Kurseong or Kharsang, which means the Land of White Orchids in lepcha language, is a scenic and serene hill-station situated almost mid-way between Siliguri and Darjeeling. Apart from being a beautiful and dreamy destination, what appeals most to the travelers is that the town is believed to have an eerie side to it, lending a mysterious angle to the already picturesque place. A perfect go-to place for tourists who love nature and thrills.
It was in December 2018 that we planned for a day trip to Kurseong from Siliguri. It takes roughly 2 hours to reach, however for us it took a little longer as we decided to stop for breakfast alongside the road.
We decided to first visit the famous heritage schools: Dow Hills Girl’ School & Victoria Boys’ School. Dow Hills school is more than a century old (founded in 1879) and is a heritage property. Initially started as a co-ed school, boys’ section was later shifted to Victoria Boys’ School in 1888, a kilometer away from Dow Hills Girls’ school. The colonial British structures, line of pine trees and the foggy weather added to the ethereal beauty of the place.
And with this comes the paranormal part…😊😊
The entire stretch and the adjoining forest area is said to be haunted. People recount the stories of a headless ghost wandering in the road between Dow Hills and the Forest Office, infamously known as the Death Road. If the locals are to be believed, it is said that the forest area has a malevolent presence of its own. There are also stories of the typical feeling of being watched in the forest area, loud footsteps and sounds of laughter in Victoria School especially when the school is closed from December to March.
Some believe and some don’t but almost all will agree that these tales are instant crowd pullers and do trigger a different kind of interest in travelers.
Our next stop was Dow Hills Eco Park. The park although small was well maintained. However more than adults, it would be the children who would enjoy the park. The park also functions as a breeding center for barking deer and luckily enough, we could spot a few.
View from Kurseong Tourist Lodge
The trip cannot be complete without visiting the observation tower - Eagle’s Craig. The place offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the mighty Kanchendzonga range, the famous Makaibari tea gardens and the valleys, needless to say that the beauty amplifies manifold during a sunrise or a sunset. At this point, we were famished, and it was time for some good food. The next point was thereby Kurseong Tourist Lodge, a guesthouse maintained by WB Tourism. The lobby and the dining area had all-over wooden paneling making it look cozy and comfortable. The place left us happy as the food was good and the view outside was lovely.
The final stop was at the famous and exotic tea lounge, Margaret’s Deck. It is a suspended structure built on Margaret Hope Tea Garden, an initiative by Goodricke Group. The top down view of the tea garden is captivating. You will get the finest variety of Darjeeling tea here and as for us; we ordered two pots of first flush Darjeeling tea and purchased some more too. A tea person or not, the place deserves a visit just for the pure visual delight.
There is a heart-wrenching story attached to this place, which explains how Margaret’s Hope got its name. Margaret, an 8 year old daughter of the plantation owner Mr. Cruikshank, came to visit her father and fell in love with the estate. Before she went back to England, she promised to come back, but sadly, the wish remained unfulfilled as the little girl fell ill on her return journey and passed away. A grieving father renamed the garden as Margaret’s Hope in 1927 in the memory of his daughter. Rumors has it that the spirit of Margaret still visits the estate.
Spooky or not, this place is hypnotic and mesmerizing and is definitely worth a visit.