Transport yourself

‘The land of the thunderbolt’

As dusk slowly fell, the Raja of Sikkim and General Lloyd of the British East India Company sat quietly together at a table that was dressed in crisp fine English napery. After signing the possession treaty, they both in their own time slowly surveyed the stunning land south of the Great Runjeet River, east of the Balasur, Kahail and Little Runjeet rivers, and west of the Rungpo and Mahanadi rivers.

They breathed in the dizzying landscape together with the aromas of the elegant tea being prepared by servants nearby.

The evening was beautifully mild at the top of Observatory hill as General Lloyd reflected – If there is one place on the face of earth where all the dreams of living men have found a home from the very earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is India.

When the tea was ready it was presented with gentle ceremony.

The two men raised their cups and after a short and carefully balanced pause and to the signature of distant majestic thunder, the Raja said……. “I hereby present you…….Darjeeling”