Small town perched at an altitude of 1,250 metres, the first things that strike the visitor at Kalimpong are the bustling bazaars and the places of worship that lend a peaceful ambience to the town. It is situated in the state of West Bengal at a distance of 50 km from Darjeeling. Till about hundred years ago, Kalimpong used to be a tiny hamlet. The written accounts dating back to 1865 mention this place as one constituting of a few huts, less than ten families and eight cows! After it was seized by the British in the later half of the nineteenth century, the area became a major centre for wool trade with Tibet. In 1916, the area was made into a separate subdivision with Kalimpong as the headquarters. Today Kalimpong has been developed as a popular tourist resort. The name Kalimpong has been given rise to several interpretations. In the language of the local Lepcha tribe, Kalimpong means the ridge where we play. Another interpretation is that the name stands for the stronghold of the minister as kalim means minister and pong means stronghold in Bhutanese. One more interpretation describes Kalimpong as being named after Kaulim, a fibrous plant found in abundance in this region. Kalimpong has a very mild climate. Summers are sunny and are the best times to visit this place. The winter season lasts from September to February when the minimum temperature can drop to 7°C making the nights quite cold.