Sikkim/Darjeeling General Information:

Darjeeling General Info

Darjeeling at a Glance
Area -10.57 sq km
Altitude -2,134 m above sea level
Population -73,062
Languages -Bengali, Nepali, Hindi, and English
Religion -Hindus (77.95%), Buddhist (11.95%), Others (10.1%)
Annual Mean Rainfall -3,200 mm
Maximum Temperature -14.89°C
Minimum Temperature -5°C
STD Code -0354
Location: -90 km from Siliguri
Main Attraction: -Toy Train, Tea Gardens, Tha Mall
Best Time to Visit: -April to June & October to November

Darjeeling is the Queen of India's hill stations. Its setting is one of incomparable beauty. A Victorian town of old world charm 'discovered' by the British, it is almost completely surrounded by fragrant tea gardens which seem to flow over the layered slopes like emerald swells on a rough sea. These are in turn interspersed by untamed jungle of Fern and Bamboo, groves of sweet smelling Coniferous trees and hamlets lost and which may be the finest this earth has to offer, It hits one like Darjeeling's true name, “Dorje Ling”, or 'Place of the Thunderbolt'.

Tourism today, in the international scene encompasses a spirit of adventure giving rise to fascinating sports. These in turn enable travelers to get a glimpse of places, which might never have been covered during normal tour schedules. Darjeeling too has not lagged behind in this sphere. In fact, Darjeeling is the first his region in India where organized trekking was conducted by Dr. Hooker in 1840s. The breath taking panoramic views of Everest and Kanchanjunga ranges have been alluring thousands of nature lovers from different parts of the world since then.

Situated at 2134m above sea level, Darjeeling is hemmed in by Sikkim in the north, Nepal in the west and Bhutan in the east. Darjeeling town, Kalimpong and Kurseong are the major urban centers. 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. Heavily influenced by British India, Darjeeling still retains legacies of its colonial past. The toy train is one of the most striking examples of
Darjeeling’s British Raj influence.

After the assault of Everest by Tenzing and Hillary in 1953, The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute came up in Darjeeling in the following year. This institution has opened up new horizons in the fascinating adventure sports of mountaineering and rock climbing. The DGHC (Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council) Tourism Department has given a new dimension to Adventure Sports in Darjeeling. White water rafting, Canoeing and mountain biking are some such unusual sports, which are being regularly organized.
Darjeeling’s population of about 75000 is made up of people of many races and religions. Gorkhas, Bhutias, Lepchas, Sherpas. Yolmos and migrants from the plains have all made Darjeeling their home, and everyone lives in perfect harmony; at the shrine at Observatory Hill, you'll find Hindus and Buddhists offering prayers alongside each other. The official language is Gorkhali (Nepali), but Hindi and Bengali are also spoken, and almost everyone understands and speaks a bit of English.

History:
Until the beginning of the 18th century the whole of the area between the present borders of Sikkim and the plains of Bengal, including Darjeeling and Kalimpong, belonged to the rajas of Sikkim. In 1706 they lost Kalimpong to the Bhutanese, and control of the remainder was wrested from them by the Gurkhas who invaded Sikkim in 1780, following consolidation of the latter's rule in Nepal .
These annexations by the Gurkhas, however, brought them into conflict with the British East India Company. A series of wars were fought between the two parties, eventually leading to the defeat of the Gurkhas and the ceding of all the land they had taken from the Sikkimese to the East India Company. Part of this territory was restored to the rajas of Sikkim and the country's sovereignty guaranteed by the British in return for British control over any disputes which arose with neighboring states.
One such dispute in 1828 led to the dispatch of two British officers to this area, and it was during their fact-finding tour that they spent some time at Darjeeling (then called Dorje Ling - Place of the Thunderbolt - after the lama who founded the monastery which once stood on Observatory Hill). The officers were quick to appreciate Darjeeling 's value as a site for a sanatorium and hill station, and as the key to a pass into Nepal and Tibet . The officers' observations were reported to the authorities in Kolkata and a pretext was eventually found to pressure the raja into granting the site to the British in return for an annual stipend of Rs3000 (raised to Rs6000 in 1846).





Sikkim General Info

Paradise on Earth
Sikkim, one of the hottest bio-diversity region in the Himalayas, is a state of India tucked in the Himalaya across Nepal 's eastern frontier. It is crammed in between Tibet (China ) to the north, Bhutan to the east and Darjeeling to the south. With an area of 7069sq.kms, it has a rectangular shape measuring about 114kms from the north to south and 64kms from east to west. The elevation varies between 3000m in the river valleys to right up to Mt. Kanchanjunga (8,586m- the third highest mountain in the world). The capital, Gangtok, 'the hill made flat' lays at an altitude of 5400 feet, facing Kanchanjunga (it separates Sikkim from Nepal), the third highest summit in the world. On the eastern front the Chola range borders with Tibet and the Pangola range further down separates Sikkim from Bhutan. Finally, the vast plains of Bengal open out in the south to from a horse shoe of the ranges bordering Sikkim.
It is an amazing place of hidden valleys, mystical monasteries, snow-fed lakes and a mountain setting covered with flowers and forests. Sikkim is regarded as one of the last Shangri-La in the Himalayan region because of its remoteness, its spectacular mountain terrain, varied flora & fauna and its ancient Buddhist monasteries. The flora found here are 28 species of Rhododendrons, 500 odd orchid species and numerous other flowering plants. Trekking in this Kingdom is a superb introduction to the Himalayas . A spectacular bird's eye view of Sikkim with its mountain ranges can be seen from Maenam Peak (3200m”) and Tendong peak (2580m) in south Sikkim . These peaks are accessible from ravangla for two/three days trek. The major rivers, Teesta and rangeet, flow from north to south creating deep gorges which divide Sikkim into three longitudal strips.
The valleys in north are wider like Yumthang (3600m) and Lachung(2700m) valleys, which are easily accessible by roads. These Rhododendron laden are areas deep in the mountains are inhabited by lachungpas, who have preserved and maintained till now a unique culture and society governed by a village council-“Dzomsa”. The Teesta and Rangeeta rivers also offer the thrill of riding the wild waters. 
The region of Sikkim is an inhabitant of diverse ethnic groups, the Lepchas - the original inhabitants who comprise of about 10 % of the Sikkim 's population today, the Bhutias - who later migrated from Tibet - about 25% and finally the Nepalese who comprise about 60% of the population - providing a colorful composite of cultures. Buddhism is a principle religion in Sikkim where ancient monasteries (around 200) and Chortens can be easily found everywhere. Even in the remotest hamlet, the fluttering of prayer flags are a constant reminder of the teachings of Lord Buddha. Religion forms an integral part of the daily lives of the Sikkimese, and Kanchanjunga is revered as their protective deity. Long a restricted area, Sikkim now welcomes a few visitors from around the world to share its rich heritage and natural bounty. It is reached easily form Darjeeling , Bagdogra airport or Siliguri.