The road is one of the most scenic
routes in this part of the nation. The
swift flowing Teesta river runs by the
side of the road adding to the beauty
of the scenery.
The name, Kalimpong, has three
different origins. One, it means the
place where the local tribesmen
gathered to organize field sports,
second, it takes it's name from the
Bhutanese king's minister's stronghold
and thirdly, it is named after Kaulim,
a fibrous plant found in abundance in
this region.
The town is 1250 m above sea level
and offers excellent views of the Mt
Kanchenjunga and the other Himalayan
peaks. The popular view points are
Durpin Dara and Deoro Hill.
Kalimpong has several monasteries
and also a Kali temple. The Tibetan
Monastery and curio center and Dr
Graham's home are important tour
stops.
Lava (32kms), a small village
is another picturesque place. Lava
is also the base for trekking to the
Neora National Park. Lolegaon is 25
kms from Lava and one can see the
Singalila ranges from here.
Gompas
The
Tharpa Choeling Gompa, which belongs
to the Yellow Hat (Gelukpa) sect of
Tibetan Buddhism, is a 40 minute
walk from town. Lower down the hill,
the Tongsa Gompa, or Bhutanese
Monastery, is the oldest monastery
in the area and dates back to 1692.
Zong
Dog Palri Fo-Brang Gompa, was built
in the mid-70s at Durpin Dara Hill
and was consecrated by the Dalai
Lama. The gompa is worth a visit for
its impressive wall paintings in the
prayer room, and a rare
three-dimensional mandala upstairs.
The mountain views are amazing from
Durpin Dara Hill.
Flower
Nurseries
Kalimpong produces 80% of India's
gladioli and is a significant
orchid-growing area and it comes as
no surprise that flowers are
exported from here to many cities in
northern India.
Shri
Mangal Dham
A
lavish tribute would still fall
short to a soul so divine.
Nevertheless "Mangal Dham" is a
memorial built in this divine memory
in 1993.Sprawling over an area of
two acres, "Mangal Dham" is
considered to be one of the most
splendid temples in India.
Sericulture Research Institute
At
this institute silkworms are bred
and silk is produced as well as
herbs and plants. Locate on the road
to Darjeeling, the institute can be
visited between 9.30 am and 4 PM.
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.
Dr.
Graham's Home
Less
than an hour's walk away from the
town centre is Dr. Graham's Home,
which was founded in 1900 on the
lower slopes of
Deolo Hill.
The chapel above the school dates
from 1925 and features beautiful
stained-glass windows. Tourists can
also visit the fine
turn-of-the-century school building,
and many people often picnic on the
school grounds. From the school
building, it is a further 40 minute
walk to the summit of Deolo Hill,
where there is a Tourist Bungalow
and one can enjoy fine views of
Kalimpong from here.
Kalimpong
has a well laid-out golf course
near the Durpin Dara Monastery. The
monastery was built in the mid-1970s
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.
Nature
Interpretation Centre
Located on Rinkingpong Rd, this
centre consists of a number of
well-organized dioramas, which
depict the effects of human activity
on the environment. The centre is
open to visitors from Friday to
Wednesday from 10 am to 4 PM and
admission is free.