Tukvar Valley: Darjeeling's Quiet Treasure Waiting to Bloom Again

Tukvar Valley: Darjeeling's Quiet Treasure Waiting to Bloom Again

By Rishiraj Thapa

Darjeeling is, and will always be, the Queen of the Hills. It is rich in beauty and rich in resources. People know Darjeeling for its tea and its views, but for me, it is more personal. I hail from a small place within Darjeeling, Tukvar Valley.

Our valley has a history that many have forgotten. Long before tea became its identity, Tukvar was also known for its orange cultivation and for having one of India's oldest ropeways. The Darjeeling to Singla Bazar ropeway, built in 1968, was India's first passenger cable car system and once the longest of its kind. It was the pride of our hills. Today, that glory has slowly vanished into thin air. What remains is a shortened stretch from Singamari to Tukvar 4th Division, a quiet reminder of how grand it once was.

With time, even the importance of the tea gardens began to fade. The wages were too low, the promised bonuses were never fulfilled, and strikes and protests became common. It was then that people around Tukvar started looking beyond tea. They realized the same soil could give us more. Slowly, families in and around Tukvar began cultivating ginger, avocado, cardamom and betel nut for a livelihood. A new way of living was beginning, quietly.

While this was happening, I began exploring the area without knowing much about it.

I planned a short hike from Dalcher Busty to Jyapi, walking upstream along the Jyapi River towards the foothills of Ging. What I found was unexpected, beautiful, untouched waterfalls that no map shows, forest trails that no one talks about. I continued upwards to Kafey Bari, a wide-open place perfect for cycling and short hikes.

Standing there, an idea came to me. What if people could see what I was seeing? What if tourism could grow not by building something new, but simply by opening our eyes to what we already have?

From villages to jungles, from rivers to tea gardens, our valley is full of hidden gems and untold stories. It is not just beautiful, it is bountiful.

For almost two years now, I have been surveying our area on foot, trying to understand what our land truly holds. What I found made me both surprised and proud. Our climate and soil favour so much more than we imagine.

What Our Soil Grows

To a normal eye, these may look like simple vegetables, but to me they are proof of our soil's richness. In Tukvar we grow Dalle Khursani, Luffa Gourd, Asparagus Bean, Pea, Bitter Gourd, Bottle Gourd, Ban Karela, Bean, Ladies Finger, Brinjal, Tomato, Potato, Coriander, Cucumber, Green Chilli, Pumpkin, Green Gram, Ash Gourd, Broad Mustard Leaf, Ginger, Watercress, Stinging Nettle and Cardamom, and more still.

The Fruits of Our Valley

And the fruits. I never realized how many varieties grow here until I started listing them: Peach, Jackfruit, Litchi, Pomelo, Passion Fruit, Tamarind, Mulberry, Pineapple, Hazelnut, Custard Apple, Orange, Pomegranate, Papaya, Strawberry, Pear, Banana, Avocado, Fig, Coconut, Dragon Fruit, wild Grapes, Betel Nut, Mango, and many more I am yet to document.

The names may not be perfect in botanical terms, but the fact is simple, they all grow here, naturally.

Our Own Green Pharmacy

During my hikes along the Jyapi River and up to Kafey Bari, I also came across plants that our elders have used for generations. We call it Pahade dabai, mountain medicine, our own Ayurveda straight from nature. Some I know only by their local names: Tulsi, Golpata, Titepati, Kalo Aduwa, Amala, Mewa ko pata, Dubo, Pakhan Beth, Beth Lawri, Sajana ko pata, Mula Pateh, Rato Phul, Hibiscus, Pani Amala. There are many more to explore and properly identify.

Tukvar Valley is not just a place on the map of Darjeeling. It is a living library of knowledge, of fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants. It holds hidden trails, rivers, waterfalls and stories that are waiting to be uncovered.

I believe understanding our place is the first step to protecting it. If these hidden treasures are explored with care, they can definitely pave the way for tourism to bloom here, and for small, homegrown businesses to grow with it.

Visiting our place would not just be a trip. It would be a chance to explore a quiet richness that has been waiting patiently for us, all this time.

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