INDIA DARJEELING

INDIA DARJEELING

 Where the leisurely troy train chugs along and little red cheeked monks greet with a smile. A slight nip in the air as you settle down with a piping hot cuppa. That’s when you  know you are smitten by hr. She’s Darjeeling.

During the British raj Darjeeling’s temperate climate led to its development as a hill station for British residents seeking to escape the summer heat. Arthur Campbell , a surgeon with the company, and Lieutenant Robert Napier established a hill station there.

The first road connecting the town with the plain was constructed between 1839 and 1842. Darjeeling became the formal summer capital of the Bengal Presidency after 1864.The opening of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway in 1881 further hastened the development of the region.

THE DARJEELING HIMALAYAN RAILWAY IS A UNSECO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

The train moves so slow that you can hop off,savour some mouthwatering momos and hop on.

THE FORMIDABLE KANCHENJUNGA

Kanchenjunga humbles you. Towering and awe inspiring, her presence is perhaps the driving reasons why you and many other visit Darjeeling.

Kanchenjunga was first climbed on 25 May 1955 by Joe Browne and George Band, who were part of a British expedition. They honoured the beliefs of the Sikkimese, who regard the summit sacred, by stopping a few feet short of the actual summit. Ever since mountaineers have followed the tradition.

VIEW FROM TIGER HILL

If you manage to wake up at 3 in the morning and travel 13 kilometres uphill, then you are on course for an experience of a lifetime. As the first  days rays of the sun kiss the Kanchenjunga, she turns pink. Gradually the orange hues set in. When the sun is fully up, the Kanchenjunga looks resplendent in golden. Going through this colour carnival is one of those rare moments of sheer bliss.

Situated at an altitude of 2590 meters (8482 feet) and 13 kms from the town,the Tiger Hill offers magnificent view of the sunrise over the Kanchenunga and the great eastern Himalayan Mountains. Even Mount Everest,the world’s highest peak, is visible from here.

BATASIA LOOP & WAR MEMORIAL

Just 5 km away from Darjeeling town is the gigantic railway loop where the Toy Train makes a 360 Degree turn. It was built to enable the Toy Train to cut the steep ascent. The Batasia Loop offers a panoramic view of the Kanchenjunga Range.

There’ also a War Memorial constructed in the memory of the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives in various wars since independence. For locally made purses, bags and other decorative items, one can visit the nearby market.

GHOOM

Just 8kms from Darjeeling , Ghoom .Monastery is located at an elevation of 8000 feet.The monastery follows the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism.There is a 15 feet high statue of “Maitreya Buddha”in the monastery.

At an altitude of 2225.7 m(7407 feet) Ghoom is the highest railway station in India.

THE MALL

The Mall is Darjeeling’s most happening hangout with book shops. Tibetans selling hand knitted sweaters ,souvenir shops , eateries and loads of other activities. It leads to the Chowrasta.It is a pedestrian only road in the heart of the town.

When was the last time you spent time with yourself? Well, now is the time.Shed the serious image and do take the pony ride around the iconic Mall. Or just laze around, sitting on one of those special benches. Take  a stroll. Fell the pulse of Darjeeling.

IT’S A BEAU TEA!

Revered by connoisseurs across the world, Darjeeling Tea is a considered to be the finest. It has a unique flavor which cannot be replicated.

Even the tea pluckers , well aware of the status their produce enjoys throughout the world, pick only the finest 2 leaf and the bud to enhance the unique flavor which has been described as “Muscatel”.

There are a total of 87 estates in the Darjeeling district covering a whopping 17500 hectares producing over 9 million kg of teat every year.

The European Commission has registered Darjeeling Tea as a Protected Geographic Indication (PGI) product –the first commodity from India to get such a tag.The statues implies that the brew produced only in Darjeeling can be sold as Darjeeling Tea in the European Union countries.

Always check-the packet must have a Darjeeling Tea Logo. “Darjeeling “or ‘Pure Darjeeling” or 100% Darjeeling –must be mentioned.

KEVENTERS

Take a seat at this famous eatery. Finish your half read novel and enjoy a hearty breakfast .If you are in Darjeeling, you should also visit Keventers. Get up early and make yourself comfortable at the terrace with a ham or a bacon sandwich followed by flavoured Darjeeling tea.

MYSTIC MUNGPOO

Tucked away in a quaint corner, 35 kilometres east of Darjeeling, Mungpoo epitomizes peace. Originally named Mong Pong, meaning “A Heap of Millet” in Lepcha, the regional dialect later changed the name to Mungpoo. While travelling form Darjeeling, lush green tea gardens and winding rivers cross your way en route Mungpoo.

MIRIK

Spare half a day for Mirik.Located at an altitude of 495 m(4905 ft), Mirik’s key attraction is the pristine Sumendu Lake.The lake is surrounded by a garden on one side and pine trees on the other, linked together by an arch shaped bridge popularly known as the Indreni Pull (rainbow bridge).A boat ride is recommended