Darjeeling is one of the oldest and the most magnificent hill resorts in India. It is a town based in the Shiwalik Hills on the lower range of the Himalayas in the West Bengal State of India.
The name "Darjeeling" is derived from the Tibetan words Dorje-"thunderbolt" and ling -"place", translating to "The land of the thunderbolt." It is also known as the Queen of Hill Stations due to its breath taking picturesque beauty, visions of serenity and of vibrant green hills in the lap of the Himalayas. It rests at an altitude of 2,134m (6,982Ft) and spread out to an area of 11.44sq.Kms.
During the British rule in India, Darjeeling's temperate climate led to its development as a hill station for British residents to escape the heat of the plains during the summers. When the highly renowned writer Mark Twain visited, he exclaimed it was "the one land that all men desire to see, and having seen once by even a glimpse would not give that glimpse for the shows of the rest of the world combined".
History:
The History of Darjeeling is intertwined with that of Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim & Bengal. Originally just a cluster of villages, Darjeeling was given to the British as a "gift" from the once independent kingdom of Sikkim. This development greatly enhanced the town's prosperity and regional importance. It was developed and built along the lines of a Victorian town.
Darjeeling now, is also a politically sensitive region in India's North-East area subject to disruptions in daily affairs from the Gorkha political groups. Hence one must check the local conditions before venturing towards the hills.
The best season to travel to Darjeeling is from March to mid June and September to mid December. Summers (lasting from April to June) are mild with maximum temperatures rarely crossing 25 °C . The monsoon season from June to September is characterized by intense torrential rains often causing landslides that block Darjeeling's land access to the rest of the country. In winter temperature averages 5–7 °C. This place requires warm clothes any time of the year and carrying an umbrella to this place would be a wise choice.
There are no direct Flights or Trains connecting Darjeeling. The nearest airport to Darjeeling is the Bagdogra airport and the nearest Rail route is New Jalpaiguri. The place is well connected by roads.
By Air: The nearest airport is Bagdogra. It is 96 kms from Darjeeling. The travel time takes about 3 hours. Indian Airlines and Jet Airways operate regular Services to Kolkata, Delhi and Guwahati from Bagdogra. The Indian Airlines Office is situated at Chowrasta, Darjeeling.
By Rail: Siliguri (80kms) and New Jalpaiguri (NJP) (88Kms) are the nearest railheads with connections to major cities like Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati and Varanasi. Darjeeling has a railway station but only the toy train from Jalpaiguri and New Jalpaiguri operates here. The trains connecting all the major places in India come to Jalpaiguri or New Jalpaiguri and from here the toy train or a bus or taxi can be taken to Darjeeling. The Toy Train to Darjeeling takes a picturesque route lasting about 7 hours.
By Road:The road distances to Darjeeling from Kolkata is 651 km, from Gangtok 100 km and from Kalimpong it is 51 km. In the town, jeeps and Land rovers can be hired. The state transport company runs buses from Kolkata and nearby places. The private operators also have their buses and the fare does not vary much.
Chowrasta: The place situated at the intersection of the Nehru road and the Mall road is an important shopping centre of Darjeeling. Chowrasta offers breathtaking views of snow-covered Kanchenjunga peaks and its surroundings Tiger Hill: Situated at an altitude of 2590 metres (8482 ft.) and 13 kms from the town, this spot has earned international fame for the magnificent view of the sunrise over Kanchenjunga and the great Eastern Himalayan Mountains. Even Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, is visible from here.
Batasia Loop: About 5 kms from Darjeeling, this Railway Loop is a marvellous feat of engineering. It is fascinating to watch the toy train find its way round the loop. The War Memorial constructed, is worth a visit. A glorious view of snowy peak and town can be seen from this place.
Bhutia Busty Gompa : The beautifully decorated Monastery with the Kanchenjunga range as its backdrop is a major attraction. Bhutia Busty Gompa was shifted from the observatory hills to its present site. The Monastery houses a library which has a copy of Tibetan Book of the Dead. Observatory Hills : The Observatory hills offers the splendour views of Kanchenjunga peaks. This place houses the sacred Hindu temples and Buddhists monasteries and is a very revered site.
