Chowrasta
A famous and historical public square which is quite similar to
London square, established in the British era. As they wanted to make a beautiful
square for their officials in the winter capital of then India. Chowrasta means where
four roads meet(2 roads to Mall, Dr Zakir Hussian and Nehru road). Chowrasta
perched at the altitude of 2134 m and situated at the heart of the city. It is one the
most popular sports in the Queen of Hills and oriented with various shops, heritage
stores(Oxford Book & stationery is the oldest), old wooden benches and open
theatre where the social and cultural events happen. You can see a statue of Bhanu
Bhakta(Nepali Poet) beside the open theatre. One clear day you can witness Mt.
Kanchenjunga. You can also take a ride around Chowrasta on a mule. This place is a
shopper's paradise, starting from handmade crafts & local jewellery to many
different types of curios, woollen clothes, jackets and shawl. Some shops are
known for collections of some of the greatest pictures of Darjeeling's life and
landscapes. During the peak season, Chowrasta is the most happening place in
town and must-visit places in the Queen of hills.
Mahakaal Temple
It is a sacred Hindu temple, situated near Chowrasta on the
observatory Hills. Mahakal means master of Kaal(time), this temple is dedicated to
Lord Shiva. The temple is visited by the Pilgrimage(both Hindu and Buddhist) which
displays a beautiful amalgamation of religious harmony. The porch of the temple is
covered with bells and colourful prayer flags. Mahakal Temple stands as a historical
edifice on the spot where a Buddhist Monastery named 'Dorje-Ling' once stood
which was built by Lama Dorjey Rinzing in 1765. However, the natives believe that
the lingam appeared on that spot in 1782. After the Gorkha invasion, the Buddhist
monastery was shifted to Bhutia Busty(presently known as the Bhutia Busty
Monastery). The three gold plated Lingams inside the main temple represent Hindu
Gods Brahma, Bishnu and Maheswar. There are idols of Lord Buddha alongside the
Lingams where both a Hindu priest and a Buddhist monk perform religious rituals
and offer prayers simultaneously. Within the temple complex is a white 'Chorten'
(Tibetan memorial shrine) where lies the relics of Dorjey Rinzing Lama the original
builder of the site. Dotted around are many other smaller shrines and temples
dedicated to Goddess Kali, Goddess Durga, Saat Kanya Bhagavati Devi, Lord
Ganesha, Lord Krishna, Lord Rama, Shirdi Sai Baba, Hanuman, Goddess Parvati,
Radha and other Gods and Goddesses.
Darjeeling Himalayan Zoo
Darjeeling Himalayan Zoo or Darjeeling Zoo is,
mainly known as the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, the home of
Himalayan animals and rare endangered species in the world. It is the largest and
highest altitude zoo in India, spreading across 67.5 acres and standing at an altitude
of 2133m(7000ft). It was named in the memory of Padmaja Naidu, the daughter of
Sarojini Naidu. This zoo is located at the Birch Hill area (now known as Jawahar
Parvat) was established in 1958. It was then known as the Himalayan Zoological
Park. It is the first zoo in India to receive the prestigious international award "The
Earth Heroes" in 2014(for conserving Himalayan animals and plantations while
specializing in breeding animals that are used to Alpine conditions) is given away by
Royal Bank of Scotland in collaboration with the British Government. This
conservation program where you can see(along with other animals and birds)
vulnerable and endangered high altitude Himalayan animals like the Tibetan Wolf,
Red Panda, Snow Leopard etc, Siberian Tigers, Yaks etc and over 200 species of
trees & plants, shrubs, climbers, medicinal plants etc out of which there are some
60 varieties of Orchids. Darjeeling Zoo opens daily(except Thursday) from 8:30 am
to 4:30 pm in the summer season, 8:30 am to 4 pm in the winter season.
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute
In 1953, the first time of the history of
mankind, the highest Mountain of the world was conquered by Sherpa Tenzing
Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillery. The Queen of England awarded Edmund Hillery
with Knighthood. Here in India, the nation built Himalayan Mountaineering
Institute(HMI) in Darjeeling. The foundation stone of the Himalayan
Mountaineering Institute was laid by the first Prime Minister of India Jawahar Lal
Nehru on November 4th, 1954. You will see the stone here. You will also notice
many mountaineering knots hanging from the walls of the institute. Kinds of knots
include Waterman Knot, Overhand Knot, Triple Bowline on the Bight and lot more.
