Perched at 2,045m directly opposite the massif of Kanchenjunga, Darjeeling is a fascinating hill station, enticing many to its fairy tale environs. The town’s name said to be derived from ‘Dorji Ling’ – the abode of the Thunderbolt – originally a name attached to a monastery while in Sanskrit, this name believed to be emanated from the word ‘Durjay Ling’ means ‘Shiva of invincible prowess, who rules the Himalayas’.

Bounded in the north by Sikkim and flanked by Bhutan on the East, Nepal on the West, Darjeeling offers the most awe-inspiring views. With an area of 3,149 sq. km, the district is shaped like an irregular triangle, the southern region, the base, comprises the Terai, a marshy low-lying area at an average height of 300 ft above sea level; the apex is formed by the Phalut ridge where Nepal meets India. The Eastern frontier lies along the Rivers Teesta and Rangeet, beyond is Rishi-La and Bhutan.

This Old Gorkha Station of Darjeeling, fascinated Lloyd and Grant, British officers, in 1829 and by 1835 it became the British Sanatorium after the Maharaja of Sikkim gifted it to Governor-General Bentick. The town still retains an imperialistic touch and there are several places continuing with English names, echoing Darjeeling’s colonial past.

Fondly called ‘Queen of the Hills’, Darjeeling provides a perfect gateway for those seeking to be in harmony with nature. This is the land of the muscatel flavoured Darjeeling tea revered by connoisseurs across the globe and also the land of the UNESCO world heritage Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. It is certainly that Darjeeling in the post modern era comprises six T’s -Tea, Teak, Tourism, Toy Train, Tiger Hill and Trekkers’ paradise.