Growing up in Darjeeling
Growing up in Darjeeling—a town perched on the Himalayan edge and bustling with tourists year-round—shapes childhood in unique ways. For many local children, the rhythms of daily life are deeply intertwined with the tourist economy: school holidays may coincide with peak tourist seasons, homes often double as homestays, and the streets outside are filled with unfamiliar languages and faces.
To be very honest with you, this wasn't a planned project. We were actually on our way to the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute when we came across these starry-eyed school children sketching what perhaps was the most recognisable landmark in Darjeeling. The teacher-in-charge informed us that they were actually participating in an inter-school sketching competition. Why was it organised outside the school premises in a tourist hotspot? The aim was not only to learn sketching, but also to help the children gain outlook and learn public interaction by interacting with the tourists. I mean, what a wonderful idea!!
