[ABHI_1512]

The every day mundane was getting too much on the nerves. The daily traffic was taking it's toll- both on the mind as well as the machine. Some patchy six month's went by without any notice amidst some really unexpected developments. The mind was wandering off every now and then but there was no place to go to !!

One fine day we decided that the August Independence Day weekend needs to be of some help to the wandering minds. So, off I went, in search of a place. But little did I know, there were more desperate wandering minds who had booked every inch of place in and around seven hundred kilometers radius of Calcutta during that very weekend. Every where I looked, they said- no vacancy SIR !!

I had heard so many refusals that I stopped enquiring altogether for some days. Then came the month of August itself. Took one deep breadth and started to look for something, one last time. I was sure that I won't find anything but still hoped for some good fortune.

After some refusals as usual, found a ray of hope from a place I least expected. But wait, there was a catch. The owner of the place offered me a room which was actually a four bedded one. In my desperation, I booked it without giving it a second thought. This was a homestay in the hills and which was previously visited by many BHPians. Had heard all the good things about the place and so, by sheer luck and out of nowhere, this homestay came into the picture. And hence began the story of Little Forest- the name of the glorious homestay. I had first heard about this place from BHPian Golam Hossain and it stayed in the mind.

Now, since it was a four bedded room, I sounded out another friend of mine who was also on the look out for a place in the hills. He agreed after due consultations and so, we finally had a place to look forward to. The excitement of driving upto the hills after long is something, that I cherish. Subhro drove his Kia Seltos for this trip.

Some pictures to start with :

[ABHI_1512]

So, our destination was just beside the MIM tea estate near to Sukhiapokhri- a small hamlet near Darjeeling. The route was a little different this time though. We decided to take the Mirik route instead of the shorter Ghoom route, just to see the picturesque roads amidst the tea gardens. Besides, it's been ages since I last drove on this route.



We started late after office hours but got delayed somewhat because of some crazy traffic. It took around an hour or more just to get past the dreaded Santragachi bridge, turned out it was a combination of a broken down trailer and some heavy rain, which had created the traffic nightmare. The Howrah Traffic police guys though, worked super hard in incessant rain and cleared the traffic after removing the trailer from the bridge. Once on the highway, we were welcomed by another massive grid lock and this was also created due to a broken down truck, talk about co incidences !

Nevertheless, we finally managed to reach our designated food stop on the Old Delhi Road. After a delightful dinner, it was close to midnight when we were finally started for Mirik. NH 34 OR NH12 as it is now known, is an 'almost' stress free route to Siliguri now. All the major bypasses have opened, only the part from Barasat to Barajaguli needs to be complete and that is why the 'almost' part in the earlier sentence. And that almost part can also be bypassed by using either Kalyani expressway or the old Delhi road.



It was the eve of Independence Day and so the colours of the flag were present everywhere. The dinner place was embellished all over by tri-colour balloons and some fancy lighting depicting the colours. Thankfully, the food was kept to their usual colours



We reached Mirik after driving through the night. The roads were good till Dalkhola but once we were on NH 31, all hell broke loose. It was a veritable death trap for motorists with huge craters and the top surface scraped off fully at many places. I was thanking my stars that we did not have to cross that stretch in the night. I wonder why NHAI takes tolls for this road at all when they can't even keep the road motorable !!



The nightmarish road crossed over and after encountering another traffic mess near the Mirik Lake because of the Independence Day function, we finally stopped for our breakfast. The traffic was crawling due to the sheer number of people beside the road and the parked vehicles. This was another of lovely looking restaurant beside the Mirik lake and run by Goodricke group of companies. Yes, the same management that runs the famed 'Margaret's Deck' at Kurseong. This one is named Tea by the Lake and is delightfully well maintained property which serves some great food amidst the beautiful ambiance. The best part is the ample parking space. A space for car parking is a luxury that few can afford in the hills and that too in a place like Mirik.





















The food was great and we had a wonderful time at the restaurant. The sandwiches were great and so were the delightfully fluffy carrot cake and brownie. Spent a good amount of time here, blissfully unaware of what was in store for us ahead. The roads were great after Siliguri and the weather was clear too, presenting itself in clear blue skies.

