Why Stay In Kalimpong
Kalimpong is a district in the West Bengal state with an area of about 1,504 sq km and an average population of about 49,542. It was previously a subdivision of the Darjeeling district, but now a total separate district after 14th February 2017. Kalimpong is a place of a tourist attraction as it is located at 2.5 hours drive from Darjeeling, which itself booms with tourists. Tourists love to stay in Kalimpong for short vacations. The word Kalimpong can be separated, the word Kalim in local dialect means King’s minister and Pong mean Stronghold, therefore Kalimpong means stronghold of King’s Minister and that has been a part of the kingdom.
Kalimpong is located at a high altitude of 4,100 ft above sea level and because of its lower altitude than Darjeeling, the climatic conditions remain calm and pleasant for the most part of the year. Kalimpong also hosts the Kanchenjunga Mountain and the lush greenery and sweeping landscapes thus urging tourists to stay here. Kalimpong was actually a part of the Bhutan kingdom but was separated in 1864 after the British flocked in. Since then, Kalimpong has been an integral part of the country.
Places to Visit in Kalimpong
It’s a common notion of people to think that Kalimpong is a small town and it has nothing much to offer its guests whereas the truth is Kalimpong is booming with its rich cultural heritage and majestic landscapes to share with those who decide to stay in Kalimpong. There are many tourist attractions here including the Kanchenjunga and the Chola ranges and the Teesta River flowing between the towering mountains, parklands, monasteries with excellent architecture, nurseries of flowers, quaint temples and much more.
Some people argue and somewhat I also think that there are more vantage points in Kalimpong than in Darjeeling to admire the Kanchenjunga. There are also beautiful stretches of land that you will enjoy while driving past them. There are many places to visit in Kalimpong and you may get troubled visiting them without proper planning, Henceforth it is best to shortlist the places you want to visit, take a taxi from the stand and set out to explore the beauty that lies within this town.
Durpin Monastery
You can make you stay in Kalimpong memorable by visiting Durpin Monastery. The Durpin Monastery is situated at the Durpin Dara Hill. On entering the monastery, you’ll find two large cylinders on two sides. You can turn them with the lever and it is arranged so that a bell will ring at every turn. As any of the Buddhist monasteries, you’ll find a row of prayer wheels. The monastery holds rare Buddhist manuscripts and Tibetology inside what is called “The Kangyur” of 108 volumes. These were actually presented by Dalai Lama to the monastery when he visited in 1956. From the monastery itself, you can see the Kanchenjunga peak, flowing of Teesta and Reang rivers.
Thongsa Gompa
The Thongsa Gompa monastery is located nearby to the Durpin monastery. This monastery is also known as the Bhutan monastery and is the oldest in Kalimpong and built in 1962. You may also see and walk as well through the sea of pigeons when they are fed in the open courtyard of the monastery. You can visit this place while you stay in Kalimpong.
Mangaldham
It is one of the most majestic temples in India and surely in Kalimpong. It spreads across 2 acres of land beside the Thongsa Gompa monastery. In 1940, a spiritual saint “Guruji Shri Mangal Das Ji Maharaj visited “Kalimpong. The visit laid an impact on his spiritual dreams of serving the poor and needy, he decided to fulfill it in Kalimpong and dedicate his life to social service. The Mangaldham is built in his memory. The temple believes in Knowledge, Devotion, and Service. Visit the temple to make your stay in Kalimpong religious too.
Durpin Dara Hill
The Durpin Dara Hill gets its name from the great views of course. The word ‘Durpin’ means binocular in Nepali. The Durpin Dara Hill is the second highest mountain in this area and is located south of the Kalimpong town. The Durpin Dara Hill overlooks the Durpin monastery and the Teesta River flowing down through these mountains.
Famous Festivals
Dashain/ Durga Puja
Durga Puja is a holy festival and is celebrated at large in the City of Joy, but no wonder you can find the taste of it till here. Durga Puja is celebrated in the month of Kartik, during the late September or the middle of November. It is the biggest festival of the year and people are joyous and indulge themselves in this festival that is celebrated for 15 days. It is also known as the Dashain festival. The Dashain festival is celebrated with much enthusiasm even here. It is, for the poor families, the only time when they buy new clothes. They also perform animal sacrifice so that they offer the protein to their goddess and can eat the same for the whole year round. There are more than 50 Pandals set in Kalimpong alone.
Famous Food
Eating out while you stay in Kalimpong is another beautiful experience. There are many big restaurants and dining places. This hill station definitely satisfies the hunger of the people with small and simple stalls. Momos and Thukpa are the special foods that the town offers it to its tourists. Kalimpong people also like to eat Chinese and Tibetan cuisine.
Shopping Places in Kalimpong
Shopping is important for survival in the town. The Kalimpong district has two major shopping places that are full of shops. The Rishi market is the primary one. The road through this market will lead you to a tri-junction marketplace through which these roads lead to marketplaces.
All sorts of goods can found in this Rishi road marketplace. The marketplace has shops on its both sides. Bargaining the prices before buying is a better idea. Once you are done with shopping, you can find yourself a cab those are stationed right on the road in a line.
The other market is at 10th Mile (1 mile from the Town square). You can walk down the road and buy yourself everything you want. However this marketplace is a wholesale market and prices are fixed, yet they are reasonable. If you want to buy something in bulk then this is the perfect place. The market was a famous one during the old days in the 1900s. When the trade routes were connected to Tibet through the Silk route, there was a heavy trade with mules carrying the silk clothes, gold ornaments etc to be packed and sold.
There is another place you may visit, Haat Bazar of Kalimpong. It is a local village market that sets up in weekly and on every Wednesday and Saturday. It can be reached from Rish Road. The villagers from all over the place come here to buy vegetables, clothes, bags and many other things.
Ideal Time to Visit Kalimpong
Kalimpong has well defined seasons like Summer, Spring, “Winter, and Autumn. The Kalimpong remains “clam for most of the year. Spring Is the ideal time to visit Kalimpong. Between the months of March and April, when the temperature remains around 11C to 24C and the weather is cool, the sky remains clear and viewing the Kanchenjunga and the Himalayan peaks become easier. The tourists flock into Kalimpong from the month of April, when the schools give vacation. Hotels start filling and climbing rates become high.
How to Reach
By Plane– You may take a flight to Bagdogra airport and from there books a taxi for Kalimpong.
By Train– Get on a train that will take you ton NJP junction. Get down at this station and take a taxi for Kalimpong.
By Driving– The National Highway 31A is the road that leads to Kalimpong.
