Tinchuley

As the name suggests, the name of this small village is derived from three hill tops that overlook the mountains towards the north. The place lies at a distance of 80 km from Siliguri and is covered with a cluster of huge pine trees with most of the wooden houses in the region constructed from those pine trees. There are 3-4 homestays in that place and our host Mr Abiraj has been staying here along with his family for the past 3 decades. Rows of tea gardens are visible from the balcony of the house and a perpetual mist hangs deep in the horizon which gradually envelops the vicinity with the decreasing intensity of the sun as the day chugs on languidly sipping through numerous cups of tea. A small monastery perched on a hill nearby, along with a watchtower, provides added supplements to the leisurely walks around the village. Also there are some caves and a vantage point at one end of the village which gives a bird’s eye view of the hairpin road bends that loop around through the verdant tea gardens. The weather began to take a drastic U-turn in the evening and the pitter patter of raindrops falling vigorously on the asbestos roof sheets turned the night into a melody of nature orchestra that is nothing but surreal.