Darjeeling date with snow after 10 yrs

At Rishyap

VIVEK CHHETRI, TT,  29 Dec 2018, Darjeeling: Chowrasta, the heart of Darjeeling received its first snowfall in 10 years. It was a brief affair of about 15 minutes but was enough for tourists and locals to express rapture.

ONLY 15 MINUTES, BUT CHEER LINGERS 

The town was not blanketed in white, as light rain immediately washed away all traces but the experience of the snowflakes seems divine for many.

The moment snowflakes started descending locals and tourists were out on the street shouting with excitement.

"This is the nicest place on earth," screamed Nilab Tamang, a young student. After all, the experience had come after a decade.

Darjeeling town, which is situated at around 6,400 feet, had last experienced snowfall on January 26, 2008 but even then, no snow had accumulated. The snowfall was heavier too than Friday. The town was last covered in white on February 14, 2007.

Saurav Chatterjee, a resident of Hazra in Calcutta, was however not disappointed with the briefness. "This is my first visit to Darjeeling and my first experience of a snowfall. This is simply an out-of-theworld experience for meThe town first received soft hail accompanied by a light drizzle and then the flakes came down around 4.45pm. It also snowed at Tiger Hill -- where it has last snowed on January 11, 2012. Since the area also experienced hailstones, some white stayed in the area.

Also, some snowfall was reported in Ghoom and Jorebungalow, located on the outskirts of Darjeeling town.

The scene was, however, different at Rishyap, about 28 kilometres from Kalimpong and situated at an altitude of about 8,000 feet.

"We experienced hailstorm at around 4pm and this was followed by snow. It is snowing here after a gap of five years," said Tashi Ongmu, a resident of Rishyap. More than an inch of snow had accumulated at Rishyap till evening.

In Sikkim, it snowed in different parts of the state on Friday late afternoon which left a number of tourists vehicles stranded between Nathula and Tsomgo, or Changu Lake.

Those associated with tourism however, said would be bring back all the tourists to Gangtok by Friday evening.

"Many vehicles were stuck in the snow. The army, Sikkim Police and tour operators are conducting rescue operations," said Tenzing Lama, a senior tour operator. Met officials said the west- ern disturbance passing through Sikkim is causing snowfall in some parts of the state for past two days.

"The snowfall is likely to stop in a few days but could resume after January 2," said Gopinath Raha, director of the IMD office in Gangtok.

While Lachen, Lachun and Yumthang in north Sikkim have been receiving snow since Thursday, Tsomgo Lake, Nathu-la and upper reaches of Gangtok in east Sikkim and Ravangla and surrounding areas of south Sikkim were covered with the white flakes on Friday.

Additional reporting by Rajeev Ravidas in Kalimpong.