Observatory Hill, Darjeeling
Encyclopedia
Observatory Hill is a hill near Chowrasta square, or The Mall as it is popularly known, in Darjeeling, West Bengal
, India
. Magnificent views of snow-clad peaks, including Mount Kanchenjunga, are visible from the Observatory Hill. The Bhutia Busty monastery
was originally located here. Now the hill has the temple of Mahakal.
Two important arteries of the town, Nehru Road and Bhanubhakta Sarani, meet at Chowrasta.
in Darjeeling, was first located on Observatory Hill. It was built in 1765 by Lama Dorje-Rinzing. The name Darjeeling is believed to have originated when monks of the monastery referred to the region as "Dorje-ling", meaning the land of the thunderbolt. Another school of thought believes that it was named after Dorje-Rinzing. The monastery was sacked by a Gorkha
invasion in 1815. It was rebuilt in 1861 and was moved to its present location in Bhutia Busty in 1879. The ill-fated monastery was again destroyed by a 1934 earthquake and owes its present existence to the Raja of Sikkim
.
. There is a cave sacred to worshippers in the temple. In Sanskrit
, the word "Durjay Ling", means "Shiva of invincible prowess, who rules the Himalayas." There is a suggestion that the name Darjeeling could have emanated from this name. The place where the Mahakal Temple stands was once occupied by the Buddhist monastery. It is still a place of great sanctity for the Bhutia
s. Bells ring in the midst of fluttering flags, which are used to pray in the shrine. Monkeys are seen in plenty at the Observatory Hill.
and twelve other peaks, all above 20,000 feet. The view is clear during October to November. At other times of the year, it is a matter of luck, with clouds engulfing the entire area and some portions of the view available at opportune moments. There are many people similar to the characters in Satyajit Ray
’s Kanchenjungha
, who wait for long periods of time for the mist to clear so that they may have a view of third highest peak in the world.
In spite of the high tourist flow, The Mall is the cleanest area in Darjeeling. Apart from the mountain views, tourists flock to the Chowrasta for pony rides (mostly by children) and collecting souvenirs. There are benches for tourists to sit and enjoy the "show". Vehicles are not allowed in The Mall, except for a small stretch near Raj Bhavan and Windamere Hotel
.
is situated. The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute
is located on the western spur of Jawahar Parbat, about a kilometre and half from Observatory Hill. The Windamere Hotel
and West Bengal Government’s Tourist Lodge stand above The Mall. Windamere, a cozy boarding area of the bachelor English and Scottish tea planters, was converted into a hotel in 1939. There are a number of hotels and restaurants in and around Chowrasta or The Mall. A road from The Mall leads to "Step Aside" - the house of the eminent freedom fighter Chittaranjan Das
. He died in Darjeeling on 16 June 1925. The latest addition coming up is a large “Ranga Manch” (theatre) overlooking the Chowrasta.
The range on which Darjeeling is located is Y-shaped with the base resting at Katapahar
and Jalapahar
and two arms diverging north from Observatory Hill. The northeastern arm dips suddenly and ends in the Lebong
spur, while the northwestern arm passes through North Point and ends in the valley near Tukver Tea Estate
.
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...
, 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...
. Magnificent views of snow-clad peaks, including Mount Kanchenjunga, are visible from the Observatory Hill. The Bhutia Busty monastery
Bhutia Busty monastery
Bhutia Busty monastery or Karmaa Dorjee Chyoling monastery is a Buddhist monastery located in Darjeeling, India. It belongs to the Red Sect of Buddhist Lamas.-History:...
was originally located here. Now the hill has the temple of Mahakal.
Two important arteries of the town, Nehru Road and Bhanubhakta Sarani, meet at Chowrasta.
Monastery
The Bhutia Busty monastery, the oldest monasteryMonastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
in Darjeeling, was first located on Observatory Hill. It was built in 1765 by Lama Dorje-Rinzing. The name Darjeeling is believed to have originated when monks of the monastery referred to the region as "Dorje-ling", meaning the land of the thunderbolt. Another school of thought believes that it was named after Dorje-Rinzing. The monastery was sacked by a Gorkha
Gurkha
Gurkha are people from Nepal who take their name from the Gorkha District. Gurkhas are best known for their history in the Indian Army's Gorkha regiments, the British Army's Brigade of Gurkhas and the Nepalese Army. Gurkha units are closely associated with the kukri, a forward-curving Nepalese knife...
invasion in 1815. It was rebuilt in 1861 and was moved to its present location in Bhutia Busty in 1879. The ill-fated monastery was again destroyed by a 1934 earthquake and owes its present existence to the Raja of Sikkim
Chogyal
The Chogyal were the monarchs of the former kingdoms of Sikkim and Ladakh, which were ruled by separate branches of the Namgyal family. The Chogyal, or divine ruler, was the absolute potentate of Sikkim from 1642 to 1975, when its monarchy was abrogated and its people voted to make Sikkim India's...
.
