Himalayan Times (1954)

June 27, 1954

Tjir.talnnnu ILjiitts

Seven

courteous personnel in tra-
vel bureaus are the sim-
ple but efficacious fingers
which loosen the purse
strings of visitors. The
Kalimpong Chamber of
Commerce could do well
to take a cue from this
and devote more attention
upon this neglocted infant,
that is tourist [radio.
Expansion of this spells
more vehicles for trans-
port, better highways,
hotels and restaurants for
accomodation and board,
shops for stores, and
various other establish-
ments. This in turn will
bring about more inten-
sive and better manage-
ment of our cultivated
lands, for there will be
greater demand for the
produce of the fields and
orchards with improved
prices. Thus, alsoi increa-
sed employment for a!l
classes of our people will
bo achieved.

Darjeeling town, in
the peak of its develop-
ment, earned for itself
the gracious title of 'Queen
of Hill Stations'. In the
height of its glory, we
caught tho fa:nt glimmer
of the vast possibilities
to which a popular hill
station can ascend. Ka-
limpong, in my opinion,
can rise to even greater
hoights, for it holds some
definite overnll advan-
tages. It do s not suffor
the incessant fogs ancl
drizzle that are the lot of

Darjeeling during the mon-
soons, nor are its winters
so harsh as those of the
latter. The spacious resi-
dential Development Area
and the outlying cultiva-
ted 'Khas' holdings offer
a charm that is excep-
tional. Contiguous frontier
hamlets like Algarah and
Pedong provide escape
from the 'maddingcrowds',
whetting at the same time
the aesthetic temperaments
of the more artistic min-
ded: The thrill and novel-
ty of a jeep ride to Pe-
dong, via Algarah. invol-
ving encounters with mar-
ket bound villagers and
mule caravans to .and
from Tibet, must be ex-
perienced to bo fully
appreciated.

If we are to maintain
and strengthen our hold
upon visitors and tourists,
much needs tobe improved.
There is vast scope for
development For ins-
tance, there is an aban-
doned forest road from
Algarah to the ruins of
■Damsang Fort. If this
road is improved one can
reach' the historic relics,
within ten minutes of a
car ride. A littie retouch-
ing of the fort and its
precincts can convert this
locality to an attractive
'must' on every tourist's
lists.- The spot is , ideal
For ' picnicking and offers
a wealth of flora of the
Himalayan foothills. Then,
too, wo may cito the un-

rivalled panorama of .the
Teesta-Rumphoo junction
and the cinemascopie view
of the snow-clad. Hima-
layan peaks from the road
to the Munsong Cinchona
Plantations. These arfd
many such sites of h storic .
interest and scenic beauty .
could be developed and
manipulated to advantages
as 'tourist hires'.

The first need is ' for
an effecient Travel Bureau,
working in co-operation
with the Chamber of Com-
merce. Togethsr, these two
bodies could arrange for
good hotels in the town
and various forms of in-
door and outdoor enter-
tainments and games.
They could explore deve-
lope and advertire
various spots of attractions
around the district and
be responsible for correct
information, transport, ac-
comodation and othercom-
forts of tourists and visi-
tors. The most important
ind ucement a tour is! s needs
is the asfurance that' he
or she will not be-discri-
minnted aaiinst and that'
.the. trouble and .expense
they have suffered will
not bo in vain. So let
in be courteous, convivial
and condescending to all
our visitors. Let us re-
member that a rupee' is
a rupee, whether it comes
out of a 'bukhoo' or a
waist coat, and the more
of them we tFap within our
district the greater are our
chances of development.