Darjeeling region is famous throughout
the world for the tea it grows. It is also known for its richness
in cultural & natural heritage and the famous toy
train that has been declared an UN heritage.
The region covering about 1144 sq km, attracts
millions of tourists every year for the variety of attractions
it offers to the tourists.
The hills rise from the `Terai` and `Dooars`
plains of Bengal and reaches an altitude of more than 12,000
feet. Three divisions of the Darjeeling district, namely Darjeeling,
Kalimpong and Kurseong
constitute the hilly areas of Darjeeling Himalaya.
To the north of the region is the Indian
state of Sikkim, the region
borders Nepal on the West, and Bengal on the South and East.
In Darjeeling, those who grow up in the mountains identify
themselves according to their ancestry: Nepalese, Bhutanese,
Tibetan or Lepcha. The region also contends with a religious
mix - Although Hindus represent the majority, there is strong
presence of Tibetan Buddhism and other religions.
 Darjeeling
Himalaya is famous for its richness of flora and fauna. There
are two national parks (Neora Valley NP and Singalila NP)
and one wild life sanctuary (Mahananda
WLS) in the area. Singalila national park is famous for
red panda, a very rare and endangered species. Neora valley
- a beautiful tropical forest, large part of which is still
virgin - offers great attraction to the tourists.
When the British first arrived in Darjeeling
it was almost completely forested and virtually uninhabited,
though it had once been a sizeable village. Rapid development
work by the British resulted in construction of a road in
1840, numerous houses and a sanatorium was built and a hotel
opened.
By 1857 Darjeeling had a population of some
10,000. The population increase was due mainly to the recruitment
of Nepalese laborers to work in the tea plantations established
in the early 1840s by the British.
Even today, the vast majority of people
speak Nepali as a first language.
Occupation: The regions economy is
dependent on three `T`s; Tea, Tourism and Timber. With greater
concern for the environment trade in Timber has fallen sharply
over the years. Apart from these the region produces large
amount of oranges, cardamom, flowers etc.
History
of the region
Map of Darjeeling
District
Climate: Average temperature varies
between 200 and 250 near the foothills and goes down sharply
as the altitude increases. In the town of Darjeeling or Kalimpong
temperature may range from 80 to 150 centigrade in summer
and from 10 to 60 centigrade in winter. It can get very cold
in winter.
An umbrella is a must throughout the year
since rain in the area is quite unpredictable; however the
same is available cheaply in the local markets.
The best time to visit Darjeeling is from
mid-September to mid-December, although it gets quite cold
by December. The season resumes around mid-March and continues
till mid-June but as the haze builds up the views become less
clear. During the monsoon months (June to September), clouds
obscure the mountains and the rain is often so heavy that
whole sections of the road from the plains are washed away,
though the major towns are rarely cut off for more than a
few days at a time.
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