Darjeeling is a hill city in the Himalayas, situated at an altitude of 2045 meters in the Indian state of West Bengal. Darjeeling is famous for tea cultivation and It’s tea is recognized as premium tea and always have higher price than any other tea like assam or cylon tea . Popular Places to visit in darjeeling are sunrise in tiger hill, tea gardens in darjeeling , darjeeling himalayan railway (It is a UNESCO world Heritage site ), japanese peace pagoda darjeeling , himalayan mountaineering institute , Padmaja Naidu Zoological Park , darjeeling cable car and many more .
Darjeeling has been always special for me as this is my first tour in my life . My father promised me that if I become first in the class of my school , he will arrange a trip to Darjeeling . I was in class VI , I topped the exam in my school so my father arranged a tour toward Darjeeling . Though I don’t belief in first , second or last position , I study for knowledge and if it is giving me fun I studied more . It is a different topic so I will discuss it in another blog . In this trip there was my father , mother and my brother . In the summer vacation we went for darjeeling .
We start our journey from the Sealdah Railway station in the Darjeeling Mail . It was raining in the outside and our Darjeeling mail leave the station around 8:30 PM . We all are exited as this is the first tour for my mother , me and my brother . My father one time went to Allahabad in Kumbha mela and one time in puri jagannath temple but he had no experience what really himalayan mountain looks , in the High altitude where cloud also float at the same height assDarjeeling city . At that time darjeeling was less crowded . One of the fammous spot to visit in Darjeeling is Darjeeling mall which was a round square people used for leisure where as now a days it does not look like that . You can say this is the gathering place of the tourists and there was lots of horses . People ride on them to enjoy . This is one of the highest point in Darjeeling city from where people can enjoy the panoramic view of the outside world .
My mother prepared some food like parota and sabji on the date of journey . As soon as the train leaves we start eating inside the train . We are in the sleeper class of the reservation compartment. At that time trains are much better and well cleaned not like Now . Then most of the people travel by train for long distance . Planes are for the very rich people . It was 2000 -2001 . so railways are much well maintained and normal people don’t have any other option for long distance travel . We got our seats in the 3 tier area .
After eating we all sleep and in the next day morning we reach to the new Jalpaiguri Railway station . It was 8 km from the siliguri which is the main city . We want to go to darjeeling by toy train but our train was half an hour late and the toy train was ready to departure so we have to leave that plan and just from the outside of the railway station we take jeep for the Darjeeling which was almost 100 km away from this area . Roads are curvy and the jeep starts climbing in this road . This is a short cut road where only jeeps can travel bus can not . There is another road which was not so curvy and bus , truck and every other vehicle can travel but it takes longer time . Our jeep stops in the half way , when I come out from the jeep , first I see what mountain is . In the long distance there was snow capped mountains and the teesta river goes below the valley . This impression is still live in my memory and that creates my love towards the mountains .
Next we reach to our destination . Our hotel is pre booked . We take a long rest after making this long journey . It is very difficult to predict the weather of darjeeling . Sometime it is cool and in the next moment it is shiney , usually in the winter season there is no rain but people don’t want to go there as it could be snowy but at that time weather is crystal clear . so best month to visit darjeeling are march to june for Indians . though there might be some rain drops at that time still normal indian people prefer this time than winter .
Some of the best attractions of Darjeeling are ?
sunrise in tiger hill :
Seeing the sunrise in tiger hill is a amazing moment . It is almost your luck , as in the sunrise point if there is cloud at the sunrise time , you can not enjoy the magic of the sunrise . As this time we went there with family at the littlebit time ago there was a cloud so we can not enjoy the beautiful sunrise . but in the next time I come I see the beautiful sunrise . First the color of sky become little orange before sunrise then immediately in a moment the the sun comes out from the mountain . It is like a magical moment .
Japanes Peace Pagoda in Darjeeling :
It is a Buddhist pagoda established by the Japanese monk Nichidatsu Fuji in 1st November 1992 . It was build for the world peace and harmony among the people . The height of the pagoda is 28 meter and the diameter is 23 meter . It becomes one of the tourist attractions in Darjeeling .
Darjeeling mall :
Darjeeling mall is a round place where beside it there is lot’s of big shops as well as local vendors who try to sell some local woolen cloths . When I first time go there in this round space, horses are there to take a round movement around it . Me and my brother take a ride and my parents look staying in the Ground . now it is not like that , now there is a Nepali poet’s statue a durga mancha and a stage where in the stairs people gather normally and spend time . In this mall 4-5 roads are marged . In the sides of this round flats plains still some chairs are there where people can enjoy the sun . It is a lovely space where people enjoy in the evening but the old charm has gone .
Sometimes in the morning or in Afternoon you can see the mighty Kanchanjunga. (the world’s third-highest peak) situated between the Indian nepali border . You see in the sky like moon or sun the ice capped kanchanjunga . You can only see the ice capped top portion of Kanchanjunga . Specially in the morning the first golden light fall on it’s peak it is a wonderfully experience . Kanchanjunga is very holy for nepali people . so normally kanchanjunga expedition are very less .
Darjeeling Ropeway :
Darjeeling ropeway is another tourist attractions which starts in the year 1968 . The ropeway starts from the singamari ropeway station to the Tukvar Downhill . It almost a 5 km distance towards the downside and in this journey you can see the panoramic view of the mountain hills and also the tea gardens of the Darjeeling . One cable car can accommodate 6 passengers . It is a tourist attractions in Darjeeling .
Padmaja Naidu Zoological Park :
This is another zoo situated in the hills of Darjeeling. It is established in the year 1958 . It is one of the highest zoo in India .
In this zoo you can find some animals which are normally not found in plains . You can see snow lepard , red pandas , himalayan wolves , himalayan black bear and siberian tiger .
Those tourists come darjeeling for few more days they can enjoy the hilly weather and this zoo here .
Tea gardens in Darjeeling :
The tea that has been produced in the hills of the darjeeling are one of the finest tea in the world . In the tarai region in the foot hills of the Darjeeling there is also tea plantation but they are not flavourable as Darjeeling tea .
You can see lots of nepali woman with a big bamboo basket in their back , plucking the tea leaves . For different flavoured tea’s there is different style of tea plucking . After this tea leaves plucking this are processed in the factories near by . You can request the tea factory people to show the processing of the tea in the factory .
Himalayan Mounteenering Institute Darjeeling :
This is situated near to Darjeeling city. It is not only India’s but the world’s one of the best mountaineering institutes. It was established in 1954 by , Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who established it as an institute for climbing high mountains towards Youth . The first Mount Everest climber Tenzing Norgay was the first director of this institute, which makes it more famous. Some of the world’s highest peaks are situated in this region. From basic to advanced , they have different course but the highest age limit for a candidate should be below 40 years.
The charges are very nominal but getting a seat here is difficult. Sometimes they choose by lottery. There is a small museum in these premises which tells the history of this institution.
Summary :
Darjeeling is one of the best hill station in India . It is situated in the indian state of West Bengal at the height of 2045 meter . In the time of British Raj when calcutta was the capital it used to be served as the summer capital of India. Darjeeling is most famous for it’s tea . It’s fragrance and flavour are unmatched to any other place in the world . Popular places to visit in darjeeling are Tiger hill for sunrise , japanes buddhiest pagoda , Himalayan mountenering Institute , Padmaza Naidu zoological Park , Darjeeling mall and the famous tea gardens and tea factories of Darjeeling .