It was built to commemorate the success and to pass on the skill and knowledge of
Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, to those who wanted to pursue activities in the Himalayas.
Tenzing was the first Director of field training at Himalayan Mountaineering
Institute. A quote next to the yellow-coloured Institute building says that "May you
climb from peak to peak". It is considered to be a destination by itself and a
pilgrimage for all the climbing enthusiasts. It comprises a residential school for
mountaineering students, Swiss-style houses for the sherpa trainers, a well-stocked
museum with a whole host of mountaineering artefacts and many expedition
displays, a restaurant & a tea parlour, a souvenir shop and more. The museum has
two sections, the Main museum at the ground floor and the Mount Everest &
Mount Makalu Museum at the upper floor which is the oldest mountaineering
museum in the country that was set up in 1957. One of the most prominent ones is
that of Tenzing Norgay on top of Everest on May 29, 1953, at 11:30 am when he
climbed to the summit along with Edmund Hillary. It remains open daily during the
tourist season. 9 am to 1 pm, and 2 pm to 5 pm. During offseason, it remains closed
on Tuesdays.
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway(DHR) is one
of the most popular(ride) tourist attractions in the Queen of Hills and is a 2 ft long
gauge railway that runs between New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling. Because of its
seizure and the miniature Stations halt, it got its name as toy train. The proposal to
build the tracks for the toy train was accepted in 1879 and construction began by a
company called Gillanders, Arbuthnot and Company. By March 1880 track was laid
as far as Tindharia, and Lord Lytton, the first viceroy to visit Darjeeling, rode to
Tindharia on the train. The stretch from Siliguri to Kurseong opened on 23 August
1880, and from Siliguri to Darjeeling on 4 July 1881. Later the company's name was
changed to Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Company. In 1951, the railway was
purchased by the Indian government, before that it was managed by the Assam
Railway. Presently it is a part of Indian Railways' Northeast Frontier Railway. The
toy train climbs from(approx 100 m) New Jalpaiguri to(approx 2,200 m) Darjeeling,
meanders through the picture-perfect setting of the terrain, beautiful jungle and
mountain terrains, and five loops to gain altitude. The stations(the routs) this toy
passes through are - New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri Town, Siliguri Junction, Sukna,
Rontong, Tindharia, Gayabari, Mahanadi, Kurseong, Tung, Sonada, Rongbull,
Jorebunglow, Ghum, Batasialoop, Finally Darjeeling Terminus. On 2 December
1999, UNESCO declared the DHR a World Heritage Site The railway was closed for
18 months during the Gorkhaland hostilities in 1988 and 1989. The Darjeeling
Himalayan Railways was built to export world-class tea however it was later used as
public transportation. You can take a joy ride on a Toy Train from Darjeeling to
Ghoom that leaves Darjeeling station several times a day (usually four times during
the high season).
Darjeeling Peace Pagoda & Japanese Temple
Darjeeling Peace Pagoda and
the Japanese temple are often mistaken as the same as these are on the same
spot. Located at the Jalapahar hill area, it takes approx 10 minutes from the central
Darjeeling. The Japanese temple is also known as the Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist
Temple. As it was founded by Fujii Guruji, the preceptor of 'Nipponzan Myohoji'(a
Buddhist order for world peace). He was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi and
had seen the tragedy of the atom bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. The
building was built in a traditional Japanese style in 1972. Close(approx 100 yards)
to the temple is the Peace Pagoda that showcases four avatars of Lord Buddha.
The foundation stone of the Peace Pagoda was laid on November 3, 1972 by
Nichidatsu Fujii and it was subsequently opened on November 1, 1992. According
to the Lotus Sutra, the very appearance of the Peace Pagoda is an embodiment of
Lord Buddha that radiates peace and non-violence. As it is believed that, it purifies
the land as well as the mind and soul of the people. The first Peace Pagoda was
built in Kumamoto, Japan, in the year 1954 by Fujii Guruji. The Peace Pagoda here
showcases four avatars of Buddha. This is the tallest free-standing structure in
Darjeeling. Its height is 28.5 meters and diameter is 23 meters. There are
mythological depictions like 'Gift of Mango Grove by Amrapali at Vaishali' and
'Great departure of Siddhartha'. You will see the four avatars of Buddha during the
Parikrama, that includes Buddha's postures such as sitting, sleeping, standing and
meditating. The Peace Pagoda was designed by Dr M Ohka (he was from Japan)
took three years to construct. From the top of the Pagoda, you get a panoramic
view of Darjeeling landscape including the Kanchenjunga range. On a clear day, the
snow peaks are visible from here. The temple remains open from 4:30 am up to 7
pm daily. Prayer timings are from 4:30 am to 6 am, and 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm.
