“The one land all men desire to see and having seen once by even a glimpse would not give that glimpse, for the shows of the rest of the world combined” Mark Twain said about Darjeeling Darjeeling In a tea commercial on the television, a picture shows a person drinking tea sitting on a chair which is above the ground, almost touching the ceiling and the caption read ‘DARJEELING TEA! 2000 METERS ABOVE ORDINARY! The caption captures the exquisite quality of Darjeeling Tea, which is considered the best tea in the world. The aromatic tea, the Toy Train from Siliguri to Darjeeling, its highest railway station in the world, Ghoom, and the exotic beauty of Mt. Everest and the Kanchanjeunga range during sunrise has made Darjeeling world famous. Demographics The picturesque hill station of Darjeeling lies in the northern part of West Bengal, India. It lies between 26° 31' and 27° 13' north latitude and between 87° 59' and 88° 53' east longitude. Altitude: Comprising mainly of mountain terrain, Darjeeling stands at a height of 2134m (7053 ft) on a mountain ridge. Area: 11.44 sq. kms. Population: 100,000. Languages spoken: English, Nepali, Hindi, Tibetan and Bengali. Climate: Darjeeling's temperature drops below freezing during the winter season, from November to February. In summer, Darjeeling is pleasantly cool with the maximum temperature reaching about 20°C. Rainfall: Rain falls generally during the months between June and September. Best months to visit: March to mid-June and September to mid-December.
ATTRACTIONS: Tiger Hill Situated at an altitude of 2590 meters (8482 ft.) and 15 km from Darjeeling , an early morning trip to the Tiger Hill promises a unique experience. A view of the sunrise amidst the Himalayan range promises a life time experience which has earned it an international fame. From here you can get a glimpse of Mount Everest, and Kanchenjunga range. The Toy Train The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is lovingly called the "Toy Train". The journey to Darjeeling is regarded as among the most spectacular in the world. Travelers are awed by both the scenery as well as the railway line. The history of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is equally fascinating. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Company project and conceived in 1878 Mr. Franklin Prestage, an Agent of the Eastern Bengal Railway Company. Sir Ashley Eden, the Lieutenant Governor, determined that the project would be of great advantage to the Government and public and accepted in 1879. The construction began in 1880 and was opened for traffic right through to Darjeeling from Siliguri in July 1881. Later the line was extended towards Kalimpong.The original passenger vehicle was a small four-wheeled trolley with canvas roof and two wooden benches for seats. Later a proper 26 feet bogie was introduced. The steam engine of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is specially designed for unusual conditions of Darjeeling. In 1915 a workshop was started in Tindharia which made and repaired passenger coaches. An old picture of Toy Train going round the loop near Tindharia The railway track from Siliguri to Darjeeling is considered an engineering marvel. The track covers 51 miles of track it climbing from near sea level to about 7,400 ft. altitude. Engineers used "loop" and "zigzag reverses" to attain this climb. Very early Toy Train cargo When it started, the Railway was the most convenient way to travel to Darjeeling. The cargo service was later discontinued. Later track was extended from Siliguri to New Jalpaiguri. Now with the passage of time and better roads and road transportation taking over cargo and passenger services, the Toy Train has become a joy ride for tourists though an unforgettable joyride. In a few years time this is going to be the only steam engine train in India. A non-profit organization, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Heritage Foundation formed in 1993 encourages restoration, renewal and preservation of this unique Railway and its railway stations as living museums. Associations called Friends of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, promoted by the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Heritage Foundation, have been formed in several countries, all dedicated to the conservation and renewal of the Toy Train as a railway treasure.
Darjeeling tea Say Darjeeling and your listener are bound to reply tea. The association is well deserved. Darjeeling produces the world's most aromatic variety of tea. The unusual mixture of soil, altitude, sunshine, rainfall and the character of the people help Darjeeling produce the most fragrant of teas. Thus, good Darjeeling tea is indeed the champagne of teas. Around 1835 under Lord William Bentinck’s initiative, tea plantations were started in hilly regions of the country, including Darjeeling. An old picture of tea plucking in Darjeeling Tea seeds were introduced in Darjeeling and an experimental nursery was started in Lebong (near Darjeeling town) produced encouraging results. This encouraged tea growers to procure land. The first tea gardens to be started in Darjeeling were Makaibari (near Kurseong town) and Alubari (near Darjeeling town) which are world famous names. The local people soon learnt the trade and continued to work in most of the factories. It were the Europeans who were the pioneers of Darjeeling tea, planting and manufacturing tea in different parts of Darjeeling. By 1866 Darjeeling had 39 tea estates covering about 405 hectares.Mr. W. O'Brien Ansell, an engineer, helped the growth of the tea industry in Darjeeling by using the first power driven tea roller and tea sorters. He also conceived a hydro-electric project for the electrification of Darjeeling town installed turbines on many tea estates of the Darjeeling. By 1872 this completely revolutionized tea manufacture. After India's independence in 1947, many of the British owners disposed off their plantations. By 1956 a large number of Tea estate's ownership changed into Indian hands. The inexperienced young Indian planters were helped by a few European planters like Mr. C.W. Emmett and Mr. T.J. Hardingham who stayed back and helped Darjeeling tea industry. By 1966 Tea Research Association had opened the Clonal Proving Station, making clones of selected plants for selective re-plantation.
God’s own country The quiet majesty of the mountains, the cool fragrant and pristine atmosphere, the tranquility of the long winding roads, the enigmatic and mysterious sudden fogs, the shy uninhibited smile of the simple and hardworking local Nepali populace has made Darjeeling, God’s own country, a peaceful haven, not very distant from the hustle and bustle of our own City of Joy, Kolkata. It was in Darjeeling, that Tagore once wrote “Sahasa alor jhalkani lege jhakmak kaurey chitta” (My spirit is emboldened by the sudden abundance of gaiety and colour) “Uddhata jato skhar sikhorey rhododendron guchho” (The glorious Rhododendrons crown upon the unyielding defiant tree tops) If you visit India, do not forget to visit God’s own country, Darjeeling
