Takdah - A beautiful Mountain Village Near Darjeeling...! Like to avoid visiting congusted hill towns like Darjeeling ? But still like lovely mountains & views of snow peaks, the lush tea gardens, blooming orchids, the walking trails through the coniferous pine forests on mountain slopes ? Then Takdah can be a perfect place for stay. Many may not know about this small hamlet, a hidden treasure , b
ecause it's yet to be developed as a popular tourism hub. Takdah ia located at an altitude of about 5000 ft some 28 kms away from Darjeeling maun town, Yet far enough to be isolated, in calm, serene and very peaceful ambience. Although the altitude is much lower than Darjeeling Town, the place is cooler then compared to its surrounding areas. The original name was pronounced as 'Tukdah' which is a Lepcha word meaning mist or Fog. And the name is aptly given as the place often remains covered with Fog. So what can you expect? Misty meandering roads, chirping of birds nature trails passing through dense pine forests, sound and sight of fountains streams coming down the slope every few yards you walk- this is what Takdah is all about. Takdah was once started as a military cantonment during the British Colonial days in early 1900's. During those days' many senior British Officers frequently visited this place. And therefore many Bungalows and houses came up here for their accommodations. Those houses were build in Traditional British architecture with slanted Roofs. Takdah Cantonment, as the name signifies, was a British cantonment before the independence of India. It was the destination for many British officers of high rank from all over India. After independence, like many other towns and villages, Takdah was abandoned by the new orders. It was only recently that people really started to settle down in this area. Though the Britishers are long gone, we can still find the beautiful structures erected during the British era. The marvel of Takdah lies in the old, abandoned club house which is just a km away from the town. In comparison to its surrounding, the town is on a higher altitude giving way to cedar trees and is much colder than the towns surrounding it. Takdah is the headquarters of the Rangli Rangliot development block. Takdah Cantonment has an orchid center where a variety of rare Himalayan orchids are cultivated. This center has been the favourite of tourists visiting Takdah. The nearest tea gardens are Rungli, Giele and Teesta Valley tea gardens. The main junction of Takdah is called Dara Dokan. A weekly market, held every Thursday, is a sight worth watching as people from all the nearby villages come to shop their weekly needs. The town of Darjeeling is 30 km away and Takdah is well connected with Darjeeling with buses and jeeps plying constantly. Takdah is Centrally located place in Darjeeling District. Darjeeling town is just one hour drive and Siliguri (NJP, Bagdogra) is 3 hours drive, Duars is 4, Sikkim is 3 and Kalimpong is 2 hours drive respectively.
