|  History
of Darjeeling
The history of Darjeeling
dates back to 1817. There was no historical or archeological
excavation in Darjeeling district. Therefore the pre history
of Darjeeling is not known properly.
The present district of Darjeeling is a creation
of the nineteenth century by the accidental involvement of the
British Indian Government in the affairs of neighboring Himalayan
states. Under the Titalaya Treaty of 1817 the Raja of Sikkim
was bound to refer to the arbitration of the British Government
all disputes between his subjects and those of the neighboring
states. After ten years some disputes between Nepal and Sikkim
frontier arose and according to the treaty the same was referred
to the Governor general of India. In order to deal with the
dispute the Governor General sent Captain Lloyd and Mr. Grant,
who reached in Darjeeling for the first time in 1828. Darjeeling
was that time a large Goorkha village.
 Mr.
Grant and Mr. Lloyd were very much impressed with the environment
and geographical location of Darjeeling. They immediately recommended
to Lord William Bentinck, the Governor General, the advantage
of the location of Darjeeling for making it a sanatorium. Accordingly
the General sent Captain Herbert, the Deputy Survey General
with Mr. Grant to examine the place and approved the project.
A series of negotiations with the King of
Sikkim for the accessioning of the uninhabited mountain land
to British India got started. Finally, on 1st February 1835
the King of Sikkim by an execution of Deed of Grant unconditionally
handed over the land to the British Government.
 Soon
the exploration and investigation began to develop the site
as a sanatorium. General Lloyd was appointed as a Local Agent
to deal with application for land, which began to pour in from
residents of Calcutta. In 1840 a road was made from Pankhabari.
Nearly 30 privet houses and a hotel were erected in Darjeeling.
The rest of the land was however under forests.
By 1849 Dr. Campbell of Indian Medical Service,
through constant process turned the inaccessible track of forestland
into an excellent sanatorium and improved the communication
system. Several European buildings, Churches and bazaar and
hospital were built. A simple system of administration of justice
was also introduced. Also started an experimental cultivation
of tea, coffee and various European fruits.
 The
rapid growth of Darjeeling arose the jealousy of Sikkim Rajah
who raised some rebellion against the British force. In 1850
a punitive expedition was sent to the frontier on the North
Bank of Rangit River. As a result of the expedition a portion
of land of Terai was annexed to the British territory of Darjeeling.
There were few Sikkimese raids during 1860s, as a result of
which Dr. Campbell with a small force crossed Rammam River and
made a treaty with the Rajah of Sikkim in 1861. This Treaty
put an end of all frontier trouble with Sikkim and with annexation
of Kalimpong in 1866 the Darjeeling District reached in its
present form.
After the independence of India in 1947, Darjeeling
remained a part of West Bengal. From 1986, a powerful agitation
began in the Darjeeling hills seeking an independent state in
the Indian Union. The agitation ended with the establishment
of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council under the Chairmanship
of Mr. Subash Ghissing and has been given considerable autonomy
in administrative matters. This was an epoch in the History
of Darjeeling.
Source : Information is based on West Bengal
District Gazetteers, Darjeeling, Govt. of West Bengal. |
