Darjeeling : Museums, Gardens and Cemeteries

First, the gardens

The Botanical Garden was a pleasant surprise!

Beauty of an unkempt garden? or that of the late morning winter sun? or of a path less taken?

Jug Suraiya had once written about how a major role of the branches of State Bank of India was to serve as landmark for addresses - to help people reach their destinations. On similar lines trees help those in love?

An Indian addressed as Sir and his name placed above that of a European. Not common this!

Just outside the gate of the Shrubbery Nightingale Park - amidst the hill trees! 

Now, to the museums

Museums are ever fascinating. This one of the DarjeelingHill Railway was not an exception. It also had a sketch of Mark Twain when he took the journey during 1897.

Tibetan museum at Dharamshala was stark. The museum at Darjeeling too was nicely done. Cultural maps of areas around ours often reminds how little we know about our neighbours!

How long before this moves from the road to the museum?

Finally, the cemeteries 

Cemeteries have been an area of interest. Darjeeling map showed a few scattered around. I stopped by a Buddhist Cemetery and on noticing that the door was locked, asked an uncle passing by if it always remained shut or opened at times. The door opens only when dead bodies arrive was his response.

This is a wall from a small one.