Darjeeling Is A Town In The Indian State Of West Bengal. A Popular Tourist Destination, It Is Located In The Mahabharat Range Or Lesser Himalaya At An Average Elevation Of 6,710 Ft. It Is Noted For Its Tea Industry And The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, A Unesco World Heritage Site. Darjeeling Is The Headquarters Of Darjeeling District Which Has A Partially Autonomous Status Within The State Of West Bengal.
The Development Of The Town Dates Back To The Mid-19th Century, When The Colonial British Administration Set Up A Sanatorium And A Military Depot. Subsequently, Extensive Tea Plantation Was Done In The Region, And Tea Growers Developed Hybrids Of Black Tea And Created New Fermenting Techniques. The Resultant Distinctive Darjeeling Tea Is Internationally Recognised And Ranks Among The Most Popular Of The Black Teas. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Connects The Town With The Plains And Has One Of The Few Steam Locomotives Still In Service In India.
Darjeeling Has Several British-style Public Schools, Which Attract Students From India And Neighbouring Countries. The Varied Culture Of The Town Reflects Its Diverse Demographic Milieu Consisting Of Nepalese, Tibetan, Bengali And Other Ethno-linguistic Groups. Darjeeling, With Its Neighbouring Town Of Kalimpong, Was A Centre Of The Gorkhaland Movement In The 1980s. The Town's Fragile Ecology Has Been Threatened By A Rising Demand For Environmental Resources, Stemming From Growing Tourist Traffic And Poorly Planned Urbanisation.
| Area | 9,600 ft |
|---|---|
| Population | 1.32 lakhs |
| Winter Temperature | -5°C to 16°C |
| Summer Temperature | 10°C to 28°C |
| Best Time To Visit | October - Mid of December & Mid of March - June is the best time to visit. |
the Closest Airport Is At Bagdogra (about 88 Km From Darjeeling And A Three And Half Hour Drive) And Is Connected By Air With All The Metros In The Country.
new Jalpaiguri (njp) Is The Nearest Rail Head And Is Also About 88 Kms From Darjeeling. Njp Is Also Connected With All The Major Cities Of The Country With Most Of Trains Heading For The North-eastern States Making A Stop At This Junction.
bus Services Can Be Availed From Siliguri To Darjeeling, Mirik And Kalimpong From Tenzing Norgay Bus Terminus, Siliguri. However, It Is More Convenient To Travel In Smaller Vehicles Which Are Available On Seat Sharing Basis/hire, From Near The Bus Terminus, Airport And Railway Station. For Regular Visit To Darjeeling, Vehicles Can Be Arranged From Njp / Siliguri / Bagdogra And Insist On Coming Up To Darjeeling Through The National Highway 55 (also Called The Tenzing Norgay Road). There Are Numerous Stalls Dotting The Highway For Refreshment As Well As Have A Break In Kurseong. The Journey Through Nh-55 Will Take Approximately 3 - 3.5 Hours.
Situated At An Altitude Of 2590 Metres (8482 Ft.), It Is 15 Km From Darjeeling Town. An Early Morning Trip To The Tiger Hill Promises A Unique Experience. A View Of The Sunrise Amidst The Himalayan Range Has Earned It An International Fame. From Here You Can Get A Glimpse Of Mount Everest, The Highest Mountain And Kanchenjunga Range.
This Fascinating Narrow Gauge Steam Engine Train Still Operates With The Original Steam Engine And The Loops And The Zigzags Along The Route Are Remarkable Feats Of Engineering. The Journey From New Jalpaiguri May Be A Pleasant Experience But It Is The Short Ride From Darjeeling Town To Ghoom, The Nearest Station, That Becomes A Joy Ride In Itself. The Toy Train Is Considered An Engineering Marvel And Some Prefer To Call It One Of The Wonders Of The World, To Be Preserved Forever.
About 5 Kms. From Darjeeling, This Railway Loop Is A Marvellous Feat Of Engineering And With Its Magnificent View Of Darjeeling Town With The Kanchenjunga Mountain Is Worth An Experience, Whether Aboard The Toy Train Or Just Watching The Toy Train Pass Through This Loop. The War Memorial Is Constructed In The Memory Of The Brave Sons Of Darjeeling Who Died For The Country Since Independence In 1947.
While In Darjeeling A Visit To Any Nearby Tea Garden To Watch The Actual Process Of The Manufacturing Of Darjeeling Tea Is Worth It. Some Of The Tea Gardens Also Sell Their Packet Teas. There Are About 70 Tea Gardens In This Hill Region And The Most Accessible One Is The Happy Valley Tea Estate, Which Is About 3 Kms From The Town Or Within A Walking Distance Of About 40 Minutes (closed On Monday).
