sonada tourism

7/30/2019 sonada tourism

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in partial for the award of CERTIFICATE

IN

CARREAR ORIENTED PROGRAMME

OF

TRAVEL AND TOURISM MANAGEMENT


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CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Master Abhimanyu Agrawal

bearing the Register Number 130091. has successfully completed the project work on

TOURISM IN SONADA

under the guidance of Prof/Dr/Sri/Smt and

Prof/Dr/Sri/Smt

.


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Apart from the efforts of me, the success of this project depends largely on the encouragement and

guidelines of many others. I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the people who have beeninstrumental in the successful completion of this field trip report.

I would like to show my greatest appreciation to Fr Dr George Thadhatil who inspite of being busy with his

extraordinary work took out time to hear and guide me to the correct path . I cant say thank you enough for

his tremendous support and help. I feel motivated and encouraged every time to take help from them.

Mr Sandeep Singh monitored my progress and arranged all facilities to make my life easier in making the

report. I choose this moment to acknowledge his contribution gratefully. Without his encouragement and

guidance this project would not have materialized.

The guidance and support received from all the team members including Fr Babu Joseph, Sir Meigsank

Yalmo and Sir Sukanto Banerjee, who contributed and are contributing to this project, was vital for the

success of the field trip. I am grateful for their constant support and help.

Last but not the least I would also thank all my friends for their constant help and support without them the

completion of the field trip report would be a dream for me.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents Page No.

Map of Sonada 5

Introduction 6-7

Description of the Tourist places 8

Tea Garden 9-10

Monastery 11-12

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway 13-17

Sonada Forest 18-27

Educational Institution 28-29

Chatakpur 30

Itenary 31

Conclusion 32

Bibliography 33


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MAP


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PLACES OF TOURIST VISIT IN SONADA

TEA GARDEN MONASTERY DARJEELING HIMALYAN RAILWAY AND MUSEUM CHATAKPUR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUION

Salesian College

Goethals Memorial School

WILDLIFE


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DETAILED DISCRIPTION

OF THE

TOURIST SPOT

IN

SONADA


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TEA GARDENS

The tea gardens flourished in 19th century in Sonada. It was the

initiative of the Britishers who found the place suitable for growing tea leaves because of the climate as tea

plant requires hot and moist conditions which is present in sonada. It grows in temperature ranging from 10-

30 degree centigrade and in areas with average yearly rainfall of 2000 mm and also at a ground level of 600-

2000 meters above sea level. Sonada is a home of many tea gardens in Darjeeling and other adjoining area.

It is surrounded by many tea gardens. The prominent tea garden in the vicinity of Sonada is:

Oaks Tea Estate Rangmukh Tea Estate Balasan Tea Garden

Oaks Tea Estate is owned by Dears Tea Company Private limited. The Tea Estate is situated 3 kilo meters

from Sonada Railway Station and produces Orthodox Darjeeling Tea.. According to the Company report

there are 386 workers associated with the Company.Oaks Tea Estate is located in an altitude ranging from

1180 mts to1970 mts. It has a planted area of 138.91 Hectars and produces 99,000 Kgs of Tea.

Rungmook was owned by Johnston family and was located in the central Balasun valley. After the murder

of its owner Oliver Jeffrey Johnston in 1980 it was taken over by West Bengal Tea Development


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Corporation.Presently in a marginal state it produces 200,000 kilos tea on 1000 acre plantation and has a

large hydel project being developed on its lower reaches.

These Tea Gardens are one of the famous tea garden of the worlds and tea produced here are sold in foreign

market. Many foreigners and local people come to visit this tea gardens to see how tea balls are made

through tea leaves. Even students from different schools and college in and around the area visit these

gardens to learn about tea industry and also from the tourism point of view. Tea Gardens have become a

favourite destination for people coming in the hills as the area is quite and full of fragrance of tea.


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MONASTERY

The Shangpa tradition originates in the 11th century, with

the great Tibetan scholar and spiritual master, Khyungpo Naljor. Although he had studied the Bon, Maha-

Ati, and Mahamudra traditions in Tibet, he was not satisfied with his understanding, and at the age of fifty-

seven, he journeyed to Nepal and India to seek further instruction. His search for teachings culminated in his

meeting with Niguma, a female mystic who had seen Buddha Vajradhara himself. From her, he received

many teachings, in particular, the teachings of a special tradition of mahamudra and The Teachings

ofNiguma. He also met and studied with Sukhasiddhi, another female mystic and student ofVirupa, as well

as Vajra-asana, Maitripa, Rahula, and others.

