Though a hill station, it is utterly an injustice to describe Darjeeling as only a hill station or as one of many hill stations across India. Though nowadays a densely populated hill town, this overpopulation in no ways could reduce its charm at least for me, and there are tens of thousands like me, who never miss an opportunity to visit Darjeeling even on a very feeble pretext. Darjeeling is associated in many ways with eminent personalities across various ways of life. Starting from Rabindranath Tagore, Vivekananda, CR Das, Sister Nivedita, Jagadish Chandra Bose and so many and while a few reminiscents of these association no longer exist, many exist with all its grandeur. The people of Darjeeling, the colonial structures, the still very strongly noticeable lifestyle of the colonial periods, the Glenarys, The Keventer's, the beautiful pharmacy shop, the clock tower, the library, the Governor's Place only to name a few. Though my purpose of writing this blog was to give a comparative glimpse of Past and Present Darjeeling, without a few words to start with, is merely a disrespect to this beautiful place, one of my all time favourites.
Just not wanting to the miss the opportunity to start with Nandalal Bose's painting. I can find no better way to start the blog about this beautiful place, the Queen of Hills, better to describe as Queen of All Hills, than using this painting.
Let me start with no other than the Mall itself. I will try to picturize it with pictures taken from various angles of this particular attraction.
Darjeeling Mall in 1880s. The Observatory Hill, just below the Observatory Hill, the Windermere Hotel, I think, and little downhill, the Stand. This Stand no longer exists. This Stand used to be in front of where the Hotel Chalet is right now (see the picture of Hotel Chalet after few pics below). It means a great part of this current mall pictured above is flattened later to accommodate the existing buildings, none of them come even a bit close to original structures, of course I am talking about the beauty of those buildings. Here we can now see the Poet Bhanuvakta's statue along side permanent concrete stage.
Now picture of the same place taken from a place a little back from the previous one, which allows to show the fountain, still one can see it.
A little bit more close and clearer picture of the Mall. The road on the right side downhill is now CR Das Road, where you can find the beautiful building of Desbandhu Chittaranjan Das, not yet erected when this picture was taken. Let us have a closer look.
Now the right slope of Darjeeling Mall. The road CR Das Road to Bhutia Busti is seen and some other parallel roads downhill can also be seen. A part of the Stand and Observatory Hills is still seen. It gives an idea as to how much construction has been erected in this slope if you compare it to the present scene.
Now again coming to Chowrasta. Now the Stand has changed its appearance. Some constructions are also added. The telegraph post now carrying many more connection denoting increasing population.
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| Some festival being organized at Mall |
So far we have seen the pictures of taken from the right side of the mall towards the Observatory Hill. Now goes the picture taken from Observatory Hills itself.
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| Picture taken from Observatory Hills |
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| Picture taken looking towards observatory |
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| Mall under thick blanket of snow |
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| Winter view |
A few Bengali Babus can be seen enjoying the snow along with some local children
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| Hotel Chalet with Band Stand in front of it |
Clock tower with Municipal Office picture taken from Planter's Club.
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| Keventer's and Planter's club, picture taken from clock tower end. |
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| Planter's club itself |
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| One of many quiet little corners "খাদের ধারের ওই রেলিংটা" |
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| Lebong |
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| Governor's House |
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| "Step Aside"- CR Das' House just on the right slope of the mall on C R Das Road |
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| Step Aside- Now. Renovated to its old Glory |
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| St Joseph's College- earlier |
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St Joseph's College, at later period
St Paul's School |
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After St Paul's a view from St Paul's itself
Another view from St Paul's
Rockingham School. Do not know where it was or where it is now, if still exists. Any information will be highly appreciated.
Loretto Convent
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| Market Place at the early era |
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| Same place after ?50 years, being used as taxi stand |
Same market, picture taken from opposite side from the previous one
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| Darjeeling Bazaar |
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Advertisement of Woodlands Branch Hotel, not sure if it still exists or if it does, where it is
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Another advertisement of Woodlands Hotel
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| This is the Woodlands Hotel, advertised above and picture taken from the opposite side than the advertisement |
View from the above advertised Woodlands Hotel
Hotel Mount Everest
View from Hotel Mount Everest itself
Luggage label of Hotel Mount Everest
Now the road towards Darjeeling from Siliguri is so well maintained and though it is not an impossible task in the context of today's technical advancement, at that time the road-building was, particularly in such a steep terrain, not an easy thing to do. Have a look at this stereo-photograph.
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| General view Darjeeling 1912 |
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| View from Sinchal Lake |
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| View from Post Office (just behind Mall) |
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Terai Tea Estate
Tea plantation in Darjeeling, 1880s
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| Just to show how much calculation to run the train on this steep terrain was needed. One of the reasons UNESCO declared it as a World Heritage. |
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| Darjeeling Tindharia |
Oh!!!
Three sequences a few seconds apart from each other of the Toy Train
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Lucky fellows appeared sitting in front of the engine
Some passengers alighted from the train to stretch their legs
A rare picture taken by D Marcopolo, Calcutta but printed in Germany...Goods troy train near Sonada |
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Getting a chance alone to face Kanchenjunga in this way is in no way less than being in heaven, if there is any.
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Here Steam is so cheering....so much so that even UNESCO included it in its heritage list...A place where even a spiraling column of thick smoke looks so beautiful