Tiger Hill
Tiger Hill is a summit which offers majestic views of sunrise and rapidly
changing colours of snow peaks as the sun strikes. As per the legend, Tiger hill was
given its name because 527 years ago tigers used to roam freely without human
interference(because of difficulty of accessibility). A little girl named Navaeh used
to go there often. One day she saw a young tiger but strangely it didn't eat her. By
the passing of years, she somehow built a relationship with that young tiger. One
day a clever businessman followed her and saw that both the human and tiger was
playing. Hiding behind a tree he shot a poisoned arrow which killed the tiger and a
few days later the girl also died. It is standing at an altitude of approx 2573m and it
is the highest point in Darjeeling hills. It is located 11km away from the centre of
Darjeeling. From here, you can witness Mt Everest (8848 m). Interestingly,
Kanchenjunga (8598 m) looks higher than Mt. Everest, owing to the curvature of
the Earth. On a clear day, Kurseong is visible to the south and in the distance, along
with Teesta River, Mahananda River, Balason River and Mechi River meandering
down to the south Chumal Rhi mountain of Tibet, 84 miles (135 km) away, is visible
over the Chola Range. It is a destination by itself offering not just great views
during sunrise but throughout the day till sunset. The best season to see the
dazzling snow-covered peaks as the sun rises is between Mid October to
December. March to April is also a good time. The entry fee to Tiger Hill is Rs. 50
per person(changes from time to time). There are different ticket rates at the
Observatory Tower depending on the level. The ground level ticket rate is Rs. 20/-
per person(changes from time to time), the 1st floor is Rs. 30/-(changes time to
time) and the top floor which has comfortable seating with better views is Rs.
40/-(changes from time to time).
Batasia Loop
The Batasia loop is an open hilltop encircled beautiful garden and
with a magnificent spiral railway track. Batasia Loop(means airy space)was built to
counter the sharp descent about 140ft. It is situated 5km away from the centre of
the town. You can sit there enjoy the 360* view of Darjeeling landscape and
snow-capped Eastern Himalayas and Majestic Kanchenjunga or walk alongside the
track completing the loop. Watching the toy train making a complete loop while
shooting its whistle along the way is a beautiful experience. The entire area along
with the gardens and an approach bridge that leads to the garden(about 50,000
square feet) is covered with grass and beautified with both seasonal and perennial
flowers and shrubs. After Ghoom (which is the highest railway station) there is a
sharp fall towards Darjeeling. To counter the sharp descent about 140ft, It was
commissioned in 1919. There is also an Eco Garden in Batasia which provides a lot
of information about organic farming and plantations in Darjeeling. Here you will
find many rare species and many other plants like the Gingko Biloba,
Rhododendrons, Silver Firs and even tea plants. At the centre of the Batasia Loop is
the War Memorial. This was opened in 1995 to commemorate the Gurkha soldiers
of the Darjeeling Hills who sacrificed their lives in various wars after India's
independence. At an elevated platform, there is a Cenotaph and a statue of a
soldier paying homage. Below the loop, you will see a small market area where you
can eat or shop or can buy souvenirs for your loved ones. Daily 5 am to 8 pm. There
is an entry fee of Rs. 15/- per person.
Ghoom Railway station
Ghoom or Ghum is a railway station of the Darjeeling
Himalayan Railway, situated at an altitude of 2258m(7407ft), located 9km away
from the centre of Darjeeling. The place is the home of the Ghoom Monastery and
the Batasia Loop, a bend of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. Ghum is not just the
highest point of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway but the highest railway station in
India. Until 1878, the journey from Kolkata to Darjeeling took 5 to 6 days using
steam-engine-pulled trains, steam ferry crossing the Ganges, and then using
bullock carts and palanquins. Construction of the railway track reached Ghum on 4
April 1881. Thereafter 6 to 7 hours by the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. If you are
not eager to travel from New Jalpaiguri, then you can enjoy a ride on the tourist
train from Darjeeling to Ghum and back. Ghum Museum is one of the three
museums of Darjeeling Himalayan Railways, located right above the Ghum station.