On his return to Tibet, he established a monastery at Shang-Shung in Central Tibet. This was his main seat,

and he became known as the lama of Shang. Khyungpo Naljor had thousands of students and established

hundreds of monasteries but transmitted the special teachings he had received from Niguma to only one of

his students, Mochok Rinchen Tsondru. These teachings were in turn transmitted to Kyergang Chokyi

Senge, Nyen-ton Rigung Chokyi Sherab, and Songjay Tenpa Tsondru Senge. These first seven teachings

(including Vajradhara and Niguma) are known as the Seven Great Jewels of the Shangpa tradition. As

Niguma had instructed Khungpo Naljor, the special teachings were given to only one student in each of

seven generations of students. Songjay Tenpa was the first teacher who gave these instructions to more than

one of his disciples, and from this point on, several different lines of transmission developed.

There are many special teachings in the Shangpa tradition, but the most important are The Five Golden

Teachings. The Five Golden Teachings are likened to parts of a tree. The roots are The Six Teachings


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ofNiguma: the teachings on heat, illusory-body, the dream state, sheer clarity, transference, and bardo (the

intermediary state between death and birth).

The trunk is The Locket Tradition of Mahamudra which combines the mahamudra teachings ofNiguma,

Maitripa, and Sukhasiddhi. The branches are the three methods of carrying one's understanding in

meditation into daily activities. The flowers are the practice of development and completion with the white

and red dakinis. The fruit is the teaching of the deathless nature of mind and body.

The principal Shangpa protector is the Six-Armed Mahakala, and it was from this transmission that the

practices of this deity spread to other schools. Although the Shangpa teachings were highly regarded and

were assimilated by many schools, the tradition itself ceased to exist as an independent school with the

dissolution of the Jonangpas in the 17th century. However, its teachings were still practiced and transmitted.

In the 19th century Jamgon Kongtrul gathered together the surviving transmissions and ensured their

continued survival by including them in his Treasury of Key Instructions.

Location:1 km approx from Sonada main town


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WORLD HERITAGE

DARJEELING HIMALAYAN RAILWAY

At the 23rd Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee,

the Darjeeling himalayan Railway was inscribed on the list of World Heritage sites. Only two railways have

this status, the Semmering Railway in Austria being the other.

UNESCO's Criteria for the DHR to be eligible for the 'World heritage Status:

"Criteria (i) The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is an outstanding example of the influence of an innovative

transportation system on the social and ecomomic development of a multi-cultural region, which was to

serve as a model for similar - 'developments in many parts of the world. "

Criteria (ii) The Development of the railways in the 19th century had a profound "influence on social and

economic developments in many parts of the world. The is process illustrated in an exceptional and seminal

fashion by the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway."

A brief description of the DHR stated by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee:

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is the first, and still the most outstanding example of passenger railway.

Opened in 1881, it applied bold and ingenious engineering, solutions to the problems of establishing an

effective rail link cross a mountainous terrain of great beauty. It is still fully operational and retains most of

its original features intact."


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DARJEELING HIMALYAN RAILWAY AND MUSEUM

By 1878 a railway had been completed from Calcutta

(now Kolkata) to Siliguri, almost to the base of the Himalayas, and a tonga service took travellers thence up

the hill portion of the journey. But the ascent by tongas soon led to dissatisfaction with this means of transit,

and the idea for inception of the laying of a steam tramway along the road from Siliguri to Darjeeling arose.

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway or DHR was the initiative of the British people because of the following

reasons.

Tea gardens that started flourishing in the region Education and religious institution Easy transportation of army equipments and food items.

The tonga service on the cart road alluded above served travellers and traders for ten years, but when the

obvious disavantages of such a means of communication led to proposals for the laying of a steam tramway

from Siliguri to Darjeeling, Mr. Franklin Prestage (at that time Agent of the Eastern Bengal Railway

Company) approached the Government of Bengal in 1878 with a detailed scheme. Sir Ashley Eden, the

Lieutenant Governor, appointed a Committee to examine the project, and this Committee reported that the

construction of a steam tramway was feasible and would be great advantage, both to the Government and the

public.


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The cart road had indeed suffered heavily from slips during each rainy season and inconvenience and

lengthy interruption to communications had resulted. The upkeep of the road moreover, cost the

Government about one and a half lakhs of rupees anually, and it was hoped that the tramway would be able

to help to defray this cost.

