The town and hill station of Darjeeling lies in northern West Bengal. The tourists visiting Darjeeling are attracted by its natural beauty, its clean fresh mountain air and above all, the smiling, warm-hearted people who make the strangers feel comfortable.
Darjeeling`s best gift to its guests is the dawn of a new and fresh day. The mountains awaken the visitors` first with a tentative peeping of the sun, predicting a soothing and comfortable day. A sheer ride, five kilometers from Ghum, or a refreshing walk up to Tiger Hill, the complete journey remains a memorable one. The air usually remains chilly with darkness and damp and the eastern sky shows a dull orange sun emerged that paints the entire background with dazzling strokes of magenta, gold, orange and fuchsia. The snow capped mountains like Everest, Kabru, Kanchenjunga, Jannu and other peaks slowly emerge from the mysterious slumber to start a new day. The sun worshippers present in the fascinating land, gasp for this magnificent sight from various hill tops. As the fog uplifts the bright face of the slowly penetrating sun, the town steadily comes alive. Amidst brewing of the flavoured tea, the sweet Gorkhali local dialect, rises and falls like music to the guests.
Darjeeling, being one of India`s most famous hill resorts, stands at an altitude of about 7000ft above sea level. Tiger Hill is one of the famous tourist places in Darjeeling, situated at an altitude of 2590 metres and it lies around 15 km from Darjeeling town. An early morning trip to the Tiger Hill assures a unique experience. A view of the sunrise amidst the famed Himalayan range has earned it global fame. The Observatory Hill offers breathtaking view of the town and the hill Mall attached is known for its religious importance as a revered temple complex for both the Hindus and the Buddhists. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway or the Toy Train is a 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 Ghum, 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.
Batasia Loop and the War Memorial lie about 5 kms from Darjeeling, this railway loop is a marvellous feat of engineering and offers panoramic view of Darjeeling town with the Kanchenjunga mountain at the horizon. The Toy Train passes 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. Tea Gardens are the most interesting places to visit in Darjeeling. 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).
Darjeeling is a religious abode as well. There are many Buddhist monasteries in and around Darjeeling. The oldest one is called the Yiga Cholling Monastery, which is, situated about 8 kms from the town at Ghum and enshrines an image of `the Coming Buddha` or the Maitriya Buddha. It was constructed in 1875 and belongs to the Gelugpa Sect. The Samten Cholling Monastery is another interesting monastery nearby. The Drukpa Kargyud Monastery, also known as Dali Monastery, is a famous monastery located 5 kms from the town. Belonging to the Drukpa Sect, the Drukchen Rimpoche resides here. The Bhutia Busty Monastery is situated at C.R. Das Road and is within 15 minutes walk from the Mall. These monasteries are home to hundreds of lamas and Buddhist monks who execute their religious rites through daily acts of prayers and offerings. The very sight of these monasteries brings an air of piousness and serenity in the minds of the visitors. The Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist inaugurated 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. Dhirdham Temple is situated just below the Railway station the temple is a structural replica of the famous `Pashupatinath` temple of Kathmandu, Nepal.
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. While taking a walk in The Mall, one can visit the Museum of Natural History, which lies close by. This small museum showcases a striking collection of the fauna of the Himalayan region, especially of the Eastern Himalayas. Himalayan Mountaineering Institute is another well-known tourist places in Darjeeling. It was founded in 1954 after the historic conquest of Everest on the 29th of May in 1953. As an honour to Tenzing Norgay (Sherpa) from Darjeeling and Sir Edmund Hillary from New Zealand, 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.
Himalayan Zoological Park and Snow Leopard Breeding Centre is a high altitude wild life park and new home of the Siberian Tiger, Himalayan Black Bear, Barking Deer and other endangered animals. 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. Lloyds Botanical Garden is a colourful garden situated just below the market. In 1878 Mr. W. Lloyd gifted 40 acres of hillside to make a garden with local plants and flowers. It still has the most varied collection of rhododendron, magnolia, orchids, etc. of the Eastern Himalayas. It also has a glass-house full of alpine flowers and also features an Orchidarium and a collection of medicinal plants.
Darjeeling Rangit Valley Passenger 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 breathtaking 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. The Ava Art Gallery can be reached by taxi within 10 minutes 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.
Reaching Darjeeling is easy through all the three routes. By railway, one can avail the Darjeeling Railway station that is in Darjeeling town. Toy Train journey from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling takes about 8 hours. New Jalpaiguri is the major railway station (88 kms about 3 hours drive), which is connected to all the major cities in India. Through airways, visitors can first reach the Bagdogra airport (90 km), which has flights connecting to Kolkata, Delhi and Guwahati, followed by a drive from Bagdogra airport to Darjeeling takes about 3½ hours. Darjeeling is well connected to all important places through road network.
Darjeeling is a place of wonders for all kind of tourists and visitors. Besides, being a pilgrimage, Darjeeling is also a destination for trekking and other adventure sports. The young people can be entertained at the zoos, mountaineering camps, museums and other such activity places; but the elders can enjoy their share in the monasteries and tea estates that overlook the incredible Himalayas.
