HISTORY
The success of the hill stations of Western India had
induced the Government to do something for the citizens of Calcutta and the
Bengal Presidency. An experimental station for ailing troops was opened at
Cherrapunji in Assam, but it proved to be a wash-out-literally- as it turned
out to be one of the wettest places in the world. But the government continued
to look for an alternative place, and asked G.W.A.Lloyd to follow up the
recommendation of J.W.Grant, the Commercial Resident at Malda, an enthusiastic
explorer of the Himalayan foothills. The place Llyod and Grant inspected in
1829 was an old and deserted Gurkha military station 'Dorjeeling' or
'Darjeeling'.
The name Darjeeling is
thought to be a derivation of 'Dorjeeling' meaning the place of the Dorjee, the
majestic thunderbolt of the Lamaist religion. In fact, the famous Buddhist
Monastery standing at the top of the Observatory hill was known by this name.
The district was the part of the dominions of the Raja of Sikkim upto the
beginning of the 18th century.
In 1817, the East India
Company struggled with Himalayan States on behalf of Raja of Sikkim, The Raja
of Sikkim restored the country between Mechi and the Tista rivers.This was the
result of the Treaty of Titaliya of 1817.Ten years after the treaty,disputes on
the Sikkim-Nepal frontiers arose and the then Governor General sent two
Officers viz. Captain Lloyd and Mr. Grant.They recommended the present place of
Darjeeling as a site for a sanatorium.The Governor General then deputed Captain
Herbert, the Deputy Surveyor General to examine the country.
The court of Directors
approved the project. General Lloyd was directed to start negotiations with
Raja of Sikkim and he succeeded in obtaining the execution of a deed grant by
the Raja of Sikkim on 1st February, 1835.
PLACES OF INTEREST
DHIRDAM
TEMPLE
Located near the Darjeeling
Railway Station,Dhirdham Temple was built in 1939.The Temple was constructed by
Rai Saheb Purna Bahadur Pradhan and the architect was Beg Raj Sakya.
Lord Shiv's statue outside
the main temple depicts "Pancha Bakram Tri Netram" meaning five
different facial expressions of Lord Shiv in different moods and the Third Eye.
The style of the roof shows that of a Tibetan influence. Every morning Aarti is
held at 8.00 am and at 6.00 pm in the evening.
TIGER
HILL
Passing through primitive
forests of Oak, Magnolia etc. with beautiful ferns ablaze with colour, adorning
the hill-sides is the steeply ascending road to Senchal , running through Ghoom
on its way to Tiger Hill , 11 kms from the town and at an elevation of 2,590m
(8482 ft). To the summit of this internationally famous 'Hill' journey -
mountain and nature lovers to view the world's most majestic mountains-
"Khang- Chen-Dzod-Nga" of mighty Kanchenjunga, the king of them all.
Mount Everest , 225 kms away
rarely deigns to come out of the cloudy mists, with its two other peaks
Mahakalu (27,769ft) and another peak on both sides.About 125 kms away is
Tibet's Chomol Hari mountain , said to be the world's most beautiful peak.
BATASIA
LOOP AND WAR MEMORIAL
Aboard the 'Toy Train' from
Siliguri to Darjeeling just below Ghoom and 5 kms from Darjeeling is the
Batasia Loop, an engineering marvel and feat. Almost imperceptibly, the railway
line negotiates a circle and descends 1,000 ft in altitude. The train's figure
8s and Z manoeuvres are as picturesque as the flowers, streams and water -
falls. At Batasia - windy place - one gets a grand view of the town of
Darjeeling perched on the slopes of hills and Mt. Kanchenjunga in the
background.
The War Memorial constructed
in the memory of brave sons of Darjeeling who died in different actions since
1947, is worth a visit. A glorious view of snowy peak and town can be seen from
this place.
HAPPY
VALLEY TEA ESTATE:
The Happy Valley tea estate
is around 3 kms away from the main town (Chowk Bazar), towards the North. If
you walk there, you will get a magnificent view of the Mt. Kanchenjunga,
provided the day is sunny and you are lucky. Also on the way, you will come
across the crematorium of some world famous personalities.