The other two DHR museums are located at Kurseong and Sukna. In 1999, after
being recognised as UNESCO World Heritage status, the Ghum Museum was
established on the very next year and opened to the visitors to showcase its
heritage. Right opposite the Ghum platform, there is the entry gate to the museum
premises. Where you can see Baby Sivok, the oldest toy train engine of Darjeeling
Himalayan Railways that started its operation in 1881 providing the first-ever rail
link through the mountains. Along with those rare and old artefacts of the
Darjeeling Himalayan Railways, several items of ex DHR employees(donated by
them) and many rare photographs of the Toy Train. If you plan to take the Toy Train
Joy Ride from Darjeeling which comes to Ghum and goes back, then this DHR Ghum
Museum will be part of the ride. The train stops at the Ghum station for a while and
passengers are given free entry to the museum. The DHR Ghum Museum is open
between 10 am to 1:30 pm and again from 2 pm until 4 pm. There is an entry fee
(Rs. 20/- per person).
Ghoom Monastery
Samten Choling Monastery is a Buddhist Monastery also
known as the Ghoom or Ghum Monastery as it is situated near Ghoom. However,
the original Ghum Monastery, which is 1km away, is called the Yiga Choeling
Monastery. While going from the town towards Ghum, Samten Choling monastery
comes first on your right before the ghoom station. Inside, main prayer building,
the main attraction is the huge 26-ft model of Lord Buddha built in recent time in
honour of the renowned scholar Lama Anagarika Govinda. The early morning and
evening prayer( chanting and humming) by the young monks(lamas) create a great
spiritual atmos and vibe. This monastery, is superintended by the Yellow Hat sect,
has a great collection of Buddhist books and Manuscripts. On the other side of the
porch, you will see a stairway from outside leading up to the open roof of a one
storey building. Once you get on top of the open terrace, the view is simply
awesome. You will see the wonderful snow peaks of Kanchenjunga on a clear day
and most striking is the view of mountains from three sides forming a lovely valley.
You will also see the rows of cute wooden cottages along the slope of the hills. On
one side of the premises is a small cafe which opens early in the morning mainly for
the tourists, other than tea, the cafe offers biscuits and lights vegetarian snacks as
well. It closes down later during the day time. It remains open throughout the
week(early morning till evening).
Dali Monastery
The Druk Sangay Monastery is popularly known as Dali
Monastery, located at Dali which is 5km away from the centre of Darjeeling. It is
one of the largest Monasteries with typical white Tibetian style building, perched
on the steep hill. The monastery was originally built at the time of Kyabje Thuksey
Rinpoche in 1971. He was a well known religious Tibetan teacher. Dali Monastery
belongs to the Kagyupa sect. Today it is the headquarters and residence of
Drukchen Rinpoche the XII, who is the supreme head of the Kagyupa sect of
Buddhists. There is a cafe called the Kunga Paljor Coffee Shop. This is an ideal place
for those who love the peaceful quiet ambience. There you can see some books
and magazines kept so that you can do some reading about Darjeeling and the
Tibetan culture as well. Dali Monastery can accommodate over 200 monks, So you
will see them everywhere on the premises. During 1993 Dalali Lama once came
here and stayed for three days teaching the in-depth principles of Tibetan religion
and culture to the students and disciples. It opens daily from early morning until
evening. The prayer timings are from 5 am until 6:30 am, and 5 pm until 6:30 pm.
Rock Garden & Ganga Maya Park
The Rock Garden is one of the most
popular tourist places visited by tourists every year in the Queen of hills, and also
known as the Barbotey Rock Garden. Because the entire garden area has been
created by cutting rocks at different levels and making terraced seating
arrangements at various levels. This is why it is called the Rock Garden. It is located
some 10kms away from the main town. From the Hill Cart Road that leads towards
Ghum, you will need to take a right turn near Dali Monastery into a narrow road.
