Chowrasta, Darjeeling — the town square on the Mall
What it is
Chowrasta, meaning "where four roads meet", is the public square at the centre of Darjeeling, on the ridge at about 2,134 m. Wikipedia calls it the town's social centre, closed to all vehicles, with old shops around it and the Mall Road winding round Observatory Hill from its north.
Photos: Sufe (CC BY 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
The square
A golden statue of the Nepali poet Bhanubhakta Acharya stands at the north end, first as a bust in 1949 and as a full figure since 1996. Wikipedia names a long-established bookshop among the oldest shops on the square, and says cafés and restaurants have grown up around it. Cultural events are held in the square, and pony rides run along the Mall Road.
The view
On a clear day, Kangchenjunga and twelve other peaks above 20,000 feet are visible from here, and Wikipedia says the view is clearest in October and November, when the cloud that often covers the ridge thins. People wait for the mist to clear, as characters do in Satyajit Ray's film Kanchenjungha.
Getting there
Cars stop at the edge of the square; see the quick facts for the measured road time. The Mahakal temple and St Andrew's Church are a short walk away.
Combine it with
The two-day plan starts here, and the one-day plan ends the day with the Mall. Read things to do in Darjeeling.
Plans that include this
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Nearby places
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Questions people ask
What is Chowrasta in Darjeeling?
The town's historic public square, whose name means where four roads meet. Wikipedia says it sits at about 2,134 m on the ridge, is closed to vehicles, and has long been the social centre of Darjeeling. Nehru Road and Dr Zakir Hussain Road end at it, and the Mall Road winds round Observatory Hill from it.
What can you see from Chowrasta?
On a clear day Wikipedia says Kangchenjunga and twelve other Himalayan peaks above 20,000 feet are visible, with the view clearest in October and November; at other times cloud can swallow it. The square has a golden statue of the Nepali poet Bhanubhakta Acharya, old shops such as a long-established bookshop, and cafés.
What is there to do at Chowrasta?
Wikipedia mentions pony rides along the Mall Road, shopping for souvenirs and the cultural events held in the square, with the Mahakal temple on Observatory Hill rising behind it. It is the starting point for most walks in the old town. We have no verified shop hours, so ask locally.