Darjiling

About Darjeeling

So how do you define the place Darjeeling? 

In short, it's all about magnificent views of snowcapped Kanchenjunga, torrents flowing down the mountain slopes, lovely tea gardens, landscapes with firs, pines & ferns, and all that combined with friendly people and modern yet colonial charm. 

You can find about 4000 different types of flowering plants in Darjeeling district including rhododendrons, orchids, magnolia etc, there are some 300 types of ferns including the rare fern trees, and if you care to go around the forested land, you can see some amazing animal life like red pandas, pangolins, yellow throated martens, barking deer as well as leopards and even elephants in their natural habitats. 

And of course if your vacation plan is to relax, enjoy food, shopping and do sightseeing, the friendly natives like the Nepalis, Tibetans and Lepchas will make you feel perfectly at home as you enjoy the fabulous weather and charm of the place. 

Why the name Darjeeling? 

Did it ever strike you in the first place how the name Darjeeling was coined? Well there are several stories behind the name. The most popular is the one that says that Observatory Hill (located behind the Mall) which is the highest point in Darjeeling town, attracted lots of lightning and thunders. This is particularly so during the monsoon season. The word 'Dorji' in Tibetan means 'Thunderbolt' and 'Ling' means 'Place'. Therefore Darjeeling was so named to mean 'The place of thunderbolt'. 

Another story says that the Tibetan monks built a monastery atop the Observatory Hill in 1763. The name of the chief monk of the monastery was Rinzing Dorji Legden La. The Tibetans named the place after him... Dorji-Ling meaning 'Place of Dorji', and hence the name Darjeeling.  

In Sanskrit, the word "Durjay Ling" means "Shiva of invincible prowess who rules the Himalayas." The name Darjeeling could have also been derived from this. 

Location of Darjeeling 

Darjeeling is part of the state of West Bengal in India and located at the northern part of the state. The red marker in the map shows the location of Darjeeling town. You can expand the map and take a closer look of the place. If you are looking for the coordinates (i.e. Latitude and Longitude) of Darjeeling, it is: 27°3'N 88°16'E. 

View Darjeeling Location in a larger map 

As you can see in the map, geographically Darjeeling is bounded on its north by the state of Sikkim, on its east by Bhutan and on its west by Nepal. It's standing on a narrow ridge that juts out to the vast basin of the grand Himalayas. From a vantage point in Darjeeling, you get the best views of Himalayan snow peaks towards north and north east. 

Area and Altitude of Darjeeling 

Darjeeling is actually a widespread district although the popular Darjeeling hill town is the nucleus of the place. While the hill town is quite small (about 4 square miles or 10.4 square kilometers), the district spans across some 1,215 square miles of area (i.e. about 3,149 square kilometers). The district includes the town of Darjeeling, Kurseong subdivision, Kalimpong subdivision, Mirik and the terai region (lower plains) among other areas. But commonly by 'Darjeeling', one means the Darjeeling hill town. 

The average altitude of Darjeeling Town is 6,710 ft (i.e. about 2,045 meters). However while approaching Darjeeling by road or toy train, you will need to cross the highest point of the route at Ghoom (7407 ft or 2226 meters). However the highest point or the summit in the whole of Darjeeling district is Sandakphu (close to 12,000 ft) which also happens to be the highest altitude point in the whole of West Bengal. 

How Darjeeling town is laid out 

The layout of Darjeeling town can be visualized as having three landing areas or levels. And each level is connected to the other by steep narrow roads. 

Chowrasta Mall which is often known as the Town Center, is located at the top level. The top level is therefore the most coveted area for the tourists. This is where most popular hotels, restaurants and shops are located. You won't get a 3D map of a place, so it may be a bit difficult to comprehend the levels. However in Darjeeling Map, you can see the Mall and the surrounding area. The top level is essentially the whole of Nehru Road which leads up to the Mall, the Mall Road itself, and a part of Gandhi road. Although the area along Zakir Hussain Road which originates from the Mall and goes uphill towards the famous St. Pauls School is also part of the top level, but being further off from the town center, the tourist demand for this area is not as much. There are however several hotels that have come up along Zakir Hussain Road. Many hotels at the top level offer great views of the Kanchenjunga snow peaks. 

The second level is essentially the area along Laden La Road which goes down and connects the top level with places like station area, Chowk Bazaar etc at the bottom level. Other areas in second level includes the places along HD Lama Road, Robertson Road etc. Here too you will find several popular hotels and shops, but not as expensive as some of those at the top level. In this middle level, you will find many Indian styled hotels and shops, some offering nice views. 

