HillStations

Darjeeling is a town located in the Shiwalik hills in the Himalayan region of West Bengal. The weather in Darjeeling is pretty cool since it is situated at a height of 2128 meters above sea level. This is yet another town which served as a summer capital for the British looking for a get away from the scorching temperatures of the plains. There was a time when the vicinity of Darjeeling was sporadically governed by Sikkim and the kingdom of Nepal. There are reports that confirm that Darjeeling was linked with Nepal, Bengal, Sikkim and Bhutan. The early settlers here were the Lepcha clans who had a sprinkling of villages hither and thither. In the year 1835, the British made a deal with the Chogyal of Sikkim to lease the area.

In 1841, it was the British who tried their hand at cultivating tea in Darjeeling. The tea estates we see there now are the product of their efforts. Darjeeling was integrated with West Bengal when India gained independence in 1947. Masses of Tibetan refugees made a home in Darjeeling when the Chinese invaded Tibet in the year 1950. Darjeeling has seen a lot of upheaval in the past but peace has been restored now. Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain is visible on clear days. The foremost peak which can be seen is the world’s third-highest peak, Mount Kanchenjunga.

Darjeeling is known as tremor prone region. Darjeeling experienced a titanic earthquake in 1898, which is named the Darjeeling Disaster. The temperature varies from season to season here. Darjeeling has seen a high temperature of 26.7 degrees Celsius and a low of - 5 degrees Celsius. Darjeeling has five seasons. These are spring, summer, autumn, winter and monsoons.

The closest airport is at Bagdogra, which is at a distance of 90 kilometers. This is in Siliguri on the plains. Buses, taxis and jeeps are available to take you to Darjeeling from Kolkata, Kathmandu, Siliguri, Kalimpong and Sikkim. For a once in a lifetime experience you must take the New Jalpaiguri-Darjeeling toy train. The miniature train will take you on your splendid voyage from New Jalpaiguri or Siliguri up to Darjeeling. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is the foremost, and even today it is the most remarkable model of Passenger Railway in the Hills. The trip takes a long ten hours. One could opt to go by road part of the way and experience the train journey for rest of the way. The train is available everyday. The train is grounded during the monsoons. The railhead between Darjeeling and Siliguri has been conferred with the status of being a World Heritage Site. There is only one other Railway conferred with this status, the Semmering Railway in Austria. The pleasing journey is a sight beyond compare.

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