Darjeeling

DARJEELING

Until the early part of the eighteenth century, Darjeeling was under the king of Sikkim. Later Gorkhas invaded the region and annexed the area, which they eventually lost to British. The British used the place to escape the heat and found the strategic importance of the area. They, hence, developed the area as a hill station and tea-growing area. Darjeeling is well known for its tea industry and eco-tourism.

Darjeeling is thought to be derived from the word Dorjeeling, which literally means 'the place of Dorjee' the majestic thunderbolt. Some believe that the thunderbolt belongs to the Lamaist religion and some believe that it belongs to Lord Indra.

Timber, tea, and tourism underpin the economy of Darjeeling. The tea plantations were originally developed by the British. Oranges and cardamom are also available in plenty. Traditional arts and crafts of Tibet and Sikkim are the products available for shopping. Traditional Tibetan and Sikkimese food as well as other Indian cuisines are available.

Rain can be expected any time in a year. Summer and spring are the two seasons most popular with the visitors. Darjeeling is a famous destination for Bollywood and Bengali film shooting.

The most popular and ubiquitous mode of transport is a four-wheel drive. Land rovers, especially, are the choice of tourists. They can easily serpentine through the steep and sometimes narrow roads of the hill.

Several local festivals are celebrated throughout the year. The festivals are colorful and the visitor should ensure that they are in Darjeeling to take part in the celebrations of one of these festivals.

MAJOR ATTRACTIONS

KUNCHENJUNGA

Kanchenjunga is the third highest mountain in the world (the first two being Mount Everest and K2), standing at an altitude of 8586 m. There are five peaks in Kanchenjunga. If you watch Kanchenjunga from the Observatory Hills, you might be deceived that the mount is a calm and serene upheaval of ice and snow.

In reality, rock and ice avalanches more often thunder this ostensibly serene mount. There are not any direct routes to the mount. One has to try various indirect routes, probably starting by ascending any one of the five peaks, then finding any possible place for camping, and attempting the summit. As hardship it may give, a visit to Kanchenjunga is memorable.

OBSERVATORY HILL

The Mall road originates and culminates at the Chowrashtra. The hill atop the Mall is the Observatory Hill. This hill is attached to strong religious faith and great importance both for the Hindus and the Buddhists.

The sacred Mahakal temple rests on this hill; Mahakal is considered to be the incarnation of Lord Shiva. The Bhutia Busty Gomba was originally situated in this hill and later relocated to the current place. Thus the hill serves as a witness to the harmony between the Hindus and the Budhists.

Bhutia Busty Gompa is a monastery situated just under a kilometer out of Darjeeling. Kanchenjunga provides a spectacular backdrop to this monastery. This monastery is a branch of the Nygpama sect’s Phontag Monastery in Sikkim. It was transferred to Darjeeling in 1879.

The monastery houses a well-stocked library, which contains many old Budhist texts. The Bhutia Busty Gompa is in the C. R. Das Road. The shrine in the Gomba is originally situated on the Observatory Hill. The ill-fated monastery was ruined by the massive earthquake in 1934; its existence is attributed to the munificence of the late Raja of Sikkim.

 BATASIA LOOP

It just below Ghoom and is engineering marvel . This site afford a spectacular view of Darjeeling , with Kanchenjunga in the background. There is also a war Memorial.

CHOWRASTA

It is the heart  of Victorian Darjeeling and hub of commercial activity . The famous Mall Road originates here and studded with hotels, restaurant, shops, and stalls. Tourist can enjoy a  leisurely ride on horse.

GHOOM MONASTERY

Called Sakya Monastery, the monastery in Ghoom is located 8 km from Darjeeling. Sakya monastery is a historic as well as significant monastery of the Shakya Order. The original monastery was built during the early twentieth century.

The monastery can accommodate around sixty monks. The statue of Maithreya Buddha  ), which is 4.57 meter high, of this monastery is of interest here. The monastery also preserves some of the rarest Buddhist manuscripts.

DARJEELING TOY TRAIN

The Darjeeling Toy Train made its first journey in September 1881. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway has acquired UNESCO’s endorsement as a World Heritage icon in 1999. The journey starts from Siliguri and at Chunamandi the train comes to its z-crossing, starting the zig-zagging or reversing in order to attain higher elevation. Sensation corners, which are nothing but loops, are excellent viewing points.

A journey in the toy train crisscrosses the motor road and passes through bazaars, leaving a long-lasting memory to the visitor. The journey takes approximately eight hours to Darjeeling from New Jalpaiguri.

DARJILING ROPEWAY

One of the most beautiful attractions of Darjeeling, the passenger ropeway starts at North Point, about 3 km from town. This is India's first passenger ropeway. This ropeway, which is 5 kilometers long, connects Darjeeling with Singla Bazaar on the Ranjit River at the bottom of the valley.

HOW TO REACH

By Rail - The nearest rail is New Jalpaiguri. This is well connected to most of the major cities in India. The town of Darjeeling is approachable from Siliguri, nearly 80 km away, by Darjeeling Himalayan Railway also known as Toy Train.

By Air - The nearest airport is Bagdogra near Siliguri, which is at a distance of 93 km from Darjeeling. The taxi fare from the airport to Darjeeling is about Rs 1200. This airport is connected to Kolkata, Delhi and Guwahati. International travelers can get connecting flights from Kolkata or Delhi. Both are well connected with many cities in India and abroad.

By Road - Regular bus services connect Darjeeling with many cities in and around Darjeeling. Siliguri, Kurseong, Gangtok and Kalimpong are well connected by private vehicles also.