The balmy autumn breezes and colours of Fall, are a magnet for visitors who love to travel around India’s Himalayan enclaves. Located in the Eastern Himalaya, Darjeeling holds a steadfast place in the hearts of those who have immersed themselves in its heart-stopping natural environs and the intimate engagements with its history and heritage

The remnants of its colonial trappings are still intrinsic to the charm and nostalgia with which the hill town of Darjeeling is imbued. Even first timers cannot but give in to the allure of the many adventures known, and to be known, that it offers travellers of all age groups.

A chance discovery of a beautiful, small scrap of land in the Himalayan foothills led to the establishment of a sanatorium for recuperating British soldiers and officers and their families. That’s how Darjeeling started out, before it transformed into a full-blown summer retreat for the British administration through the hot summer months of its capital city Calcutta.

An exploration of several Raj-era architectural gems, scattered across town, can be quite an eye-opener about Darjeeling’s dazzling history and heritage in colonial times. A nice way to go about this to sign up for a guided Heritage Walk. Some key points steeped in Raj nostalgia are the Planters Club, now a small hotel, Raj Bhavan of Governor’s House, Happy Valley Tea Estate, St. Andrew's Church from 1843, St. Joseph’s School, North Point from 1888, the Clock Tower and Town Hall dating to 1850, Glenary’s, Keventers and several others.