Going the extra mile: Darjeeling feeds hundreds in time of crisis
Humanity scored over politics as the Queen of Hills went about lending a helping hand to hundreds of distressed tourists. Residents of Darjeeling provided food, biscuits, tea and drinking water to those who were miles away from their homes — stranded and distraught — waiting at the motor stand to be ferried home. Many organisations pitched in along with the local residents distributing bottled water, tea and biscuits. "Residents of the motor stand area, seeing the tourists on the roads waiting for the buses, decided to chip in.
There were hungry kids too. We got the necessary stocks and started cooking khichdi (rice, lentil and vegetables cooked together) for the tourists," said Promod Sharma, a local. Soon, hungry tourists were seen queueing up for the nutritious lunch. "The lunch saved us. We had absolutely no food and did not know what to do with a small child. We don't even know for how long we will have to wait for the bus but it will not be on an empty stomach now," stated Anil Kumar, a tourist from Bihar Sharif. Even foreign tourists were seen queueing up in front of the community kitchen. "I had arrived four days ago and am leaving today (Friday). It is such a good gesture on the part of the people of Darjeeling. With no shops open I had missed my breakfast too," stated Roum from South Korea. Not only food, there was a humane side of Darjeeling too that became evident in such a time of crisis. Two elderly policemen from Burdwan paid a visit to a restaurant near Chowrasta. For those who belong to the plains, the chilly nights in the Hills are not easy to spend.
"Though its summer for us, the night temperature is chilly for people from the warmer climates. The cops seemed to be feeling very cold and did not have warm clothes," stated Anil Rai, the owner of the restaurant located in Toonsoong. Rai gave them two of his jackets. "When they were reluctant to take the jackets as they were not sure if they would be able to take out time to return them owing to their busy schedule, I told them that they could keep the jackets as remembrance," stated Rai.
(Via:millenniumpost)
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