Introduction to Kalimpong
Set in beautiful wooded mountains Kalimpong is a remote hill station about
80 kms from Darjeeling is known for its beautiful orchids. The Tharpa
Choling monastery has a library of Tibetan manuscripts and thankas, which
can be visited. Kalimpong also offers pleasant hikes and walks through rice
fields and tea fields around the town. Kalimpong's attractions include three
Buddhist monasteries, spectacular churches, an excellent private library for
the study of Tibetan and Himalayan language and culture, a sericulture
centre and a fine view of the surrounding countryside. Kalimpong is an
important orchid-growing area and flowers are exported from here to various
countries. The Sri Ganesh Moni Pradhan Nursery and the Udai Mani Pradhan
Nursery are among the most important in the area. There's a flower festival
in October. it has a well laid-out golf course near the
Durpin Dara Monastery. The monastery was built in the mid-1970's at Durpin
Dara and consecrated by the Dalai Lama. The view from here is breath taking.
The nine-hole golf course at Senchal ( near Darjeeling) is one of the
highest in the world.
Places of Interest
Tharpa Choling Monastery Situated on Tirpai Hill,
Tharpa Choling Monastery was built around 1937. The monastery belongs to the
Gelukpa Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, the sect to which the present Dalai Lama
belongs. The monastery has a library of the Buddhist manuscripts and
thangkas (picture or representation of a deity on cloth).
Zong
Dog Palri Fo Brang Monastery Built in the mid-1970s, the monastery
lies at about 5 km south of the town centre at Durpin Dara Hill. The
monastery was consecrated by the Dalai Lama. It houses impressive wall
paintings and a rare three-dimensional mandala (a Hindu or Buddhist graphic
symbol of the universe). From this monastery, one can get a panoramic view
of the town and the surrounding areas.
Lepcha Museum
The museum is located in Bag Dhara and exhibits manuscripts and other
objects of the Lepchas.
Durpin
Dara Hill The highest point is the Durpin Dara Hill
offers a breathtaking view of the plains below. Some of the places that can
be vie
wed from here include the Teesta and Rangeet rivers, western
Sikkim, the Kanchenjunga peak, Peshoke and Lopchu tea estates, Nathu-la pass
and the towns of Siliguri and Kurseong.
Dr. Graham's
Home Situated in a 500-acre estate on the slopes of Dealo Hills,
Dr. Graham's Home is an educational institution founded as a home and school
for orphan children by Dr. John Anderson Graham, a Scottish missionary, in
1900. Started with just six students, the school today has over 1,200 boys
and girls and is among the better-known public schools of the region. The
school is self-sufficient and has its own dairy, poultry and bakery. Every
year in the month of May the school organises a May Fair. The original
buildings and chapel in the school complex present an interesting sight.