Mr. Prestage's scheme was gladly accepted in 1879, and the construction ofthe tramway was commenced

and pushed on with great rapidity. By March 1880 the line had been opened to Tindharia, and Lord Lytton,

the fIrst Viceroy to visit Darjeeling, was conveyed so far by the Company. Before the end of that year the

line was complete to Kurseong, and in July 1881 it was opened for traffic right through to Darjeeling.

The name of the Company was then changed to the more dignified appellation of the "Darjeeling Himalayan

Railway Company". Messrs. Gillanders Arbuthnot & Co., one of the leading and oldest firms in Calcutta,

were appointed agents of the Company from its inception.In the first instance the alignment of the railway

followed that of the cart road throughout, but it soon became apparent that some of the grades on the road

were very much steeper than the locomotives could manage without great waste of power.

Therefore a ruling gradient of 1 to 25 had been aimed at by the engineers of the Company though in places a

gradient of 1 to 20 still exits, hence we find that the railway at times leaves the road altogether and at other

times attains a different alignment by means of "Loops" and "Reverses". Here it may be stated that in the

"loop" the railway track circles round and passes over itself by a bridge, thereby quickly attaining a higher

elevation and an immediately better alignment. In the "reverse" the same object is obtained by running the

track back diagonally up the hill-side for a short distance, and then again resuming an alignment parallel to

the original alignment but higher up the side of the mountain.

The engine originally employed was very small even for a two-foot track, arid was only capable of drawing

a load of about 7 tons. But later on it was improved to the standard type which was able to draw a load of 35

tons up the improved track. The original passenger vehicle was a small four-wheeled trolley with canvas

roof and two wooden benches for seats, but some years later bogie railway stock was introduced. New

workshops were opened at Tindharia in 1914, and all rolling-stock built in the workshops with the exception

of the wheels which are imported.


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The present scenario is different as new coaches are being introduced which are vestibule which means the

coaches are inter-connected to each other and this coaches have been developed in INDIA itself where one

can easily move from one coach to the other. Many trail run has also taken place to see the feasibility of this

coach and there is a good news for the toy train lovers as the results are positive. We hope that it is deployed

soon. Now instead of traditional steam engine diesel engines are being used to reduce the pollution in the

hills and it also increases the speed of the train thereby reducing time.

Sonada railway station is now also used as a shopping complex as well as some part of it is acts as a

museum which contains the history about the DHR in Sonada as well as its entire route from Siligui toDarjeeling.


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DARJEEING HIMALAYAN RAILWAY ( SONADA STATION)

TECHNICAL FACTS:

Curves:

The curves are necessarily very sharp on account of the contour of the moutains, no tunnels being bored, a

fact for which the traveller in the interests of his comfort and of the scenic pleasures of the journey may be

grateful. Tlie sharpest curve on the line is at Loop No.4 mile 21 and has a radius of 59 feet.

Engines:

The standard engines have four coupled wheels and weigh 14 tons; the cylinders being 2 inches bore and 14

inches stroke. A Garrat, or eight-wheeled articulated engine weighing 28 tons, is also in use in the hill

station, while a Pacific type engine with bogie tender is in use in the plains section. This last named engine

weighs, with tender, 49 tons.


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Rolling Stock:

The ordinary passenger bogies in use have a body 24 feet 3 inches long and are 26 feet 6 inches over all.

Bogie vans and trucks are also in use, the longest bogie truck being 32 feet. Rails: The steel rails used in the

track weigh 41 1/4 lbs per yard, and portions of the line had been relaid with 50 lb rails.

Gradient:

The steepest gradient on the hill section is 1 in 20, the average gradient is 1 in 29. The line from Sukna to

Ghoom rises in one continuous grade, there being no reverse or counter grades in a distance of 40 miles..

Cost:

The original cost of the 51 miles of railway from Siliguri to Darjeeling was Rs. 17,50,000 but improvements

made during subsequent years have brought the cost up to Rs.43,00,000 in the year 1920.


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SONADA FOREST

Located at an altitude of 2130 m, Darjeeling is a good starting point to discover the avifauna of the Eastern

Himalayas. The Zoological Park, the botanical gardens and The Tiger Hill are good birding sites. Yellow-

billed Blue Magpai, Red tailed Minla, Maroon backed accentor. Red headed Bullfinch, Satyr Tragopan, and

the rare Broad Billed Warbler. Hill patridge, Kalij Pheasant, Large Hawk, Oriental and Lesser Cuckoos,

Spot bellied eagle, owl, Himalayan swift let, Darjeeling Woodpecker, various Babblers, and other colourfull

species are to be seen.

