Tindharia : The Introvert

TindhariaorTindharay(meaning: 'Three streams') is a railway settlement town along theDarjeeling Himalayan Railway(DHR) route. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

It falls under Darjeeling district of Wesst Bengal and is situated in amongst lush green
mountains between Siliguri and Kurseong.
There is an intresting story behind this beautiful small town. It was developed during the British Raj for the purpose of railway workshop for Darjeeling Himalayan Railway or popularly known as “toy train”. The construction period lasted for about a year and was inaugurated by the Governor General of India, Mr.Lord Litton in 1880.

Initially it only served as a workshop for the Himalayan Railways and for the repair of locomotives. But trade and economy increased with each passing day and it turned into a beautiful town.

You can reach there by bus or train. I’d suggest you to take the toy train ride, because of obvious reasons. The train will show you many beautiful scenic locations and it is more fun. It will also save you the sickness you might feel in a bus ride.

There are tea gardens, parks and waterfalls to see, but that won’t charm you as much as the peace will. Here you should visit Smriti Van. It is an institution where they take care of poor and orphaned children.

People usually visit Darjeeling, leaving this small silent station behind and forgotten. But as an old man once said, “If you want smile on your face, you can go to the city, but if you want smile in your soul, you must get down at offbeat hill stations”. Okay, I admit, I totally made that up, but it is true. Thanks to Ruskin Bond’s story : Night train at Deoli, where he beautifully explains the emotions of a traveller. Someone who falls in love with the simplicity of a small, dimly lit station, and wonder what lies beyond those lines of trees. I will tell you what lies beyond the lines of trees : bliss! Ditch your urge to visit Darjeeling (it is always crowded with tourists) and get down at Tindharia. There are streams, little waterfalls and beautiful roads to walk and birds to listen to. You can sit down at a roadside tea shop and talk about life and everything else. Ask them about there life and you might end up writing an emotional article just like this!