The Queen of the Hills Casts a Spell...

Darjeeling, the Queen of the Hills in eastern India, enamored me with her undulating peaks, spectacular views and quaint charm. Misty skies and descending, enveloping clouds added to the other-wordly charm of this beautiful hill station.

What's not to love in this lovely town? Winding lanes running up and down, dotted with little tea shops and cafes, offering the famed Darjeeling tea and some delicious cakes and snacks, provide succour to tired feet and souls. Sunshine plays hide and seek with dark clouds and thick fog. The local people take the unpredictable weather in their stride. They have grown up in this land, braving nature's hardships and quirks with a smile.

When the sun does shine, it bathes the entire ranges and peaks with a glow. It seems heaven has descended on earth. The next moment dark clouds loom and there is a chilly, freezing wind blowing.

In this paradise, there are some worldly treats to visit. The Darjeeling zoo, nestled in the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, houses some of the rarest of species of birds and animals. The screeching, colourful mackaws rub shoulders with parakeets and pheasants. This zoo is home to the reticent clouded leopard, the rarely-seen snow leopard, and the (oh-so-cute!) red panda (an endangered species). It was a treat to watch these animals happily munching or strolling in the verdant habitat of the zoological gardens.

Then there is Ghoom, the sleepy town above Darjeeling, with the highest railway station in Asia. The heritage Darjeeling toy train, offering a joy ride to visitors, halts in this station in its circular journey from Darjeeling. The toy train ride passes many spectacular view points offering photo-ops to all its passengers. Ghoom also hosts a beautiful Buddhist monastery, the tranquil atmosphere of which soothes the mind and body. (What surprised me however, was that this town did not have a single decent restaurant or hotel in the vicinity of the station. Since the town sees hordes of passengers descend when the train makes its half-hourly halt here, it seems a hospitality opportunity gone waste. At least some enterprising person should take the initiative of providing a decent meal to the hungry visitors.)

Coming back to the question of soothing the senses, what's better than a cuppa Darjeeling tea? The rich flavour and taste is incomparable and makes it arguably the best tea in the world. Abroad it is sold at a premium, making it one of our best exports. (Just a thought. Surely it makes better sense to market this tea better in the country of its origin? Like we have cafes dotting our lanes in all cities, why not have tea-bars and lounges offering Darjeeling tea at reasonable rates? I am sure this country has enough tea lovers who will queue up for this experience. Spurt in revenue will also hopefully revive the conditions of the tea industry, and provide some sustenance to the tea garden workers and labourers. Isn't it ironical that the world pays through its nose for the tea they grow, and they starve without proper nourishment?)

Our visit came to an end leaving only one regret. We could not view the spectacular sunrise on Kanchenjunga from Tiger Hill, due to bad weather conditions. In fact, Kanchenjunga remained obstinately out of our view for the entire course of our stay. But as they say, you win some, you lose some. Some things are best left for the next time. Let that be a reason to come back again.....