Ground vegetation which includes herbs, shrubs, climbers, ferns, fern allies, grasses, sedges, bamboos etc.,has a very important role to play in the conservation of soil, microclimate, various faunal constituents and to

maintain a balance between flora and fauna.

While the botanists have only listed the names of these constituents, the foresters have realised the

importance of ground flora, their interaction with animals and values or species. Yet the foresters have

primarily manipulated ground flora for natural regeneration of commercially important tree species.

Intensive climber has been the part and parcel of forestry practices to save the valuable commercial getting

deformed. This book has given the fish-fauna (Ichthyofauna) a special status for inclusion in the definition

of wildlife and has highlighted its linkage with various fauna and flora in the conservation areas.

Location:Approx 2 kms above Sonada railway station.

Some of the animals that are found in the forest are

Leopard Barking Deer Himalayan Black Bear

Some of the plants in the forest are

Rhododendron Pine


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ANIMALS

LEOPARD (Panthera Vardus)

Leopards were mostly found in Asia Minor, Caspian

Sea Asia, Iraq, Iran, Indian subcontinent, South East north to Siberia, all of Africa except Sahara but

currently they are mostly found in Africa south of sahara, India, Sout east asia and china. Leopards are

generally 5.1-8.5 ft(from head to tail). Their height ranges from 18-24 inch and weights around 55-100 lbs.

Leopards are generally have small black spots or Rosettes against a background colour of yellow, tawny,

buffy grey or almost brown, melanistic individuals deep black with rosettes visible at the right light angle.

Coloured to blend with habitat. Leopards are usually more melanistic (darker in colour) in forest habitats,

since the tawny coat is more visible in the dark shadows under the tree canopy. In grassland habitats with

clumps of trees, the light is more dappled and the background tawnythus the spotted coating is better

adapted.

As with most cats, the leopard is generally solitary except during mating season or (females) raising

offspring. After a kill, a leopard will usually store its prey in a tree or rocky outcropping to protect its food

supply from other predators. IN the Zoo Leopards have 3 - 5 Ibs(spectrum feline diet per day) and with

regard to wild animals and birds Leopards generally have Birds, hares, hydrax, rodents, small to medium

size antelope, jackals, dogs, monkeys, bush pigs, fish and pythons.

Leopards have now become Endagered in most areas where poaching and loss of habitat have reduced

populations. Some slight improvement in East Africa where parks and reserves have protected habitat andreduced poaching.


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Barking Deer ( Muntiacus muntiac )

The Name "Muntjac" comes from the Malay word

"menjangan," which means "deer." "Deer" comes from the German word "Tier," which simply means

"animal". So this is how the name comes.Barking Deer are mostly found in Asia from India to China. They

can be easily found or seen in Tropical forest up to an altitude of 1 0,000 feet.

The coat is short, shiny, and reddish. Antlers, present only in the male, are twin-pronged, with a maximum

length of four or five inches, and grow on a high base of skin-covered bone. Distinctive canine teeth

protrude from the upper jaw in males and can reach a length of over an inch. The munjac grows to about

forty inches in length, 26 inches at the shoulder. Its tail is about nine more inches. It weighs up to 35 pounds.

The muntjac usually is solitary and is active mainly at twilight and at night. It feeds on grass, leaves, and

fruit. When annoyed or alarmed by the unexpected appearance of an enemy (tigers and other members of the

cat family), it emits a distinctive noise like the baying of a dog and when mating occurs, at any time of year,

there are often violent duels between males, with the rivals inflicting deep wounds on one another with their

horns and canine teeth. Gestation lasts for about six months, after which the female delivers one or two

young.


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This shy and elusive member of the deer family is spread across all the dense jungles of India. Its has been

named after its call, which bears a striking resemblance to the bark of dog. These animals grow to a height

of 50 - 75 cms and weigh 20 -30 kgs. They have a life expectancy of between 20 - 30 years. They mostly

live in solitude and are only very rarely seen in numbers exceeding two. Due to their low height and small

stature, their main diet consists of grass and fallen fruits.

They rarely venture out into open grasslands and are mostly seen near the edge of dense forests. They can

also be frequently seen at salt licks. They are mostly diurnal in habit but it is close to impossible to see them

at night due to their dense habitat areas. They are easily startled by any movement. .

