fortunes for the year during this annual ceremony.
The Great Himalayan Exploration also gives an opportunity to learn Lepcha Healing Practices & Bhumthings which involves use of medicinal plants and spiritual rituals to treat ailments. Furthermore, the riders will also learn about the cardamom cultivation in Sikkim as it is India’s largest producer of large cardamom.
The third edition of The Great Himalayan Exploration will also enable the participants to know about Lepcha Weaving which is a centuries-old craft practiced by Lepcha women using back-strap looms to create intricate, multicolored fabrics. In addition, the riders will also get to see the making of Churpi Cheese. It is a Himalayan culinary staple where chhurpi stands for yak or cow-milk cheese, made in both soft and hard varieties.
This expedition will also take the riders through the revered art form of Sikkimese mask making, where artisans carve and paint masks depicting deities and mythological figures. The people in Sikkim, predominantly the Lepcha community, honor Mount Kanchenjunga as a sacred guardian through rituals led by shamans. They consider the mountain as a protective deity.
Last but not the least, The Great Himalayan Exploration 2025 will also give the riders a glimpse of the Dzumsa System of Governance, which is a unique self-governing system in Lachen and Lachung. In this system, village elders, led by a Pipon, oversee administrative and judicial matters while ensuring the preservation of local customs and harmony.
