Wiki Explores Darjeeling - Phase I

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Wiki Explores Darjeeling - Phase I is a ten day event to document some areas in and adjacent of district of Darjeeling, West Bengal, India. The objective of this event is to do photo-documentation of the various heritage structures in the said area most of which have less or no presence in Wikimedia commons. This is the first time Wiki exploration is being conducted in this area.

1. Photograph heritage sites around Darjeeling town, Chhota Mangwa, Takdah, Lava and Kalimpong town located in Darjeeling district and Kalimpong district
2. Upload media for the heritage structures of Darjeeling district and Kalimpong district in Commons.
3. Create / Update articles about the heritage structures in Bengali and English Wikipedia
4. Create / Update items in Wikidata

Date: 5th May 2023 to 14th May 2023

1. Amitabha Gupta (talk) 02:32, 4th May 2023 (UTC)
2. Sumitsurai (talk)

• 4th May 2023 (Thursday) - Depart from Kolkata by Vande Bharat Express (22301) for New Jalpaiguri. Drive by hired car to Darjeeling town. Night stay at

Darjeeling town

• 5th May 2023 (Friday) Walk around Darjeeling town covering several built heritage. Night stay at Darjeeling town.
• 6th May 2023 (Saturday) Cover outskirts of Darjeeling in a rented car. Night stay at Darjeeling town.
• 7th May 2023 (Sunday) Cover outskirts of Darjeeling in a rented car. Night stay at Darjeeling town.
• 8th May 2023 (Monday) Leave Darjeeling in a rented car for Chota Mangwa. Photo document all Monasteries on the way and around Chota Mangwa. Overnight at Chota Mangwa
• 9th May 2023 (Tuesday) Leave Chota Mangwa in a rented car for Takdah. Photo Document the colonial Bungalows and monasteries in and around Takdah. Visit Rabindra Bhawan at Mangpoo. Overnight at Takdah
• 10th May 2023 Leave Takdah after lunch in a rented car for Lava. Photo document Lava Monastery, Fagu Monastery and Dalim Fort. Overnight at Lava.
• 11th May 2023 Check out from Lava and head to Kalimpong. Half day tour of Kalimpong. Overnight at Kalimpong.
• 12th May 2023 Tour of Kalimpong and outskirts. Overnight at Kalimpong.
• 13th May 2023 Tour of Kalimpong and outskirts. Overnight at Kalimpong.
• 14th May 2023 Tour of Kalimpong and outskirts. Overnight at Kalimpong.
• 15th May 2023 Check out from Kalimpong after breakfast and head to New Jalpaiguri. Board Vande Bharat (22302) and reach Howrah at night.

[Note: Some places outside the district will also be covered]

1. Dali MonasteryYesY
2. Bhutia Basti MonasteryYesY
3. Yiga Choeling MonasteryYesY
4. Samten Choeling MonasteryYesY
5. Aloobari MonasteryYesY
6. Mahakal TempleYesY
7. Japanese Temple alias Darjeeling Peace PagodaYesY
8. Dhirdham TempleYesY
9. St. Andrews ChurchYesY
10. Clock TowerYesY
11. Darjeeling MallYesY
12. Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and MuseumYesY
13. Roy VillaYesY
14. Desbandhu HouseYesY
15. Himalayan Tibetan MusuemYesY
16. DHR Ghoom MusuemYesY
17. Bengal Natural History MusuemNoN(Photography prohibited)
18. Batasia Loop and War MemorialYesY(Already substantial photos in Commons)
19. Darjeeling Old CemeteryYesY
20. ChitrabhanuYesY
21. Dalim Lepcha FortYesY
22. Damsang Lepcha FortYesY
23. Gouripur HouseYesY
24. Rabindra Bhawan, MungpooYesY
25. Katherine Graham Memorial ChapelYesY
26. Mangal Dham TempleYesY
27. Zang Dhok Palri Monastery/Durpin MonasteryYesY
28. Tharpa Choling MonasteryYesY
29. Tamang Gumba YesY
30. Thongsa GompaNoN
31. Pyne View Orchid garden, KalimpongYesY
32. Lepcha Bong Gompa and Museum, KalimpongYesY
33. Graham’s School and churchYesY
34. Morgan HouseYesY
35. St. Joseph's ConventNoN
36. Fagu MonasteryYesY
37. Takling Phunchok Choeling MonasteryYesY
38. Tinchuley MonasteryNoN(Monastery closed)
39. Dupkhang Choi Khorling MonasteryYesY

