Durpin Dara

Durpin Dara means “binocular hill” in the local language. One can indeed get a great view with a cool pair of binoculars. It is one of the two hills connected by a ridge on which the town of Kalimpong stands. The hill commands a panoramic view overlooking the town of Kalimpong, the snow clad Himalayan ranges of Sikkim, the Teesta River and the Jelepla Pass in the distance. A golf course is also there just off the summit. On top of the hill sits the Zang Dhok Palri Monastery which was consecrated by the Dalai Lama in 1976. The monastery holds in its reliquary 108 volumes of the Kangyur, as well as other holy books and scrolls that were moved out of Tibet after the Chinese invasion. This place is uniquely spiritual and one can attain mental peace by simply walking around this magnificent structure.