Geography
[edit]
View of downtown Kurseong in the early evening.
8km5milesSIKKIMNEPAL]Balason River\MahanandaRiver[Teesta RiverNPMahanandaWildlifeSanctuaryTEMargaret’s Hope TETEMakaibari TETEJungpana TETEGoomtee TETECastleton TETEBalasun TETELopchu TETEGlenburn TEMKurseongCTCart RoadRAmbootiaRSevokeRSittongRSimulbari TGRGiddapaharRTindhariaRSuknaRRohini TGRMonteviot TGRMangpuRLongview TGRTeesta Valley TGRPeshok TGRTakdahRRangli Rangliot   Places and tea estates in the north-eastern portion of Darjeeling Sadar subdivision (including Rangli Rangliot CD block) and Kurseong subdivision in Darjeeling districtCT: census town, R: rural/ urban centre, N: neighbourhood, H: hill centre, NP: national park/ wildlife sanctuary, TE: tea estate, TA: tourist attractionAbbreviations used in names – TG for Tea Garden (town/village), TE for Tea EstateOwing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly
Location[edit]
Night view of Kurseong town and Tindharia as viewed from Siliguri
Kurseong is located at 26°52′40″N 88°16′38″E / 26.87778°N 88.27722°E / 26.87778; 88.27722.
Area overview[edit]
The map alongside shows the eastern portion of the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region and a small portion of the terai region in its eastern and southern fringes, all of it in the Darjeeling district. In the Darjeeling Sadar subdivision 61.00% of the total population lives in the rural areas and 39.00% of the population lives in the urban areas. In the Kurseong subdivision 58.41% of the total population lives in the rural areas and 41.59% lives in the urban areas. There are 78 tea gardens/ estates (the figure varies slightly according to different sources), in the district, producing and largely exporting Darjeeling tea. It engages a large proportion of the population directly/ indirectly. Some tea gardens were identified in the 2011 census as census towns or villages. Such places are marked in the map as CT (census town) or R (rural/ urban centre). Specific tea estate pages are marked TE.
Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the subdivision. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.
Sights[edit]
Coelogyne cristata, the white orchid from Kurseong
Kurseong Railway Station
Kurseong is surrounded by a myriad of tea gardens. These include Castleton, Makaibari, Ambootia, although Castleton and Ambootia do not give tours.
The tracks of the 'Darjeeling Toy Train' run the length of the town, and the station is the nucleus of the town.
Religious sites[edit]
The Ambootia Shiva Temple.
Giddha Pahar Sita Ram Mandir
Giddah Pahar Durga Mata Mandir.
Jagdish Mandir - The Jagdish temple has very old idols (almost 300 years old) of Lord Jagannath (Lord Krishna). The specialty of this temple is that there are two idols of Lord Jagannath (Krishna).
Shree Shyam Mandir- Just behind the Jagdish Mandir temple there is a magnificent temple devoted to Shree Shyam Baba which is almost 200 years old.
St. Pauls Church on Hill Cart Road, near St. Joseph's School.
Buddhist Gompa (monastery) in Monteviot.
Kunsang Choiling Monastery at Upper Naya Busty.
Juma Mosque in Hat Bazaar.
Grotto and Catholic church in St. Mary's Hill.
Sath Kaniya Devi Mandir at Uzari Busty Ward No 19 P B Road
Natural sites[edit]
Dow Hill School in Kurseong
Eagle's Craig. It is situated in the centre of the town and is a viewpoint from which there are views of the tea estates, surrounding mountains, hills, hamlets, and slopes. It also has a water reservoir that supplies water to the adjacent areas, an observatory or watchtower, a small flower garden with a variety of flowers, and a cafeteria serving local organic hand-picked tea.
Rock garden. the tip of the valley.
Deer Park - now known as Dowhill Park, on the Dowhill Road.
The Kholas (Water Falls - Springs) like Whistle Khola (named by the British, as there is a bend and the toy train whistles when passing through it). It is also known as Hussel Khola (means river in the local language). Although relatively dry during the dry months of winter, it comes alive during the monsoon season.[citation needed]
The Kettle Valley
Museums[edit]
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Museum and NSC Bose Institute of Asiatic Studies, hosted in the house of his elder brother, Sarat Chandra Bose, are situated in the Giddhapahar area (5 to 10 minutes drive from the Railway station). Netaji was interned in this house by the British government in the late thirties. The house now displays priceless artifacts depicting the life of the freedom fighter[promotion?]. These include photocopies of the exchange of letters between Netaji and his would-be wife, Ms. Emilie, many rare photographs of his Indian National Army (INA), other memorabilia of the Indian Freedom Movement and a few personal belongings of Netaji and the Bose Family.[citation needed]
Other sites[edit]
Chimney, the heritage British structure in Kurseong
Chimney: A walk or ride through the forest of Cryptomaria Japonica on the road, now called Aranya Sarani, leads to open meadows at Chimney. The curious name of the place is reminiscent of the days when there was a bungalow here on the only road (Old Military Road) leading to Darjeeling. A long, dilapidated chimney, standing all alone, is the only remnant of the bungalow now.[citation needed]
Naya Busty Park: Located just above the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Museum.
All India Radio Kurseong: Broadcasting station operated by All India Radio for its Nepali language radio station - Akashvani Kurseong.
