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Gompas |
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Established in 1922, the Tharpa Choling Gompa belongs to the Yellow
Hat Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, founded in the Tibet in the 14th century and to
which the Dalai Lama belongs. It's a 40 minute walk from town; take the path to
the right off KD Pradhan Rd, just before the Milk Collection and Extension Wing
Building.
Lower down the hill, the Thongsa
Gompa, of Bhutanese
Monastery, is the oldest monastery in the area and was founded in 1692. The
present building is not so old - the original was destroyed by the Gurkhas in
their rampage across Sikkim before the arrival of the British. |
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Zong Dog Palri Fo-Brang
Gompa |
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Zong Dog Palri Fo-Brang
Gompa, five km south of the town centre at the
end of the ridge, was built in the mid - 1970s at Durpin Dara Hill and was
consecrated by the Dalai Lama. There are impressive wall paintings in the prayer
room, and a rare three dimensional mandala upstairs. Mountain views are good
from Durpin Dara Hill. This area is a big military camp, but you are free to
walk or drive through it. |
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Flower Nurseries |
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Kalimpong produces 80% of India's
gladiolas and is an important orchid -
growing area; flowers are exported from here to many cities in northern India.
The Sri Ganesh Moni Pradhan Nursery and the Udai Mani Pradhan Nursery are among
the most important in the area. The Standard and the Universal Nurseries also
specialise in cacti. There's a flower festival in Kalimpong in October. |
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Sericulture Research Institute |
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Silkworms are bred and silk is produced here. It is on the road to Darjeeling
and can be visited between 9.30 am and 4 pm. |
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Dr Graham's Home |
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It takes less than an hour to walk from the town centre up through stands of
bamboo to Dr Graham's Home, which was founded in 1900 on the lower slopes of
Deole Hill. The school was established to educate the children of tea workers.
There are now 1300 students and the grounds cover 193 hectares.
Enrolment is open to all, but there is a reserve quota for
children from economically deprived backgrounds. Visitors are welcome to the
turn-of-the-century school buildings, and many people picnic in the attractive
grounds.
From the school itself, it is a 40 minute walk to the summit
of Deole Hill, where there are fine views over Kalimpong. |
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Nature Interpretation Centre |
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On Rinkinpong Rd, and run by the Soil Conservation Division of the Ministry
of Environment & Forests, the centre consists of a number of nicely put
together dioramas which depict the effects of human activity on the environment.
The centre is open daily, except Thursday, from 10 am to 4 pm; admission is
free. |
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