The estate stretches many
kilometres and you can hardly see its end. The estate produces world class
Darjeeling Tea. It is one of the oldest and most renowned tea estates in
Darjeeling. Tea picking, manufacturing and processing of tea can be seen here.
Do not forget to buy a pack of tea from here on your next visit to this lovely
estate.
BARBOTEY
ROCK GARDEN
Situated 10 km from town, is
a very attractive picnic spot with natural water falls. The Rock Garden was
constructed by The Gorkha Hill Council Tourism Department. The road to the
garden is a steep and winding one almost touching the plain. But the sight of
the natural waterfall makes you forget all the pain and weariness.
Just below the Rock Garden is the recently constructed
Gangamaiah Park. Tourists enjoy the beauty of this park as much if not more
than that of the Rock Garden. Taxis are easily available to reach you to this
location. However local people prefer walking and usually go there for picnics.
Outside the garden are available some lovely souvenirs of Darjeeling. So don't
forget to take one at your next visit.
MIRIK
LAKE
The newest hill-resort in
West Bengal, Mirik is at an altitude of about 5,800 feet and almost midway on a
100 km alternative route between Darjeeling and Siliguri. Mirik is an excellent
scenic spot, and Kanchenjunga is visible. The 335-acre site for the new tourist
resort is shaped like a tiny valley. Within the valley, there is a level
stretch of the five acres, rare in the hill areas of Darjeeling.
Along the west of this flat
ground, there is a natural lake formation fed with perennial springs and rain
water. Now, that the water here is impounded by construction of a weir, there
is a 1.25 km long lake. The level stretch forms eastern bank of the lake, the
western bank being hill slopes covered by a rich forest of about ten thousand
Crypto Maria japonica trees.
Visitors from Darjeeling and
Siliguri may however spend a day at Mirik profitably. Walks around the lake or
along the numerous walks in the heavily forested ridges on the western bank
view of sunrise or sunset from "Rameetay Dara", would all go to make
a fine holiday. For rest and food, the "Day-Centre" at the eastern
bank has a comfortable lounge. Tea, Coffee and Snacks are available throughout
the day. Visitors may also have lunch here. Boating, fishing, beautification
and overnight accommodation (Youth-Hostel and Tourist Cottages) etc. are ready
to receive visitors. Construction of the water supply system and underground
sewerage for the whole project area is complete by now.
TREKKING
It is said that trekking in
India originated in Darjeeling. These date as far as eighty years ago,
pioneered by Jesuit Rev.Fr Macdonald. Darjeeling has perhaps one of the most
spectacular treks to offer, along the beauty of its magnificent hills. The
'Singalila Trek' as popularly known, enables one to discover the passion of the
Himalayan region some of which is unmarred by humans.
WHITE
WATER RAFTING
he spills and chills of this
sport are unmatched. To experience the tempestuous mood of a river as it
cascades headlong into the rocks and down a slope is an unforgettable moment.
White foam produced from water as it gushes across stones and boulders gives
the sport its name. The White Water Rafting on the river Teesta & Rangeet
(Triveni), the scenic beauty of the banks, surrounding hills, its flora &
fauna and sighting of several varieties of fishes is simply enchanting. A river
trip is often an adventure.An amateur with a little sense of adventure can
equally enjoy it.
The river Teesta and Rangeet
is regarded as a form of Goddess and used for the purpose of various religious
rituals both by the Hindus and the Buddhists. A variety of cultural activities
can be witnessed being performed by the confluence of river Teesta &
Rangeet in the month of January (Magh) 13th to 15th known as "Maghey
Sankrati Mela."Action adventure invites adventure loving travellers and
enthusiasts at heart, the experience of the thrill of White Water Rafting, the
visual treat of the deep rugged foothills, the charms of the Himalayas
unfolding its mysteries and the spectacular verdant landscape with sleepy
helmets lost to time.