Passenger Ropeway : The first ropeway in India, the Passenger ropeway is a major tourist attraction. The ropeway connecting the North point (7,000 ft) to the Singla Bazaar (800 ft) covers a distance of 8 Kms in 45 minutes.
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological park: Situated on Jawahar Parbat about 2 km. From the Chowrasta, this unique institution trains mountaineers. It has a museum containing an interesting collection of mountaineering equipment. Adjacent to the Institute, there is a high altitude wild life park and new home for Siberian Tiger, Himalayan Black Bear, Deer, Red Panda, Snow Leopard and Birds. The place is closed on Thursday.
The Snow Leopard breeding Centre: The place was started in 1986 to breed Snow Leopards in captivity with the help of International Snow Leopard captive breeding project. This too remains closed on Thursday.
Tenzing Rock and Gombu Rock: Situated at Lebong Cart Road. Himalayan Mountaineering Institute conducts preliminary course on Rock climbing on these Rocks. Natural History Museum: Within walking distance from the Chowrasta, this interesting museum contains comprehensive collection of the fauna of the region.
Japanese Peace Pagoda : The Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist inaugurated the Japanese Peace Pagoda in 1992. It is a recent landmark constructed by Japanese Monks and commands an excellent view of the town and the Himalayan Range.
Where To Eat: Momos' - steamed delicacies are staple food offered by almost every eating joint. Several eateries dish out North Indian, Nepali, Tibetan, and Continental cuisine. Some of the famous eateries are Glenary’s Bakery and Café which offers good pastries and the ubiquitous Darjeeling cuppa. Hot Stimulating Café on Hooker Road is another little cozy place. The Momos here are very famous. They even offer a Momo-cooking course. Services of a local guide to Darjeeling can be availed here. An excellent Tibetan place Kunga is situated just above the clocktower. It serves superb Tibetan food, including hearty Tibetan soups (the Thentuk is recommended). Where To Stay: There are several forest guest houses in the Darjeeling area. In order to stay at any of these, a special permit from West Bengal Forest Department is required.There are about 200 hotels and lodges in Darjeeling. So a room for different budget is easily available. Some of the suggested places are Hotel Dekeling, Hotel Fairmont, Hotel Heritage Mayfair Hill Resort and Pineridge Hotel
Darjeeling can be visited as a stand-alone place during Summers for its favored temperature or can be visited as a site to study Buddhist and Tibetan culture too. It also can be combined as a destination while on a tour of Kolkata, Guwahati and Eastern India.
The nearest places to Darjeeling are Ghoom--a village where one can visit the renowned Yiga Choeling Monastery. Kalimpong is another place nearby. Here one gets to see the Rolling Meadows and the Swiss Welfare Dairy besides the steeple of the Mac Farlane Church. Durpin Dara offers spectacular vistas of the Himalayas, the Monasteries like Pedong, Thongsha Gompa and Tharpa Choling have a charm of their own. Mirik is another place worth seeing around Darjeeling. This hill station is a marvelous retreat for the sun-scorched souls of the plains. In Mirik you have to see and experience the magnificence of the mighty Himalayas in the Sumendu Lake (also known as the Mirik Lake). The tea gardens and the orange orchards are the other places of interest in Mirik.
Darjeeling is famous world over for its tea which is very aromatic and has an excellent taste. The tea growers of the area developed distinctive hybrids of black tea considered among the world's finest. The tea plantations date back to the mid 19th century as part of a British development of the area. Also famously available are Curio items such as thangas , carpets, bronze items, wood carvings and garments made from yak wool which pertain to the Tibetan and Himalayan culture Adventure sports such as Trekking, white water rafting, canoeing and rock climbing are popular among the tourists.
Darjeeling is also famous for the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a UNESCO World heritage site. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway connecting the town with the plains was declared a World Heritage Site in 1999 and is one of the few steam engines still in service in India.
