Darjeeling Tourism in West Bengal
Darjeeling has a colonial entity and it lies in the lap of the Lesser Himalaya at an average elevation of 6,710 ft (2,050 m) in the state of west Bengal. It came much into the limelight over the past some decades because of the controversy going on over its separate status and now it is in the way of getting an independent status comprising Gurkha land. Basically it is known for its flourishing tea industry and the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway which is also a colonial creation. It’s been declared as a place of UNESCO World Heritage Site.It has also some finest residential schools in our country.
Darjeeling’s temperate climate led to its development as a hill station for British residents seeking to escape the summer heat of the plains. Arthur Campbell, a surgeon with the Company, and Lieutenant Robert Napier were responsible for establishing a hill station there. Darjeeling became the formal summer capital of the Bengal Presidency after 1864. It was the undying efforts of those Scottish missionaries that made Darjeeling a notable centre of education.
Geographically, the soil is chiefly composed of sandstone and conglomerate formations, often poorly consolidated and is not considered suitable for agriculture. The area is prone to earthquakes due to its geological location.
Darjeeling is the main town of the Sadar subdivision and also the headquarters of the district. It is located at an average elevation of 6,710 ft (2,050 m)in the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region on the Darjeeling-Jalapahar range that originates in the south from Ghum. The range is Y-shaped.The hills are nestled within higher peaks and the snow-clad Himalayan ranges tower over the town in the distance. Kanchenjunga, the world’s third-highest peak, 8,598 m (28,209 ft) high, is situated in Darjeeling.
The opening of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway in 1881 further fastened the development of the region. In 1899, Darjeeling was rocked by major landslides that caused severe damage to the town and the native population.
The history of Darjeeling is intertwined with that of Bengal, Sikkim and Nepal. The continuing discord between Sikkim and the British resulted in a war, culminating in the signing of a treaty and the annexation by the British of the area east of the Teesta River in 1865.By 1866, Darjeeling district had assumed its current shape and size.
Darjeeling contributed significantly to the Indian independence movement and the Non-cooperation Movement . Both these movements were powerfully carried out by the tea garden labourers.
After the independence of India in 1947, Darjeeling was merged with the state of West Bengal. A separate district of Darjeeling was established consisting of the hill towns of Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong and some parts of the Terai region. A cautious and non-receptive response by the West Bengal government to most demands of the ethnic Nepali population led to increased demands for Darjeeling’s autonomy and for the recognition of the Nepali language; the state government acceded to the latter demand in 1961.
The creation of a new state of Sikkim in 1975, along with the reluctance of the Government of India to recognise Nepali as an official language under the Constitution of India, brought the issue of a separate state of Gorkhaland to the forefront, resulting in the establishment of an elected body in 1988 called the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), which received autonomy to govern the district.
The people from the East prefer Darjeeling as their vacation point as it is a nearby one and have many places to explore.
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