India has always been synonymous with tea and the north-eastern town of Darjeeling
in West Bengal has long been associated with the finest end of the market Today
the plantations around the town produce well over a quaver of the entire tea
drunk in India!
But there s a lot more to Darjeeling than just a brown beverage. Year round
tourists come eager to see this renowned town, but many fail to properly explore
Darjeeling and discover what’s on offer.
Once Darjeeling was nothing more than forest, ‘a worthless, uninhabited mountain. But in 1835 the British come along and instantly recognised the area’s potential. A deal was quickly struck with die rulers of Sikkim who controlled the hills, which allowed the British to develop Darjeeling as a hill station in return for an annual payment.
Nowadays summer sees 10s of thousand, of visitors arriving from places as far away as Delhi, New York and Johannesburg, giving the place a quaintly cosmopolitan air. In high season, the crowds can be oppressive, as people escape the sweltering heat of the plains. But in winter Darjeeling is virtually empty. It’s then that the streets attain a unique feeling of peace; a perfect time to snuggle up in hour of a log fire with a pot of Darjeeling s finest.
THE TOWN is also a favourite with mountain watchers. The world’s third highest mountain, KANCHANJUNGA (8,598 meters) can be seen from the rooftops of almost all the hotels, Its a staggering sight, On exceptionally clear days you can even spot Mt Everest, a distant speck on the horizon. Those who enjoy suffering can take a jeep up to Tiger Hill (2,585 meters), face the wind., and watch the sunrise over the entire massif at around 5.00 a.m. The pre dawn colours as the clouds lift behind the hills are unforgettable.
Darjeeling’s arch rival is Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. Both towns claim to be the ‘Queen of Hills’ and heavily publicise their secluded walks and interesting buildings in the hope that visitors will opt for their town rather than die other. Whilst a stay in Shimla has its own meets, only Darjeeling can boast an incomparable mix of people who generate a fabulous atmosphere. geographically, Darjeeling maintains a unique pivotal role with Sikkim and India’s northeastern region. The borders of Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh as well as Tibet are close by, boosting the area with a diverse range of restaurants and handicraft shops.
At first glance the town seems completely disorientating. Teetering on the edge of a high crescent-shaped ridge, Darjeeling streets are a tangled mess of narrow roads and steep flights of uneven steps lined with over 100 hotels.
Most people spend the first day trying to get their bearings, which usually translates as a gentle meander along The Mall (Nehru Road), Darjeeling’s oldest artery that is fortunately closed to traffic. A good place to begin is at the old Clock Tower which looks as though it Belongs on top of an English town hall. Heading west along the Mall you pass the Planter’s Club, which was once the centre of grand weekend gatherings. A place to definitely ‘be seen’ at. 100 years ago, being accepted as a member was an honour. All the club’s 18 rooms have amazing views of Kanchenjunga, but the decadent parties are just a thing of the past.
The Glenary’s Tea rooms, a few minutes further on, are de rigour with those whose favourite passion is to sit and gossip over a nice cup of tea and a piece of cake. The downstairs looks a little ragged, but upstairs the original Victorian fireplace and ceiling fixtures still sparkle like museum pieces.
THE MALL then heads gently uphill past an intriguing mix of curio shops and travel agencies to Chowrasta, die town square. Here you can waste hours in the Oxford Bookshop browsing through their extensive collection of local history books or take the weight off your feet on one of the square’s benches and watch the world go by. Ponies are available for hire.
If you follow the southern edge of the ridge, you reach ST ANDREW’S CHURCH, a wonderful Victorian building which commands one of the town’s highest spots. Built in 1843 at a cost of Rs 9,000, the church is now largely ignored. Today the average Sunday congregation is just 30 people. For most of the week, the building is locked but the caretakers in the side hall will happily open up and let you wander around.
