It’s once again a time to walk down the memory lane, the pen and the paper lying on my table waits for me to note down one of the most unforgettable experiences that has become an indispensable part of my life. Although, it’s very hard to explain the beauty of the “land of thunderbolt” as words fail to express my feelings but the job demands the needful to be done.

Fresh out of college a few years back we planned a trip to Darjeeling to be the part of a unique experience. It was my first visit to Darjeeling unaware of the beauty and magic that waits for me to explore. Away from the hustle and bustle of city life Darjeeling has always beckoned the heart of the discerning travelers. From Kolkata we availed the luxury bus service available for Shiliguri as it seemed to us the most convenient route to opt for. A few hours journey from Shiliguri lead us to the land of majestic beauty. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway popularly termed as the “Toy Train” took us to Darjeeling from Shiliguri. The legendary train is one of the greatest attractions in Darjeeling. The same distance from Shiliguri to Darjeeling can be covered in less than 4 hours by other modes of transportation but still the trip to Darjeeling would have remained incomplete without a ride of the charming “toy train”. One may even opt for the road journey according to their convenience. The road that leads to Darjeeling from Shiliguri blessed with incredible landscape beauty enhances the mood of the travelers. Be it the glimpse of the lush green tea plantations or the big bolders lying beside the narrow roads offers you a wonderful site to rest for a while. The road to Darjeeling was properly maintained and the picturesque scenic beauty is beyond words to explain.

We reserved a tata sumo from the station after a series of bargain with the driver. He was a young Nepali man, Prashant who boasted of having adequate knowledge about the most attractive scenic routes that would lead us to some of the major attractions in Darjeeling. It was close to dawn when we reached Darjeeling and all of us wished to get to the guesthouse. The guesthouse that we had already booked was a mile away from where we started. It was during the drive that we came to know that Prashant besides thinking himself to be a great guide also had interest in singing. One of us was a bit disturbed with the continuous interference of his harsh voice with her pleasure of enjoying the tranquil beauty of nature through the open window of the sumo. Others remained quiet as somewhere we find his voice a pleasant background music well suited to the entire hilly ambience. The lyrics and the language were both unknown but played a major part in introducing us to the aspects of folk music popular in this part of the world. Within half an hour we were in front of the main gate of the guesthouse that seemed to be unique and incredible in its own way. The location adored with nature’s bounty greeted us with a warm welcome. It was a two-storied wooden house and offered an incredible view of the snow-clad mountains at the back that mesmerized our tired hearts. The owner of the guesthouse Tamang was a middle aged stout Nepali man. He stayed with his wife and three children on the first floor of the house and the ground floor was meant for the travelers coming from throughout the nation. The room was cozy and spacious nicely decorated with wooden furniture and a fire burning at the chimney in one corner of the room. There were three separate beds ready with clean bed sheets and blankets. The attached bath was not so large but perfectly equipped with all the comfortable facilities for the convenience of the guests. The window facing the south was large and made way for the plenty of cool breeze from the hill to move in. Our inspection of the room was not yet completed when a sudden knock on the door interrupted us. Standing outside the gate was a young girl of fifteen-sixteen dressed in traditional Nepali attire and carried a midsize basket containing some food materials. We invited her to come in and she put the basket on a small wooden table placed near the chimney. On enquiry she said in broken Hindi that Tiger Hill was a few miles away from the place and early morning is the best time to plan a trip to the hill. She added that the Japanese Peace Pagoda and Dhirdham Temple were the other major attractions located nearby for us to visit at one go. She greeted us goodnight in Nepali and went away, the girl was sweet and assisted us in re-discovering the warm hospitality of the hilly people here.

It was nearly 8 pm and we couldn’t resist the spicy smell of the food offered in the basket. We removed the basket cover and discovered that the cuisine offered comprised of all that Darjeeling was famous for. Be it the soft and stuffy vegetable momos or the thukpa were delicious and enough to satisfy the most discerning tasting buds of us. The momos offered were a bit different from those available in the busy food streets of Kolkata and carried a special taste of its own. Thukpa was new to us and in fact, served as a heavy meal. We went to sleep late at night while it had just started to drizzle outside. Next morning we woke up with the sound of the birds chirping and the sunlight had just started to make its way into the room through the open window. To my great surprise I discovered it for the first time that behind the guesthouse a narrow stream flowed fringed with trees on both sides towards an unknown destination. The water of the stream was glittering with the falling of the sunrays on it providing it a dazzling look. It was not even six but the girl was ready at the door with mugs full of warm tea and Prashant standing beside her. We asked him to wait outside and took the mugs from her. I forgot to mention the name of the girl was Champa and she was the youngest member of the family. The tea made of fresh Darjeeling tealeaves was refreshing and boosted up our spirits. We got ourselves ready as quick as possible and went out for our first venture the Tiger Hill. Fifteen kilometers away from the proper Darjeeling town, Tiger Hill was situated at an altitude of 2590 kilometers. Although, it rained last night but in the morning the sky was clear and no traces of cloud could be found. Tiger Hill offered us a breathtaking view of the snow clad Mount Everest and kanchenjunga. The sight was truly overwhelming and enhanced our holiday mood. It was a cold winter morning but the picturesque scenic beauty offered us a heartwarming experience. The Japanese Peace Pagoda was another place of worth visit in Darjeeling. Constructed by the Japanese monks the pagoda offers a glimpse of the splendid Japanese architecture and commands an excellent view of the nearby breathtaking sights. The calm and quiet ambience of the place encouraged us to spend some hours amid the aesthetic beauty of nature. From there we headed towards the Dhirdham Temple, which is regarded as a replica of the “Pashupatinath” temple of Kathmandu in Nepal. By the time we reached there it was nearly 1 pm and thus, we decided to drop into any of the nearby restaurants for a warm lunch. It was not even two days that we were away from Kolkata but still the taste of homemade food had started to hover around us. We dropped into a local two-storied restaurant that offered a panoramic view of the splendid town and the magnificent mountain ranges. The food served was of regional taste and the exemplary service was truly impressive. We decided to get back to the guesthouse tired of the journey. However, the scenic beauty was not ready to give us the permission to retire so early but this time we paid attention to what our mind said and not to the wishes of the heart.

