A brief outlook on the town of Kurseong.
Tucked between the lush young mountain range of the Himalayas is a small town called Kurseong/Kharsang which translates to -The Land Of White Orchids. standing tall at a magnificent 4921 ft/1500 meters above sea level is a town that welcomes more than 50,000 tourists per annum, more than half of which are people of foreign lands. The temperature remains on an avg of 20 degrees making it a perfect vacation hotspot.
The toy train runs alongside the road. Whistles made from the (world heritage) toy train can often be heard from the comfort of rooms, overall a romantic feeling. Kurseong has been a host to personalities like Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore who found it calm enough to write some of his classic poems, also around 1936 Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose
was confined by the British in a Bungalow at Kurseong.
Major Tourist Sites
Dowhill Forest and Museum – The true beauty of nature and the glory of the mighty Himalayas can be witnessed firsthand. The slow gusts of chilly winds featuring the tall pine trees truly drag everyone as close to nature as one can get. The Forest dept. provides a well-preserved museum that showcases pieces of culture from the lives of locals, real-life models and preserves of the Himalayan flora, fauna, animals, and birdlife.
Eagle’s Craig – The crown of the town lies at a 5-minute drive from the town. Recently upgraded to a park, the place is famous for its stunning view of the Siliguri town and surrounding Hills that flows through the entire region. The position of the park allows it to witness both sunset and the rise of the moon at the same time and a beautiful sunrise in the morning.
Chimney Heritage park & viewpoint – A chimney place above the mighty Dowhill forest serve as the only remnant of a heritage house. constructed during the British colonial days, the whole place is now preserved by the local authorities, and serves as the only standing ruins of the post-Independence colonial era.
Hanuman Tok – A Hanuman Temple and a Tall statue of Lord Hanuman stand tall above the Town, the most recent addition to the list of tourism sites in kurseong. It is famous for its magnificent view of Kurseong town on the slope of the mountain and the snow-covered peak of MT. Kanchenjunga.
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Museum – The place where Netaji was held in captivity for an unknown number of days is now upgraded to a museum. It houses all the culturally significant ornaments and belongings of Netaji, yet another site to understand the British colonial rule in its full depth.
Bhangzang Salamander Lake – Himalayan Salamander is said to be an extremely endangered species, making it the rarest among all lakes in the area. However the true beauty of the lake is seen only during monsoon when the lake hosts water, it’s fascinating for the locals to witness a barren land turn itself into a lake, and host an endangered species of salamander in it.
Castleton Tea Estate – Huge stretches of tea plantations can be found throughout the mountains of Kurseong and Darjeeling. However the Castleton Estate provides a few homestays and resorts which host an opportunity to get closer to the tribes residing around the estate. The lifestyle of the locals revolves around nature hence providing every tool to get closer to nature and oneself.
Blog Credit: Halimur Rashad