A definite identification mark to recognise a barking deer is from the two raised dark ridges on the forehead

that extend into its antlers. A unique trait of the Barking deer is that, unlike other members of the deer

family, they possess a pair of antlers as well as overgrown canines known as tushes. Both these are used as

weapons in combat but the tushes are used more effectively and frequently. They are commonly found all

across india and fortunately not yet found its name on the endangered list.


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HIMALAYAN BLACK BEAR (Ursus thibetanus or Selenarctos thibetanus)

The Asiatic Black Bear also known as the Tibetan black bear,the Himalayan black bear, or the moon bear, is a medium sized, sharp-clawed, black-coloured bear with a

distinctive white or cream "V" marking on its chest. It is a close relative of the American black bear with

which it is thought to share a European common ancestor. It grows to approximately 130 to 190 cm (4~ to

6~ ft) in length. Males weigh between 110 and 150 kg (240 to 330 Ibs) and females weigh between 65 to 90

kg (140 to 200 Ib). The bear's life span is around 25 years.

The Himalayan Black Bear has a wide distribution range spanning from the east to west of the Asian

continent. This bear can be found in the forests of hilly and mountainous areas in East Asia and South Asia,

including South Korea, North Korea, Afghanistan, Pakistan, northern India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Burma,

southern Siberia in Russia, north-eastern China, Taiwan and Japan.

It can be found in areas with elevations as high as 4,700 m (9,900 feet), but in lower lands as well. In some

parts of its range, the Asiatic black bear shares its habitat with the larger and stronger brown bear (Ursus

arctos). However, the smaller black bear has an advantage over its competitor, its climbing skills which help

it to reach for fruit and nuts in the trees.

The Himalayan Black Bear is an omnivore which consumes a great variety of foods including fruit, berries,

grasses, seeds, nuts, invertebrates, honey and meat (fish, birds, rodents and other small mammals as well as

carcasses). The Asiatic Black Bear is thought to be somewhat more carnivorous than its American cousin.

Nevertheless, meat only makes up a small part of its diet. The bear has been known to be quite aggressive


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towards human beings (more so than the American black bear); there have been numerous records of bear

attacks and killings.

This is probably mainly due to the fact that the Asiatic Black Bear is more likely to come into contact with

people, and will often attack if startled.

The Himalayan Black Bear is listed as vulnerable on the World Conservation Union's (IDCN's) Red List of

Threatened Animal. It is threatened mainly by deforestation and habitat loss. The bears are also killed by

farmers due to the threat they pose to livestock, and they are also unpopular for their habit of stripping bark

from valuable timber trees.

Asiatic Black Bears are also threatened by hunting, especially for their gall bladders to obtain bile, which is

used in traditional Chinese medicine. Since China outlawed the poaching of native bears in the 1980s, bear

bile has been supplied to Chinese consumers by special farms, where the bears are kept constantly caged and

restrained while catheters inserted in their gall bladders allow bile to drip into a container and be collected.

Supporters of this practice contend that, without these farms, the demand for bear bile would create atremendous incentive for poaching and put the already endangered species at even greater risk.. Critics,

however, assert that the practice is patently cruel and inhumane, and that synthetic bear bile,

ursodeoxycholic acid, is just as medicinally effective as real bear bile, and in fact much cheaper.


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PLANTS

Rhododendron (Locally called as Guras)

Rhododendron (from the Greek: rhodos means "rose" and

dendron, "tree") is a genus of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae. It is a large genus with over 1000

species and most have showy flower displays. It includes the plants known to gardeners as azaleas.

The Rhododendron is an interesting genus characterized by shrubs and small to (rarely) large trees, the

smallest species growing to 10-20 em tall, and the largest, R arboreum, reported to 50 m tall. The leaves are

spirally arranged; leaf size can range from 1-2 cm to over 50 cm, exceptionally 100 cm in R. sinogrande.

They may be either evergreen or deciduous. In some species the underside of the leaves are covered with

scales (lepidote) or hairs (indumentum). Some of the best known species are noted for their many clusters of

large flowers. There are alpine species with small flowers and small leaves, and tropical species such as

subgenus Vireya that often grow as epiphytes.

