DAY 003—KALIMPOMG LOCAL SIGHTSEEN –
PLACES TO VISIT IN KALIMPONG-----
AFTER BREAKFAST KALIMPONG LOCAL SIGHTSEEN---DEOLO HILL OR DELO : DEOLO HILL IS THE HIGHEST POINT OF KALIMPONG AND IT LOCATED AT THE NORTH EAST OF THE TOWN. THE DEOLO HILL TOP IS BEAUTIFULL DECORATED WITH A MEN MADE PARK BUILT FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECREATION FOR THE VISITORS WHICH FEATURES EXOTIC FLOWERS.
ON A CLEAR DAY VISITORS MAY SPELLBOU ND BY WATCHING THE BEAUTY OF SNOW CAPPED PEAKS OF HIMALAYAS WHICH RULE THE ENTIRE NORTH. VIEW OF KALIMPONG TOWN, THE SURROUNDING VALLIES, TEESTA RIVER DOMINATE THE BEAUTY.
DURPIN DARA : DURPIN DARA IS A OBSERVATORY POINT AND ONE OF THE TWO HILLS ( ANOTHER ONE IS DEOLO HILL) CONNECTED BY A RIDGE ON WHICH KALIMPONG TOWN IS SITUATED. DURPIN DARA IS ABOUT 3 KMS AWAY AND LOCATED SOUTH-EAST OF THE TOWN COMMANDS AN AWE – INSPIRING VIEW OF MT. KANCHENJUNGA AND OTHER SNOW CAPPED HIMALAYAN PEAKS. PANORAMIC VIEW OF KALIMPONG TOWN WITH DARJEELING AND SIKKIM HILLS, LUSH GREEN VALLIES, ICY RIVERS SUCH AS TEESTA, RIANG AND RELLI, DISTANCE VIEW OF JELEP-LA OFFER A BREATH TAKING EXPERIENCE.
GOLF COURSE : KALIMPONG GOLF COURSE IS LOCATED ON THE WAY TO DURPIN DARA , IS JUST BELOW OFF THE SUMMIT. IT’S A BEAUTIFUL 9 HOLE GOLF COURSE AND WORTH VISITING.
KALIMPONG MONASTERY : ZONG DOG PALRI FO-BRANG MONASTERY OR KALIMPONG MONASTERY IS LOCATED ON THE TOP OF DURPIN DARA WAS BUILT IN THE MID SEVENTIES AND CONSECRATED BY THE DALAI LAMA BELONGS TO THE YELLOW HUT SECT OF LAMAS. THIS GOMPA IS FINELY DECORATED BY IMPRESSIVE WALL PAINTINGS WITH A RARE THREE DIMENSIONAL MANDALA UPSTAIRS.
- GRAHAM’S HOME : LOWER PART OF THE DEOLO HILL BOASTS WITH AN UNIQUE CREATION – DR. GRAHAM’S HOME, A FAMOUS SCHOOL. THIS SCHOOL WAS ESTABLISHED BY A SCOTTISH MISSIONARY – REV. DR. JOHN ANDERSON GRAHAM IN 1900 WITH A MERE SIX ORPHANS. DR. GRAHAM CAME TO KALIMPONG DURING THE LAST DECADE OF NINETEEN CENTURY AND BEGAN FOCUSING HIS ATTENTION ON TEACHING THE UNDER PRIVILEGE CHILDREN. HE SET UP AN ORPHANAGE CUM SCHOOL FOR DESTITUTE ANGLO INDIAN CHILDREN.
SPENDING SOMETIME IN A DAY TO VISIT THE SCHOOL CAMPUS, THE CHAPEL OR SPENDING THE TIME WITH SCHOOL CHILDREN IS REALLY ENTHRALLING.
MANGAL DHAM : MANGAL DHAM WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1996 IN MEMORY OF LATE GURU SHREE MANGAL DASJI AND IS DEVOTED TO LORD KRISHNA. MANGAL DHAM IS A SPLENDID WORK OF ARCHITECTURE AND IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL TEMPLES IN INDIA.
FLOWER NURSERY : KALIMPONG IS CALLED THE "CITY OF FLOWER" AS THE CLIMATE OF THIS CITY IS IDEAL FOR THE CULTIVATION FOR FLOWER AND PLANTS. KALIMPONG IS PRODUCED 80% OF INDIA’S GLADIOLI AND HAVING NUMEROUS NURSERIES WHICH PRODUCE AND EXPORT EXOTIC FLOWERS LIKE ROSES, GERBERAS, DAHLIAS, AMARYLLIS LILLIES ETC. KALIMPONG IS ALSO PRODUCED SOME BEAUTIFUL VARIETIES OF ORCHIDS AND CACTI. DURING THE SEASON ENTIRE HILLS ARE ON FIRE WITH A RIOT OF COLOURS. THERE ARE SOME FAMOUS FLOWER NURSERIES HERE IN KALIMPONG WHICH ARE WORTH VISITING WITH A VERY NOMINAL PRICE.
O/N AT KALIMONG