Financial Report
Purpose	Particulars	Date	Price (INR)	Receipt	Remarks
Train Cost (Going)	Vande Bharat Express (22301)	04-May-23	3,166.10	Yes
Train Cost (Returning)	Vande Bharat Express (22302)	15-May-23	3,026.10	Yes
Uber cost	Home to Howrah Station	04-May-23	108.00	Yes
Taxi cost	Howarh Station to Home via Ahiritola	15-May-23	350.00	No
Accommodation Cost	Hotel Dreamland, Darjeeling	04-May-23 to 08-May-23	13,440.00	Yes
Accommodation Cost with food	Sherpa Homestay, Chhota Mangwa	08-May-23 to 09-May-23	2,600.00	Yes
Accommodation Cost	Bungalow no 12, Takdah (Complimentary breakfast)	09-May-23 to 10-May-23	3,600.00	Yes
Accommodation Cost	Unique Inn, Lava	10-May-23 to 11-May-23	3,000.00	Yes
Accommodation Cost	Holumba Haven, Kalimpong	11-May-23 to 15-May-23	11,500.00	Yes
Car Cost	Travel Chhuti	04-May-23 to 15-05-23	41,800.00	Yes
Dinner	Dekeva, Darjeeling	04-05-2023	970.00	yes
Breakfast	Keventers, Darjeeling	05-05-2023	961.00	Yes
Dinner	Revolver, Darjeeling	05-05-2023	850.00	Yes
Brunch	Roadside Joint, Zoological Park	06-05-2023	180.00	Yes
Entry Fee and Camera Fee	Padmja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park	06-05-2023	240.00	Yes
Snacks	Glenary's, Darjeeling	06-05-2023	320.00	yes
Dinner	Mohan Eateries, Darjeeling	06-05-2023	480.00	No
Breakfast	Glenary's, Darjeeling	07-05-2023	882.00	No
Lunch	Kunga, Darjeeling	07-05-2023	740.00	Yes
Dinner	Glenary's, Darjeeling	07-05-2023	1456.00	Yes
Dinner and snacks	Takdah Heritage Colonial Bungalow no 12	09-05-2023	1460.00	Yes
Dinner	Sherpa Inn, Lava	10-05-2023	195.50	Yes
Lunch	Roadside eatery, Lava	11-05-2023	310.00	Yes
Lunch	Zakhang, Kalimpong	11-05-2023	1290.00	Yes
Breakfast	Sumit Mahato, Kalimpong	12-05-2023	130.00	Yes
Lunch	Green Gale Refreshments, Kalimpong	12-05-2023	350.00	Yes
Snacks	Meena Basur	12-05-2023	220.00	Yes
Dinner	Gompu's bar and restaurant : Shreyank hospitality, Kalimpong	12-05-2023	2001.00	Yes
Brunch	Roxberry, Kalimpong	13-05-2023	900.00	Yes
Water	Binita Pariyar, Kalimpong	13-05-2023	80.00	Yes
Dinner	Seol Full, Kalimpong	13-05-2023	710.00	Yes
Lunch	Village eatery, Sellary Gaon	14-05-2023	220.00	No
Guide cost (Damsang Fort)	Village lad, Sellary Gaon	14-05-2023	400.00	No
Dinner	The Noodle house, Kalimpong	14-05-2023	1166	Yes
Breakfast	Roadside eatery, Siliguri	15-05-2023	170	No
TOTAL COST	97,827.70

One of the main focuses of Wiki Explores Darjeeling - Phase I was GLAM. Museums have always been covered right from the very beginning of this program. But, during Wiki Explores Darjeeling, we documented ten museums from the Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. Video documentation of all the places was done too.

West Bengal Wikimedians User Group obtained permission from the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute to photograph the exhibits displayed in their museum. Dr. Hrishikes Sen helped with the consent. Other museums didn’t need prior approval for documentation.

Two of these museums, viz. Roy Villa, and Gouripur House, are still under renovation. They used to be the local residences of Sister Nivedita and Rabindranath Tagore. We have documented the current situation and the renovation process. These images and videos will help evaluate the restoration process once completed.

Apart from uploading images to Wikimedia Commons, required edits were made to related Wikidata and Wikivoyage articles.

Places Covered (Museums in bold)

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