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General
Information |
Places Of Interest |
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Mungpoo |
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Area Total : 10,023 sq kms |
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Total population : 30,000 Aprox. |
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Temperature : Summer - Max 26o c Min
14O C |
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: Winter - Max 14OC Min 06O C |
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Annual Rainfall : 3,890 mm |
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Clothing Needed : Summer - Light woolens |
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: Winter - Heavy Woolens |
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Altitude : 2,000 ft - 5,000 ft |
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Connectivity by Road : Nearest Railway Station
(52 Kms) Siliguri NJP |
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: Darjeeling (32 Kms) |
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: Kalimpong (41 Kms) |
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By Air : Nearest Airport is Bagdodra (62 Kms)
and Bhadrapur in Nepal |
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Regular taxis from Darjeeling, Siliguri and
Kalimpong. |
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Mungpoo – An Introduction |
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In the olden days, there used to be a good harvest of
millet in and around present Mungpo. It’s because of this
very fact that the Lepchas, the then native resident used to
call it Mong-pong, in Lepcha, meaning "A Heap of Millet". In
due course of time, the regional dialect changed Mung-pong to
Mungpoo. |
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Mungpoo and Cinchona are very like
synonyms. It’s because of Cinchona Farming that Mungpoo has
earned its name and fame in the world. According to renowned
historian William Prescott, the Cinchona Plant derives its
name from Cinchon, wife of the Spanish Viceroy at around
1532. |
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Cinchona plant is native to Peru. The
Inkas of Peru, who wanted to break the chain of slavery
imposed on them by the French were familiar with Cinchona
plant. One day when lady Cinchon caught fever, an Inka lady
named ‘Juma’ collected powder produced out of bark of
Cinchona plant and offered the same to the lady which cured
the lady of fever. |
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Lady Cinchon took the plant along with
her to France in 1640. It’s only after this event that the
medicinal value of Cinchona Plant came to be known in the
whole world. |
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In 1858, Mr. Markhan and Mr. Weir tried
to import the Cinchona Plant into India from Tombaypata in
Brazil but their effort bore no seedling as the plant withered
away on the way due to long journey. Later, Mr. R. Cross and Mr. Spruce brought
the Cinchona plant to India. Mr. Macklower later played an
important role in introducing Cinchona plant to Darjeeling
hills which subsequently led to Cinchona Farming in the
Hills of Darjeeling. |
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Later, Dr. Thomas Anderson around1858 to
1861 again tried to start Cinchona farming in the hills of
Darjeeling and in 1862 he succeeded in cultivating the plant
across the Rambi river’s bank of Mungpoo. Afterwards, then manager
Mr. Garnie and Uzirsing Tamang started looking after the
farm. |
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From 1867, new Gardens were established
and both the natives and the people from other areas were
employed to work as Cinchona farmers. Different departments
were set up afterwards for Cinchona Farming. |
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Poet Rabindranath Tagore visited and
stayed four times at Mungpoo in 21st May, 1938, 24th May
1939, 12th Sept. 1939 and 21st August 1940. The Rabindra
Memorial Labour Welfare Centre and Rabindra Museum have been
established in his memory. |
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