History

The name of Darjeeling came from the Tibetan Words Dorje-ling i.e., Dorje means, Thunderbolt and ling means Land, that means Land of Thunderbolt. In 1835 was annexed by the East India Compnany , Prior to that , Darjeeling formed a part of Sikkim and for a brief period of Nepal.

Previously Darjeeling formed a part of dominions of the Raja of Sikkim, who has been engaged in an unsuccessful warfare against Gorkhas. From 1780 the Gorkhas made several attempts to capture the entire region of Darjeeling. By the beginning of 19th , Century , they has overrun Sikkim as far eastward as the Teesta River and has conquered and annexed the Terai. In the mean time, the British were engaged in preventing the Gorkhas from overrunning the whole of the northern frontier . The Anglo-Nepal was broke out in 1814,Which resulted in the defeat of the Gorkhas and subsequently to the Sugauli Treaty in 1815. According to treaty , Nepal had to cede all those territories which the Gorkhas and annexed from the Raja of Sikkim to the British East India Co. Later in 1817, through the Treaty of Titalia, the British East India Company reinstated the Raja of Sikkim (who was driven out), restored all the tracts of land between the Meechi River on the west and teesta River to the Raja of Sikkim and guaranteed his sovereignty. The Controversy did not end there. Later, in 1835, the hill of Darjeeling an enclave of 138 sq, miles was gifted to East India Company. In 1864, the treaty of Sinchula was executed in which the Bhutan Dooars with passes leading into the hills of Kalimpong were ceded to the British. The Darjeeling District can be said to have assumed its present shape in 1866 is 1234 sq. miles.

It is situated at an altitude of 6710 ft, having annual maximum temperature of 14.9 D, Celsius and minimum 8.9D Celsius, Average rainfall is 3092 mm, Best Season for visit in the month of March to mid of June and October to December.

“The land that all men desire to see, and having seen once by even a glimpse would not give that glimpse for the shows of the rest of the world combined” Mark Twain’s feeling may imposed by any one who visited Darjeeling once in his life, because Nestled among the rolling mountains with the glistening Mt. Kanchejunga towering over the assure sky, Darjeeling foundly called “Queen of Hills”, provides a perfect gateway for those seeking to be in harmony with nature. This is the land of the muscated flavored Darjeeling Tea revered by connoisseurs across the globe. This is the land of the world heritage Darjeeling Himalayan Railway where the century old miniature steam engine still chunks uphill vying for space with the fast disappearing Land Robers.

Biswa Kavi Guru Rabindranath Tagore described its beauty with poetic feelings as follows ..

“ Flowers are very where, the days are cold and the sun almost seems to play hide and seek with us”..