Back at our room three of us tired of the day’s journey went to sleep and it was the sound of knocking at the door that awoke us from the slumber. It was quite dark outside, as the moon had already replaced the bright sun. Champa was waiting outside with a local refreshing drink which she assured would assist us in shedding away the tiredness. True to her word the drink really was refreshing and worked as a magic. Champa accompanied us to a local nearby market flanked with small stores on both sides of the narrow road. The crowd present was mostly the locales and a few foreign travelers could also be seen. The stores selling locale products seemed to be quite popular among the foreign travelers. We moved into an antique store featuring a dazzling array of exquisite souvenirs for the customers to opt for. We started with a few and ended up in a full-fledged shopping that included two large plastic bags full of gifts and other things for the near ones back at home. It was for the first time that I was away from home and never knew that this one experience would never leave me alone and provide me strength at times of loneliness.

Next day was even more exciting as we went through a rewarding unique experience. Prashant led us through a way at one side there were steep slopes and the other marked the presence of high cliffs. Prashant was normal as it was a regular route to him but we can’t deny the fact that at times I pressed the crystal idol of Ganesha in my hand praying for a safe journey. Nothing is bigger than God’s wish and we ended up in a safe journey. We paid a visit to some of the incredible Buddhist monasteries best known for preserving some of the rare collections of ancient Buddhist scripts. Ghum Monastery, Bhutia Busty Monastery and Mag-Dhog Yolmowa are some of the must visit places in Darjeeling.

Museum of Natural History located near the mall in Darjeeling offered a wide variety of excitement and invited us to spend some long hours watching the wide selection of fauna belonging to the Himalayan range. One the third day we started from home a bit late as Tamang invited us for breakfast. It was for the first time that we stepped into the room of Tamang and his family. The elegantly appointed room was adored with wooden decors and furniture. The warm and friendly ambience of the room at once received our appreciation. In the dinning room a large teak wood table blessed with intricate woodwork was extremely impressive. The food served was delicious and bore influences of the traditional Nepali cuisine. From there we went to Himalayan Zoological Park and Snow Leopard Breeding Center. Spread over a large area this high altitude park is a home to the Siberian Tiger, Himalayan Black Bear and Barking Deer. The Zoological Park is a wonderful getaway destination for the travelers and we had a nice time exploring the wild beauty of nature. Not far away was another destination ideal for the animal lovers to spend some special hours. Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Town or popularly termed as the Town Zoo houses a wide selection of Himalayan fauna namely Snow Leopard, Red Panda, Himalayan Pheasant and Tibetan Wolf. On the way back home we stopped for a while in a charming destination fringed with pine trees and blessed with a mountain stream, which looked like a snake making its way through the middle. The water was cool and the large blocks of stone lying on the middle of the stream were ideal for the people to take rest for a while. It gave us a complete picture of the tranquil and enchanting beauty of the land of dreams. The stream was not deep and for a while three of us went back to the days of childhood splashing water on each other and it was for the first time that I felt how it feels to be on the lap of nature. The moving branches of the trees and the cool breeze remained as witnesses for the beauty of that hour. Even years after the visit sitting beside the open window of a crowded bus I can still feel the touch of the cool water of the stream and the blowing of the fresh mountain breeze. To keep the memories fresh in our mind for years long to come we captured some of the moments with the click of the camera. Although, it was known to all of us that the moments will not come back but the memories are sure to remain as treasured keepsakes for years long to come. That night it rained for the whole night and three of us gathered ourselves in the attached wooden balcony that offered us a distinct picture of the rain bathed night beauty of Darjeeling. The dramatic ambience of the night still leaves a smile on my face as every moment I wish to be the part of that wonderful experience again.

The visit to Darjeeling would have remained incomplete without a visit to the Lloyds Botanical Garden. Spread over a large area it lies just below the market featuring a wide selection of mountain flora that overwhelms the heart of the visitors. The alpine flowers found in the glass-house were incredible and enhanced the beauty of the park. It was our last day in the guesthouse as we had plans to visit Gangtok from Darjeeling. We decided to visit Happy Valley Tea Estate, which was a few miles away from the town. The lush green tea plantation was one of the major attractions in the city. From there we headed towards the Mall and Chowrasta and in the middle gathered into a restaurant to finish our lunch. One of the major landmarks in the city, the Mall and the Chowrasta provides you a proper feel of the lifestyle of Darjeeling. Be it the fascinating view of the mountains, valleys or the rhododendron trees and the old traditional houses all play a major role in enhancing the beauty of the land. We spend some time doing serious shopping and picked up gifts at random basis as we were running short of time. Four days were not enough to feel the beauty of the place entirely but still responsibilities of the urban life waiting at the city could not be denied.

Prashant was waiting outside the guesthouse to leave us to the nearby station from where we would avail the train to Kolkata. We went to bid goodbye to our hosts promising to come again. Champa standing at the corner of the room remained quiet to the whole affair. We handed a box of chocolate to her, which she refused to accept at first, and looked into the eyes of her father for permission. May be it was through the eyes of her father that she read the message of permission and took the box from us. On the way back drive we remained quiet and even Prashant was not in the mood of singing. The train was on time and we reached Howrah station next morning at 9 am.