Takdah
Takdah a small hamlet located around 28 km from Darjeeling and around 40 km from Kalimpong, is an upcoming tourist destination. This little unknown hamlet has a very pleasant weather all the year round.
Takdah is a picturesque tea estate located at the Teesta Valley, covering a total area of 557 hectares out of which 288 hectares is under tea plantation. Due to its magnificent views, the gardens along with its planter’s bungalow have been filmed in several movies. The sprawling estate has elevation varying from 2500 to 6500 feet. It was originally established in 1864.
The word Takdah in Lepcha means “Place of tigers”. However these days that tigers have all gone although once in a while leopards do stray into the garden area. In 1960s, the tea bushes from the Takdah gardens were uprooted and replanted with new ones with the objective of producing delicate first flush. The estate today produces 210,000kgs of tea that includes black, green and white varieties, and is a bio-organic estate.
Only about 87 tea gardens in the world have the right to produce tea that can use the Darjeeling name and logo. All of these tea gardens can be found in a very small area: only about 19000 hectares spread over 7 main valleys in just one district in the state of West Bengal in India.
This very beautiful, very unique, very lush and green region lies in the hilly beginnings of the North Eastern Himalayas. Here, 4000-6000 feet above sea level, the perennially snow covered Kanchenjunga—the 3rd highest mountain peak in the Himalayas—dominates a landscape that is breathtakingly misty, mystic and absolutely magical.
An always crisp weather; pure and clean air; ice-sparkling waterfalls; innumerable clear mountain streams and a sun that pours liquid gold onto the fertile and luxuriant hills—these are the vital ingredients that make Darjeeling a tea without equal; and a taste that cannot be replicated anywhere else on Earth.
Takdah Cantonment, as the name signifies, was a British cantonment in the pre-independence era. The beautiful structures erected during the British era are the living proof of the story untold. This cantonment is filled with cedar trees and offers a panoramic view of the nearby locations.Takdah is close to coniferous forests where small treks and strolls are possible. Takdah Cantonment has an orchid centre with a wide variety of rare Himalayan orchids . This center has been the favourite of tourists visiting Takdah. The nearest tea gardens are Rungli, Giele and Teesta Valley tea gardens. The main junction of Takdah is called Dara Dokan. A weekly market, held every Thursday, is a sight worth watching as people from all the nearby villages come to shop their weekly needs.
Attractions & Activities in & around Takdah
So what can you see and do in Takdah? Surprisingly there are several great places of interests and sightseeing attractions here within short distances. There are nice soft trekking routes as well. You can take a vehicle and visit the places. But you can’t cover them all in a day. Here are the main attractions:
1) Some of the finest tea gardens of Darjeeling district are located in Takdah. You can walk down or take a local taxi tour to some of them and enjoy the tea gardens on rolling hills. The main tea estates in Takdah are Rungli Rungliot, Gielle, Namring, Jinglam, Poomong, and Teesta Valley estate. You can also visit the estate factories and watch the tea processing (in winters the factories usually remain closed).
I have visited many tea estates in Darjeeling district, but Rungli Rungliot is one of the prettiest ones and most picturesque. It’s about 2kms downhill from Takdah market area. The lush tea garden landscapes surrounded by mountains and Teesta flowing far below makes a stunning ambience.
There is a saying that a monk had apparently named this tea garden when he was searching for the best tea in Darjeeling district. In fact the name Rungli Rungliot actually means ‘Thus far and no further’. The former Director’s wooden Bungalow on a hill top has four luxury rooms with lovely views.
2) Further down from Rungli Rungliot you will reach the Gielle Bhanjyang Bazaar, also known as Gandhi Chowk. Once there used to be a statue of Mahatma Gandhi here, but no longer so. This is the border point of Jinglam Tea Estate and Gielle Tea Estate.
From Gielle Bhanjyang Bazaar crossing point, if you go downward you can reach Namring, Jinglam and Poomong tea estates. But why should you come to Gielle Bhanjyang? Because from here you can see many places in one go like Kalimpong Town, Durpin Dara, Mangpoo, Rambi Khola, Takdah, Ranju vally, 6th mile, Tiger Hill etc.
3) Takdah has a great Orchid Center spread across vast stretch of area. It’s about half a kilometer from the market area towards 6th mile. Here you can see many different kinds of unusual and colorful Himalayan Orchids being cultivated and grown. Many tourists come to Takdah particularly to visit the Orchid Center.
