Darjeeling Himalayan hill region
Encyclopedia
Darjeeling Himalayan hill region or Darjeeling Himalaya is the mountainous area on the North-Western side of the state of West Bengal
in India
. This region belongs to the Eastern Himalaya
range. The whole of the Darjeeling district
except the Siliguri subdivision
constitutes the region. It arises abruptly from the Terai region.
The region slopes from a south to north direction. The river Teesta
divides the region in two parts — the region to the east of Teesta and the region to the west of Teesta.
from West Bengal. Singalila National Park
is situated here. The four highest peaks of this range are:
See: Singalila Ridge
and Senchal
.
and Bhutan
border. The highest peak is Rishila. The town of Kalimpong is situated in this region. Neora Valley National Park
is located here. The relatively low-height Buxa-Jayanti range, a part of the Sivalik, is also located here.
, Balason
, Rammam, Rangeet
, Teesta
, and Jaldhaka
.
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. This region belongs to the Eastern Himalaya
Eastern Himalaya
Eastern Himalaya is situated between Central Nepal in the west to Myanmar in the east, occupying southeast Tibet in China, Sikkim, North Bengal, Bhutan and North-East India. The area has been declared a biodiversity hotspot by Conservation International....
range. The whole of the Darjeeling district
Darjeeling district
Darjeeling District is the northernmost district of the state of West Bengal in eastern India in the foothills of the Himalayas. The district is famous for its beautiful hill stations and Darjeeling tea. Darjeeling is the district headquarters...
except the Siliguri subdivision
Siliguri subdivision
Siliguri subdivision is a subdivision of the Darjeeling district in the state of West Bengal, India. It consists of the Siliguri municipal corporation and four community development blocks: Matigara, Naxalbari, Phansidewa and Kharibari. The four blocks contain 22 gram panchayats and two census...
constitutes the region. It arises abruptly from the Terai region.
The region slopes from a south to north direction. The river Teesta
Teesta River
River Teesta or Tista is said to be the lifeline of the Indian state of Sikkim, flowing for almost the entire length of the state and carving out verdant Himalayan temperate and tropical river valleys. The emerald-coloured river then forms the border between Sikkim and West Bengal before joining...
divides the region in two parts — the region to the east of Teesta and the region to the west of Teesta.
Hills to the west of Teesta
This is the highest region of the Darjeeling Himalaya. Two distinct ranges are visible here — the Singalila range and the Darjeeling-Karsiang range.Singalila range
The Singalila range is on the western limit of the region and separates NepalNepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
from West Bengal. Singalila National Park
Singalila National Park
Singalila National Park is a national park of India located on the Singalila Ridge at an altitude of more than 7000 feet above sea level, in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. It is well known for the trekking route to Sandakphu that runs through it....
is situated here. The four highest peaks of this range are:
- FalutFalutPhalut or Falut is the second highest peak of West Bengal, India. Part of the Singalila Ridge in the Himalayas, it is located at the border of the Indian states of West Bengal and Sikkim and the country of Nepal. It is located inside the Singalila National Park. A small bunkhouse is near the top...
(3,595 m) - SandakfuSandakfuSandakfu or Sandakphu is the highest peak in the state of West Bengal, India. It is situated at the edge of the Singalila National Park in Darjeeling district on the West Bengal-Sikkim border, and is the highest point of the Singalila Ridge. Sandakphu has a small village on the peak with a...
(3,630 m) — the highest point of West Bengal - TongluTongluTonglu is the one of the higher peaks of the Singalila Ridge and a small settlement inside the Singalila National Park in the Darjeeling subdivision, Darjeeling district in the state of West Bengal in India near the India - Nepal border. It is a roadside halt along the trekking route from...
(3,036 m) - Sabargram (3,543 m)
See: Singalila Ridge
Singalila Ridge
The Singalila Ridge is a North - South running mountain ridge in Northwestern West Bengal, India.The district of Ilam falls on the western part of this ridge and the northern ridge ends up in Sikkim Part of the Himalayas, it separates other mountain ranges of West Bengal from other Himalayan...
Darjeeling-Karsiang range
Two notable peaks of this range are Tiger HillTiger Hill, Darjeeling
Tiger Hill is the summit of Ghoom, the highest railway station on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is famous for spectacular sunrise view over the Himalayas...
and Senchal
Senchal Lake
Senchal lake, located 10 km to the south-east of Darjeeling, is the main reservoir of potable water for the town of Darjeeling, India. The lake is located at an altitude of 8,160 ft atop a hill. The hill also has a golf course and is one of the highest golf courses in the world. Senchal is a...
.
Hills to the east of Teesta
The Chola range is situated on the SikkimSikkim
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
and Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
border. The highest peak is Rishila. The town of Kalimpong is situated in this region. Neora Valley National Park
Neora Valley National Park
Neora Valley National Park is situated in the Kalimpong subdivision under Darjeeling District, West Bengal, India and was established in 1986. It spreads over an area of 88 km² and is one of the richest biological zones in the entire Northeast...
is located here. The relatively low-height Buxa-Jayanti range, a part of the Sivalik, is also located here.
Rivers
Some notable rivers of this region are MechiMechi River
The Mechi River is a trans-boundary river flowing through Nepal and India. It is a tributary of the Mahananda River.-Course:The Mechi originates in the Mahabharat Range in Nepal...
, Balason
Balason River
Balason is a river flowing in the Darjeeling District of West Bengal, India. It originates in the hills of Senchal and flows south into the plains of North Bengal, where it joins the Mahananda River....
, Rammam, Rangeet
Rangeet River
Rangeet or Rangit is a tributary of the Teesta river, the largest river in the Indian state of Sikkim. The Rangeet river originates in the Himalayan mountains in West Sikkim district. A perennial river, it is fed by the melting snow of the Himalayas in early summer and the monsoon rains in...
, Teesta
Teesta River
River Teesta or Tista is said to be the lifeline of the Indian state of Sikkim, flowing for almost the entire length of the state and carving out verdant Himalayan temperate and tropical river valleys. The emerald-coloured river then forms the border between Sikkim and West Bengal before joining...
, and Jaldhaka
Jaldhaka River
The Jaldhaka River is a trans-boundary river with a length of 192 kilometres that originates in southeastern Sikkim in the eastern Himalayas and flows through Bhutan and the Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar districts of West Bengal, India...
.