The International Rhododendron Festival 2010, the first of its kind in the entire Himalayas, is beginning in Sikkim on Sunday. West Bengal Governor MK Narayanan, who is holding additional charge of Sikkim Governor, will inaugurate the festival at the picturesque Singba Rhododendron Sanctuary in the high altitude snow clad North Sikkim district. <br/> <br/>AIR Gangtok correspondent reports, Sikkim is the treasure trove of Rhododendrons of the nation with 36 species of the flora ,said to be around 72 percent of the country's Rhododendron species. The word Rhododendron is a Greek term which means the Rose Tree.<br/> <br/>The Singba Rhododendron Sanctuary, the venue of the inaugural function, itself is the repository of over 30 species of Rhododendrons which are the glory of the Sikkim Himalayas. <br/> <br/>The year long event has been visualized and initiated with an aim to encash on this rich natural resource with tourism footfalls. It is also aimed at generating awareness and promoting the conservation of Sikkim’s rich heritage of Rhododendrons at a global level. <br/><br/>