Darjeeling (“place of the thunderbolt”), is a town in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of Darjeeling district, in the Shivalik Hills on the lower ranges of the Himalaya, at an average elevation of 2,134 m (6,982 ft). During the British Raj in India, Darjeeling's temperate climate led to its development as a hill station (hill town) for British residents to escape the heat of the plains during the summers.
Darjeeling is one of the most magnificent hill resorts in the world. This heavenly retreat is bathed in hues of every shade. The flaming red rhododendrons, the sparkling white magnolias, the miles of undulating hillsides covered with emerald green tea bushes, the exotic forests of silver fir - all under the blanket of a brilliant azure sky dappled with specks of clouds, compellingly confounds Darjeeling as the QUEEN OF HILL STATIONS.
Gangtok, the "Lofty Hill" capital of Sikkim, lies at an altitude 1600 meters and is occupied on the west side by Ranipool River. Gangtok has a very spectacular setting and offers excellent views of the entire Kanchenjunga range from various points in its vicinity. Sraddling a ridge, Gangtok has a cosmopolitian flavour with a lively mix cultures and has undergone rapid modernization in the last two decades or so. Being the capital of state, Gangtok contains all modern facilities. |