Rhododendron is a very widely distributed genus, occurring throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere

except for dry areas, and extending into the Southern Hemisphere in south-eastern Asia and northern

Australasia. The highest species diversity is found in the Sino-Himalayan mountains from central Nepal and

Sikkim east to Yunnan and Sichuan, with other significant areas of diversity in the mountains of Indo-China,

Korea, Japan and Taiwan. In addition, there are a significant number of tropical rhododendron species from

southeast Asia to northern Australia, with 55 known species in Borneo and 164 in New Guinea. Relativelyfewer species occur in North America and Europe.


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Both species and hybrid rhododendrons (including azaleas) are used extensively as ornamental plants in

landscaping in many parts of the world, and many species and cultivars are grown commercially for the

nursery trade. Rhododendrons are often valued in landscaping for their structure, size, flowers, and the fact

that many of them are evergreen .Azaleas are frequently used around foundations and occasionally as

hedges, and many larger-leafed rhododendrons lend themselves well to more informal plantings and

woodland gardens, or as specimen plants. In some areas, larger rhododendrons can be pruned to encourage

more tree-like form, with some species such as R. arboreum and R.falconeri eventually growing to 10-15 m

or more tilli.

Commercial Growing-Rhododendrons are grown commercially in many areas for sale, and are occasionally

collected in the wild, a practice now rare in most areas. Larger commercial growers often ship long

distances; in the United States most of them are located on the west coast (Oregon, Washington and

California). Large-scale commercial growing often selects for different characteristics than hobbyist growers

might, such as resistance to root rot when over-watered, ability to be forced into budding early, ease of

rooting or other propagation, and saleability .

Like other ericaceous plants, most rhododendrons prefer acid soils with a pH of roughly 4.5-5.5; some

tropical Vireyas and a few other rhododendron species grow as epiphytes and require a planting mix similar

to orchids. Rhododendrons have fibrous roots and prefer well-drained soils high in organic material. In areas

with poorly-drained or alkaline soils, rhododendrons are often grown in raised beds using mediums such as

composted pine bark.. Mulching and careful watering are important, especially before the plant is

established.


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PINE (Cryptomeria japmonica)

Cryptomeria is a genus of conifer in the cypress family

Cupressaceae formerly belonging to the family Taxodiaceae, it includes only one species,

Cryptomeriajaponica (syn.:Cupressus japonica L.f.). It is endemic to Japan, where it is known as Sugi this

vernacular name is increasingly being used as the English name as well, replacing the old, botanically

inaccurate name "Japanese Cedar"-the tree is not related to the cedars (Cedrus).

It is a very large evergreen tree, reaching up to 70 m (230 ft) tall and 4 m (12 ft) trunk diameter, with red-

brown bark which peels in vertical strips. The leaves are arranged spirally, needle-like, 0.5-1 em long; and

the seed cones globular, 1-2 cm diameter with about 20-40 scales. It is superficially similar to the related

Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum), from which it can be differentiated by the longer leaves (under

0.5 em in the Giant Sequoia) and smaller cones (4-6 em in the Giant Sequoia), and the harder bark on the

trunk (thick, soft and spongy in Giant Sequoia).

Sugi has been so long-cultivated in China that it is thought by some to be native there.Forms selected for

ornament and timber production long ago in China have been described as a distinct variety

Cryptomeriajaponica var. sinensis (or even a distinct species, Cryptomeria fortune i), but they do not differ

from the full range of variation found in the wild in Japan, and there is no definite evidence the species ever

occurred wild in China.


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Sugi is the national tree of Japan, commonly planted around temples, with many hugely impressive trees

planted centuries ago. Sargent (1894; The Forest Flora of Japan) recorded the instance of a daimyo (feudal

lord) who was too poor to donate a stone lantern at the funeral of the Shogun Tokugawa leyasu (1543-1616)

at Nikko Tosho-gii, but requested instead to be allowed to plant an avenue of Sugi, "that future visitors

might be protected from the heat of the sun". The offer was accepted; the avenue, which still exists, is over

65 Ian (40 miles) long, and "has not its equal in stately granduer".

It is also extensively used in forestry plantations in Japan and China, and is widely cultivated as an

ornamental tree in other temperate areas, including Britain, Europe, and North America.One very popular

ornamental form is the cultivar "Elegans", which is notable for retaining juvenile foliage throughout its life,

instead of developing normal adult foliage when one year old. The right hand specimen in the box photo is

of this cultlvar. It makes a small, shrubby tree 5-10m tall.

