Tea territory @ Dooars in Jalpaiguri

Tea tourism in India is a buzzword. Think tea and verdant hues of tea gardens conjure up in memory. Holding my cuppa of green tea, I stood in the balcony of my room in Chalsa in the Jalpaiguri district of North Bengal. Sprawling blanket of fragrant tea gardens lay in front of my eyes. Fresh monsoon shower had just greeted the region, which made the setting look straight out of a storybook. This was my first time in this offbeat region snuggled amidst thick rainforest, lush tea gardens and paddy fields, so no doubt I was excited to the tee. I was looking forward to a laidback and relaxing holiday so when monsoon started knocking my doors in Delhi, I decided to chuck conventional holiday destinations and pay a visit to the land of one horned rhinos, never ending tea estates and Buxa tigers.