The Orchid Center which was one of the best in Asia, was neglected for a long time. But now the state government has taken a fresh initiative to revive the center.
4) There is a small monastery in Takdah whose actual name is Dechhen Pema Tshoiling Monastery, but locally known as Takdah Monastery. A steep uphill boulder road after the market area leads to a steep stairway. You will need to climb several flights of stairs to reach up to the Monastery. But once there, the views are awesome. From here you can get sweeping view of Rungli Rungliot Tea Gardens, Teesta Valley Tea Estate and Durpin Dara View Point, Kalimpong etc. I had taken the first picture of Rungli Runliot Tea Garden on this page from the monastery premises (near the entrance).
The monastery was built in 1985 and follows the Buddhist Nyingma sect. Lama Karma Gyaltchen was in charge and head monk of the monastery until 2007. While everything is nice about this monastery, the pet dog of the head lama can be a nuisance. The small dog is not yet used to the visitors and keeps barking incessantly.
5) Visit Tinchuley, another lovely hamlet about 3kms away from Takdah and famous for its lovely views of Himalayan range including the snow peaks of Kanchenjunga and spectacular sunrise views.
6) Lamahatta Village with its magnificent gardens and views of Kanchenjunga is about 12kms from Takdah (40 minutes).
7) Another nearby place is Mongpu where you can visit the orchid nurseries, the famous museum of poet Rabindranath Tagore, and see the vast Cinchona plantations.
8) Visit the lovely orange orchards located in Bara and Chota Mongwa (both about 12kms from Takdah). The small factories here produce fresh orange juice and you can buy a few bottles of them. Tastes delicious and absolutely fresh.
9) A great place to visit by car is Triveni – the confluence of rivers Teesta & Rangeet.
10) Visit the Durpin Viewpoint located about 10kms from Takdah. You can get a spectacular view of Teesta river meandering through the mountain landscapes. You can also get lovely view of Kanchenjunga from here.
11) Peshoke Tea Garden Viewpoint is about 14kms away and offers wonderful view of the tea gardens on hill slopes.
12) As I mentioned earlier, several British bungalows and houses were built in Takdah in early 1900s (some 14 of them) during the British Raj days. I love to go around watching the amazing architectures of such houses, the lovely gardens they have and the aura around them.
Some of the well known houses are The Takdah Club House (about a km away, was abandoned for a long time but now a Forest Rest House), Rani Kotthi (now converted to a church), Forest Guest House, Sonpur House also known as Takdah Palace built in 1911 and located near the Club House (it’s in ruins now), Old British Post Office etc. Some have been converted into schools like Green Shields Academy, Griffith High School etc.
Note that you won’t find tea stalls anywhere in Takdah other than in the market. So while on local sightseeing tour, you may like to carry a flask full of tea.
13) You can take a nature walk through pine and cedar forests, or through villages. The thickly wooded coniferous forests here are maintained by the Forest Department. You can take a shorter trek path through the forest up to Lamahatta, enjoy the views of Kanchenjunga and return via Tinchuley. The entire trek takes about 4-5 hours.
14) Dokan Dara is a local haat (i.e. bazaar) that sets up weekly on Thursdays. If you visit Takdah on a Thursday, don’t miss this out. You will see villagers coming from nearby places to pick up vegetables and other essentials. It’s a great way to get a glimpse at the local life and culture.
Communication :-
Takdah is about 60kms from NJP (the nearest railhead) as well as Bagdogra (the nearest airport). It takes about 2.5-3 hours to reach Takdah by car from NJP or Bagdogra. Siliguri, the nearest town is about 52kms from Takdah, Darjeeling is 28kms away (about 1.5 hours by car) and Kalimpong about 40kms (2 hours).
From Darjeeling, you need to come up to Jorebungalow and take a left to Peshoke road. At a place called 6th Mile take right towards Takdah, while the original road continues towards Teesta Bazaar (Note: here the places are named on their distances from Jorebungalow like 3rd mile, 6th mile, 9th mile etc). While coming from NJP or Bagdogra, you will need to take Sevoke road and then come via Teesta, Rambi etc.
You can get reserved taxis from NJP, Bagdogra, Siliguri and Darjeeling. There are also shared taxis/Jeeps available from Siliguri to Takdah. They leave from Sevoke Road, behind Vishal Cinema Hall or Ranjit Garage behind 9/10 Hotel Sevoke. Buses are available (in the afternoon) from Darjeeling to Takdah.
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