DARJEELING- Queen of Hills
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Darjeeling in West Bengal is internationally famous
for its
tea industry and the
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, a
UNESCO
World Heritage Site. During the
British Raj in India, Darjeeling's
temperate climate led to its development as a
hill station (hill town) for British
residents to escape the heat of the plains during
the summers, becoming known as the Summer Capital.
It is the headquarters of
Darjeeling district, in the
Shiwalik Hills on the lower range of the
Himalaya, at an average elevation of
6,982 ft. Darjeeling is also called as the “Queen of
Hills” because of its picturesque hill beauty.
LOCATION:
Darjeeling(west
Bengal) lies between 26° 31′ and 27° 13′ north
latitude and between 87° 59′ and 88° 53′ east
longitude.
ALTITUDE: 2,128 meters above sea level.
CLIMATE:
The mean maximum temperature is approximately
11.1degree Celsius and minimum temperature is 1.7
degree Celsius.
LANGUAGE:
Bengali, Hindi, Bihari, Tibetans, Chinese, English. |
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SIGHTSEEING IN DARJEELING |
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Situated at an altitude of 2590 meters (8482 ft.)
and 13 kilometers from the town, this spot has
earned international fame for the magnificent view
of the sunrise over the "Kanchanjunga" and the
great eastern Himalayan Mountains. Even Mount
Everest, the world's highest peak, is visible from
here. The hesitant rays of the early morning sun
paint these peaks in pale gold
THE BATASIA LOOP AND THE WAR MEMORIAL
The Batasia loop situated almost 5 km away from
the town is a gigantic railway loop where the Toy
Train makes a 360 Degree turn. It was built to
make it possible for the Toy Train to cut the deep
ascend. Strategically located the Batasia Loop
offers a panoramic view of the Kanchanjunga Range.
A War Memorial constructed in the memory of the
brave sons of the soil who laid down their lives
in the different wars since the independence of
the nation adds to its attraction. There is also a
well-furbished market where visitors can buy
locally made purses, bags and other decorative
items |
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DALI MONASTERY |
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This monastery is situated at Dali, about 4 kms
away from Darjeeling town. This is one of the most
famous monasteries belonging to the Kargyupa sect.
The pioneer of this monastery was Thuksay Rimpoche,
who died in 1983 and his incarnate is reported to
have been born in 1986 at Ladakh. This monastery
is the headquarters of Drukchen Rimpoche XII, the
supreme head of the Kargyupa lineage.
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HAPPY VALLEY TEA GARDEN |
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Happy Valley tea garden is located just a
kilometer away from the main town, is situated along
18 Lebong Cart Road (very near to the District
Magistrate’s Office), and offers tourist a refreshing
ambience far from the otherwise noisy town. One can
soak in the ambience of the tea garden and take a walk
through the carpeted garden. You can take a pony from
the Chowrasta or merely walk down the hill to reach
the factory. The garden is presently closed but the
residents are running it through a cooperative.
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PEACE PAGODA |
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Nipponzan Myohoji, a Japanese Buddhist order,
established the Japanese Peace Pagoda here.
Situated on the slopes of the Jalapahar Hill the
pagoda can be reached by foot or on taxi. The
pagoda is the highest free structure in the town.
It also showcases the four avatars of the Buddha.
BOTANICAL GARDEN
is the oldest Botanical Garden named as Lloyd
Botanical Garden with varieties of flora and is
famous for two living fossils. It is located just
below the Eden Sanatorium (Saheed Durga Mall
District Hospital) on an open slope covering an
area of about 40 acres. Lloyd Botanical Garden is
open seven days a week. There are no entrance
fees. A camera, a small notebook for a botany
enthusiast and a couple of hours to spare, is
necessary.
HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINEERING INSTITUTE
The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute was set up
following the successful ascent of the Mount
Everest-the highest peak in the world by the local
hero Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir EdEdumund
Hillary on 28 May 1953. The oldest mountaineering
institute in the country carries out various
mountaineering courses every year. Apart from
Tenzing, legendary mountaineers like Nawang
Gombu(the first man to climb Everest twice) and
Lattoo Dorjee Sherpa have helped build the
reputation of this pioneering institute. The
institute is presently under the purview of the
Minstry of Defence, Government of India and its
museum is worth a visit. |
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GHOOM MONASTERY |
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Built in 1875 by Lama Sherab Gyatso,
this ancient monastery is said to have been
blessed by the renowned Tomo Geshe Rimpoche of
Tibet. The specialty of this monastery is that
it contains the statue of the 'Future Coming
Buddha' known as Maitreye Buddha. The
Monastery has also preserved some of the rare
handwritten Buddhist manuscripts. You could
visit the monastery on your return journey to
Darjeeling from Tiger Hill.
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AROUND DARJEELING MIRIK |
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Mirik, is a small valley in sing-lila
hill region about 50 kms away from
Darjeeling at an altitude of 1767 m. The
peaceful and tranquil hill resort of Mirik
boasts of several nature spots. The wild
flowers, lovely lake and flourishing
forests of Cryptomaria Japanica trees make
Mirik appear as a tropical paradise. Tea
estates, orange orchards and cardamom
plantations surround Mirik
Lake Somendu
in Mirik is about 1.25 km long and a
3.5 km road surrounds the lake.There is a
floating fountain in the middle of the
lake and a quaint little footbridge
connecting the flower garden on the
eastern bank to the heavily forested ridge
on the west. The lake has boating
facilities.
KALIMPONG Kalimpong,
located on a ridge overlooking
River Teesta is about 50 kms
from Darjeeling, is a picturesque tourist
destination. Kalimpong is notable for its
flower market, especially the wide array
of
orchids. Flower nurseries
involved in exporting Himalayan grown
flower bulbs, tubers and rhizomes
contribute to the economy of Kalimpong. It
also offers many good treks for the
adventures. |
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KURSEONG |
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Kurseong
(elevation 1,458 m) is a quaint
little town about 30km to the south of
Darjeeling .
The market consists of rows of shops
lining the main road which is
crisscrossed at several points by the
railway tracks of the toy train. The
places to visit are Eagle's Crag which
has a park from where glorious views
of Khangchendzonga on one side and the
southern plains on the other can be
taken in; Dow Hill which has the
forest museum, Deer Park a water
reservoir, all set amidst moss-laden
conifers; and Chimney, a serene, open
meadow.
TRANSPORT
Nearest Rail-Head : New
Jalpaiguri Railway Station
Nearest Airport : Bagdogra
Airport.
Road : Well
connected with the rest of the country
by National Highway No: 55
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