WILDLIFE
The
Himalayan Salamanders
Himalayan newt is the sole
representative of the order Caudata among the amphibian fauna of the Indian
subcontinent and is listed under the endangered category of Schedule I of the
Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The species is found at altitudes of
1500m - 2250m in cold climates of the Eastern Himalayan region and has been
reported to exist in a range spreading out from eastern Nepal through the
Eastern Himalaya uptil Southeast Asia.
The salamanders are dark in
colouration,slow and sluggish and unlike frogs and toads, do not produce
prominent sounds. They moreover remain active in their breeding pools for very
short period between April and early September.
Salamanders are secretive in
their habits. During the warm summer months from April to September, they are
known to inhabit cool mountain lakes , temporary and perennial pool and
streams. Over the cold winter months from October to March, they hibernate
under leaf litter, decaying logs and in mud burrows beneath forests. They swim
slowly with undulatory motions of their tails, occasionally surfacing to
breathe. Water-bettles and bugs,frog tadpoles, insect larvae, earthworms,
snails and slugs comprise the principal diet of the animal Salamanders often shelter among
bamboo stumps during the dry season,where they feed on the termites and
woodlice that infest rooting vegetation.
While mostly dark in colour,
the Tylototriton verrucosus has light brown limbs and tail. It's toes and
fingers and under surface of it's tail are pale in colour. The body is
cylindrical in shape and the head ringed by a hard porous ridge, with short
longitudinal ridges along the vertex. The snout is short but larger in diameter
than the eye. The eyes are moderate in size but have large upper eyelids. Large
glandular tubercles occur in line along the body, terminating at the tail. The
tympanum is distinct. The nostrils which are located close to the tip of the
blunt snout that have a space between them are semi-circular and are closed by
a small flap of skin.
Palatine teeth are present in line
with the internal nostrils along two ridges, which meet in front but widely
diverge behind. The animal's body is around three times the length of its head,
having four short stumpy limbs with 4 fingers and 5 toes, and a long tail
resembling that of the crocodile. Thus the animal is also known as the
Crocodile Salamander because of this overall resemblance.
The salamanders do not show
sexual dimorphism. Through most of the year the males and females are difficult
to distinguish apart.However, during the breeding season, they change in
appearance, making identification easier. A highly distended belly distinguishes
the females, while the males expel milt when their abdomen is pressed hard
GENERAL
INFORMATION
Area (in miles): 1, 200 sq.miles.
Height (in meters): 2, 134 mts.
CLIMATE
Summers - Summer The summer
months are the best time for visiting Darjeeling when the climate remains in a
pleasant mood. Summers arrive in the month of April and lasts till June with a
maximum temperature of 25°C.
Winters - The winter months
creep in during December and is over by February.
temperatures drop to 1°C
along with heavy mist and rains toward end of December. The month of December
is ocassionally accompanied by heavy snow fall.
Best Seasons: ( May - June ) & ( September -
November).
Clothing: In summer: Light woolens and In winter: Heavy
woolens.
Languages: Gorkha, Nepali, Hindi, Bengali, Tibetan and
English.
Religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity.
HOW
TO GET THERE?
BY
AIR
Well connected by Air from all parts of the country to
Bagdogra(Siliguri), which is the nearest Airport and is a mere 3 hours drive
from Darjeeling.
BY
TRAIN
The famous Darjeeling Mail from Sealdah (Calcutta)
besides other express trains from all over the country operate on daily basis
to the nearest railhead at New Jalpaiguri(NJP/Siliguri). Change over at New
Jalpaiguri to the world reknowned Toy Train which winds its way up the hills to
Darjeeling.
BY
ROAD
Very well connected to Siliguri which is a terminal city.
A fleet of luxury State/Private buses run overnight to Siliguri from
Calcutta.From Siliguri, a 2 hour scenic drive through tea gardens and forsets
either by taxi or luxury bus which operate throughout the day, takes you to
Darjeeling.
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