- Vaishnavi Sharma
“I sit here in your paradise, from my pen the words do flow.
I sit and write of what I see and hear and watch the poem grow.
I know now and the meanings clear. Darjeeling the abode of God.
For only from his mighty hand could such a place be forged.”
-Joe Cole
In his poem, Joe Cole aptly describes Darjeeling as the abode of gods. Situated in the foothills of the Himalayas, it is a quaint little town and has a charm that cannot be matched.
In this article, we take you through a list of places which are a must in your travel itinerary if you go to Darjeeling.
An easy way to reach Darjeeling is from Bagdogra which is a two hour drive. Rest assured, you won’t get bored during this journey as you will have a picturesque landscape to keep you company and as soon as you enter Darjeeling, it feels as if you have been transported to a fairytale land.
Like many other hill stations in India, the British built a settlement around Darjeeling so that they could have a place which offered them respite from the hardships of the mainland. The structures built by them have withstood the test of time and have evolved into heritage landmarks. My personal favourite amongst them was the Town Hall and Clock Tower.
The building can house about 600 people, has a reading room and a 100 feet high clock tower made from stone. The clock tower is quite similar to the Big Ben in London.
Building it was no mean feat as 2.5 lakhs was spent to build this edifice with half of the money donated by the Maharaja of Cooch Behar.
The clock tower stopped working in 1996 due to a devastating fire and it was only ten years later that it was restored by the efforts of the Darjeeling Rotary Club. Now it is used as an office for the Darjeeling Municipality. Sites like the Clock Tower and St Luke’s Garrison Church help the city to offer an old world charm.
Darjeeling is known for its panoramic views and the best way to experience it is through the Rangeet Valley Passenger Cable Car. Initially started to provide easy access to the tea gardens, it was later opened for tourists.
From the cable car, you will get a spectacular view of the lush tea gardens, the little Rangeet river but the icing on the cake is looking at the magnificent snow capped peaks of Kanchenjunga. This sight leaves all tourists spellbound and was one of the highlights on my trip to Darjeeling.
Next stop is the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park and Himalayan Mountaineering Institute. A striking feature is that the compound is at an elevation of 7000 feet and is the largest high altitude zoo in India.
Darjeeing has a variety of flora and fauna and the zoo plays an important role in the conservation of species belonging to the East Himalyan Range. Visiting the zoo was a learning experience as I saw a red panda and snow leopard for the first time. The guide also gave us information about the rehabilitation of animals. Walking around the large zoo is quite tiring but a bonus point is that after exploring you can enjoy a plate of hot delicious momos from the zoo canteen.
Visiting the zoo was a wonderful experience but personally I was looking forward to visiting the Mountaineering Institute. Established by Tenzing Norgay, the institute has a long and glorious history attached to it.
The site is like a pilgrimage spot for all trekking enthusiasts. It comprises a school for the students, hostel for the trainers, a museum for the tourists and much more.
I visited the museum part of the institute along with my family. As you enter the building on one side of the wall there are badges of various mountaineering clubs and associations while on the other gadgets used during a trek are kept. The best part of the museum for me was the Everest section. In this section, there are life size models of mountaineers including a picture of Tenzing Norgay on top of Everest on May 29, 1953, when he first reached the summit. Along with that, tourists can also catch a glimpse of the equipment used by Norgay, a replica of the Himalayan peaks like Mount Nanda Devi and Trishul amongst others. Since I am quite passionate about history, reading about the various expeditions to the tallest peak in the world was a learning experience for me.
According to me, no trip to Darjeeling is complete without a visit to the famous bakery Glenary’s. After a long and tiring day exploring the city, enjoying a pastry at Glenary’s is the perfect end to an already perfect day.
Located in an old colonial building, it has existed since the time of the British and is run by the Edwards Family. It is a convenient spot for tourists as it is quite close to the Mall or Main market.
The cafe has a mouth watering menu and choosing one from the several delicious dishes can get quite confusing. If you are caught in a pickle, you can choose to have Paneer Manchurian or tarts which are highly recommended by the chefs and people of the city.
And this concludes my list of sites which are a must in your itinerary if you are travelling to Darjeeling. If I missed out on any or if you have any suggestions, do leave it below in the comments section!
Bon Voyage!
And Stay Safe!!
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