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Darjeeling's famous Chowrasta Mall is more than just a shopping destination. It's a place where the past meets the present. Its name is derived from the Hindi word for a four-road junction, but, most people simply call it the Mall. It is worth investing a day walking through these pathways, taking in all the sights and sounds, which gives you a sense of where you are - a charming town in the Himalayas.
The Mall is where you will find a number of small shops selling tea, clothes, arts & crafts, gifts and souvenir items. While some of the oldest heritage stores are lined up on one side, the other side has an open view of tall pine trees. After a tired day of shopping, do stop and savour the street food at the numerous hawker-style shops. This is where the locals and tourists come to relax in the evenings.
Some of the landmarks in the area are…
Das Studio on Nehru Road - a colonial building that also houses a museum with a rare collection of photographs, some of which date back to the 1800s;
Glenary’s - your go-to cafe for breakfast and bakes;
Deshbandhu library - the oldest library in Darjeeling district;
Hawa Ghar - a large two-storey concrete structure, where dance and music programs are performed, to promote Nepali art and culture.
If you are a football lover, don’t miss watching the screening of a match. Alongside you will be a crowd full of football addicts and the atmosphere is just electric!
Darjeeling Mall is also known as Chowrasta. “Chow” literally means four and “rasta” means road. In short, Darjeeling Mall or Chowrasta is the place where 4 roads meet. The Nehru Road comes up from below to the Mall. Then there is the Dr. Zakir Hussain Road that is parallel to the Nehru Road. This road has a bustling Bhutia market. Finally, the Mall Road originates from one side of the Darjeeling Mall, goes around the Observatory Hill and comes back to the Mall from the other side. There are a few other narrow lanes from Darjeeling Mall going here and there. Basically, the Darjeeling Mall area is like a circle with the various roads meeting there.
At one end of the Darjeeling Mall, there is a golden statue of Nepali poet Bhanubhakta Acharya. Born in 1814, he was the one to translate the Hindu epic Ramayana into Nepali from Sanskrit. There is a large concrete stage area behind the statue for holding functions and public ceremonies. We had once visited Darjeeling during Republic Day. A Republic Day procession was held in the open area of the Darjeeling Mall and later cultural programs were held at the stage.
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12 сен 2024