The wood is scented, reddish-pink in colour, lightweight but strong, waterproof and resistant to decay. It is

favoured in Japan for all types of construction work as well as interior panelling, etc. Cryptomeria is used as

a food plant by the larvae of some moths of the genus Endoclita including E. auratus, E. punctimargo and E.

undulifer.


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EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION

Sonada is also famous for its educational institution which are run by the catholic fathers in the area. Many

institutions found the climate suitable for their service to the society and to the children in general. Some of

the very famous and renowned college and school in Sonada are Salesian College and The Goethals

Memorial School.

Salesian College

Salesian College Sonada, is an Educational Institution of the

Catholic Church, belonging to and managed by the Salesians of Don Bosco Educational Society (Registered

under the societies Registration Act, S/88195 of 1997-98). The building of Salesian College was a bruery(

place where beer is made) and also soldiers used to stay at the college building and then in 1938 it was sold

to Salesians Of Don Bosco(SDB). Plenty of water was available at that time and thats one of the reason for

the derivation of the name of Sonada.

The College since its inception in 1933 and arrival at Sonada in 1938 has served the Indian Church and

Salesian Society by providing able men to manage its various institutions. Since 1998, its portals have been

open to select non-Salesian students. Though 69 years old, it is on to an experiment of expansion and

reaching out to the needy in the locality of Greater Sonada


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It was affiliated one time to Calcutta University and later with the birth of North Bengal University to the

latter. The College presently has a staff strength of 12 (residential) and 12 fulltime (day) besides visiting

faculty engaged in the University education of students from three Salesian provinces, ten Dioceses, two

religious orders of women and six different states of the country.

Besides the academic courses on campus, the students and staff also engage in extension activities catering

to the youth of the locality. These are the weekly youth centre animation, training in Spoken English,Typing

and Computer literacy programme. The College offers for the Graduate Course (Three Year Degree) in the

Arts Stream and Computer Education. The college is also recognized as Special Study Centre of IGNOU

and Extension Centre of NBU Distance Education Wing.

Today Salesian College is the one of the best college in NBU and under the leadership and guidanceof fr(dr)

George Thathdil. Salesian College is moreover a place of tourist visit mostly for students and teachers

around the world to get motivated and inspired by the activities of the college and it has also been noticed

that this visit has increased and been increasingin recent years.

GOETHALS MEMORIAL SCHOOL

Goethals Memorial School was a desire of Honorable Mr.

James Woodroffe, Advocate General of the High Court, an Irishman and a convert, to built a memorial for

the late Archbishop Goethals. It was his intiative that a strip of land was bought near Sonada to construct

Geothals Memorial School. In 1907 the school was opened for teaching. In February 1907 classes started in


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the building erected by the first Principal Br. M.S.O Brien (1907-1914). The number of boys in residence

was 110. The official opening took place on 30 April, 1907.

The first prospectus had in view the affiliation of the School to the Sibpur Engineering College, Calcutta.

However, the Sub Overseer Course did not fit with the needs of the pupils and was dropped in favour of the

Cambridge Locals. The Cambridge Exams continued until the 1970s when the school switched to theIndian

Certificate of Secondary Educationcurriculum.

Goethals Memorial school is also a renowned day cum boarding school around the glode. Students from

around the world come to study here and enjoy the beauty of the place. Goethals has always been a place of

interest of people everywhere because of its way of functioning and its activities.

Presence of institution like Salesian college and Goethals memorial school has also increased the tourist

activity in the place. Moreover the society and the people in the region are benefitted. More and More

people in the area are being employed and also helping to increase the tourism business in the adjoining

areas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Certificate_of_Secondary_Educationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Certificate_of_Secondary_Educationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Certificate_of_Secondary_Educationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Certificate_of_Secondary_Educationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Certificate_of_Secondary_Educationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Certificate_of_Secondary_Education


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CHATAKPUR

Chatakpur has almost all the ingredients of a fairy tale, a

picture-perfect scenery and a happy ending. From the infamous village known for illegal felling, Chatakpur,

7km from Sonada, has now transformed itself to a tourist destination where visitors make a beeline for the

lush greenery, wooden cottages, forest trails, trekking routes, and overall, a getaway from the hustle and

bustle of city life.

The transformation of Chatakpur is simply unbelievable. It was a notorious village with illegal felling and

timber smuggling. during the switch from a timber smuggling den to a tourist haven, the forest department

electrified the village and brought drinking water to the hamlet inhabited by 80 to 100 people. Arrangement

for sanitation was also made in each household.

