Train to Tea Land: A Trip to Darjeeling

chillibreeze writer — Shilpa Shetty

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Serpentine roads on which your vehicle balances near-vertical for that chilling instant, expansive tea plantations, rosy-cheeked uniformed children huffing away to the nearby school, villages of little houses balancing precariously on slopes, a gossamer cover of mist drifting at eye level… and a sudden loud shrill whistle that breaks your reverie! Welcome to Darjeeling.

The whistle signals the 127-year-old miniature heritage steam engine, the Toy Train, which chugs along the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway tracks. Darjeeling, a sleepy town on the lower slopes of the Himalayas, was a summer destination of the British during the Raj. Today, almost 150 years later, the hill resort emanates the same colonial charm. This is evident in the English-influenced architecture on Observatory Hill, the highest rung of town. Celebrated as the ‘Queen of Hills’, Darjeeling has the old-world charm and self-effacing beauty that has inspired many a paean from illustrious personalities, who have been in some way or the other associated with Darjeeling.

Imbued with archaic heritage, Darjeeling’s famous sights-to-see provide a glimpse into pre-independent India. From Darjeeling to New Jalpaiguri, the Toy Train traverses a rather short stretch of 80 kilometers in nine hours. The ride takes you on exciting loops of 8s and zigzags through different facets of the landscape. Like the Batasia Loop, a 360-degree curve around a newly-constructed war memorial or Ghoom, the highest railhead station at 7,400 feet! All the excitement of a rollercoaster at the slowest speed possible.

Darjeeling is a walker’s paradise. Townsfolk go about the day’s business on foot through the labyrinth of narrow gullis. And though taxis and land rovers abound for tourists, try the local way. There is nothing more invigorating than a walk up the Mall Road starting from Chowrasta or the landmark crossroad. An awning of towering green trees overhead and the distant snow-capped Kanchenjunga peak promise to keep you company through this stroll. Round this off with a complete English breakfast at the famous Glenary’s and your day has begun on the right note. Despite being a fairly small town, the number of eateries here will leave you spoilt for choice. Dekevas, Hasty Tasty, Keventer’s, Frank Ross Café and Kungas are few popular local haunts. Joey’s, Buzz and Ralph Khang are a few touristy pubs with good live bands that stay open late. As for the rest of the town, it returns to the warmth of home with the last streaks of sun disappearing at the horizon.

When rock mania took the world by storm, Darjeeling was not far behind. The era saw the emergence of some amazing local talent like the Hillians, fondly known as the ‘Sikkimese Beatles!’ Just as famous for its educational institutions, Darjeeling has some of the best music schools that promote budding rock and western musicians. Music schools and regular talent hunts awarding scholarships to winners is a big draw. And it’s not unusual to find youngsters with guitars slung across their backs making their way to either of these two.

Darjeeling offers a great shopping experience where smart bargaining skills can help clinch a steal deal on woven fabrics, Tibetan carpets, bamboo handiwork, religious artifacts, wooden masks, Himalayan motifs, thangkas etc. Chowk Bazaar, Chowrasta, Mahakal market, Ladenla and Nehru Road are popular haunts for exclusive souvenir shopping.

To talk about Darjeeling without mentioning the ‘wine of teas- Darjeeling Tea’ would indeed be a grave oversight. The tea gardens here thrive under the clement weather, lofty altitude and just the right amount of rainfall. Experienced hands pluck the leaves that go to make that unmatched aroma and taste appreciated by millions of tea connoisseurs across the globe. Stop by a tea garden to watch the women plucking ‘two-leaves-one-bud’ and tossing them accurately into the heavy basket balanced on their heads. For those interested, there are many plantations where you can learn more about the art of tea making and tea testing. Producing first-rate export quality tea, the Happy Valley Tea Estate is as old as 150 years! Then there’s the Planters’ Club, a distinguished association of tea planters where you are likely to bump into an old hand willing to unveil the history of Darjeeling tea over refreshing cups of the same.

You carry a lot of memories from Darjeeling – its entrancing beauty, a marked sense of calm, the soft aftertaste of tea, and of course stronger calf muscles! They say a place is known by its people, and Darjeeling is best described as laidback, calm and hospitable.

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—About our writer:

Shilpa says, "Few can express emotion exactly how they feel it. Gratefully, there are words and how I rely on them! I am a feature writer who likes to dabble between subjects like lifestyle, culture, travel, career etc. Despite my fondness for all things old and traditional I am quite techno savvy, which is why believe me when I write things like 'As my fingers glide over the keyboard …"

Train to Tea Land: A Trip to Darjeeling

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