While in India, during British rule, the wealthy English lords and nouveau riche Europeans voyaged to far South Africa or Australia for a change; however, the ordinary folk could not afford this luxury. They suffered in the heat and humidity of Calcutta for decades before Darjeeling was developed as a viable hill town for the English to live in and enjoy.
Initially inhabited by the Lepchas (Rongpas), Darjeeling has served as home to many communities including Nepalis, Tibetans, Bengalis, Germans, Jews, Parsis, Marwaris, Chinese and Europeans.
This tour is a celebration of pluralism in Darjeeling. It’s an opportunity to uncover the rich internationality of this historic town in the Eastern Himalayas.
The tour is a window to understanding the importance of harmony and peace above all, alongside various cultural practices. It offers an exploration of the diverse rituals and customs of numerous ethnicities. It, even more importantly, attempts to give a new lease of life to the dying and endangered traditions that are signature to the indigenous and the migrant communities living in the hills.
Culture Shock is a multicultural tour which includes slow strolling through the town and visiting households / families / settlements of various ethnicities such as Nepalis, Tibetan, Chinese, Anglo-Indian, Bengali, German, Christian, Marwari, Bihari, Newari et al. Chit chatting with the locals, understanding how and why they made Darjeeling their home. You also get to taste their signature delicacies, which is one of the major highlights of this tour. This is a three - four hours activity in and around the Darjeeling town.