Temple
Rising abruptly from Chowrasta is the hilltop. Situated atop is the ancient temple of Mahakal, a form of Lord ShivaShiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
. There is a cave sacred to worshippers in the temple. In Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
, the word "Durjay Ling", means "Shiva of invincible prowess, who rules the Himalayas." There is a suggestion that the name Darjeeling could have emanated from this name. The place where the Mahakal Temple stands was once occupied by the Buddhist monastery. It is still a place of great sanctity for the Bhutia
Bhutia
The Bhutia are ethnic Tibetans who speak Sikkimese, a Tibetan dialect fairly mutually intelligible to standard Tibetan. In 2001, the Bhutia numbered around 70,300...
s. Bells ring in the midst of fluttering flags, which are used to pray in the shrine. Monkeys are seen in plenty at the Observatory Hill.
Tourist centre
Chowrasta and The Mall around Observatory Hill are the main centres of tourist attraction in Darjeeling. They spread on hill slopes at an altitude of 2,134 metres (7,000 feet). In clear weather, one can see Mount KanchenjunghaKangchenjunga
Kangchenjunga is the third highest mountain of the world with an elevation of and located along the India-Nepal border in the Himalayas.Kangchenjunga is also the name of the section of the Himalayas and means "The Five Treasures of Snows", as it contains five peaks, four of them over...
and twelve other peaks, all above 20,000 feet. The view is clear during October to November. At other times of the year, it is a matter of luck, with clouds engulfing the entire area and some portions of the view available at opportune moments. There are many people similar to the characters in Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
’s Kanchenjungha
Kanchenjungha
Kanchenjungha is a 1962 Bengali film by Bengali film director Satyajit Ray. It was Ray's first original screenplay and his first colour film....
, who wait for long periods of time for the mist to clear so that they may have a view of third highest peak in the world.
In spite of the high tourist flow, The Mall is the cleanest area in Darjeeling. Apart from the mountain views, tourists flock to the Chowrasta for pony rides (mostly by children) and collecting souvenirs. There are benches for tourists to sit and enjoy the "show". Vehicles are not allowed in The Mall, except for a small stretch near Raj Bhavan and Windamere Hotel
Windamere Hotel
Windamere Hotel, built in the 1930s, is a heritage hotel situated on Observatory Hill, in Darjeeling, India.-History:The hotel started out as boarding house for bachelor British tea planters in Darjeeling, in what was then British India, in the late 1930s. It was acquired by Tenduf La, a Sikkimese...
.
Around the hill
There are several important places around Observatory Hill. Birch Hill, or Jawahar Parbat, an off-shoot from The Mall, is an exclusive residential section where the Raj BhavanRaj Bhavan, Darjeeling
Raj Bhavan of Darjeeling is the Summer residence of the Governor of West Bengal , It is located in the city of Darjeeling , West Bengal.-History:...
is situated. The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute
Himalayan Mountaineering Institute
The Himalayan Mountaineering Institute was established in Darjeeling, India on November 4, 1954 to encourage mountaineering as an organized sport in India. The first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953 by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary sparked a keen interest in establishing mountaineering as a...
is located on the western spur of Jawahar Parbat, about a kilometre and half from Observatory Hill. The Windamere Hotel
Windamere Hotel
Windamere Hotel, built in the 1930s, is a heritage hotel situated on Observatory Hill, in Darjeeling, India.-History:The hotel started out as boarding house for bachelor British tea planters in Darjeeling, in what was then British India, in the late 1930s. It was acquired by Tenduf La, a Sikkimese...
and West Bengal Government’s Tourist Lodge stand above The Mall. Windamere, a cozy boarding area of the bachelor English and Scottish tea planters, was converted into a hotel in 1939. There are a number of hotels and restaurants in and around Chowrasta or The Mall. A road from The Mall leads to "Step Aside" - the house of the eminent freedom fighter Chittaranjan Das
Chittaranjan Das
Chittaranjan Das was an eminent Bengali lawyer and a major figure in the Indian independence movement.-Personal life:...
. He died in Darjeeling on 16 June 1925. The latest addition coming up is a large “Ranga Manch” (theatre) overlooking the Chowrasta.
The range on which Darjeeling is located is Y-shaped with the base resting at Katapahar
Katapahar
Katapahar is a ridge in Darjeeling town in the Indian state of West Bengal. Katapahar and Jalapahar ridges meet at Observatory Hill.The range on which Darjeeling is located is Y-shaped with the base resting at Katapahar and Jalapahar and two arms diverging north of Observatory Hill...
and Jalapahar
Jalapahar
Jalapahar is a ridge as well as a locality in the hilly town of Darjeeling in the Indian state of West Bengal. There was a British military camp in this locality in the Raj days. This ridge meets Katapahar ridge at Observatory Hill. St. Paul's School, one the oldest public schools, is located here...
and two arms diverging north from Observatory Hill. The northeastern arm dips suddenly and ends in the Lebong
Lebong
Lebong is a valley about below Darjeeling town, West Bengal, India. It is about 8 km from the Mall, the central location of Darjeeling. The valley is noted for its race course. The Lebong race course is visible from the town of Darjeeling. Lebong is also the place where initial tea plantation...
spur, while the northwestern arm passes through North Point and ends in the valley near Tukver Tea Estate
Tukver Tea Estate
Tukver Tea Estate is a tea estate near Darjeeling town in India. It was one of the first commercial tea gardens to be established in the region famous for Darjeeling tea. This estate started operating in 1850s and used seeds raised in government nurseries. Following the experimental stage,...
.