Mirik || Samendu Lake || Bokar Ngedon Choekhor Ling Monastery || Go gazing || Salamander Habitat || Drooling Day outs || Out Country || Trekker’s Day Out || Balason river valley experience || Bunkulung || Border Shopping || Mirik Outbound

Trekker's Day Out

Mahadeo Tar lies amidst the tumbling hills well cloaked with lush tea bushes. At a walking distance the holy site was discovered years ago during the British regime and is consecrated to lord Shiva. Concealed in a patch of ancient trees and rich foliage a stream gurgles just by the spot. A ‘Linga’ (a sacred mark of lord Shiva) that had erupted within a hollow of a huge rock has been much revered over the years and a yearly ‘Shiva Ratri Puja’ (the prayer offered to lord Shiva) consecrates the premise each year. Wandering ascetics are known to visit the place and stay over for varying periods. If fortunate one could meet and discover mysticism, talk about the shackles of human existence or get reflective listening to the renderings of their endless quest for the truth about life and beyond with the two mystics of Mahadeo taar, Mahant Chandra Giri and Mahant Kharka Giri. They will tell you that they are not scared to die but scared to tell lies. From Mahadeo Taar one can even trek up to the banks of the river Mechi which demarcates the border of Nepal and India. The looming Ontoo hill that had once been a longstanding bone of contention between the erstwhile Kingdom of Sikkim and Nepal lies across the river. The territorial dispute after numerous exasperating negotiations was ultimately resolved by the British who had just acquired the Darjeeling tract to build a hill station from the then kingdom of Sikkim.

Out Country - Villages, Trek Trails & Magic

Mirik can well boast of its enchanting out country. Trespassing the old villages with flourishing orange groves, a walk through endless spurs clothed with tea bushes or across the mountainous terrain dipping into the Balason river basin could easily satiate one’s quest for exploration and adventure.

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The Balason River Valley Experiance

A complete day trek the trail cuts through remote villages, thriving orange orchards, lush cardamom groves and further below is sprawled the old Murmah tea estate. The trail offer one of the most splendid views of the valley dissected by the river Balason. Enroute one could catch sight of the Murmah water run ropeway, an old burnt down factory and sense that placid lure of the countryside. One can’t help amaze at the way the old planters lived and communicated those days. On reaching the Murmah village one can trek down to the river, catch a breath there and begin to ascend uphill to Kurseong (a major town in the Darjeeling hills). Its either a night halt at Kurseong or could hire a cab back to Mirik. The Balason is a swift mountain river. Some pools here offer perfect fishing grounds. Though trouts are available further upstream schools of other fishes resurge especially with the onset of the monsoon. The old suspension bridge lurching over the Balason is undoubtedly an engineering marvel. The villagers still use it to cross over. Rich paddy fields brace the river bank on either side. A couple of huts perch upon the river basin and one can explore the simple peasant life here. The trek uphill to Kurseong is a sturdy climb past the Rinchington Hydel project on the foothill, a couple of villages on the spur and flourishing tea gardens. From the Murmah village one can also trek down to ‘Bunkulung’ an old fishing village.