Kalimpong – a moderately small & lively bazaar town – is set among the undulating foothills & deep valleys of the Himalayas. 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 plenty in this region.
The first thing that crosses your mind about Kalimpong is the sheer quiet and calm of it’s hilly climes. Leaving behind the chaos of the Norbet Tenzing Bus stand in Siliguri and making your way to Kalimpong, is equal to leaving behind the turbulent world & arriving at your very own Utopia. The fact that Kalimpong is not much haunted by tourists, makes it all the more attractive.
Let the world pass you by at Kalimpong & enjoy the days. Relish the cuisine & the colourful ways of living. Explore this charming town with its quaint, old-world attraction. Discover the ebullience of its fascination, let yourself be enticed by its timeless legends and let the warmth of it welcome overwhelm your senses and conquer your heart forever.
Places to see:
Dr. Graham’s Home:---
Less than an hour’s walk away from the town center is Dr. Graham’s Home, which was established in 1900 on the lower slopes of Deolo Hill. The chapel above the school dates from 1925 and skins stunning stained-glass windows. Tourists can also visit the fine turn-of-the-century school building, & 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.
Flower Nurseries:---
Kalimpong produces 80% of India’s gladioli & is a substantial orchid-growing area & it comes as no surprise that flowers are exported from here to many cities in northern India. The Sri Ganesh Moni Pradhan Nursery and the Udai Mani Pradhan Nursery are definitely worth a dekko. Also worth visiting are, Pine wood, Shangri-La and Universal nurseries.
This is one hill station where I would like to visit again during this summer vacation.