A Comprehensive Study of the Colonial Cemeteries of Darjeeling
Necropolis in the Clouds: A Comprehensive Study of the Colonial Cemeteries of Darjeeling Part I: The Genesis of a Colonial Enclave - Darjeeling's Foundation The colonial cemeteries of Darjeeling are not merely repositories of the dead; they are profound historical documents, etched in stone and soil, that narrate the story of the British Empire's expansion into the Himalayas. To comprehend their significance, one must first understand the genesis of Darjeeling itself—a meticulously planned colonial project designed to serve the strategic, medical, and economic interests of the British Raj. The establishment of these burial grounds was an inevitable consequence of this enterprise, marking the transition of a remote mountain ridge into a permanent European settlement. The initial impetus for the British presence was twofold: health and military strategy. In the early 19th century, the British in India were grappling with the debilitating effects of tropical diseases....