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Wiki Explores Darjeeling - Phase I

Wiki Explores Darjeeling - Phase I is a ten day event to document some areas in and adjacent of district of Darjeeling, West Bengal, India. The objective of this event is to do photo-documentation of the various heritage structures in the said area most of which have less or no presence in Wikimedia commons. This is the first time Wiki exploration is being conducted in this area.

Darjeeling district
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Goal edit

  1. Photograph heritage sites around Darjeeling town, Chhota Mangwa, Takdah, Lava and Kalimpong town located in Darjeeling district and Kalimpong district
  2. Upload media for the heritage structures of Darjeeling district and Kalimpong district in Commons.
  3. Create / Update articles about the heritage structures in Bengali and English Wikipedia
  4. Create / Update items in Wikidata

Date edit

Date: 5th May 2023 to 14th May 2023

Participants edit

  1. Amitabha Gupta (talk) 02:32, 4th May 2023 (UTC)
  2. Sumitsurai (talk)

Itinerary edit

  • 4th May 2023 (Thursday) - Depart from Kolkata by Vande Bharat Express (22301) for New Jalpaiguri. Drive by hired car to Darjeeling town. Night stay at

Darjeeling town

  • 5th May 2023 (Friday) Walk around Darjeeling town covering several built heritage. Night stay at Darjeeling town.
  • 6th May 2023 (Saturday) Cover outskirts of Darjeeling in a rented car. Night stay at Darjeeling town.
  • 7th May 2023 (Sunday) Cover outskirts of Darjeeling in a rented car. Night stay at Darjeeling town.
  • 8th May 2023 (Monday) Leave Darjeeling in a rented car for Chota Mangwa. Photo document all Monasteries on the way and around Chota Mangwa. Overnight at Chota Mangwa
  • 9th May 2023 (Tuesday) Leave Chota Mangwa in a rented car for Takdah. Photo Document the colonial Bungalows and monasteries in and around Takdah. Visit Rabindra Bhawan at Mangpoo. Overnight at Takdah
  • 10th May 2023 Leave Takdah after lunch in a rented car for Lava. Photo document Lava Monastery, Fagu Monastery and Dalim Fort. Overnight at Lava.
  • 11th May 2023 Check out from Lava and head to Kalimpong. Half day tour of Kalimpong. Overnight at Kalimpong.
  • 12th May 2023 Tour of Kalimpong and outskirts. Overnight at Kalimpong.
  • 13th May 2023 Tour of Kalimpong and outskirts. Overnight at Kalimpong.
  • 14th May 2023 Tour of Kalimpong and outskirts. Overnight at Kalimpong.
  • 15th May 2023 Check out from Kalimpong after breakfast and head to New Jalpaiguri. Board Vande Bharat (22302) and reach Howrah at night.

Places to be covered edit

[Note: Some places outside the district will also be covered]

  1. Dali Monastery Y
  2. Bhutia Basti Monastery Y
  3. Yiga Choeling Monastery Y
  4. Samten Choeling Monastery Y
  5. Aloobari Monastery Y
  6. Mahakal Temple Y
  7. Japanese Temple alias Darjeeling Peace Pagoda Y
  8. Dhirdham Temple Y
  9. St. Andrews Church Y
  10. Clock Tower Y
  11. Darjeeling Mall Y
  12. Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and Museum Y
  13. Roy Villa Y
  14. Desbandhu House Y
  15. Himalayan Tibetan Musuem Y
  16. DHR Ghoom Musuem Y
  17. Bengal Natural History Musuem N(Photography prohibited)
  18. Batasia Loop and War Memorial Y(Already substantial photos in Commons)
  19. Darjeeling Old Cemetery Y
  20. Chitrabhanu Y
  21. Dalim Lepcha Fort Y
  22. Damsang Lepcha Fort Y
  23. Gouripur House Y
  24. Rabindra Bhawan, Mungpoo Y
  25. Katherine Graham Memorial Chapel Y
  26. Mangal Dham Temple Y
  27. Zang Dhok Palri Monastery/Durpin Monastery Y
  28. Tharpa Choling Monastery Y
  29. Tamang Gumba  Y
  30. Thongsa Gompa N
  31. Pyne View Orchid garden, Kalimpong Y
  32. Lepcha Bong Gompa and Museum, Kalimpong Y
  33. Graham’s School and church Y
  34. Morgan House Y
  35. St. Joseph's Convent N
  36. Fagu Monastery Y
  37. Takling Phunchok Choeling Monastery Y
  38. Tinchuley Monastery N(Monastery closed)
  39. Dupkhang Choi Khorling Monastery Y

