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, 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!!