Kalimpong, Namchi , Gangtok , Darjeeling

­­­­A slice ­­­­­of Sikkim on the Bengali platter

Like me if you have been fascinated by Rajesh Khanna jumping in and out of the toy train in Mere sapno ki rani,, you sure would have longed to go to Darjeeling some day.

I got the coveted chance this summer and believe me, it’s mesmerising though not the preferred destination for Bollywood movies any more. Let me give you glimpses of my dream holiday.  I chose to go in the end of June so as to experience the Monsoon in its full glory and I did. The best season to visit they say, is October to April lest you want the rains to spoil your plans. But if you love the drizzle, June and July might suit your fancy.

Bagdogra is the nearest Airport and I decided to tread along the path and cover some more places before this Bengali Hill station. Local taxis are most convenient and easily available mode of transport though you may choose to take the buses that will take you through Siliguri. Hence if you are time crunched and in a true holiday mood, hire a taxi

So my first halt was Kalimpong, 75 km on the smooth NH31A. In the three hour drive, the initial half hour is like any other in the plains- intercepted by jams and bad roads but just 30 minutes on the road takes you to the path to heaven. The River Teesta flows in the valley below, separating Kalimpong from the state of Sikkim. The river moving along with you on one side and the high mountains on the other is spellbinding and one is tempted to exhaust all the memory in the camera on this road only.

It is a town quieter than Bagdogra, fabled for orchids and rarest of cacti. Situated at the foothills of Himalayas at an elevation of 1243 m, it is a hill station that offers a lavish view of Mt Kanchenjunga and its range. There are a number of good hotels in Kalimpong and I was lucky to have one where my room window opened to the most picturesque natural scenery. Milder climate, dense forest offset by the rich undergrowth of moss and lichen provide an ideal setting for calm walks on cushions of auburn leaves. This town that goes dead by 8 pm and awakes to crowing Roosters as early as 4 am is a tourist paradise. It has a small market with nice bakeries and mouth watering Momos can be had as cheap as Rs. 5 a plate. One of course can not miss out on the local home made lollipops. Handbags and handicrafts can be bought.

The legendary Hanumana Temple at Mangal Dham and a visit to the Durbin Dara monastery are the impeccable ways to start the day after taking in the moist aroma at Gladioli and Orchid flower nurseries. The town centre is located on a ridge connecting two hills, Deolo and Durpin. A walk at the Deolo Hill top is gripping. With fog and mist covering the beautifully maintained park, it is an ideal location for honeymoon couples whom you spot in plenty here. There is an Army Golf Course and the Morgan House that offers a peep into the British architecture. Dr. Graham’s is a trailer to the many renowned schools that this little town has.

The next day, we proceeded to Namchi. This is the immaculate dream groove. Amidst the mountains on all sides a narrow road leads to the magnificent Samdroptse Monastery. The world's largest statue (118 feet) of the Buddhist Padmasambhava, is on the Samdruptse  hill. It is also said that this hill is actually a Dormant Volcano. This place is a one stop spot for the pilgrims. There is a Shirdi Sai temple which steals the show by its spotless cleanliness and the location. What won the Sikkim CM Pawan Chamling the award for the best innovative project is the next marvel. It is Siddheswar Dham where all the four Hindu pilgrimages have been replicated. Surrounded by the 12 Jyotirlingas it has Dwarka, Rameshwaram, Jagannath and Badrinath on the four sides, Kailasha with a huge Shiv Mandir is the icing on the cake. Tourists throng this temple and are content that their chaar dham teerath has been accomplished in one go.

Once you have done the dharmik darshan to your heart’s content, you see the small helipad on which Manmohan Singh landed to inaugurate this Char Dham in 2010. One of the highlights of the town is the football stadium – the Baichung Stadium built by the Sikkimese government in honour of its most famous citizen, footballer Baichung Bhutia. On you way back, Sikkim's sole tea estate, the Temi Tea Garden awaits you with its hospitable staff. You may visit the tea factory and see the whole process of manufacturing of the Trademark Organic Sikkim Tea.

We reached Gangtok this night and the celebrated MG Market is a must go for shopaholics. Products traded from Chinese border are sold at high but fixed prices. From Umbrellas to Japanese dolls, from silver ware to souvenirs you can have it all. There are a variety of Bengali sweets and Continental dishes to try from in restaurants and eateries spread all over. Gangtok, the capital of the 22^nd sate of India, Sikkim abounds in scenic beauty. It enjoys mild temperature all year round and offers spectacular view of Himalyan ranges. It is the ultimate harbour for tourists in search of enchantment, tranquility and trekking. It is the mystic land of Stupas, Monasteries, temples and endless intriguing rituals. Buddhists, Nepalis, local tribals, a lot of Biharis and Marwari immigrants living in harmony give it a truly secular colour.  

The next morning you are in for an unimaginable journey to the China border that runs along the Tsomgo Lake. It used to be a gateway to the trade between Tibet and India prior to China's annexation of Tibet. At height of 12,400 feet and 50 feet depth, its cool placid water, the scenic beauty enchanted by the reflection in the lake is bewitching. Primula flowers and other alpine vegetation that grows around the lake add a pristine beauty to this site.

Patriotism throngs inside you when you visit the Baba Harbhajan Singh Memorial. The legendary story has it that he died protecting his Post from the enemy and his soul still lives there to fulfill his duty. He is given full salary, leaves and perks by the army till date. This is a rare example of belief in this scientifically rational world

If you are lucky and find no landslides choking the path, you may get to travel to the Nathu La Pass. The pass, at 14,140 ft forms a part of an offshoot of the ancient Silk Road. Nathu La is one of the three open trading border posts between China and India. Sealed by India after the 1962 Sino-Indian War, it was re-opened in 2006. Coming here makes you feel a need to go nowhere else.  

