Darjeeling lays in the Northern most side of the state of West Bengal. Famous for its tea and beautiful hill, it lies on the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas. It has three famous cities which are also the sub divisional headquarters of the district, namely, Kalimpong, Kurseong and Siliguri. In the 1970s, a town called Mirik transformed into a lake resort.
The district has a marked distinction between the hills and the plains. A semi autonomous body called the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council administers the hilly region of the district. The body is a part of the state government of West Bengal. The council also takes care of the sub divisional cities of the district. The Himalayan area that comes under the Siliguri region is called the Terai. The Terai region is bounded by the mountains, Kishanganj, Jalpaiguri and Nepal on the North, South, East and West sides respectively. It stretches over 18 miles lengthwise and 16 miles across. It is the second least populous district of the state. The prime languages spoken in the region are Nepali, Bengali, Hindi and English. Other secondary languages are Lepcha, Tibetan, Limbu, Rai, Tamang, Bhutia, Rajbonshi and Bijori.
Darjeeling History
According to the Treaty of Titalia, the British East India Company reinstated the Chogyal of Sikkim. They also restored the tracts of land from the Rivers of Mechi and Teesta. An enclave of 138 miles including the hill of Darjeeling was given to the East India Company by Bhutan in the year 1835. Again in 1864, another treaty was signed called as the the Treaty of Sinchula, the passes leading into the hills and Kalimpong were also added to the British territory. Finally, in the year 1866, Darjeeling acquired its current land and shape.
In the 1980s, the Gorkha National Liberation Front took active part in protests demanding a separate Gorkhaland state within India. The area that they claimed for was the Nepali speaking northern side of West Bengal. Though the movement created a lot of chaos especially in the period of 1985-1986, it ended when the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council was established in the year 1988. Some parties like the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha are still persistent even to this day regarding the creation of a separate state. Though the hill areas of Darjeeling enjoy autonomy under the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, there still are protests and active movements regarding the formation of a new state led by the Gorka Janmukti Morcha.
Darjeeling Climate
The most amazing thing about Darjeeling is that it experiences five distinct seasons namely, summer, autumn, winter, spring and monsoon. The mean temperature ranges from 8.9 degrees to 14.9 degrees. It rains more than half the year round. The lowest temperature ever recorded was -5 degrees on February 11, 1905. Because of heavy rainfall, the area also experiences landslides.
Darjeeling Tourism
Tourist places in Darjeeling
Tiger Hill
Batasia Loop and the War Memorial
Ava Art Gallery
Chowrasta and Mall
Rock Garden and Ganga Maya Park
Peace Pagoda
Botanical Garden
Nightingale Park, Srubbery Park
Darjeeling-Rangit Valley Passenger Cable Car
Senchal Lake
Observatory Hill & Mahakal Temple
Dhirdham Temple
Happy Valley Tea Garden
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute
Raj Bhawan
Step Aside
Tibetan Refugee Self-Help Centre
Monasteries of Darjeeling
Druk Thupten Sangag Choling Monastery (Dali Monastery)
Ghoom Monastery
Tashi Dargyalingh Monastery or the Tamang Ghumba
The Mag-Dhog Yolmowa Buddhist Monastery (Aloobari Monastery)
Kalimpoing
Durpindara
Gouripur House
Kalimpong Market
Kalibari
7th Mile View Point
Flower Nurseries
Thongsha Gumpa
Tharpa Choling Monastery
Mangal Dham
Zong Dong Palri Fo-Brang Monastery
Pedong Monastry
Excursion and Picnic spots: Rissisum
Lava
Lolay Goan, Kaffer
Jhandidara
Samthar
Rishyap
Kurseong
Eagle's Crag
Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Museum
Mirik
Kawlay Dara
Deosi Dara
Rai-dhap
Tea Estates
Orange orchards
Cardamom grove
Devi-sthan
Mungpoo
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