[ABHI_1512]

We had to move towards Ghoom crossing Sukhia bazaar and then take a left turn towards MIM tea estate, in order to reach the homestay. Sukhia pokhri is also the place from where one takes the road towards Sandakphu. The famous Land-rovers still rule that famed route.





After negotiating some usual bazaar crowd at Sukhia, we moved towards the Y junction towards MIM phatak. And soon we were on our way to the homestay amidst the clear blue skies. While talking to the locals at Mirik, they mentioned that it usually rained heavily during the night but got clear blue skies during the day.







As soon as we took the road towards our homestay, the road got narrower and the surface also deteriorated gradually. the effects of heavy rain soon started to show up when we encountered fallen trees over the road and road surface completely washed away, leaving only the gravel and stones to show up





The winding road through lush green forest finally led us to the point from where the final uphill drive to homestay would start. This one kilometer of road is extremely narrow and little steep to start with and the final 100 meters is little bit more steeper. One has to maintain certain momentum to reach the top for a front wheel drive car and it is okay.





By the time we reached the homestay, it was already three in the evening. After the overnight drive, everyone needed some shut eye. We were served a hot lunch, neatly served in casseroles and the variety was incredible, for an homestay. Some well cooked food after, everyone took the much needed rest while I ventured outside for some walk around the property. The homestay is nestled among the pine trees and sits atop a sloping hillock.















The evening was spent nicely with some garden fresh tea from the nearby garden while the conversations flowed nicely along. We took the dinner early, the place has a complete leisure vibe all around. One can't but laze around





The temperature went down a little and it almost felt like the Calcutta winters. The altitude gain was evident from this piece of bliss

[ABHI_1512]

Next day, I woke up at five in the morning. Somehow, I always end up rising pretty early while being in the hills and that too, without the help of any alarm. I haven't found the reason for it yet but it definitely feels good. Went downstairs and was wondering around the property. Just as I was about to go further down, saw the sunlight in full glory and the weather clearing up fully, revealing a sight that was magical.





Well, it was the peak of Kanchenjunga which was slowly getting out in full glory. Immediately, went back to the cottage and woke everybody up. I wouldn't have wanted them to miss this magical sight. In fact, one can almost see the 'Sleeping Buddha' sight that is so very synonymous with Sandakphu. For the next few hours, we all just enjoyed the view, the nature playing itself out in the full magnificent aura.









Later on, our morning tea was served. The sheer experience of sipping a hot cuppa of Darjeeling tea while looking at the majestic peak of Kanchenjunga is a match made in heaven. One should experience it to realise what exactly I am talking about.









We simply couldn't take our eyes off of the mountains till the call for the breakfast came for us. The breakfast was the mix of the usual suspects and the special of the hills- maggi and some more. There is something that entwines maggi with the hills, whoever thought of this first must be some kind of a sorcerer



The day was bright and sunny and we all decided to talk a walk after the breakfast, around the MIM tea estate downstairs. There was this little monastery as well to look forward to.



We started off in a staggered manner. I went first as usual, the ladies started behind me while someone else was busy taking calls from the office.

Now, at first it was all good as we moved towards MIM tea estate. But then, the road continued to go downhill. Upon talking with the locals, got to know that it would take almost half an hour of walking downhill to reach the factory of the MIM tea estate. The ladies decided not to pursue further since the climb back up would be strenuous. I somehow was carrying a trekking stick with me for no reason, I usually don’t but somehow took it on that particular day. And boy, did that help !!






The first thing what struck me while taking the walk, was the presence of a metal chair in the middle of nowhere beside the road. Once I read what was written on the chair, it was clear that those chairs have been put by people in the memory of their loved ones. And I found many such chairs during my walk. These chairs actually helped the people take some rest before walking downwards or upwards.







It was fun while climbing down the broken roads and to see how the little hamlet surrounded by tea gardens looked from the eyes of an outsider like me. Another aim of going down the road, was to see the Yule Tea Retreat- a boutique tea resort run by Andrew Yule- the same company that owns the MIM tea estate. I had heard some great things about the place and hence wanted to have a look. The below picture shows the Yule tea retreat, its bang in the middle of the tea garden and the bungalow is more than 100 years old.



