Darjeeling: Queen of Hills

Nestled among the rolling mountains with the glistening Mt Kanchenjunga towering over the azure sky, Darjeeling fondly called “Queen of the Hills' ', provides a perfect getaway for those seeking to be in harmony with nature. This is the land of the muscatel flavored Darjeeling tea revered by connoisseurs across the globe. This is the land of the world heritage Darjeeling Himalayan Railway where the century old miniature steam engine still chugs uphill vying for space with the fast disappearing Land Rovers. “Flowers are everywhere. The days are cold and the sun almost seems to play hide and seek with us”. – Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore. It is certain that Darjeeling in the postmodern era comprises six T’s -Tea, Teak, Tourism, Toy Train, Tiger Hill and Trekkers’ paradise.

In the early 19th century during East India Company rule in India, a sanatorium and a military depot were set up in the region. Subsequently, extensive tea plantations were established, the tea growers developing hybrids of black tea and creating new fermentation techniques. A distinctive Darjeeling tea emerged, which became internationally recognized and has ranked among the most popular black teas in the world. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway connecting the town with the North Bengal plains was completed in 1881 and has some of the few remaining steam locomotives in service in India.

Darjeeling has several British-style private schools that attract pupils from India and neighboring countries. The culture of the town reflects its diverse demographic milieu which comprises the Lepcha, Khampa, Kirati, Gorkha, Newari, Sherpa, Bhutia, Bengali as well as other Indian ethno-linguistic groups. Darjeeling and nearby Kalimpong were the centers of the Gorkhaland movement in the 1980.

https://darjeeling.gov.in/