Darjeeling

Darjeeling, located in West Bengal, is a hill station nestled in the Eastern Himalayas, famous for its scenic beauty and tea plantations. Originally inhabited by indigenous Lepcha, Bhutia, and Limbu communities, it was part of the Kingdom of Sikkim before being invaded and annexed by the Gorkhas from Nepal in the late 18th century.

After the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-1816), the British East India Company took control of the land and in 1835 formally leased Darjeeling from the Sikkimese ruler. The British developed it as a sanatorium and summer retreat, introducing extensive tea plantations starting in the 1840s, which became world-renowned. Over time, Darjeeling grew as a popular tourist destination, earning the nickname "Queen of the Hills."

Following Indian independence in 1947, Darjeeling became part of West Bengal. The area saw Tibetan refugee settlement after 1950 and experienced political tensions in the 1980s with movements for a separate state of Gorkhaland, eventually leading to the establishment of autonomous regional bodies for local governance. Today, Darjeeling is noted for its cultural diversity, colonial heritage, picturesque landscapes, and tea industry, drawing visitors from around the world.