Sundowner: Autumn/Winter 2018

patchwork quilt to bake in the sun. And on the river, traders in
flower-adorned boats row by, ready to sell you armfuls of trinkets
and treasures.
Would I come here in the serious heat rather than coincide my
trip with winter? No, I would find it far too full-on. Would I come
here again? Resoundingly yes. It is one of the most compelling
places I have ever seen. But now I am more than ready to come up
for air in Darjeeling, so we leave Varanasi, flying in to Bagdogra
airport to be collected by our driver for the four-hour drive to the
Glenburn Tea Estate.
Aah, Glenburn. You have me at hello, despite enduring a
30-minute drive from the turn-off on the main road to the door
on such rocky terrain it’s like riding a camel (bear this in mind if
you have any conditions that might make the trip prohibitive). The
main British colonial bungalow, with its verandas, chequerboard
floors, white walls, and racing green roofs, offers a view that is
truly breathtaking. From on high, a verdant tea garden speaks
before you. Beyond is the majestic Kanchenjunga mountain (the
third highest in the world), dusted with snow. The sky (lucky us) is
bluer than blue. The terraced gardens are bursting with marigolds,
poinsettia, and bougainvillea. Tea trays are laden with welcome
refreshments. This chill-out zone beguiles from minute one.
Glenburn, sensibly, has eschewed the contemporary, could-beanywhere
boutique style. It’s all original four-poster beds, electric
blankets, muslin curtains, and chintz-patterned china. Here you
can take breakfast and lunch under the dappled shade of fruit
trees, read books, play board games, cook in the kitchen, fish by
the river, and sip G&Ts before heading to dinner, a shared event
where you get to sample excellent Indian, Tibetan, and Nepalese
fare. Dress up. Dress down. Do what you fancy. This is your home
in the Himalayas.
Bounded on its north border by the state of Sikkim, to the east
by Bhutan, and the west by Nepal, Darjeeling is about an hour
away. A tourist must-do is taking the Toy Train (actually pretty
much full-size and part of the Himalayan Mountain Railway) to
Ghum and back (don’t miss the amazing Yiga Choeling at Ghum,
the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery built in the area), then
sweep along the tracks into Darjeeling, where you will find shops
crammed with potential keepsakes.
All too soon it’s time to head towards urban reality and the
cacophony of Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal and India’s
second largest city. We drop off our bags at the Taj Bengal, an
airy hotel with an 1,000-square-metre atrium lobby and a vertical
garden. The rooms are comfortable but what makes it special is the
service. Always attentive, smiley, and genuine.
As a former capital of British India, developed by the British
East India Company, the city has lots of colonial architecture,
such as the Victoria Memorial and St John’s Church with its Black
Hole of Calcutta Monument. Often linked in visitors’ minds with
deprivation – and sadly, very real poverty exists – it is, however, a
surprising and often uplifting cultural and artistic hub.
We love wandering through the potters’ quarter, Kumortuli,
where they create thousands of clay idols, and the huge book
markets, stopping at The Indian Coffee House, where poets and
thinkers hang out under lazily revolving ceiling fans, attended
previous: The holy Ganges at Varanasi
clockwise from left: Petals in the market at Kolkata;
Dali Monastery in Darjeeling; a serene garden in Kolkata;
the view of the tea fields at Glenburn
photographer: Jan Masters
by waiters in immaculate green and white uniforms. There’s so
much to Kolkata, we simply wander, taking in South Park Street
Cemetery with its Gothic and Indo-Saracenic tombs and looking
up at once-grand buildings in a state of elegiac decay, with tree
roots growing down walls like dripping candle wax, reminiscent of
the Ta Prohm temple at Angkor.
And then there is the Mother House, where Mother Teresa
lived and is buried. Her room remains untouched, humbling in
its simplicity. This has been a trip so full of discovery, so full of
contrast, it rivals the Golden Triangle in a very real way.
Jan Masters is a contributing editor at Harrods magazine
Delhi is India’s main point of arrival for overseas
visitors and the major transport hub for various
destinations throughout the country. One of
the finest hotels to stay in is, without doubt, The
Imperial, an iconic five-star property in the heart
of the capital. A step away from Connaught
Place, the renowned shopping district, it has the
air of a bygone era with all the most up-to-date
conveniences. Relax in its elegant bars whenever
you need to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.
CONTACT ABERCROMBIE & KENT
This A&K 11-night, tailor-made holiday starts at £3,400 per
person (based on two sharing, includes flights, private transfers,
B&B accommodation, and selected excursions). For more
information, call our India travel specialists on 01242 547 755.
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