Darjeeling Travel Guide

India has been known for its diverse natural beauty. Darjeeling is one such Beauty that attracts tourists to West Bengal Tourism. It provides the perfect gateway for all those hill lovers out there. The pink rays of the sun touch the snow-laden peaks of Kanchenjunga at Sunrise leaving behind a memory that never erodes. So is the Birch hill at sunset.

Darjeeling, “The Queen of Hill stations” is nestled in the lap of the Himalayas. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railways are an UNESCO World Heritage Site. At a height of 7100 foot It is located at a distance of 663 km from Kolkata and 80 km from Siliguri. It is located in the Mahabharata range or lesser Himalayas. Darjeeling maybe a small town But it spans over 3000 sq kms.

The place is at its best during April-May and again mid-October to mid-November.  Magnolia and Rhododendron act as the magnetic poles during April- may. From June-September it is mostly cloud laden and drenched. Snowfall is not mandatory but can be expected in December. Temperature ranges from 8.5 to 18.5 degree C in Summer and 1 to 11 degree C in winter.

There are many versions as to how the place actually got her name. Darjeeling or the Land of Thunderbolt acquired its name from Dorje or thunder. The other version states the name is acquired from Tibetan Durjoeling or big hill. According to others it has been derived from Darjulang or the abode of Gods in Lapcha. The last theory states it is named right after Dorje-rinzing, the Lama who formed the first monastery in Darjeeling.

In the 19^th Century Darjeeling was under Sikkim rule. The Gorkhas came and captured it in 1780 from Nepal. They left only after they lost the Anglo Nepal war in 1817. 1828 saw the actual birth of Darjeeling as a holiday destination when Lloyd and Grant stepped there. At the very first view they were stunned at the breath-taking view. It was their initial urge to create a hill station and sanatorium.

Lyod and Grant acquired Darjeeling for 3000 rupees a year from the Sikkim Raj in 1835. Thus the 171 year old Queen of Hills were added to the map of India.

The famous Darjeeling tea production was also started by the Britishers. In 1840 tea seeds were brought  from China. It was then considered illegal. Today 25% of Indian tea is manufactured here in 78 tea gardens. Today Darjeeling is known worldwide for its premium quality tea. Also, India’s highest railway station and the worlds 2^nd highest railway station Ghum at 7407 feet is located here.

Within 3-4 clusters of walking distance are located all the major tourist destinations. Along the Indo-Nepal border on  Himalayan range is the trekking heaven of Darjeeling.