Darjeeling

Darjeeling conjures visions of serenity, of vibrant green hills steeped in splendour, a land of breathtaking beauty crowned by the majestic Himalayas.

Darjeeling is one of the most magnificent hill resorts in the world. This heavenly retreat is bathed in hues of every shade. The flaming red rhododendrons, the sparkling white magnolias, the miles of undulating hillsides covered with emerald green tea bushes, the exotic forests of silver fir - all under the blanket of a brilliant azure sky dappled with specks of clouds, compellingly confounds Darjeeling as the QUEEN OF HILL STATIONS.

Darjeeling - the name is derived from the Tibetian word 'Dorje' which means the precious stone or ecclesiastical sceptre, which is emblematic of the thunderbolt of Indra, and 'ling' - a place, hence the land of the thunderbolt. The sceptre of Indra is believed to have fallen at a place where now stands the Observatory Hill.

Darjeeling is a fascinating place, where the tourist can see Buddhist monasteries, visit a tea plantation, see how the tea is processed, go for a ride on the chairlift, go shopping in the colourful markets or go trekking to high altitude spots, near the border with Sikkim. Darjeeling has the unique feature of a toy train, which takes you from Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling through the steep mountainsides.

Gaur

Twelve km south of Malda and right on the border with Bangladesh, Gaur was first the capital of the Buddhist Pala dynasty, then it became the seat of the Hindu Sena dynasty, and finally the capital of the Muslim nawabs. The ruins of the extensive fortifications and several large mosques are all that remain. Most impressive are the Bara Sona Mosque and the nearby brick Dakhil Darwajah built in 1425. Qadam Rasul Mosque enshrines a footprint of the Mohammed but it looks as if he was wearing thongs when he made it! Fath Khan's tomb is nearby and a sign informs you that he 'vomited blood and died on his spot'. There are still some colourful enameled tiles on the Gumti Gate and Lattan Mosque but few left on the Firoz Minar, which you can climb for a good view.

Travel Information

The monuments are very spread out and not all easy to find. Determined cycle-rickshaw wallahs offer half day trips from Malda.

Kalimpong

A beautiful hill town in North Bengal which can be reached from either Siliguri or Darjeeling. KALIMPONG - means king’s minister’s strong hold - a Bhutanese word. It is also called Kalimpong in local dialect meaning "black spur". As per Lepchas Kalimpong means ‘ridge where we play’. It is said that these local tribesmen used to organise field sports while not engaged in agricultural pursuit - hence the name.

Situated at an altitude of 1250 metres, it enjoys temperate climate throughout the year. Somewhat secluded and tucked away in the corner under big Darjeeling umbrella, Kalimpong offers a quiet and relaxed holiday, against the backdrop of the Kanchenjunga.

The journey from Darjeeling to Kalimpong is a beautiful experience. The road drops from Ghoom 7407ft. to Teesta Bazar 700 ft in 12 km and passes through lush green forests and tea gardens. A place called the Viewpoint or ‘Lovers Meet’, offers excellent view of the confluence of the Rangeet and the Teesta rivers, as also of the Himalayan mountain range from Durbindara summit. Kalimpong’s attractions include three Buddhist monastries, orchid nurseries, a sericulture centre and Dr. Graham’s Home, a large sprawling school set up in 1900 for educating the children of tea workers.

General Information

Area: 3.5 sq. miles
Population: 1,77,337 (90.91 Rural urban)
Altitude: 1250 metres (4100 ft)
Climate & Temperate: Summer Max. - 27° C, Min. 17.2° C
Winter Max. - 15° C, Min. 7.2° C
Rainfall: 86.20 inches Annually
Best Season: March to mid-June & Sept. to Dec.

Kolkata

The largest metropolis in India, Calcutta is a vibrant city on the move, volatile and unpredictable. The Gateway to India, till 1912, and the capital of the Raj in India, it still bears the Victorian imprint on its streets and structures. A city just about ready to burst at the seams, Calcutta is home to more than 10 million people. The Ganges (called the Hooghly in Calcutta) is still the inspiration, as it was to Job Charnok, East India Company agent, who reached the shores in August 1690, to found the city. Calcutta, after London, was the British Empire’s second city.

Calcutta, on-the-Hooghly, retains the aura of days long gone, weaving the past and the present, the intense and the funloving into a charming fabric.

Home to four Nobel laureates - Ronald Ross, Rabindranath Tagore, Mother Teresa and Amartya Sen, Calcutta is the nerve centre of intellect and human values, where many modern movements began in art, cinema and theatre, science and industry. India’s quest for freedom began here.

