Darjeeling

One of the most beautiful mountain roads in the world leads up from the hot north Indian plains to Darjeeling, the 'Queen of the hillstations', that is surrounded by tea gardens, built at 2100m high on steep slopes. During the times of British colonial rule, the English found here everything their hearts had always desired for a cool and often moist summer resort, sufficient material to build their small wooden cottages and hills which were outstandingly suitable for tea plantations. The area is surmounted majestically by the third highest mountain on earth, the 8598m high Kanchenjunga with its five peaks...

Toy Train, Chowrasta/The Mall

Beside the road, which was constructed in 1839, a narrow gauge railway winds its way up into the heights, crossing the road in several places. In 1882 the first steam locomotives of the 'Toy Train' ran to Darjeeling via Kurseong and Ghoom. The panting machines were used for freight transport by the colonial masters while they themselves went on their summer holidays by horse-drawn carriages.
...In May and October, due to the pleasant climate, Darjeeling is full of Indian tourists. Above all Chowrasta, also called The Mall, one of the few flat places in the city, becomes crowded. There are countless possibilities for them to pass the time. You can stroll around, sit on a bench in the sun and order an Indian tea from the tea seller at the corner...

Tigerhill, Sandakphu

...The winter is the season that offers the most fantastic view of the Himalaya. If you drive up to Tigerhill with a jeep before dawn you will be there all alone in the cold to enjoy the spectacular sunrise. In a clear weather the mountain range that includes four of the five highest peaks on earth is visible. From Mt. Everest over Lhotse, Makalu, Kabru, Kanchenjunga and Siniolchu up to the Chomolhari at the border of Bhutan!...
...One can get an even more spectacular view of the Himalayas, from a greater proximity, from Sandakphu. This small village at 3600m can only be reached on an adventurous day trip either by jeep or in two days on foot from Maneybanjan. The clear air of the winter seems to have moved Mt. Everest with Lhotse and Makalu closer, but the majesty of Kanchenjunga dominates the landscape here too...

Observatory Hill

...There is always a lot going on around the Observatory Hill, which towers above Darjeeling like a symbol of religious tolerance. The temple in the middle is dedicated to Mahakala, meaning 'highest deity' and can be put on a level with the Hindu God Shiva and a Buddhist Dharmapala, a guardian of the teachings who emerged from him. Above the entrance the symbol for a Shiva temple, the trident, is united with the symbols of a Buddhist monastery, the wheel between two gazelles. The wheel of the teachings was started by Buddha in a gazelle park...

Tea Gardens

With a height of about 1500m, the area around Darjeeling is ideal for the cultivation of tea. It rains often, the sun has plenty of strength to warm up the tea gardens lying on steep slopes and on small hills, and there are cool nights without frost. Because of the optimal site, hand-picking and the old-fashioned but careful processing at the outdated factories, the tea is of excellent quality. It is sold at high prices as the harvest in the area yields only small quantities due to the limited space available compared to that of the valleys...

Colonial Times

Many buildings in Darjeeling date back to the times of the Raj, the colonial times. The English reluctantly tolerated the heat of the monsoon period in their old capital Calcutta and found the ideal climate for a summer resort in the mountainous country. They built timber buildings for themselves and constructed gigantic churches and administration buildings of stone. Many buildings from this time still characterise the townscape of Darjeeling.
However, the installation of educational establishments by different Christian orders has had the most lasting effect. Many schools and colleges which were set up in the colonial times are still among the elite schools of India and the neighbouring countries today...

Himalayan Mountaineering Institute,
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park

The most famous citizen of Darjeeling was undoubtedly Sherpa Tenzing Norgay. On May 29th, 1953 he successfully accomplished the first ascent of Mt. Everest together with the New Zealander Edmund Hillary. He died in 1986 and on one of the hills of the city, Birch Hill, a memorial has been erected on the site where he was cremated. The famous Himalayan Mountaineering Institute is very close. It is one of the world's leading training centres for mountain climbers where, until his death, Tenzing trained his compatriots in particular who received instruction for a career as mountain guides...
...To reach the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, you have to cross the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park...
...The rare snow leopards, which breed successfully in Darjeeling, have such a large area at the rear of the institute that you can rarely catch sight of them. In co-operation with the zoo of Rotterdam, another rare Himalayan animal, the Red Panda, is kept in an enclosure near the entrance. The heraldic animal of Sikkim has to roam freely to reproduce. They have also so far had good results with breeding the Tibetan wolf and the Siberian tiger...

Old monasteries:   Bhutia Busty, Aloobari and Yiga Choling

...On the way from the plains up to Darjeeling, two big monastery complexes which were built in recent years catch your eye. Sonada and Dali are living, modern centres of Buddhism. Nevertheless, as a westerner I feel the three older and smaller monasteries in Darjeeling and Ghoom radiate more of the spirit of the religion.
Not far from The Mall is probably the oldest monastery in Darjeeling: Bhutia Busty. It was built as a branch of the Karmapa monastery in Phodang by a Sikkimese king in the middle of the last century...
...The three-storey Aloobari monastery, painted in a wide variety of colours, looks rather dilapidated. A man sends a boy to bring the keys for our visit. After our eyes have become accustomed to the darkness - it is one of the frequent power cuts in Darjeeling - we are surprised by mural paintings of breath-taking beauty and splendid sculptures...
...Another old monastery near Darjeeling is the Gelugpa monastery, Yiga Choling in Ghoom. It was founded in 1850 by a Mongolian monk on his way through, and is the only old monastery of the Yellow Hat Sect...

Festival of Light: Diwali

The festival of light, Diwali, begins 13 days after the October full moon. It is the greatest celebration for the Hindus in honour of their goddess of prosperity, Laxmi, symbolically revered in the cow.
The mostly five-day-long festival is a family celebration like Christmas in the Christian world: church services, many candles, presents, good food and visits to the parents and siblings are part of it. An offering is made to the God of Death, Yama, too and tribute paid to the animals associated with to him...

Tibetan Refugée Self Help Centre

Not far from Darjeeling a narrow road full of bends leads up a slope to the Tibetan Refugée Self Help Centre. After passing through a gate, you find yourself in the middle of a large courtyard enclosed by many buildings...
...This Refugée Self Help Centre has been in existence since 1959. The Indian government put land at the disposal of the refugees in the entourage of the Dalai Lama, but they have to earn their own living. So it is natural for all of them to lend a hand as long as they can...