The church caretakers are happy to allow visitors to climb up the rickety steps to the clock tower where the old pulleys and ropes that worked the bells still remain. At the top you can look at the intricate clock mechanism brought all the way from Croydon in England and caked in a thick layer of dust. Before you leave, be sure to sign the church visitor’s book, unchanged since 19261
Dareeling attracts its fair share of regulars, most of whom stay at the WINDERMERE HOTEL, a family style local landmark whose faithful guests have included Sir Edmund Hillary and Heinrich Hamer. The Windermere has that ‘refined’ quality about it; there’s a library and a oil hands room. Guests are summoned to dinner by a deep resounding gong. Reservations for an evening meal need to be made several days in advance.
The path continues to twist and turn, eventually reaching the HIMALAYAN ZOOLOGICAL PARK. The zoo was established in 1958 as an attempt to conserve Himalayan animals such as the red panda and Tibetan wolf. But the beautiful snow leopards are the star attraction, It is believed there are just 4,500 snow leopards left in the wild, so the work of the breeding program at the zoo is vital.
But eventually everything in Darjeeling has to come back to tea. At the end of die path known as North Point is India’s oldest passenger ropeway, which descends five kilometres to Singla Bazaar, a small village surrounded by a lush corrugated ocean of tea bushes. Every available piece of land is covered, making for quite an unusual sight. The plantations have 40,000 people to process the leaves. The most highly prized tens, may cost up to Rs 13,000 a kilo. Tea connoisseurs come in droves to marvel and taste Darjeeling’s most famous export. Around Chowrasta there are lots of tea stalls selling products for all wallets.
There’s one thing that’s no surprise with Darjeeling and that’s flow to get there. The ‘toy train is the town’s mascot and is now part of die UNESCO World Heritage project it takes almost nine hours to travel the 90 km up to Darjeeling from Siliguri, a journey few have patience for these days. Instead, most people take the 8.25 a.m. train as part of a day trip to Ghoom, which takes in the famous Batasia Loop - the track which curls 180 degrees is regarded as a fantastic piece of engineering. Aboard, there is often a patty atmosphere, with everyone snapping pictures and leaning out of the win doors. Be prepared to get covered in soot when you get oft!
Ghoom’s star attraction is Yiga-Choling, a vibrant Tibetan monastery about 15 minutes’ walk from the station. The first thing that hits you as you wander around the building are the colours. Reds, blues, golds are abundant. A statue of the future Buddha, Maitreya, dominates the main prayer hall. The only sound is the wind gently turning the prayer wheels outside.
With all this and more, it’s easy to see why people make Darjeeling their second home. It has a delightful atmosphere, friendly people and interesting places to stay. The stunning views and unhurried pace contributing to the rest of the town’s charms making Darjeeling one of India’s greatest jewels.
GENERAL
Darjeeling lies on a west-facing ridge, with interconnecting roads, stairs and steep walks. Though Buddhism as a religion is found to be more prominent, Buddhists constitute only 15% of the population, with the majority being the Hindus. Napoli or Gorkhali is the local lingo but the people are at ease with both Hindi and English. The landscape is dotted with monasteries, churches and temples.
ACCESS
The nearest airport is Bagdogra, while New Jalpaigurl is the nearest major railway station, both equidistant from Darjeeling (around 90 km). The only mode of transport thereon is by road where frequent taxi and bus services are available. Anybody wishing to take the trip by the famous toy train can do so from Kurseong, 37 km from Darjeeling.
ACCOMMODATION
Eccentric British Raj era types to modern hotels are easily available. The Central Hotel is ideally located on Robertson Road, very close to the mall. Hotel Bellevue at Chowrasta, Whittemore Hotel on the Mall and the found Lodge on the slopes of the Observatory Hill, which is managed by the West Bengal govern. meet are other options.
EATING
Meals of the Tibetan-run restaurants are very popular and also cheap, while one can also try the delicacies prepared at Glenary a, and also the open-air restaurant on Chowrasta.