Hi people!This post was supposed to be up on the blog a long time back in August, but I got caught up in some never-ending issues. Anyhoo... with this update on one of the most beautiful places in Kalimpong, I hope to reinstate the untold charm of my hometown once again. Happy reading :)
Sometime in 2010, my uncle and his family had come home to Kalimpong on leave. Everytime they came around, I'd tag along with them to visit relatives, friends, old hangouts. That particular time, he said they'd be visiting his old friend in Holumba. Now, I hadn't heard of the place and had assumed it to be on the outskirts of the town or something; turned out, it wasn't. In fact, the place was on the main highway that enters the town. Also, surprisingly, it was on the way to the school I studied in for eleven years. ELEVEN YEARS!
Just a few seconds after walking through that gate, I was thinking 'damn! how could I have missed this out my whole life?' It felt like we'd entered a different world. A world that has no place for sins, stress, misery, trouble. A world that is serene, a world that is liberated..... Sadly, there are a lot of people in Kalimpong itself who do not know about this lovely Elysian Field nestled in a perfect landscape and I firmly believe everybody ought to.
Holumba Haven is a beautiful homestay located at a very convenient part of the town, spread over a scenic area of roughly two acres. Its name is apparently a manipulation of the name 'Olangchung Gola', a valley in the north-eastern part of Nepal from where the Pempahisey family originally hailed.
There are eight cottages for accomodating the nature-loving guests, the oldest one being 'Magnolia' established long back in the year 1937 by Late Mr. T. Pempahisey.
Urgyen Sangharakshita, who founded the Triratna Buddhist Community and was a very respected Buddhist bhikku/ writer of British nationality, had migrated to Kalimpong in the 1950s where he stayed for around fourteen years before returning to England. He rented a 'small wooden bungalow' which was later named 'The Hermitage' in his honour. The bungalow was 'Magnolia'. "Indeed, as I walked up and down in their leafy neighbourhood sentences of articles and stanzas of poems would come unbidden into my mind, as well as feelings and insights for which I as yet had no words.When that happened I would experience an intense joy, the flower sabove my head and at my feet would shine with an unearthly radiance, and to me it would seem that the garden of ‘TheHermitage’was a veritable Garden ofEden." - Sangharakshita, in his book 'Facing Mount Kanchenjunga: An English Buddhist in the Eastern Himalayas'. As one proceeds to walks up the flight of nature surrounded staircase, he meets with another elegant cottage to the right. Wood Cot.
Tt was difficult trying to get a clearer picture of this one because it was kinda uncomfortable standing on the stairs and trying to figure a good shot with all the greenery blocking the way. Sigh, the greenery! In fact, all the cottages were difficult to capture; and I didn't mind the hindrances because it included things like 'the hedge is too high'..or.. 'can't see the rest of the house through the orchids'....or....'the cottage is at a height I can't reach'. This one's called 'Spring Site'. This was where we'd chilled on my first visit to Holumba. Beautiful ambience, good music, great fun!
'Tree Tops' stands at a height and is the furthermost amongst all the cottages. I had to sit on a risky railing right above a ravine to capture this one. Again, too much greenery .
Here comes 'Pine Wood'.
In the dining room - 'Orchid', the guests are served homecooked, simple meal which gives them a chance to feast just like the locals do.
The vintage intruments hung on the wall entices anybody who enters it.
The Orchid is connected to the main residence of the Pempahiseys and the office.
Another cottage- Bamboo Grove is just below the Spring Site and is the one cottage that I forgot to take a picture of... thousand apologies. .....but I assure you it is just as beautiful as the rest.
Just next to the office is a coop which is home to not just a lot of chickens but guinea fowls as well. You should know that am a huge ornithophobic so I wasn't able to take proper pictures of the birds but I've included the few which I managed to click while simultaneously running for my life...hehe.
Holumba is a place where different animals live in perfect harmony; no wonder it is called 'haven'! Even while I took a brief walk around the place, there were atleast three dogs that kept following me - and not in a threatening manner.
And I don't know which spider this one is...but it seemed beautiful and friendly too. It stays awayyyy from where humans dwell.
The cat was basking in the sun...didn't want to disturb his majesty but he caught me!
And well, if you want to bask in the sun, you need not worry about the space because.......
Oh and look who I found ... :D
Holumba Homestay has been raked #1 on TripAdvisor and I guarantee you...even a simple visit to the place can be a treat for your body and soul. I was told that the American actor, Richard Gere, had also been one of Holumba's guests. You can visit their website www.holumba.com to know more. I could not collect stories or reviews from the guests since there weren't any when I visited but here's some interesting feedback I managed to extract from tripadvisor..
After a lovely afternoon there and a very interesting chat with Mr. Karma Pempahisey, it was time to head back. I'd spent more than five hours there without even realising it. There is just so much one can learn from him (and not just about Kalimpong).
That's his personal library bejewelled with very interesting reads which he generously lets the guests borrow during their stay.
I'm going to try and look for a better way to thank Karma uncle,Norden uncle and Thinlay aunty for being so so so warm and welcoming each time I go there (and also for bestowing Holumba upon our town) but right now all I can do is say 'THANK YOU' in bold and caps lock . ;)
From the next post, I will have two young photography enthusiasts joining me on 'Notes From Kalimpong : Of Mountains, Momos and Mittens'... so all the pictures uploaded here alongside the posts, henceforth, will be credited to Saidur and Siddharth. I am positive that with them merging in this blog, we can together give you better and regular updates complete with visual treats from the guys. You can know more about them in the 'About' section. So until then, I wish you guys a great day and a warm winter! :)
