Hello everyone ………. as we at GTS promised you that we would soon be coming up with our new sections ……. here we are with our first post of the section Travel with GTS.And don’t worry our travelogue isn’t the regular places to visit seasons to visit types …..Read on to find out …… So here we are to take you around the world with us (not in just 80 days 😉 but whenever you wish to ).
Dense clouds …….obscure all but the pink, snowy peak of Khangchendzonga at 28,168 feet—the world’s third-highest mountain. This is one of the very few reasons to see Darjeeling. I visited the place about 7 years ago and even today whenever i think about it my mind gets filled with a hazy nostalgia ……..beautiful snow clad mountains standing tall above thick white clouds , tall pine trees make the ambiance even more romantic ……. a Perfect place to spend some memorable moments with the special one . Or if in case you prefer traveling alone …… then finding bliss in solitude ………. you cant just get enough of Darjeeling
Darjeeling is one of the most magnificent hill resorts in the world. This heavenly retreat is bathed in hues of every shade. The flaming red rhododendrons, the sparkling white magnolias, the miles of undulating hillsides covered with emerald green tea bushes, the exotic forests of silver fir – all under the blanket of a brilliant azure sky dappled with specks of clouds, compellingly confounds Darjeeling as the QUEEN OF HILL STATIONS.
Some facts to know
Darjeeling – the name is derived from the Tibetan word ‘Dorje’ which means the precious stone or ecclesiastical sceptre, which is emblematic of the thunderbolt of Indra, and ‘ling’ – a place, hence the land of the thunderbolt. The scepter of Indra is believed to have fallen at a place where now stands the Observatory Hill.
Climate:
Summer:-
- Maximum 14.890°C
- Minimum 8.590°C
Winter:-
- Maximum 6.110°C
- Minimum 1.50°C
Rainfall : 320 cms annually
Best Season:
March to mid June & September to mid December
Clothing:
- Summer – Light woollens
- Winter – Heavy woollens
Languages Spoken: English , Nepali, Bengali, Hindi, Tibetan
From the backpacker’s diary
My first impression about this cute li’l place was that it’s not exactly as cute and little as you would have imagined. It’s this feeling you get when you go to Ooty – too much commercialization, too many vehicles, congestion…and pollution also to an extent. At least by hill station standards, I think Darjeeling is polluted. It was colder than normal, or so I felt.
Darjeeling is best seen by walk (ahem ahem). There is a market place with all the usual shops for woollen wear and stuff, not to mention an awesome looking INOX theater complex. And we watched Casino Royale there!! Seems like the single most important highlight of our trip to Darjeeling . If you ever want woolen clothes, best to buy it from here. Dirt cheap, bargains galore and the quality is not that bad either.
Three places that were good and worth the while – the Peace Pagoda near the Japanese Temple, The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) and the Zoo! The pagoda was a treat to the eyes with the huge golden statues of Buddha at various milestones of his life.
The HMI is a tribute to the mountaineers of this country. At one point, this institute was managed by Tensing Norgay himself. It has a museum for the Everest expeditions and other such feats. They even have the equipments that were used by Norgay and Hillary went on their expedition.
The next comes the zoo named PADMAJA NAIDU HIMALAYAN ZOOLOGICAL PARK . It was a complete kids place ,small, but interesting. and I saw a bear up close for the first time in my life – I mean really really close. The cheetahs were also up and about, and we were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a white tiger!
Well people , if you do not visit Tiger hill to view a magnificent sunrise over the beautiful snow clad Khangchendzonga then indeed you have missed something. Situated at an altitude of 2590 metres (8482 ft.) and 13 kms from the town, this spot has earned international fame for a stupendous view of a beautiful sunrise .And what else ! you can also see the tallest peak in the world Mount Everest from here .Here is a pic i captured
Batasia Loop:
About 5 kms. from Darjeeling, this Railway Loop is a marvelous feat of engineering. It is fascinating to watch the toy train wind its way round the loop. The War Memorial constructed in the memory of brave sons of Darjeeling who died in different action since 1947, is worth a visit. A glorious view of snowy peak and town can be seen from this place.
Apart from all this , you can also visit the beautiful tea estates (n dont forget to buy some darjeeling tea…… i wud say it is a must if u visit darjeeling).
Foodie
No tour is complete without a mention of the local cuisine. Well Darjeeling as such has no local cusine of its own but yes the first time i had momos , it was here, There are many local roadside dhabas on the road from siliguri to darjeeling that sell yummy momos and such local delicacies .I must say that once you have them you will forget the high priced 5 star hotel’s wantons. Well heres a pic to tempt you 😛
Shoppers stop
Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre: Tibetan refugee self help centre was established on 1st October 1959 to rehabilitate displaced Tibetians who had followed His Holiness The Dalai Lama to India in early 1959. This centre produces excellent carpets, woollen goods, wood work, leather work etc. The Tiebtan craftsmen can be seen at work at the centre.Closed on Sundays.
Manjusha, Bengal Emporium: Prominent hill handicrafts, handloom and silk products of West Bengal are displayed and sold here. The emporium is situated at Nehru Road.
Hayden Hall: Woollen carpets, cotton shoulder bags, table mats, hand knitted pure woollen sweaters and caps are available for sale at reasonable prices. The items are woven by the local ladies.
A final word from us
Well people you can reach darjeeling via train . The nearest railway stations are siliguri (80 kms) and New Jalpaiguri (88 kms) from Darjeeling. These railway stations have direct railway connections with Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati, Varanasi and other major cities of India. If you wish to go by air The nearest airport Bagdogra is primarily for Darjeeling hill areas. Bagdogra is 90 kms (56 miles) from Darjeeling. Journey Time – about 3 hours. Indian Airlines N.E.P.C. Skyline Jet Airways operate regular Services to Kolkata, Delhi and Guwahati.
And yes please dont forget to take a ride in the famous toy train of darjeeling 🙂 .Your kids would surely love it ….. What ?? Are you single? OK then even better the ride would bring out the kid in you 🙂 and trust me there can be no better way to enjoy the scenic beauty of the place .
We spent 5 days and 4 nights in Darjeeling. And that was actually more than enough, we managed to see all the major tourist spots and got some shopping done too. Oh, and did I mention we bought tea? yes we did 🙂
so here ends my first travelogue that i shared with you guys . Do tell me if u ever visit the place. Looking forward to some interesting experiences from you guys also
cheers!!!
~Pyrotechnicpixie~
