DARJEELLING - AN INTRODUCTION TO THE PARADISE IN EARTH

Darjeeling, town, extreme northern West Bengal state, northeastern India. Darjeeling lies 305 miles (491 km) north of Calcutta. The town is situated on a long, narrow mountain ridge of the Sikkim Himalayas that descends abruptly to the bed of the Great Rangit River. The town lies at an elevation of about 7,000 feet (2,100 m). On a clear day Darjeeling affords a magnificent view of Kanchenjunga (28,169 feet [8,586 m]), and Mount Everest can just be seen. The name of the town means “place of the thunderbolt.” Darjeeling is a noted hill resort that has major road, rail, and air connections with Calcutta.

The town was purchased in 1835 from the raja of Sikkim and was developed as a sanatorium for British troops. It was constituted a municipality in 1850. Chaurastha, with the Mall, is the town's main shopping centre and the most attractive promenade. Observatory Hill, the town's highest point (7,137 feet), is crowned by Mahakal Temple, which is sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists. Birch Hill contains a natural park and the Institute of Mountaineering. The Lloyd Botanic Gardens were laid out in 1865. Besides these attractions, Darjeeling has a zoo, a natural history museum, a racecourse, and several hospitals. It is also the seat of the University of North Bengal, founded in 1962, with a number of affiliated colleges, including a medical school, in the town.