The Lepchas and Bhutias. Towards south the area extends up to the Darjeeling Station and towards north up to North Point (St Joseph's College) and Lebong. You will get several budget hotels in this area although none can actually offer good views of the peaks. From the lowest level you can walk up to the top level, it takes about 30 minutes of tedious uphill walk. 

More about Darjeeling... 

Weather in Darjeeling 

Weather comes with different faces in Darjeeling and each has its unique charm. But one thing which the place offers consistently is respite from the heat and dust. Summer is pleasant, while winter is cold but offers great visibility and monsoon comes with lots of rains, mist & fog. 

lowest level or the bottom level is where the popular Chowk Bazaar or Lower Bazaar is located. The area is always crowded and humming with locals comprising mostly of Nepalese, Tibetans,

How to reach Darjeeling 

Many who come from outside West Bengal wonder if Darjeeling has an airport or a railway station by itself. While Darjeeling does have a small railway station for narrow gauge toy trains, those mountain trains only operate between New Jalpaiguri (the nearest major railway station) and Darjeeling. The nearest airport is at Bagdogra. So even after you reach the nearest railway station or the airport, there is still some distance (about 90kms uphill road route) to cover to reach Darjeeling. 

History & Development of Darjeeling 

History of Darjeeling dates back to 1700s when it was part of Sikkim under the Raja. It was later taken over by the Gorkhas from Nepal. The Britsh restored Sikkim from the Nepalese in early 1800s and carved Darjeeling out of Sikkim to create a sanitarium (or a health resort) for the British troops and Europeans. But the real development of the area started only in 1866 when Darjeeling made steady progress in the area of agriculture, communication, education and power. 

People & Culture of Darjeeling 

Immigrants from many neighboring states and countries have settled down in Darjeeling district. While majority of the population are Nepalis, there are many Tibetans, Lepchas and Bengalis as well. Different religions and faiths are followed in Darjeeling including Hinduism (Nepalis are mostly Hindus), Buddhism (Tibetans are mostly Buddhists), and also Christianity. It's an amazing world out there in the hills and so different from the rest of the state of West Bengal. 

Festivals in Darjeeling 

With large diversity in origins, the festivals celebrated by residents of Darjeeling also vary widely and follow their unique customs. And festivities and festive celebrations remain integral part of the lives of people in Darjeeling all through the year. 

Local Food & Beverages 

Diversity of culture and origins of the residents who migrated from the neighboring places like Nepal, Tibet, Sikkim, lower plains etc are prominently reflected in the ethnic or local food & beverages that you get in Darjeeling. While the popular restaurants serve usual food to cater to tourists, if you want to taste the original food like the Nepali thali, Darjeeling's original pickles, snack items like momos, or Tibetan items like Thukpa, you will need to find the proper places. 

Darjeeling Tea - History, Estates, Industry, Tourism 

It's an amazing story why the British had to find an alternative place to grow quality tea and then chose Darjeeling as the place. Darjeeling tea has become an industry by itself. Know about its story, what are the different types tea, how it's processed, the great tea estates and how can you tour them, best stores to buy Darjeeling tea and finally how to make a cup of such tea. 

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway - History and Current state 

It's a saga that dates back to 1800s when the mountain railway in Darjeeling was conceived by the Royal engineers. They created what is recognized as engineering marvels in those days and introduced a narrow gauge railway (popularly known as the Toy Train) which provided an all important communication between the plains and Darjeeling hills. Know about the story of DHR, its route, the journey, how and when the 12 small mountain stations were created and more. 

Teesta - A main river in Darjeeling 

The meandering mountain stream Teesta originates from the glaciers and lakes of Sikkim Himalayas and then flows down through Darjeeling, other parts of West Bengal before entering Bangladesh. This section is about the course of Teesta, its main tributaries in Darjeeling district, the best view points along its course, the bridges built over the river and more with great pictures. 

Animal & Bird Life of Darjeeling 

Vegetation of Darjeeling 

Luxury Tourism & Its Future in Darjeeling: What does the future store for luxury tourism in Darjeeling? Does the hill town that was once well established in the luxury segment way back in the colonial days still hold the same charm and vibe for the visitors looking for luxury tourism? Check out the link above for a discussion that was triggered by a viewer of this website.