Tryst with Royalty @ Queen of Hills

Cherished memories of beautiful Darjeeling at autumn impelled us to revisit this queen of hills during the Durga Puja vacation of 2014. The pleasant climate, the smiling autumnal sun bestowing mellowed golden rays and the green hills bedecked in bountiful aureate marigold blooms enthralled us- city dwellers of Kolkata- as ever.

Alongside the Gorkha hill folks’ revelling in the vibrancy of Phool Patti and gearing up for the exultation of Dashain, the centenary Durga Puja celebrations of N.N.B.H. Hall, the sole Bengali association of the town, were in progress, which had become the cynosure of all eyes. Shows were being held at Chowrasta (the Darjeeling Mall) alongside the formal inauguration of the Puja by the Honourable M.P. of Darjeeling- kicking off a series of events being organized at the premises of the century old pioneer institution. Being acquainted with the place and having fond recollections, we as a mixed group of elderly and young people enthusiastically participated in the various exciting programmes being hosted, and the Puja rituals in progress- much to our heart’s content.

On Dashami day, prior to the commencement of the idol immersion procession, a round of zestful Sindur Khela rituals ensued at the Hall, whereby the fervour of the vermillion daubed ladies even overtook the men folk- leaving a mark or two of Sindur-smeared fingers on their cheeks! An added attraction this time was the Visarjan procession proceeding with the idol of Goddess Durga being railed along to the immersion water body (‘Bangla Khola’) on a trolley car of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railways- a world heritage commonly known by the name of ‘Toy Train’. And all the while the exultant folks as ever bade the Mother adieu with the popular farewell song of “esho ma esho ma esho…” A slight disappointment though seemed the deployment of a diesel locomotive by the Railways (and not the charming steam engine) to draw the trolley car and the two coaches of the train.

Posing for a Snap after a Boisterous Sindur Khela

Seeing Off the Goddess

Bidding the Goddess and her family adieu, we proceeded with our round of sightseeing. 

We first visited the Japanese Peace Pagoda in the Jalapahar region and also saw there the historic Lal Kothi, which in recent times has become a local administrative building of immense importance. Then, after loitering at Chowrasta and haggling with roadside sellers of woolens there- to finalize on some buys, we moved towards Rajbari, the palace of the erstwhile Maharajahs of Burdwan. We sought to simply behold the amazing blue-domed structure (visible from almost everywhere in the town) from close. 

En route we saw the picturesque Dhir Dham temple. This pagoda-styled temple is modelled on the famous Pashupati Nath temple of Nepal. We also went past the Ramakrishna Vedanta Ashrama of Darjeeling. The Ashrama, coloured in saffron and set up at a quiet, secluded locale of the town, stands as an epitome of serenity.

The Dhir Dham Temple

Next, we crossed the Victoria Falls- a scintillating waterfall formed by the waters of a small stream by the name of Kalijhora. The water drops from a height of about 100 ft. over a precipitous crag and rushes down. The ferro-concrete bridge over the stream dates back to pre-independence times. 

Finally, we reached the Rajbari. The palace was looking resplendent as ever at twilight- its azure dome tending to blend with the clear blue autumnal sky.

''Rajbari' At Evening

We marvelled at the elegance of the exquisite building, and were taking photographs by the dozen from various angles to our satisfaction…when by dint of a stroke of luck, the grace of ‘His Majesty’, the heir to the Burdwan royal legacy and ‘Her Highness’, his better half, fell upon us!!! 

The couple had been strolling around the palace in the evening, and spotting us enthusiastically taking in the sights of their imperial heritage, they decided to very kindly help us out. Thus, the gates of the royal palace compound were opened for us! 

Knowing us to be Bengalis who are acquainted with the N.N.B.H. Hall of which the Burdwan Royal Family had been patrons since its very inception, they enquired about this year’s Puja events unfolding at the Hall. We apprised them about the happenings at the Hall and about the commencement of the ceremonious idol immersion procession.

Decorations at Entrance of the Palace

The duo further invited us to check out the interiors of the palace, which just overwhelmed us with joy. Thereby, we could lay our eyes on the treasures that the palace interiors held! And indeed, we were awestruck viewing the very many antique objects, lamps/lights, furniture, carpets, pelts, animal heads and other décor items lying therein. It is indeed praiseworthy how the lady of the house- ‘Her Highness’- has been personally ensuring that such invaluable treasures are being cared for and maintained properly over the years.

Signature Royal Home Decor

Our eyes met with pictures of erstwhile Maharajahs and other members of the royal family clad in regalia. I could not help but ask ‘His Majesty’ whether he too had on occasion felt the need or urge of donning the traditional royal robes. To this, he only smiled and remarked, ‘those were the days of yore…’

 

A List Enumerating the Maharajas of Burdwan

Evening was fast descending on the hill town. Thin mists started veiling the palace too as we parted from it- expressing our heartfelt gratitude to its owners and bidding them farewell. 

A unique and breathtakingly beautiful view of Darjeeling lit up at dusk- spread across the hill- greeted us, as we glanced at the town from the Rajbari area. This was a very different, though exceedingly beautiful, view- as against the photos of the illuminated town at night that we commonly get to see in picture postcards, which are taken from Chowrasta or the Hill Cart Road. 

As is characteristic of all hill settlements, soon after sundown, shutters of shops in Darjeeling began being downed- though the festive season was on. We too paced to reach our hotel fast- to conclude our eventful day by taking in a hot filling meal followed by retiring in a warm bed– all the while recounting the day’s wondrous experiences…and feeling just as a chorus, heard on the way by us from some students (of an esteemed institution of Darjeeling), pronounced-

“From the sweltering south and the islands
From the plains where the hot winds blow
We have met in the heart of the highlands
At fair India's gates of snow…”

Getting There: Darjeeling can be reached from the nearest railhead New Jalpaiguri (88 km) or the nearest airport Bagdogra (90 km) by bus services and hired vehicles. People usually traverse within the town by walking though hired taxis are also available for travelling short distances. 

Staying: There are a great number of hotels here, suiting different budgets. One can check out the websites of hotels of repute and contact them for prior bookings. It may seem plausible to book beforehand especially during the peak visiting seasons- during summer and around the Pujas.