Mall Roads are an important aspect of the experience of any hillstation. We have had the good fortune of having walked along the Mall Roads of Mussourie, Shimla, Dalhousie, and Darjeeling. Honestly, of all these places, the Mall Road at Darjeeling has the right balance of action and peace. It was quite an experience, to be honest.
While we were in Darjeeling, we spent a considerable amount of time on the Mall Road. This was mostly because it is one of the most interesting places in Darjeeling and also because the cabin we were staying in was dot on the Mall Road.
Activity starts on the Mall Road early in the morning. It seems that the residents of Darjeeling are fitness freaks. Even if you go out when it has just started getting light, you will notice that the residents of of Darjeeling are out in their exercise clothes walking briskly or jogging around the loop that goes around the Observatory Hill.
You will also find many locals walking their little dogs. Most of these dogs are extremely well-behaved. They do not bark unnecessarily and in general keep to themselves. Breeds like the Lhasa Apso are popular among the Darjeeling folk.
One of the landmarks close to the Mall Road is the Bhanu Bhawan or the Gorkha Rangmancha Bhawan. It is an imposing structure with unusual architecture and one that cannot be missed. The premises are used for cultural activities, meetings, and musical events.
When we were in Darjeeling, it was raining quite often even though it was still summer. Even though the crowd thinned out a bit when it was raining, as soon as the rain turned into a drizzle, hundreds of people materialized almost at once. Mall Road is definitely the center of activities in Darjeeling.
In the above picture, you can see two of the most famous shops on the Darjeeling Mall Road. The one of the left is one of the two outlets of Habeeb Mullick & Sons. This is the ideal place to buy silver artefacts, curios, memorabilia, and shawls etc. There are two outlets, run by the two sons. The green building on the right is the Oxford Books and Stationery Co. There is a nice old-world feel about the shops. With the slanting roofs and the wooden structure, these are the most authentic mountain buildings.
One of the accesses to the Mall Road is through Nehru Road which in itself is a very interesting place to walk through. There are several pretty buildings and little shops to look at. There are also chains like the KFC if you feel like eating familiar stuff. There are also cafes such as the Glennary's in case you are in mood for some cafe food.
One of the most familiar feature of the Mall Road is the flocks of pigeons that circle the skies here and descend upon the ground every so often. Apart from the pigeons, you can also see several other birds, big and small. You can hear their songs everywhere, but if you really want to see lots of different birds, you should definitely take the 2-km walk along the loop around the Observatory Hill.
The view from the mall is also quite enticing. Especially when it is partly cloudy, you can spend hours just sitting on one of the many benches lining the iron grill and just enjoy the sight of the clouds drifting in and out of view. You can bask in the sunlight that often reflects off the wet cement ground while having dum aaloo or Puchkas from one of the many hawkers from on the Mall. And while you are at it, you can also shop from the Tibetan Market that comes up every day on the Loop.
The Darjeeling Mall is also known as the Chowrasta Mall. Apart from shopping, eating, and general sight seeing, you can also indulge in activities such as horse-riding (especially for children) here. There are several local men who offer this opportunity. Although the presence of horses also adds to the muck especially on rainy days.
Nathmulls Tea Store and Sunset Lounge is one of the most famous shop and eatery on the Mall Road. Here you can buy a huge variety of Darjeeling tea, including some of the delicate first flush ones. You can also grab a chair here and have some of their teas as you are supposed to have them. They serve each tea in a different style and that adds to the experience. You should definitely try this once for sure.
I still have this unsettling feeling that we missed quite a bit while we were at the Mall Road. If we get a chance to go back and try a few more varieties of tea or shop at a few more shops selling curios and local handicraft, I will gladly grab it.
I still have this unsettling feeling that we missed quite a bit while we were at the Mall Road. If we get a chance to go back and try a few more varieties of tea or shop at a few more shops selling curios and local handicraft, I will gladly grab it.
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