Notes on Darjeeling

Sitting in Zoë's kitchen in North London, I can at least have a cup of tea from Darjeeling and recall that misty, almost magical place of Indian holidays.

Darjeeling feels like Nepal, except for the architectural remnants of the colonial era - the people there are predominantly Nepali, speak Nepali and consider themselves as such over being Indian even if they were born there.

There are plenty of Indian tourists escaping the heat of the plains in the cool mist of the hills; struggling with broken English to communicate with locals who speak Nepali. They aren't put off by the lack of views due to the fog and they breathe a breath of fresh cold air as a respite to the searing heat that is enveloping the rest of the country. Tea shops, cheap eateries and stalls selling cheap clothes and Tibetan jewellery line the Mall leading up to Chowrasta, a big triangular 'square' at the top of the hill. Families stroll around in that aimless manner of holidays; children and the occasional embarrassed adult, ride the ponies that loll about and people generally just sit around watching the world go by munching on cobs of corn charred on coals. The two main tourist attractions are the toy train and the tea plantations both of which I managed not to get around to in the five days that I was there. At least I will still have sights to see when I finally lay eyes on Kanchenjunga.

I did make it to a lovely temple that is both Buddhist and Hindu situated at the top of the hill from Chowrasta. The whole site is shrouded in prayer flags strung between the trees and the morning mist is illuminated by shards of sunlight. Quite magical except for the row of women begging with their children who line the path on the way. I guess their prayers are yet to be answered. Maybe by the time people are heading back down and have given a few rupees here and there to the many different people manning the various dieties and areas of prayer, the hope would be that another rupee or two would pass through hands easily. I certainly noticed in my time that locals although often disregarding beggars will also be very nonchalant about parting with small change whereas most travellers rail against the idea in principle following the advice from guide books.

Another place I visited was the Peace Pagoda. I had been particularly keen to see this as there is one in Pokhara overlooking the lake that I spent a lovely day visiting. We rowed across the lake and hiked up to the crest of the hill where you get 360 degree views. That day was overcast and the brilliant white of the pagoda illuminated by the bright blanket of cloud was blinding. It was almost like being in heaven. The stupas, as they are also called, are part of a set of pagodas around the world built by a Japanese Buddhist organisation, Nipponzan-Myōhōji. The founder Nichidatsu Fujii, inspired by Gandhi's message of peace started building these pagodas as shrines to world peace in 1947 and now there are over 80 around the globe. Many of them are in Asia so imagine my excitement when I found out there is one in Milton Keynes! I didn't think it possible that I would actually find a reason to ever go there but the universe works in mysterious ways. I have a vague notion of trying to visit all of them through my lifetime... you know, just as I'm passing...