I went on, the sun was blazing in all its glory and finally I reached the point where the factory gates were visible from a distance. Few locals I met while going down were amused and told me in Hindi - upar jaane mein taklif hogaa. They were obviously surprised to see someone with a trekking stick going down the road on their regular route. And trust me, when I looked up, I was actually way down the slope !

[ABHI_1512]

The uphill walk back was really tough. In my eagerness, I went down for around two kilometers or so. The factory was further down the cobbled road and I stopped myself from going further since my ageing knees would have given up midway otherwise !!



I started the return with gusto. So much so, that one worker returning from the factory was amused. I was happy though since I found a co walker and he also knew some short cuts too. But the short cuts were enough to test the fitness levels of me. The short cuts went through the tea gardens and hence the gradients were steeper. Soon, my co worker who was maintaining a steady speed, was past me and I was exhausted somewhat. Sat down in that very chair that I mentioned in the post earlier.







After some really pensive moments, I finally managed to come back near the homestay where everybody else were waiting. We went to the little monastery next and it involved climbing down some stairs too.





The monastery was manned by a single monk, who incidentally, was praying at that hour. Cool winds blew through the prayer flags while the sky was pristine blue, it created a blur, a moment of absolute silence and the only sound you heard was from the fluttering of the prayer flags.









We sat there for some time in silence, soaking in the atmosphere. Some minutes of silence after, we were soon at the homestay again, just in time for the lunch. We were really famished after the long walk back and it was time to devour the lunch. We actually looked forward to the lunch since we knew what was in the menu



Yes, mutton curry was in the menu and it tasted heavenly. The natural water of the hills along with the organic way of cooking, all combined to make one delicious meal which we simply loved. The food was the highlight of our stay and we couldn't emphasize it further.







This was going to be the last evening in the hills before we went downhill next day. The wonderful Prashant- the local boy who catered to all of us, proposed an idea when he overheard us of having a barbequed chicken dish. And, he surprised us totally !!

He presented a wine tasting session for all of us. The ingenuity of the idea and it's implementation was so perfect that we couldn't but marvel. We liked few of them and ordered some bottles for our journey back home. The evening was spent well and we decided to visit the place sooner, may be the next winter.



The dinner followed soon after, the usual staple of rotis and curries, and some more. After dinner, we even had a karaoke session with Prashant. He is always smiling with a song on his lips. There was not a single moment when he is not singing and smiling. Finding happiness in what one is doing is a difficult thing to achieve but one who does that has no parallel.







I wandered around the property for a while before going back to sleep. The very thought of coming back from the hills is a depressing one. Nevertheless, We had some amazing time at the place.

[ABHI_1512]

The day of going back to the plains beaconed. Following the same drill as the day before, I woke up early again. And the majestic Kanchenjunga did not disappoint, again. The morning was even better than the day before since I was awake, expecting the sunrise. So, for the next half an hour or so, it was a 'main aur meri tanhai' moment for me. The rest of the gang soon joined and we had the majestic Kanchenjunga in full glory, right in front of us. This whole moment of seeing the Kanchenjunga in front of us while sipping the Darjeeling tea has now turned into some kind of a ritual for many, which often results in disappointments and heartbreak when the mountain range is not visible.













The breakfast was quick and fast. We bade goodbyes to the wonderful people of Little Forest Homestay and promised to be back again. Prashant- the wonder boy even posed with us for a delightful picture. He will remain the heart of the property and the way he orchestrated the whole show is simply stupendous.





We were to move towards the Dooars area since we had found our next stay while on the lookout for something. Our next destination was Batabari tourism property run by the West Bengal Government. The property is located near Gorumara National Park and was an ideal stopover before our onwards journey to Calcutta. Now, the shorter route through Peshok road was closed due to road closure at NH10 near Teesta Bazaar. So we had to take the longer route through Siliguri and Sevoke to reach Gorumara.



The weather was clear and blue skies accompanied us till we connected to the road towards Ghoom. As soon as we reached Ghoom, rains and dense fog welcomed us. The dense fog continued till we were on the outskirts of Kurseong. Just before Kurseong, we thought of stopping at Margaret's deck tea lounge for some tea and snacks but to our utter dismay, the place was overflowing with people and there was a waiting list as well. Beat a hasty retreat and soon we were crossing Rohini and on towards Siliguri.