Besides the four cottages, Chatakpur, 70km from Siliguri and above 3,000ft, has home-stay facilities in fivehouses. The forest department has also introduced organic farming and tourists can handpick vegetables

from the field for cooking. Once a tourist reaches Chatakpur, he is flooded with a number of options. He

can enjoy the folk dance, climb up to the watchtower for a view of Sandakphu and the sunrise, spend time at

the water body or pokhri or choose one of the trekking routes leading to different destinations, both uphill

and downhill. department has also trained seven youths of Chatakpur at the Himalayan Mountaineering

Institute in Darjeeling who work as guides now.


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ITANARY

HOW TO REACH SONADA

Airways - Bagdogra airport (IXB) is the nearest and major airport. Sonada is approximately 55 Kilometers

i.e. 2 - 3 hours drive from Bagdogra Airport (IXB). Bagdogra Airport (IXB) is served by regular Indian,

Go Air, Kingfisher, Spice Jet and Jet Airways flights from Kolkata, Guwahati, Chennai and Delhi

Railways - Nearest railhead is the legendary Darjeeling Himalayan Railway station ofSonada. It is nearly 6

hours ride from New Jalpaiguri Railway station (NJP) .Darjeeling is 17 Kilometers,45 minutes drive from

Sonada by road and 2 hours ride by Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) and Sonada is 2 -3 hours drive

from New Jalpaiguri railway station (NJP) by road.

Roadways There are three approach roads to Kurseong from Siliguri and the road via Pankhabari and

Makaibari tea estate is the shortest. There is two more approach road. National highway number 55 and the

Rohini road is the other option. Sonada is just halfway between Darjeeling and Kurseong.

WHERE TO STAY IN SONADA

There are many places in Sonada where one can easily live or can make a hault to visit the sites in the place.

There are Hotels, Lodge which caters to the tourist coming to visit Sonada. Moreover the local people

provide food and lodging to tourists who are willing to get homely comfort and experience of the people

living in the hills. It is one of the most amazing quality of the people living in Sonada. Apart from the

houses there is one more interesting place which also provides lodging facility and it is none other than

Salesian College. The College Campus has the facility for food and lodging for the tourist and lots of

experience and facts about the place and the College.

In Chatakpur the charges are Rs 2,800 for Indians and Rs 3,800 for foreigners on twin-share (of a room) for

24 hours. It includes food, boarding, guides fees and charges for cultural events. Bookings can be done

through travel agents or from the Senchal west range office in Jorebunglow.


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CONCLUSION

The project I have submitted contains all the datas that is useful for any individual or group. The project is

Eco-tourism based and all the spots covered are of tourism based.

Some Suggestions to develop the eco-tourism on the spots discussed in this project are as follows:

Sonada Railway Station The Railway department has done lot to preserve the importance and need of the

Toy train and the Stations. It has used a part of the station as a heritage museum so that the information

about the station as well as the train could be available to the tourist and the outsiders.

I feel this is the best utilisation of the station that can be done by any one and I feel that all the other stations

of the toy train should have such museums so that people get more information and unknown facts of the

Railways.

Tea Gardens- Its a wonderful place to be but there are no proper facility for the visitors in the tea garden.

Some facilities like canteen or small rest house for the tourist should be there. The people in the factory are

always busy and there is no one to look after the visitors except to those who are relatives of the tea gardenowner. There should be someone who could look after the visitors and even try to promote the visit of tourist

in their tea garden

Sonada Forest- The forest has many beautiful and rare species of animals and plants which if properly cared

and looked, can lead to increase in tourist in the forest which in turn will generate employment and income

for the people. Forest should maintained and also a map of the forest should be made and few resting places

should be constructed for the tourist.

Monastery- It is a religious place in sonada and every tourist visits it, so there should be a monk or a booklet

can be made giving information to the tourist about the Monastery and its teaching. The Buddhist festival

may be carried in a grand way so that the visitors can get the opportunity to see them and enjoy the festivals.


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BIBLOGRAPHY

The informations that has been provided in the survey was obtained from certain web sites to complete this

project and also with the help from the teachers and Principal of the College. The Sites are mentioned below.

www.ioe.il www.valdenshanwa. org www.darieelinq news. net www.ghorkhapedia.org www.wekipedia.org www.google.com
http://www.ghorkhapedia.org/http://www.wekipedia.org/http://www.wekipedia.org/http://www.ghorkhapedia.org/

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