Gangtok’s local sight seeing includes Monasteries, Nurseries with rare flower varieties that grow best in the red soil here. There is a waterfall park that is run entirely on renewable energy sources. The Directorate of Handicraft and Handloom offers ties and dresses made of silk that probably might have been exported through the Silk route centuries ago. It is however all made locally now. Sikkim being the only state in India credited for complete organic farming, it is worth buying some cereal from this place. The oranges here are exported all through the world. I bought some kidney beans and Orange squash and they taste like nothing ever has. It’s worth a buy even if only to experience the flavour. The stark social difference from North India that you notice among the localities here, is the love and freedom that the girl child enjoys. Weddings do not involve dowry and most women continue their education after getting married at young age.

Your journey to the Queen of Hills will take another four hours from here. On the way, the ginger plantation and carrots growing on the sides is a must fetch. It is a jewel on the crown of the Eastern Himalayas and offers spectacular view of the Himalayan range.

Darjeeling is a comparatively crowded city. The track of the toy train is a perfect charmer. You cross the buzzing streets on your way to the hotel. On the Mall, the Chowrasta and the Ridge, the local market will offer a lot of woolen stuff to stock your bags with. You can go mad purchasing tea which is available on shops and pavements at rates ranging from 50 to 9000 rupees per 250 grams. This is the green tea and is mostly exported as Indians per se are used to the Assam tea that can be boiled in water. It still is worth taking back for friends and relatives.

Give yourself ample time to rest as the next morning as early as 3 am you must leave for Tiger Hill to view the sunrise. This is the sorted dream date with nature. Tourists gather in hundreds to witness the sun coming out of the mountains. The fog might play hide and seek giving your heart a leap as to whether you will see what you came to see, but if you are lucky you will witness the most hypnotising sight on earth. It is worth the wait from the darkness to the dawn to see the rays coming in first and then the sun rising. The hills are nestled within high peaks and the snow-clad Himalayan ranges. Kanchenjunga, the world's third-highest peak is the most prominent mountain visible. If the fog allows, Mount Everest, can be seen too. One just stands here awe struck by the sheer magnificence of nature. And if this is not enough, on your way back you go to the Batasia Loop which is a UNESCO Heritage site. This is a Gorkha regiment Memorial too. A very well kept park around the round loop that the toy train treads is the place where you can spend your entire life. Not to miss the local pavement shops scattered on the track and also when you come out of the Ghoom Monastery as early as 5 am. This is typically Darjeeling and you will encounter them even on your way to the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park. This zoo is a treat for children seeing the unique mountain animals placed in their natural habitats. The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and museum are worth a watch. And if all this impresses and tempts you, you might want to try climbing the Tenzing Rock. This is a tourist attraction and a marvel to look at. Being the adventure freak that I am, I did climb this rock aided by the helpers there and it was a life time experience. When you go there take my word and do not miss the chance yourself too.

The Darjeeling ropeway is a bit scary, notorious for the stories of when it fell killing many in 2001. But it has been reopened and is operational for you to ride if you dare. I did and the sheer fright is adrenaline rushing. A half hour ride in a carriage trailing thin wires is exciting. You can get yourself clicked in the traditional Tea Plantation worker attire here. It is a memory worth capturing.

If you are the walk in peace kinds, the tea gardens will offer you enough time and space. The greenery is magnetic. The Tibetan refugee self help centre humbles you to the core. One is transfixed looking at the old (indeed very old) men and women weaving the Charkha and stitching to run their livelihood. You just can not resist purchasing something to help these people who are trying hard to lead a life of self sustenance.

If a week is what you had kept for this sedating trip, then on your last day, visit Mirik- the town centered on the Sumendu Lake. An amazing natural lake sprinkling out of the mountains is a fabulous place for family pictures. Boating, horse riding and local food make it the classic picnic spot. The landscaped gardens, orange orchids, tea plantations, cardamom grooves, and captivating view of the eastern Himarlas make you wonder that the one who said Swarg Kashmir mein hai has sure not visited this place.

The acclaimed Nepali Pashupati market is just 20 minutes away. You are bound to get extravagant by the fag end of your trip as the cheaper Nepali currency will let you hoard perfumes, watches, sunglasses and kitchen ware without punching a painful hole in your pocket. In excitement, do not skip the colorful houses on your way back to the airport. Houses painted pink, yellow, green, violet and in all imaginable hues bid you farewell.

When you start missing the mountains as the air changes from cool to hot and you are tempted to switch on the AC in your taxi, the realisation that dawns upon is that however different the climate, the flora and fauna, the cuisine and dresses, the dialect and faces might have been, the one thing that remained uniform all through the trip are the omnipresent chips and cola brands, the mobile phone hoardings and ..and .. Thankfully nothing else. Remembering the local food, the greenery in all shades, the beauty to die for and the soothing climate that filled your last week will let you pass this last trail of road. 

When you empty your camera memory on facebook to the envy of your friends, the taxi walas who played the dual role of being your guides to the local vegetation and history will cross your minds and a smile of gratitude is sure to make you feel lucky. You will suddenly get the taste of the Chhurpi, lollipops, momos, Noodles on your tongue and dream of going there some day again. This one week break will rejuvenate you to face the piles o

f files and the nosey boss in your office till the next holiday takes you away to some other mystic dream land. Till then I will keep bringing you my experiences of the places I travel to. Adios.