Darjeeling marks ‘birthday’ with tribute to colonial-era founder

REZA PRADHAN

DARJEELING,: People from different walks of life in Darjeeling came together on Sunday to celebrate what organisers called the town’s “birthday”, marking 190 years since the signing of the 1835 Deed of Grant that laid the foundations of the present Darjeeling.

The event, held for the first time, commemorated the agreement signed on February 1, 1835 by the Chogyal of Sikkim, transferring Darjeeling to the British East India Company.

As part of the celebrations, participants gathered at a cemetery on Lebong Cart Road to pay tribute to Lieutenant General George W. A. Lloyd, who is credited with surveying and establishing Darjeeling as a settlement during the British period. Lloyd, who died in 1865, is buried at the site.

“This is the first time that the birthday of Darjeeling is being celebrated by marking the deed of grant,” said Palzor Tshering Bhutia, one of the organisers. He added that the initiative was non-political and that there were plans to make it an annual event.

Another organiser, Anant Sharma, said the programme aimed to raise awareness about the region’s history. “Under the efforts of Llyod, on 1st February, the deed of grant was signed by the Chogyal of Sikkim after which Darjeeling separated from Sikkim. The citizens here are celebrating it as a birthday of our area. Through this we mainly want to create awareness among the people about the history of Darjeeling as no one talks about it now.”

The programme, which was held in the cemetery today, saw people

gathered there lighting candles to pay their respect to Llyod along, the cutting a cake, singing of songs, alongside speeches reflecting on Darjeeling’s past. Organisers said the event was intended to honour history rather than celebrate colonial rule.

The cemetery is also home to the grave of Alexander Csoma de Koros, a renowned Hungarian Tibetologist and member of the Asiatic Society of Calcutta. The Archaeological Survey of India’s Calcutta chapter has declared the cemetery a site of national importance. It is currently maintained by the Church of North India.

Faiz Ansari, another organiser, said “After Llyod came here he liked this place and negotiated with Sikkim after which the deed of grant was signed.”

He said the deed of grant marked the beginning of modern Darjeeling. “After Lloyd’s survey, developments such as tea gardens followed under later British officials,” he said. “We are not celebrating colonialism, but remembering our history, along with the present and future of Darjeeling.”