Kalimpong

Until the mid-19th century,the area around Kalimpong was ruled intermittently by the Sikkimese and Bhutanese kingdoms.Present-day Kalimpong is believed to have once been the forward position of the Bhutanese in the 18th century,overlooking the Teesta Valley.The area was sparsely populated by the indigenous Lepcha community and migrant Bhutia and Limbu tribes.The arrival of Scottish missionaries saw the construction of schools and welfare centres for the British.Rev. W. Macfarlane in the early 1870s established the first schools in the area.The Scottish University Mission Institution was opened in 1886, followed by the Kalimpong Girls High School.In 1900, Reverend J.A. Graham founded the Dr. Graham's Homes for destitute Anglo-Indian students.By 1907, most schools in Kalimpong also started offering education to Indian students.By 1911, the population had swelled to 7,880.

Following India's independence in 1947, Kalimpong became part of the state of West Bengal, after Bengal was partitioned between India and Pakistan.With China's annexation of Tibet in 1959, many Buddhist monks fled Tibet and established monasteries in Kalimpong.These monks also brought many rare Buddhist scriptures with them. In 1962,the permanent closure of the Jelepla Pass after the Sino-Indian War led to a slowdown in Kalimpong's economy, which relied heavily in trade between Tibet and India.In 1976, the visiting Dalai Lama consecrated the Zang Dhok Palri Phodang monastery, which houses many of the scriptures.

The town centre is located on a ridge connecting two hills,Deolo Hill and Durpin Hill, at an elevation of 1,247 m or 4,091 ft.Deolo, the highest point in Kalimpong, has an altitude of 1,704 m or 5,590 ft and Durpin Hill is at an elevation of 1,372 m or 4,501 ft.As of 2001 India census, Kalimpong had a population of 42,980.Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Kalimpong has an average literacy rate of 79%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 73%. In Kalimpong, 8% of the population is under 6 years of age.The River Teesta flows in the valley below and separates Kalimpong from the state of Sikkim.The Shiwalik Hills, like most of the Himalayan foothills, have steep slopes and soft, loose topsoil, leading to frequent landslides in the monsoon season.The hills are nestled within higher peaks and the snow-clad Himalayan ranges tower over the town in the distance.Mount Kanchenjunga at 8,591 m or 28,185 ft the world's third tallest peak, is clearly visible from Kalimpong.

Kalimpong has five distinct seasons- spring, summer, autumn, winter and the monsoons.Summers are mild, with the highs usually never crossing 30 °C or 86 °F, and last between May and June.Summers are followed by the monsoon rains which lash the town between June and September.The monsoons are severe, often causing landslides which sequester the town from the rest of India.Winter lasts from December to February, with the maximum temperature being around 15 °C or 59 °F.During the monsoon and winter seasons, Kalimpong is often enveloped by fog The annual temperature ranges from a high of 30 °C to a low of -4 °C or 25 °F.

Farming on terraced slopes is a major source of livelihood for its rural populace and it supplies the town with fruits and vegetables.Education used to be the primary driver of the economy of the town but in recent years its contributions to the economy have stagnated.Many establishments cater to the Indian army base near the town, providing it with essential supplies.Small contributions to the economy come by the way of the sale of traditional arts and crafts of Sikkim and Tibet.Government efforts related to sericulture, seismology, fisheries etc. provide a steady source of employment to many of its residents.Kalimpong is well known for its flower export industry-especially for its wide array of indigenous orchids and gladioli.The Indian government's proposal to reopen the Nathula and Jelepla passes in April 2006 will significantly boost the economy, as Kalimpong lies on historic trade routes.

The economic mainstay of Kalimpong is its many schools. These schools besides imparting education to the locals also cater to a significant number of students from the plains, the neighbouring state of Sikkim and also foreign countries such as Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Thailand.Besides providing livelihood to those directly involved with education, such as teachers, paying guest-keepers and other school staff, they also provide a good source of income to book sellers, hawkers, canteen wallahs, restaurant owners, garment sellers and drivers. In fact during the winters when schools shut for vacations, the economy of the town goes into a low scale hibernation mode.

The area around Kalimpong lies in the Eastern Himalayas, which is classified as an ecological hotspot, one of only three among the Ecoregions of India.Acacia is the most commonly found specie at lower altitudes, while Cinnamon, ficus, bamboo, cacti and Cardamom, are found in the hillsides around Kalimpong.The forests found at higher altitudes are made up of pine trees and other evergreen alpine vegetation.Seven species of rhododendrons are found in the region east of Kalimpong.The temperate deciduous forests include oak, birch, maple and alder.Three hundred species of orchid are found around Kalimpong, and Poinsettia and sunflower are some of the wild species that line the roads of Kalimpong.

The Red Panda, Himalayan Black Bear, Clouded Leopard, Siberian Weasel, Asiatic black bear, barking deer, Himalayan Tahr, goral, gaur and pangolin are some of the fauna found near Kalimpong.Avifauna of the region include the Himalayan Griffon Vulture, Monal pheasant, hornbills, Black Baza, Besra, Eurasian Sparrowhawks and the Kalij Pheasant.Kalimpong also has over forty-six nurseries which mainly cultivate gladioli.