AMONG THE HILLS AND CLOUDS: KURSEONG

- Nishi Pulugurtha

What could be more wonderful than being woken up every morning by the hooting of the toy train chugging its way from the plains of New Jalpaiguri to the queen of hill stations, Darjeeling. The sight of this beautiful train making its uphill journey, its small coal engine spewing smoke, coal being broken into smaller pieces for use in the engine and sand being laid on the rails to prevent the skidding of the train, are sights that remains long after one has left the small hill station of Kurseong. .

Kurseong was ceded to the British by the King of Sikkim in 1835. The town gained prominence in 1880, when the Darjeeling-Himalayan Railway was extended to Kurseong. Situated at an altitude of about 4,860 ft, Kurseong is 33 km from Darjeeling and has a very moderate climate. The locals refer to the town as Kharsang, which in Lepcha means Land of the White Orchid. The nearest airport is at Bagdogra and the nearest railway station is New Jalpaiguri, about 53 kilometers from Kurseong. It is said that Kurseong receives the highest amount of rainfall after Cherrapunjee. The best times to visit Kurseong are between the end of March and May and between the end of August and October. There are quite a number of hotels to suit every pocket in Kurseong and most of them have good restaurants offering Indian cuisine and also Tibetan delicacies, momo and thupkas.

Kurseong is often referred to as the school town due to the presence of innumerable schools. Like the other hill stations within the District of Darjeeling, Kurseong has its fair share of renowned schools established during the British Rule in India like St Helens Convent, GoethalsMemorialSchool, DowhillGirlsSchool and VictoriaBoysSchool.

Tea Pickers, Kurseong

The journey from New Jalpaiguri to Kurseong is beautiful. As we leave the plains and begin the ride uphill, there is a distinct change in temperature, the heat and humidity gives way to a very pleasant weather. As our vehicle takes a turn on the meandering hill roads we get to see the plains of Siliguri and the river basin of the MahanandaRiver. The monsoon season adds a different aspect to the hills as most of the distant hills are covered with clouds, blurring visibility. The journey to Kurseong takes one across verdant tea gardens all spread over the hills like a green carpet. Some of the finest varieties of tea are grown in the tea gardens here. The finest teas are produced by Castleton, Makaibari and Ambootia Tea Estates. Visitors can have a first hand experience of how tea leaves are processed and prepared for production by visiting the nearby tea factories and what remains of such an experience is the wonderful aroma of tea that lingers for a long long time.

Kurseong Railway Station

The quaint little town of Kurseong offers a tranquil place for a relaxed holiday away from the hustle and bustle of the city. One of the first sights that strike a visitor to Kurseong is the small railway station. To the left of the station is a road that leads past some schools, the TV station and tea gardens to Eagles Craig, a view point perched on a cliff. This point affords a sweeping view of the surrounding mountain, hill, hamlets and slopes. The place houses a park and a memorial to the lives lost in the Gorkhaland movement of 1988. On clear evenings one can get a magnificent view of the plains of Siliguri dotted with bright lights in the distance at night.

St. Marys Grotto

Nearly 4 kilometers from Kurseong Railway Station in an elegant mansion in the deep woods of St. Mary's Hill, the Eastern Forest Rangers' College (EFRC). Earlier the campus was the sight of St. Mary's seminary, the first such seminary of the east of Suez. Close by is St. Marys Grotto, a small grotto dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The peace and serenity surrounding the grotto is remarkable. There is a small waterfall here that adds beauty and charm to this serene place.

The Deer Park in Dow hill is another nice place for a quiet walk. The roads and the hill is full of what the locals call the Dhupi trees (cryptonica japonica), almost seeming to seek the skies. The fresh air, the smell of the greenery, the cold nip in the air, the play of the clouds, the thick foliage, small houses here and there, a glimpse of the locals who live here endows the place with a beauty all it own. Walking through these roads, one almost feels lost in time and transported to a different plane altogether.

It was to Kurseong that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was sent for his internship in 1936. The house that he stayed, at Giddapahar, a few kilometers from Kurseong, has been restored and is now a museum dedicated to Netaji.

The monsoon endows the place with a different aura. For most of the day there is a drizzle, often increasing in intensity. The clouds hinder vision and most of the view points offer nothing this time of the year. But, nevertheless, there is a charm to this place even during the rains. At Eagles Craig, for instance, I get to see nothing of what this view point usually affords as the entire place is enveloped in a thick cloud cover and it almost seems that I am all alone in this world and nothing else exists. The dense white clouds add a surreal charm to this place. As I descend from the Craig the narrow road leads past tea gardens where I see tea pickers deftly at work, a little way down I come across school children practicing for the Independence Day parade. The clouds, the chill, nothing seems to matter as life goes on here in this small town. The rain, the clouds, the cold makes me understand very clearly as to why the Englishman found the hills so very reminiscent of home.