With Intention to introduce a special attraction for tourists a little outside the town
area, Barbotey Rock Garden was created by the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council
(DGHC, now known as GTA) and inaugurated by the then chairman of the council Mr
Subash Ghising. There is a wonderful waterfall that comes from the top. You will
need to climb the tiresome stairs to go up the ramp and cross small bridges across
the rocks to reach up to the top to see the point from where this water flow is
entering the garden. There are beautiful flower gardens, trees and shrubbery at all
levels along with nice seating arrangements. So you can rest and relax, enjoy the
views around as you go up. you will see many stalls being set up by the locals
selling street snacks and small souvenir items for the tourists. It remains open from
10a.m. to 4p.m.
Ganga Maya is another beautiful park, located further down. About 3kms (i.e. 1.8
miles) further down from Rock Garden, which is another relatively new addition to
the special attractions.this is a valley surrounded by hills and having a natural water
stream flowing through it. There are beautiful small bridges built over the stream
from where you can look at the crystal clear water flowing over the rocky bed.
There is a small lake where one can also enjoy boating on paddle boats. At the end
of the park, there is also a lovely fountain. If you walk around the park, there are
wonderful flower gardens, trees and shrubs all across. It's easy to get to one of the
many large rocks that are sitting right on the stream. Sit on top of one of those,
deep your feet into the water, enjoy the sound of the flowing water and the
scenery around. There is a large circular platform in Ganga Maya Park where local
cultural programs like folk dances are performed during the high tourist season.
Lloyd Botanical Garden
The Botanical Garden of Darjeeling or Lloyd Botanical
Garden is a beautifully decorated garden with a variety of plantations(including
rare plants and orchids), situated at a walking distance of 800m from the taxi stand
of Darjeeling Chowk Bazar. This garden was established in 1878. It is named after
William Lloyd(He was the owner of the Lloyd's Bank during the British India days)
who gifted this 40 acres of area on an open hill slope for making one of the best
gardens in Asia. The land was handed over to Sir Ashley Eden and was then the
secretary to the Government of Bengal. There is a hospital Eden Sanatorium(Eden
Sanatorium hospital which is located just above the garden was named after him).
The Botanical Garden was laid out under the supervision of Sir Gorge King who was
then the superintendent of the garden. It has been designed over three sections.
The upper section is decorated with various indigenous Himalayan plantations.
Later, plants like rhododendrons have also been added in this section(brought
from Sikkim). The Middle section is where there is a large collection of fern and
conifer trees along with Alpine collections. There is also a separate greenhouse or a
conservatory here that houses sections like the Cactus displaying some 150
species. And The lower section is full of colourful exotic plants that have been
brought from various countries across the world. Some great plantations like
Hawthorn, Blackberry, Birch, Chestnut etc that have been imported from Europe,
then Plums, Cherries, Weeping Willows etc from China and Japan, Magnolia
Grandiflora, from the U.S, Wattle and Silver Oak from Australia and New Zealand
and lot more. The key attractions are the Orchidarium that has some 2,500 orchids
on display and showcasing some 50 varieties. Most of the orchids have been
brought in from the Singalila National Park. One of the most striking of all is the
Weeping Willow. It is so named because of its drooping branches and leaves that
give a "falling" or a weeping impression. You can just keep gazing at this one for
long. Another unique thing here is the two living fossil trees that have been
brought from China. You will see a tree Ginkgo Biloba of prehistoric time. There is a
sanctuary created with old Himalayan Cherries. There is a Student's Section where
you will find lots of Sikkim Himalayan plantation, and also a Medicinal Garden
where you can see many different types of medicinal plants collected from the
Eastern Himalayan Region. It's a place where you can relax and have a great
peaceful time. There is also a Rock Garden in the Lloyd's Botanical Garden of
Darjeeling. The Botanical Garden of Darjeeling is open from 6 am to 5 pm daily.
There are four gates of entry to the Botanical Garden - Lochnagar, Chandmari,
Pound Road and Stendhal. Tickets counters will be there at each of these gates.
Previously it has been free (since its existence) However, presently the authorities
have decided to introduce an entry fee of Rs. 20 per person (Rs. 5 per student with
ID card). The fund collected would be used towards maintenance, development and
research.
