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Darjeeling
is the legendary British hill station perched in the foothills
of the Himalayas. For rail enthusiasts, however, Darjeeling
is better known for its "Toy Train.” This famous
narrow gauge steam railway plies its way from Siliguri
in the plains below up to Ghoom and Darjeeling in the hills.
Located in the northern extreme of the Indian state of
West Bengal, Darjeeling is just east of Nepal, just south
of Sikkim, and a bit west and south of Bhutan. It is most
famous for its once magnificent tea estates. Blessed with
a cool and bracing climate, and a panoramic view of the
Himalayas, the world renowned hill resort of Darjeeling
is a welcome respite during the hot summer months. Situated
at 2134 m above sea level, Darjeeling was acquired by the
British from the Raja of Sikkim as a gift around a hundred
and fifty years ago, and developed it as a rest and recreational
center for their troops. Today the town retains many of
the legacies of the British Government.
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Places
to visit in and around Darjeeling: |
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Darjeeling
Toy Train or Himalayan Train:
A visit to
Darjeeling is incomplete without a ride in the toy-train
of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. The miniature train, given
heritage status by UNESCO, covers the distance of 88 km
between New Jalpaiguri station and Darjeeling. This fascinating
narrow gauge steam engine train still operates with the
original steam engine and the loops and the zigzags along
the route are remarkable feats of engineering. The Toy
Train is considered an engineering marvel and some prefer
to call it one of the wonders of the world, to be preserved
forever.
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Tea
Gardens:
While in Darjeeling a visit to any nearby Tea Garden to watch
the actual process of the manufacturing of Darjeeling Tea
is worth it. Some of the Tea Gardens also sell their packet
teas. There are about 70 tea gardens in this hill region
and the most accessible one is the Happy Valley Tea Estate,
which is about 3 km from the town or within a walking distance
of about 40 minutes.
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Tiger Hill:
Standing at a height of 2590 m (8482 ft.), Tiger Hill is 11 km
from Darjeeling. An early morning trip to the Tiger Hill promises
a unique experience. A view of the sunrise amidst the Himalayan
range has earned it an international fame. From here you can get
a glimpse of Mount Everest, the highest mountain and Khangchendzonga
range.
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Buddhist
Monasteries:
In and around Darjeeling there are important and interesting
Tibetan Buddhist Monasteries. The oldest one is called the
Yiga Cholling Monastery which is situated about 8 km from
the town at Ghoom and enshrines an image of 'the Coming Buddha'
or the Maitriya Buddha.
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Dhirdham Temple:
Dhirdham temple is situated just below the Railway station this temple is a structural
replica of the famous 'Pashupatinath'' temple of Kathmandu, Nepal.
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