The Queen of Hills

 I had my first plate of momos at the railway station,8 chicken momos delicately steamed and priced at just 25r.It was a steal. Momos are, as a rule, bland, and the red spicy and tangy sauce is what gives it flavour and makes it absolutely delicious. 

Darjeeling is dotted with many hotels and resorts; we were put up in hotel Anand Palace, a 3 star hotel conveniently close to The Mall. On our first day there itself we discovered Keventers,A restaurant which became our everyday breakfast joint. If you love an English style breakfast, then Keventers is the place to be. A quick glance at the menu revealed egg and bacon, sausages, salami and ham, all very reasonably priced. Deprived of good food since 2 days, we promptly ordered everything. That was the best breakfast I have ever had, the sausages were well fried, golden brown, and juicy from the inside. The salami equally well done. This scrumptious meal was washed down with a mug of steaming hot chocolate which spread a warm glow inside us. Top this off with a stunning view of Kanchenjunga, and Keventers becomes the most popular choice for breakfast for tourists and locals alike.

The best way to see Darjeeling is to stroll about. The heart of Darjeeling is The Mall, also called chowrasta,the main town square which is lined with shops, restaurants, curio delaers and hawkers. Vehicles are prohibited, and very rightly so. You can do a spot of shopping here or just bask in the views of the omnipresent Kanchenjunga. The market road as you approach chowrasta is also a good place to shop, as is The Tibetan Refugee Centre, a little Tibet away from home.

 Taking one of the 4 roads that lead from the mall will bring you to St Andrews church,a most picturesque church perched atop a hill and looking like a vision out of a fairy tale. As it was a Sunday the church was closed, but we requested the care taker to let us take a look inside, and she very sweetly and kindly obliged. Once inside, the church gives you the feeling of being in a time capsule. History comes alive before your eyes as you look at the many templates in the church.

Also worth visiting is the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, established in 1954 and headed for many years by Sherpa Tenzing Norway, it is still considered India’s premier mountaineering establishment. Roosting on a knoll called the Birch Hill Park, it is home to the Mountaineering museum, an ensemble of mountaineering equipment, specimens of flora and fauna, traditional attire of Himalayan tribes, souveniers from mountaineering clubs all over the world and a relief model of the main peaks of the Himalayas. The Everest Museum here has photographic and archival records of all the attempts ever made to scale the highest peak. HMI also organizes rock climbing sessions for adventure sports enthusiasts. Adjoining the HMI is the zoo, which has the majestic Royal Bengal Tiger and The Red Panda amongst its many occupants.

To watch the magnificent sun rise from amidst the Himalayas, head towards Tiger Hill in the wee hours of the morning. You will have to battle your way to the top of the hill with hordes of tourists, but the golden orange vision on the horizon is worth it.

Another famous restaurant in Darjeeling is Glenary’s on Nehru Road. A dazzling crown to the Queen of Hills, this luncheonette dating back to colonial times, reminiscent of a surreal old-world English decorum, is in a class of its own. It is very rich and very original. Even something as ubiquitous as bread is sacrosanct here, on account of its enticing aroma and also on account of the fact that Glenary’s used to provide it for free for the ‘Missionaries Of Charity.’

 The meat pie in the Baker shop is a must try along with the exquisite chocolates and cookies sold by weight. The sitting area is set against a serene, almost heavenly backdrop of Mother Nature in full crowning glory with the fresh mountain air soothing travel weary adventurers and inducing a state of inner calm. Below the eatery is a classic example of a London Pub-‘The Buzz’, with reasonably priced drinks and smiling table assistants. All in all, a great place to hang out in.

 En route to Glenary's is a pretty eatery called Frank Ross Cafe which serves purely delectable pancakes with maple syrup and a luscious cuppa hot coffee.

Momos and thukpa are available in almost every restaurant, but Dekevas stands out amongst them. Darjeeling is renowned for its tea, and one will get bewildered by the varieties of tea available in the tea shops. There is green tea, black tea and even white tea. Not to mention first flush, second flush and so on. I would recommend buying tea outside the tea plantation, where you can actually taste it before making your purchase.

My verdict; Darjeeling is truly the Queen Of Hills, and by the end of my stay there I had made up my mind to permanently settle down there after retirement and spend the remainder of my life in that gorgeous British hill station. If you visit Darjeeling and don’t fall in love with the quaint little town, I’ll eat my socks.