Calcutta is the gateway to Eastern India. A city with a rich heritage, bustling streets and bewildering variety of facets. From October to March, Calcutta wears a radiant look. Sunshine, mild winter, lights, colours, fairs, festivals, galas and excursions, the mood is infectious and spirit sweeping.

It is the commercial nerve-centre of the East, with major industrial plants, textile mills and corporate units. Regal edifices, grubby alleys, bustling bazaars, elegant hotels, people from all walks of life - Calcutta has it all.

The city is a hub of fervent activity in the realms of music, theatre, arts, and sports. Calcutta has always prided itself on the many luminaries it has sent forth, be it Tagore, Satyajit Ray, or Mrinal Sen. The intense dedication to the arts manifests itself in a plethora of festivals, dance, music performances and other cultural events. The Calcuttans are also famous for their all-consuming passion for sports, especially, football and cricket.

Calcutta is a city of baffling paradoxes, a city that leaves its stamp on one's mind ... forever.

General Information

Area: Calcutta City Area 187.33 sq km.
Calcutta Metropolitan District Area 1380.12 sq km (532.87 sq miles ).
Population: 4.39 million (Calcutta city) and 9.2 million (CMD) as per 1991 census.
Altitude: 6.4 metres (20 ft.) above sea level.
Climate: Winter Max 36.3° Celsius
Min 9.6° Celsius
Summer Max 41.7° Celsius
Min 38.1° Celsius
Rainfall: 1581 mm (Monsoon Months - June to early September).
Best Season: October to March.

Kurseong

A lesser known destination on the tourist map is Kurseong, on the way from Siliguri to Darjeeling. A picturesque town at a height of 1,458m. Kurseong is 51 km from Siliguri on the main road, and is also an important stop on the toy train route. The alternate route from Siliguri to Darjeeling via Pankhabari also joins the main road a little short of Kurseong. It's over-a-century-old schools provide excellent education. Kurseong has the unusual spectacle of the road, rail track and market 'moving' together towards Darjeeling in the most colourful manner. It is surrounded by famous tea gardens, producing some of the finest Darjeeling tea in the world. At one time it was fashionable for rich and famous calculations to have a summer residence here. Amongst those said to be associated with Kurseong were poet Rabindra Nath Tagore, painter Abanindra Nath Tagore, writer Mark Twain, Sister Nivedita and Subhash Chandra Bose. Due to its climate, Kurseong is favoured by many for health reasons or as a base to visit Darjeeling.

STD Code :- 03554

Travel Information
Air: Bagdogra Airport, Siliguri, is 60 km away. Taxis/buses are available at the airport for transit to Kurseong.
Rail: Siliguri, 50 km and New Jalpaiguri, 57 km are the nearest main stations. It is an important station on the toy train route from New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling. The Toy Train takes a little over 5 hrs from New Jalpaiguri to Kurseong.
Road: Taxis and buses are available from Siliguri in plenty, taking around 3 hrs for the journey. Mirik is also 3 hrs away, and Darjeeling is 2 hrs away. Taxi/buses for Darjeeling, Siliguri/Bagdogra are available throughout the day.

Malda

On the route to Darjeeling, 349 km north of Kolkata, Malda is the base for visiting the ruined cities of Gaur and Pandua, although it's probably more famous now for its large Fajli mangoes. One reader wrote: 'You could probably kill yourself through overeating mangoes in this place! Gaur is delightful, one of the nicest places we visited in India, incredibly peaceful and beautiful'. Malda's not very interesting, but it has a small museum.
English Bazaar, also transliterated as Ingrah Bazar, is now a suburb of Malda. An English factory was established here in 1771. Old Malda is nearby, at the junction of the Kalindi and Mahananda rivers. It was once an important port for the former Muslim capital of Pandua.

Mirik

Though becoming increasingly popular, Mirik is still one of the unspoilt hill stations in the country. It is being promoted as a 'new' hill station. Mirik is about 50 km from both Siliguri and Darjeeling. Nestling in forested hills at an altitude of around 1,767 m. the resort has the man made Sumendu Lake as the focal point. Since it's also the town's sewer it might not be wise to swim here. The surroundings are enhanced by orange orchards, cardamom plantations and tea estates. Superb view of the mighty Kanchenjunga is another attraction. Though heavy woolens are required in winter, tropical or light woolens are enough for summer.

Travel Information
Air: The nearest airport is Bagdogra, 55 km away.
Rail: The broad-gauge railhead is New Jalpaiguri at 60 km. Siliguri (metre gauge) is 52 km. The toy-train stations nearest to Mirik are Ghoom (41 km), Kurseong (46 km) and Darjeeling (49 km).
Road: Connected by road with Siliguri, Kurseong and Darjeeling. Many tea estates lie on these routes. Government and private bus services link Mirik with Siliguri and Darjeeling.