Broadway Hotel

Dasai in detail 1

by mantru

Dashain is celebrated with great rejoice, and goddess Durga is worshiped throughout.In preparation for Dashain every home is cleansed and beautifully decorated, painted as an invitation to the mother goddess, so that she may visit and bless the house with good fortune. During this time the reunion of distant and nearby relatives occur in every household. The market is filled with shoppers seeking new clothing, gifts, luxuries and enormous supplies of temple offering for the gods, as well as foodstuffs for the family feasting.
The first day of Dashain is called Ghatasthapana, which literally means pot establishing
On this day the kalash, (holy water vessel) symbolising goddess Durga often with her image embossed on the side is placed in the prayer room. The kalash is filled with holy water and covered with cowdung on to which seeds are sown. A small rectangular sand block is made and the kalash is put in the centre. The surrounding bed of sand is also seeded with grains. The ghatasthapana ritual is performed at a certain auspicious moment determined by the astrologers. At that particular moment the priest intones a welcome, requesting goddess Durga to bless the vessel with her presence.

The kalash and the sand are sprinkled with holy water everyday and it is shielded from direct sunlight. By the tenth day, the seed will have grown to five or six inches long yellow grass. The sacred yellow grass is called 'Jamara'. It is bestowed by the elders atop the heads of those younger to them during the last five days when tika is put on. The jamara is taken as a token of Goddess Durga as well as the elders blessing.

White water rafting...want some thrill

by mantru

White Water Rafting is an adventurous sport, which is relatively new in Darjeeling Hills, having being introduced in 1991.The sport has gained tremendous popularity compelling the D.G.H.C (Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council ) Tourism and Action Adventure (P) Ltd to take up the sport in a very big way

The White Water Rafting on the river Teesta & Rangeet (Triveni), the scenic beauty of the banks , surrounding hills, its flora & fauna and sighting of several varieties of fishes is simply enchanting. A river trip is often an adventure.An amateur with a little sense of adventure can equally enjoy it.

Day visit to Mirik

by mantru

Altitude: 1767 msl
Climate: cool and temperate
Temperature:
Summer: max 29oC
Winter: max 13oC
Rainfall: 279.4 cm annually

Mirik is being developed into a hill resort,it is famous for the Sumendu lake we call it mirik jheel(jheel means lake),you can go for boating,there used to be lots of fishes in this lake i remember it from my visits when i was a child.
On the way back you can take a detour and visit Pashupati baazar market which is on the border od india and nepal.Lots of goodies avaliable but difficult to get thru coz of customs check post.
By Road: Mirik is connected by road with Siliguri, Kurseong and Darjeeling with the routes passing through stretches of great scenic beauty. Mountains of Mirik are covered by Tea Estates

Darjeeling . . classic hill station

by JohnniOmani

"Great Break"

India is home to just about every type of scenery you could ever imagine. The problem when travelling around India is not what to see but what not to include in your trip. Most people choose a section of the country and explore that area in depth. After backpacking around Nepal and Pakistan I was anxious to see the Himalayas from Indias side. It involved a huge journey that took me on a 16 hr train ride north from Calcutta to Siliguri in West Bengal followed by a 5 hr jeep ride to Darjeeling in the far north. Darjeeling is a typical hillstation but the journey is well worth it. It is near Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan and is home to a huge Tibetan population. The journey through the mountains is unforgettable as you pass through hills, mountains and valleys while following in the footsteps of the toy train. Darjeeling itself is a growing city but the views from neighbouring Tiger Hill are incredible. The north of India can hold its own with any other country and the entire experience was fantastic.