Financial Report edit

Financial Report
Purpose Particulars Date Price (INR) Receipt Remarks
Train Cost (Going) Vande Bharat Express (22301) 04-May-23 3,166.10 Yes
Train Cost (Returning) Vande Bharat Express (22302) 15-May-23 3,026.10 Yes
Uber cost Home to Howrah Station 04-May-23 108.00 Yes
Taxi cost Howarh Station to Home via Ahiritola 15-May-23 350.00 No
Accommodation Cost Hotel Dreamland, Darjeeling 04-May-23 to 08-May-23 13,440.00 Yes
Accommodation Cost with food Sherpa Homestay, Chhota Mangwa 08-May-23 to 09-May-23 2,600.00 Yes
Accommodation Cost Bungalow no 12, Takdah (Complimentary breakfast) 09-May-23 to 10-May-23 3,600.00 Yes
Accommodation Cost Unique Inn, Lava 10-May-23 to 11-May-23 3,000.00 Yes
Accommodation Cost Holumba Haven, Kalimpong 11-May-23 to 15-May-23 11,500.00 Yes
Car Cost Travel Chhuti 04-May-23 to 15-05-23 41,800.00 Yes
Dinner Dekeva, Darjeeling 04-05-2023 970.00 yes
Breakfast Keventers, Darjeeling 05-05-2023 961.00 Yes
Dinner Revolver, Darjeeling 05-05-2023 850.00 Yes
Brunch Roadside Joint, Zoological Park 06-05-2023 180.00 Yes
Entry Fee and Camera Fee Padmja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park 06-05-2023 240.00 Yes
Snacks Glenary's, Darjeeling 06-05-2023 320.00 yes
Dinner Mohan Eateries, Darjeeling 06-05-2023 480.00 No
Breakfast Glenary's, Darjeeling 07-05-2023 882.00 No
Lunch Kunga, Darjeeling 07-05-2023 740.00 Yes
Dinner Glenary's, Darjeeling 07-05-2023 1456.00 Yes
Dinner and snacks Takdah Heritage Colonial Bungalow no 12 09-05-2023 1460.00 Yes
Dinner Sherpa Inn, Lava 10-05-2023 195.50 Yes
Lunch Roadside eatery, Lava 11-05-2023 310.00 Yes
Lunch Zakhang, Kalimpong 11-05-2023 1290.00 Yes
Breakfast Sumit Mahato, Kalimpong 12-05-2023 130.00 Yes
Lunch Green Gale Refreshments, Kalimpong 12-05-2023 350.00 Yes
Snacks Meena Basur 12-05-2023 220.00 Yes
Dinner Gompu's bar and restaurant : Shreyank hospitality, Kalimpong 12-05-2023 2001.00 Yes
Brunch Roxberry, Kalimpong 13-05-2023 900.00 Yes
Water Binita Pariyar, Kalimpong 13-05-2023 80.00 Yes
Dinner Seol Full, Kalimpong 13-05-2023 710.00 Yes
Lunch Village eatery, Sellary Gaon 14-05-2023 220.00 No
Guide cost (Damsang Fort) Village lad, Sellary Gaon 14-05-2023 400.00 No
Dinner The Noodle house, Kalimpong 14-05-2023 1166 Yes
Breakfast Roadside eatery, Siliguri 15-05-2023 170 No
TOTAL COST 97,827.70

Project Report edit

One of the main focuses of Wiki Explores Darjeeling - Phase I was GLAM. Museums have always been covered right from the very beginning of this program. But, during Wiki Explores Darjeeling, we documented ten museums from the Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. Video documentation of all the places was done too.

West Bengal Wikimedians User Group obtained permission from the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute to photograph the exhibits displayed in their museum. Dr. Hrishikes Sen helped with the consent. Other museums didn’t need prior approval for documentation.

Two of these museums, viz. Roy Villa, and Gouripur House, are still under renovation. They used to be the local residences of Sister Nivedita and Rabindranath Tagore. We have documented the current situation and the renovation process. These images and videos will help evaluate the restoration process once completed.

Apart from uploading images to Wikimedia Commons, required edits were made to related Wikidata and Wikivoyage articles.

Total files uploaded 2200
Quality image 27
Videos uploaded 129
Places covered 45
Museums covered 10


Places Covered (Museums in bold)
1 DHR Sukna Station And Museum 26 DHR Ghoom Station And Museum
2 DHR Kurseong Station 27 Mag-Dhog Yolmowa Monastery
3 Himalayan Tibet Museum 28 Lamahatta Monastery I
4 Union Church Darjeeling 29 Lamahatta Monstery II
5 Hotel Mount Everest Darjeeling 30 Rabindra Museum Mangpoo
6 Step Aside Darjeeling 31 Dichen Sherpa Choyling Monastery
7 Karma Dorjee Chyoling Monastery 32 Takdah Heritage Bunglows
8 Old Cemetery Darjeeling 33 Lava Monastery
9 Rahul Niwas 34 Daling Fort
10 St. Andrews Church Darjeeling 35 Fagu Monastery
11 DHR Darjeeling Station 36 Tamang Gumba Kalimpong
12 Dhirdham Temple 37 Lepcha Bong Gumpa And Museum
13 Murda Hatti 38 Chitrabhanu Kalimpong
14 Darjeeling Zoo 39 Pine View Nursery Kalimpong
15 HMI Museum 40 Durpin Monastery
16 Roy Villa 41 Gouripur House Kalimpong
17 Tibetan Refugee Self Help Centre And Museum 42 Damsang Lepcha Fort
18 Tenzing And Gombu Rocks 43 Geden Tharpa Choling Monastery And Museum
19 Mahakaal Temple 44 Graham's School
20 Tenzing Norgay House 45 Katherine Graham Memorial Chapel
21 Bose Institute Darjeeling
22 Peace Pagoda Darjeeling
23 Dali Monastery
24 Yiga Choeling Monastery
25 Samten Choeling Monastery




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