Lepchajagat - the hidden beauty

Amidst all the speculations and controversies about the tumultuous political situation of Darjeeling hills, we started off for lepchajagat. The train as usual took a half an hour more to reach NJP, and the pathetic condition of hillcart road also forced us to change our estimation. But we never complained. Since what we had planned to do in lepchajagat is complete non-activity. The sleepy serene hamlet offers complete isolation from the heckling hoteliers and some tightly scheduled sight scene tours otherwise associated with any Darjeeling trip.
Getting a good sleep in the train has always been a problem for me. So just when I was feeling a bit drowsy inside the bus, the loud shouts of the conductor took me out of my nap. We disembarked at Ghoom, and as usual found it wrapped in its trademark mist. There were no taxis around, so we were preparing to wait for the Sukhia bound bus, but luckily a maruti Omni came out of the fog and a quick bargain later we were off towards lepchajagat. The surroundings changed almost magically. The unplanned commercial and urban settlements, which always tend to crowd the hilly slopes in an ugly way, disappeared, giving way to the sky-high dhupi and hemlock trees and as we moved ahead they grew in population. The 8 km road finished in a jiffy, and a short by-lane from the main road took us into some more thick foliage and to our destination, the lepchajagat forest rest house, maintained by WBFDC.

Unfortunately the rain started in no time. So after freshen up almost inevitably we ordered for the ‘Khichudi’. The kitchen staffs were also expecting that and even in their usual laid back style they managed everything within the next one hour. After a refreshing lunch, a stroll through the forest path around the rest house would have been ideal, however the shower outside ensured we keep ourselves confined to the rest house. So we huddled inside our quilt and went for the next best thing possible, a siesta.
After the fresh shower, even the mid summer evening drew in with a chill good enough to give our teeth chatter. So I piled up on every piece of warm clothing I had, and made my way to the terrace and what I saw was absolutely breathtaking. The entire Darjeeling town, just on the opposite hill, with all its glitzy lights was dazzling like a diamond in the dark. The stars were also shining bright on the clear sky, and at an elevation of 7000 ft, I felt like touching the stars. Mr. Tamang the manager of the rest house also predicted ‘Kal to bahut accha dikhega’, which basically meant we could see a great view of the mighty Kanchendzonga, tomorrow.
The next morning we wake up at around 4.30 a.m. beating even the local birds. It was still dark and the rolling hills and the surrounding foliage was looking at its surreal best. The deafening silence also accentuated the mystery. Slowly the sun came out and as soon as the crimson rays fell on the Kanchendzonga range, the magic begun. The next 30 minutes or so was our turn to get mesmerized by the amazing beauty of the mighty Himalayas. Slowly the snow peaks turned from pink to orange to gold and then the whole range came out in its dazzling white attire. The Kanchendzonga, Kabru, Kumbhakarna all were tantalizingly close looking ethereal against a clear blue sky. No matter how many times you have watched this spectacle, this always comes up with an unprecedented beauty. We stood transfixed there, watching this absolutely breathtaking phenomenon. So it was once again up to Mr. Tamang to show some of his managerial skills and to bring us out of our reverie. Our bed tea was getting cold!

After a lazy Sunday brunch, we set out for Mirik. Buses ply regularly between Darjeeling and Mirik, via lepchajagat. We got into one such bus. I have always believed as long as you don’t mind being crowded by the local people, bamboo baskets and kerosene cans, a bus journey is always more vibrant than in a hired car. We got the seat beside the driver, who incidentally turned out to be quite a friendly guy. We had a nice chat going, till some steep climb and sharp bends after Sukhia made him concentrate deeply on his driving. The road to Mirik runs mainly through forest area, with some scattered villages en route. Glimpses of life weren’t missing though on those remote villages. The bright sunshine ensured the kids come out on the road with their footballs, and the music lovers strum on their guitar sitting beside the road.
Mirik Lake was a disappointment however. The lake is not breathtakingly beautiful, so to make it more presentable the waterfront and the bridge that spans the lake need a facelift. The entire town was teeming with weekend tourists and the shacks beside the lake were doing a brisk business during the high season. We meandered aimlessly alongside the lake, savoring some delicious momo and then returned back to lepchajagat.

The next morning once again we wake up early in the morning expecting another breathtaking sunrise. However that was not to be. We found lepchajagat in a totally different mood. It was draped in thick fog and the visibility was almost zero.
So instead of going into terrace and craving for the snow peaks, I chose to ramble around the village, and slowly I realized lepchajagat with its misty mood is even more attractive than in a sunny day! With the thick fog around, the rustle of leaves, the shrill cry of an unknown bird, or the yell of a kid here and there, were creating a more surreal effect than usual. I felt I could wander around for hours, till the rain came down, forcing me to run for the shelter.
We returned to the plains via Darjeeling that day, but well before reaching Siliguri, I realized I would come back to lepchajagat once more for a tryst with the nature.
It’s really wondering how could this place, a mere 16 km away from Darjeeling, has been able to keep its pristine beauty alive. May be due to the emergence of Lava-Lolaygaon as more popular and touristy destination has ensured lepchajagat remains out of the usual tourist track. If that is the case, then it certainly is a blessing in disguise for the nature lovers.