Name- Riya Kumari
Roll No. – 36
Course – Bcom (H) Sem 1
Subject – Basic IT tools
Date – 18/08/2025
"Queen of the Hills" - Darjeeling
A cup of Darjeeling Tea in hand, a ride aboard the historic ‘Toy Train’ with a vista of the
majestic Kanchenjunga in the timeless beauty of the Himalayas. There seems no better place
to relax than Darjeeling. Tucked away amidst the lush tea plantations in West Bengal with
colonial-era architecture and peaceful Tibetan monasteries defining its timeless charm,
Darjeeling promises you a wealth of enchanting local traditions in the soothing environment
of mist-covered mountains. Embrace the beauty, culture and flavours of Darjeeling, where
aromatic tea comes together with heritage trains and local customs in the lap of nature.
Before the East India Company took over in 1835, Darjeeling was part of Sikkim. When the
Governor General expressed interest in acquiring the Hill of Darjeeling as he saw its potential
as a sanatorium due to its cool climate, Raja of Sikkim presented Darjeeling to the East India
Company, as a gesture of friendship. In exchange for Darjeeling, the Raja received a gift
comprising a double-barrelled gun, a rifle, 20 yards of red-broad cloth, and two shawls. Thus,
Darjeeling came under British control and became the summer capital of the Bengal
Presidency. With infrastructure development in independent India, Darjeeling has grown into
‘Queen of the Hills’ and also became home to thousands of Tibetans who followed the Dalai
Lama to take refuge in India after the Tibetan uprising in 1959.
The culture of Darjeeling is diverse and includes a variety of indigenous practices and
festivals; it has a regional distinctness from the rest of India.[31] Mixing and intermarriage
between ethnic groups have led to hybrid cultural forms and practices.[31]
Major festivals are Dashain (Vijayadashami), Tihar (Diwali), Holi, Lakshmi Puja,[161] Maghe
Sankranti,[162] Losar, Buddha Jayanti, and Christmas. Tibetan Buddhism is followed by some
ethnic groups such as Tibetans, Lepchas, Bhutias, Sherpas, Yolmos, Gurungs, and Tamangs;
their common festivals are the Tibetan new year festival Losar,[163] Saga Dawa and Tendong
Lho Rumfaat.[164][165] The Kirati ethnic
group Rais, Limbus, Sunuwars and Yakkhas celebrate Udhauli and Ubhauli as their main
festival.[166]