We stopped for our lunch at one of our favourite places on this route. Ordered for the best thing that is found in these parts- the juiciest momos.

[ABHI_1512]

By the time we finished our lunch, it was evening already with the daylight fading. The travel to Batabari tourist lodge was uneventful and without any surprises, with the road conditions being top notch.



One additional bit of information which is a great takeaway from the trip is that the erstwhile ‘Pathasathi’ motels developed by the state government are getting a makeover. I saw properties at Sukna and Lataguri getting refurbished and almost complete. Best part is, they will run under a new name and a new management. I think it will be the same management or may be a franchise which runs Flury’s since the iconic board was truly stood out on top.

Batabari complex was neatly laid out and the cottages were nice. Only bummer, the cottages were too far off from the main restaurant and reception area. Although, the service was great and food was even better.







Our evening was spent reminiscing about the two previous evenings. Only few hours back we were in a place where the room did not even had a ceiling fan and here we were, sitting and chatting while the air conditioner was blasting away trying to keep us cool !!









Anyways, a short weekender was done and dusted as we prepared ourselves to leave early in the morning for our return journey. The staff at the tourist lodge told us about the impending visit of the state tourism minister next day morning. That made our morning breakfast, a little more interesting



Next day morning, we started our journey at around 9.30 after having the breakfast: The staff were running heater skelter due to the visit and it was prudent that we left before the minister came. We stopped for some photos amidst the lush green Gorumara corridor. This stretch of road is one of the most scenic two laned road one can see.







Rest of the journey back to Calcutta was straight forward but not before we had to cross the dreaded NH31 which has crumbled like anything with moon craters dotting some stretches. Lunch was at our routine stop- Banaphool Dhaba and the mutton tasted just as it should- great.

We reached Calcutta by around 11 in the night after getting stuck on the highway for some time. It was gracious of my friend Subhro and his better half to accompany us for this trip. We had a wonderful time together. The Little Forest Homestay would really need some more visits from us, pretty soon. The time spent there was really memorable. The heart yearns for another hill trip soon. Leaving a shot of Kanchenjunga as I wrap this write up. Till next time, cheers

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Dibyendu Bose]

As usual a wonderful wonderful account of your trip. Your travelogues are always a cut above….what differentiates it, is that i always put myself in your shoes and have a vicarious enjoyment. The pictures also are of a very high quality.

This atrocious condition of the NH after Kishanganj is featuring in all vlogs, not for days, but for months together. Any idea when repairs are going to start?

Also, can you suggest a good home stay after Raiganj/ Kishanganj but a little before Bagdogra where one can have a comfortable night halt, after a days drive from Kolkata. (A hotel will not do as I have a pet with me). I want to limit my days drive to around 450 km

[Sandman689]

Brilliant little travelogue Abhi da!

Some of these shots that you've presented here are spectacular to say the least.

The pot-holed roads that you've shown are bringing back very bad memories. I would say that the conditions could have been worse.

North Bengal during the monsoons has a beauty of its own.

[Neversaygbye]

Wow, what a beautiful place! To be honest, I had never heard of Mim Tea Estate before and after seeing your pics and description, I am feeling the urge to start for it immediately!

Among all the photos of food and drink, the one that stood out for me was the wine sampler. When I used to live in Delhi, on every trip to Shimla, Kasauli and the like, I would always pick up bottles of the various fruit and flower wines. There was a brand called Waterfall and you go peach, plum, apricot, rhododendron and various other wines. It's great to see that similar wines are also available closer to home.

It was also great that you got to see the Kanchenjunga and the sleeping Buddha. The photos convey a sense of bliss and reminded me of Louis Armstrong's song "What a wonderful world".

Speaking of which, the world moves in mysterious ways indeed and had it not been for the ID15 rush everywhere, this wonderful destination would have remained unexplored for now. You mentioned that the last part of the way to the resort was narrow and steep. If I go, is it a good idea to take the Safari there? Or should I stick to the Vista?

[octane1002]

Always look forward to reading your travelogues and this was no different - the narrative taking the reader vicariously through the journey! On another note, lovely to see Baahon soldiering on towards the 2L kms. mark.

