Kurseong hill station of West Bengal is no less than a paradise, white orchids flourish here
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About 587 kilometers away from Kolkata, people may know less about the beautiful Kurseong situated in the middle of the Eastern Himalayas, but after coming here, one feels like coming again and again. This time I experienced Kurseong as a solo traveller. This beautiful hill station is situated at an altitude of 1500 meters above sea level and is 51 km from Siliguri and 30 km from Darjeeling. The word Kurseong means the place of white orchids. White orchids grow in abundance in this region. The region is enthralled by beautiful tea gardens, forests and year-round vegetation on the hill slopes.
Kurseong was once a part of the north-eastern state of Sikkim and a sub-division of Darjeeling district. In the year 1835, the king of Sikkim handed it over to the British. It was a small village then. The British gave it a new look and in its natural beauty, the facilities to attract tourists were also included. Its importance increased when the toy train service of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway was extended to Kurseong in 1880. Due to its low altitude, the weather here remains pleasant throughout the year, although it is very cold in winter. Kanchenjunga, Kabru and Jannu and Teesta and Mahananda rivers are also visible from some parts of Kurseong.
Eagle Craig situated on the hill is the most special view point of Kurseong. To reach here one had to walk for 25 minutes crossing the narrow lane of Kurseong. That walk was neither tiring nor boring, because nature walks with you all the time. Along with enjoying the mountain peaks from Eagle Craig, you can also see the beautiful plains of Siliguri. There is also a garden built there. A small staircase leads up to the garden. There is also a watch tower on one side of the garden laden with fences and flowers. Nearby is a solid altar and a khukri (traditional Nepali knife) is placed on it. It is a memorial built in memory of the Gorkhas who lost their lives in the 1988 insurgency there. A large reservoir here supplies water to the city of Kurseong.
Kurseong is spread over several hills, one of which is Dow Hill. A large part of it is surrounded by dense forests. The forest museum, historical school, parkland etc. are famous here. To reach Ambotia Shiva temple, one has to descend from the tea gardens and then proceed towards the forest with the help of an unpaved road. Here Bholenath is sitting in the form of Shivling. The Shivling is a trunk of an old tree. There are many other places in Kurseong where a whole day can be spent. The Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Museum is located four kilometers away on Giddha Pahad. The house in which this museum is built, belonged to Netaji’s elder brother. Apart from this, there is the DHR Museum, where the original documents and things of the railway are displayed. Got a chance to see some heritage schools built by the British. One can easily visit these places by hiring a taxi for one or half a day. Sitting in a toy train is nothing less than an exciting feeling. Its track runs alongside the road.
Kurseong is connected by road to Siliguri and from there to every major city. The nearest two railway stations are Siliguri (50 km) and Jalpaiguri (57 km). These railway stations are connected to Kolkata, Delhi, Varanasi, Guwahati and other major cities of India. The nearest airport, Bagdogra, is 60 km from Kurseong and takes about two hours to reach. There are plenty of hotels in the main market to stay here, but a great option is the Kurseong Tourist Lodge, run by the state tourism department, which is a kilometer from Darjeeling. There are also home stays here. The best time to visit Kurseong is between March to mid June and September to December. During summers (April to September) you may need light woollens. It rains a lot in July.
There is nothing special here to shop. Its main market starts from Kurseong Railway Station itself and goes to the Tourist Lodge on both sides of the Hill Cart Road. There are all kinds of small to medium shops including clothes, shoes, bags, stationery and essentials.
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