It was twenty one days ago that I last posted some thoughts. Amidst the busyness of life, the daily grind et al, there were myriad thoughts that I would have liked to share...I cannot recollect, off hand now, what I’d wanted to share. Twenty one days is after all a long time – a lot of water under the bridge. So much changes over hours these days…

What is this life if so full of care?
We have no time to stand and stare

I guess more people can relate to this poem today than in those bygone days when it was composed.

Life in the Darjeeling hills is still thankfully relatively laidback. Although technology and forces of globalization have made inroads into the lives of people, we still find time to lounge about in the mall, and Chowrasta, our famous town square. Despite real estate boom and clutter of waste, people are close to nature. The lordly Kanchenjunga and the rolling green hills in the Singalila range, beautiful rivulets, rivers, flora and fauna inspire people. The love for flowers is perhaps hill people’s inherent desire to conserve the beauty in whose lap they live.

People in the Darjeeling hills are great lovers of flowers. Even the poorest of household has a least of dozen flower pots. Countless varieties of orchids, dahlias, petunia, tulips,daffodils, marigold, age leas, roses, calendula, begonia etc are grown. Moreover, when flaming rhododendrons and fragrant magnolias bloom in the hills, this place is comparable to any in beauty.