[ron82x3]

Thank you Abhi Da, for writing this. Have been there twice, but managed to miss the nearby spots you mentioned.
Also couldn’t get a clear picture of Kanchenjunja.
You could see it twice in 2 days. D-Bhpian for a reason 💪

Here’s what my travel to this place looked like:

My trusted EcoSport

Thukpa for dinner

My mom enjoying the greenery and flowers

Our cottage view during evening tea

The property from parking spot:

[sayakc]

Hi Abhi,

You have captured the essence of the trip through your words and photos in a way, in which you alone can! And thanks to Golam-da and you for putting another location on the map for us

Subconsciously, I was longing (cant say whether thats the correct word!) to read a new Darjeeling/Hill travelogue for quite a while now and this travelogue was the perfect one that strikes the perfect note. The sunrise shots of Kanchenjunga that too in monsoon - where you get the snow, clouds and verdant greenery are too good. I also think you captured the 'relaxed' vibe quite well.

Cheers!
Sayak

[ABHI_1512]

Originally Posted by Dibyendu Bose

This atrocious condition of the NH after Kishanganj is featuring in all vlogs, not for days, but for months together. Any idea when repairs are going to start?

Also, can you suggest a good home stay after Raiganj/ Kishanganj but a little before Bagdogra ?

Thanks, You are always so generous with your words. As for your questions-
- I have no idea about the repairs part of NH31. The road has been like this forever and no one is bothered I guess. Some stretches are so bad that even heavy trucks are circumspect ! I hope and pray that the repairs happen soon, may be after the rains subside.

- About the homestay part, I have no idea about any near to Raigunj or Kishangunj. The one homestay I know is Abigail Niwas near Sukna. Some friends have stayed and they were satisfied. In fact, fellow BHPian gmHossain has also stayed in the property some time back if I recollect correctly. May be you can stretch your drive a little and cross Bagdogra to reach Sukna.

Originally Posted by Sandman689

The pot-holed roads that you've shown are bringing back very bad memories. I would say that the conditions could have been worse.

North Bengal during the monsoons has a beauty of its own.

Thanks Sandy, yes, monsoon in North Bengal is indeed quite magical. I make it a point to visit every year during monsoons when the tourist rush is less but somehow miscalculated the dates this time !

Originally Posted by Neversaygbye

Wow, what a beautiful place! To be honest, I had never heard of Mim Tea Estate before and after seeing your pics and description, I am feeling the urge to start for it immediately!

You mentioned that the last part of the way to the resort was narrow and steep. If I go, is it a good idea to take the Safari there? Or should I stick to the Vista?

Thank you Sumanta Da for the kind words, you have this brilliant knack of coming up with a brilliant classic with every mood. You should indeed make a dash for the place, I am sure you will love it.

As for the car to take, it is advisable to take the Safari. The road surface after Mim Phatak is pretty bad and there are multiple places where the Vista might scrap its underbelly. The road is steep and narrow for the last 100 metres but it should be okay if you drive through carefully. Force Traveller’s regularly reach the top, so length of the car is not an issue. Just make the plan and enjoy.

Originally Posted by octane1002

Always look forward to reading your travelogues and this was no different - the narrative taking the reader vicariously through the journey! On another note, lovely to see Baahon soldiering on towards the 2L kms. mark.

Thanks octane1002, hope you too make a plan soon and enjoy the place. As for Baahon, yes, I hope it does reach the mark too

Originally Posted by ron82x3

Thank you Abhi Da, for writing this. Have been there twice, but managed to miss the nearby spots you mentioned.
Also couldn’t get a clear picture of Kanchenjunja.
You could see it twice in 2 days. D-Bhpian for a reason 💪

Lovely pictures there ron82X3, take the Ecosport again and make the Kanchenjunga appear for you. Your red Ecosport amidst that background, just makes it pop. And while at it, do visit the spots that you missed.

Originally Posted by sayakc

You have captured the essence of the trip through your words and photos in a way, in which you alone can! And thanks to Golam-da and you for putting another location on the map for us

The sunrise shots of Kanchenjunga that too in monsoon …..

And that locations awaits you and we await for your words. Thank you Sayak for your good words as always, you have actually made the log complete by describing the exact beauty of hills during the monsoons, by your words. It is such a pleasure reading through your posts.

Regards.