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
The Mall Road Originates And Culminates At The Chowrasta Which Is The Hub Of Darjeeling Town, A Square On The Ridge Of Darjeeling Town And A Good Place To Sit And Relax. It Is Ideal For A Leisurely Walk Around A Setting That Is Perfect. A Walk Around The Mall Is A Must Just At Any Time Of The Day With The Pleasant View Of The Mountains, Valleys With Rhododendron Trees And Old Houses.
It Was Founded In 1954 After The Historic Conquest Of Everest On The 29th Of May In 1953, When Two People Set Foot Atop Mount Everest. They Were, Tenzing Norgay (sherpa) From Darjeeling And Sir Edmund Hillary From New Zealand. As An Honour To The Great Sherpa This Institute Was Formed With The Aim Of Imparting Mountaineering Skills To All The Enthusiasts. Tenzing Sherpa Himself Was One Of The Founding Members And Also The Field Director Of The Institute. It Is Situated On Jawahar Parbat And Adjoins The Zoo. This Institute Also Houses A Museum Which Holds A Rare Collection Of Mementos From Various Everest Expeditions. Nawang Gombu, The First Man To Have Climbed The Everest Twice Is Presently The Chief Advisor For The Mountaineering Training.
A High Altitude Wild Life Park And New Home Of The Siberian Tiger, Himalayan Black Bear, Barking Deer Etc., Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park Or The Town Zoo Exhibits Some Rare Himalayan Fauna Including The Snow Leopard, Red Panda, Tibetan Wolf, Himalayan Pheasants, Etc. It Is A Treat For All Wild Life Enthusiasts. Just Nearby Is A Very Successful Snow Leopard Breeding Centre.
This Ropeway Is In One Of The Most Beautiful Part Of The Town And Is Situated At North Point About 3 Kms. From Town. The Cable Car Ride Takes 6 Passengers At A Time And It Passes Over The Lush Green Tea Gardens With Breath Taking View Of The Mountains (kanchenjunga) And Provides An Experience That Cannot Be Easily Forgotten. The Valley Has Glorious Views Of Sikkim And The River Rangeet.
Approximately 10 Minutes By Taxi From The Motor Stand, It Is Just Below The Main Road On The Way To Ghoom. This Gallery Houses Fine Art And Embroidery Work Of Mrs. Ava Devi.
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 (meaning the Coming Buddha), Which Is 4.57 Meter High, Of This Monastery Is Of Interest Here. The Monastery Also Preserves Some Of The Rarest Buddhist Manuscripts.
The Well-known Shopping Places In Darjeeling Are At Chowrasta. The Shops Here Sell Ethnic Knick-knacks. Hindu And Buddhist Cultures Rub Shoulders All Over Town, And You Can Pick Up Beautiful 'thangkas' And Carpets. Another Place Is Hayden Hall Where You Can Look For The Exclusive Tibetan Carpets. Shop At Manjusha Emporium Has A Good Collection Of Himalayan Handicraft, Silk And Handloom Products. The Woollen Garments Can Be Bought From The Markets On Hill Cart Road. The Bamboo Items From The North East Region Are A Collector's Delight. Of Course, You Cannot Go Home Without Picking Up A Few Packs Of The Famed Darjeeling Tea!
Darjeeling's Local Fare Is Not Just Delicious But Different From The Rest Of India, Thanks To Its Tibetan And Nepalese Influence. Head Down The Gandhi Road Or Chowrasta To Sample The Local Fare. Some Of The Most Popular Local Foods Are Momos : Tibetan Momos Or Dumplings Are Extremely Popular In Darjeeling And You'll Find Them At Every Street Corner. They Consist Of An Outer Covering Of Dough; The Stuffing Is Usually Chicken, Mutton, Pork, Cabbage Or Cheese.the Dumplings Are Steamed In A Three-tiered Vessel With Bone Or Tomato In The Lowest Compartment. It Is Served Alongside An Achar (local Red Chilly Sauce) Or A Hot Watery Soup. Thupka : Thupka Is A Type Of Tibetan Noodle That Is Served With Vegetables In A Soup Form. It Is Easily Available At The Local Restaurants In Darjeeling. Wai Wai: This Is Also A Hot Noodle-based Dish That Is Served Dry Or With Soup. It Is Readily Found In Packaged Form.
