Bengali Beauty

Kalimpong may lack the glam, the bustle and the crowds of its more famous cousin, Darjeeling. But this sleepy little hill town has its own history, a unique loveliness and a truly soothing charm.

- Rathina Sankari

Welcome to Gorkhaland,” stated a signboard as soon as we neared the outskirts of the languid hill station called Kalimpong. I was weary after flying for long hours from Pune to Bagdogra followed by a three-hour road trip. But the sight of the humble and ever smiling locals perked up my spirits.

After leaving the urban dust and chaos of Bagdogra behind, my drive had taken me through sparsely populated quaint hamlets followed by the sight of the pale green water of the Teesta river with a bunch of whitewater rafting enthusiasts enjoying themselves. A trip to Darjeeling had long been on the cards, but the highly commercialised summer resort didn’t lure me for varied reasons. This was a trip that was meant to be luxurious on the time front. It was about slow travel and getting immersed in the surroundings. So, at the first opportunity, I decided to take a break two hours before reaching Darjeeling, at Kalimpong. The name, which means ‘stronghold of king’s minister’ in Tibetan, is said to have been derived from the term kaulim, a fibrous plant used to make paper, while yet another version suggests a link to kalenpung or ‘ridges where we play’ in the local Lepcha dialect. The area has a strong presence of the indigenous Lepchas and the migrant Limbus, Bhutias, Nepalese, Tibetans, Sikkimese, Marwaris, Bengalis, Anglo Indians and Bhutanese.