Dr Graham’s Home

Kalimpong


This orphanage and school was built in 1900 by Dr JA Graham, a Scottish missionary, to educate children of tea-estate workers, and now has 1300-odd students. The grounds are only open to visitors outside school hours, except for the museum that commemorates Graham and his wife, Katherine. The 1925 chapel seems lifted straight out of a Scottish parish, with its grey slate, spire and fine stained-glass windows.

The gate is 4km northeast of the town centre, on the lower slopes of Deolo Hill. You can visit on the way to or back from the hilltop, or charter a taxi to get here (₹150) and then walk back to town via Tharpa Choling Gompa and the Himalayan Handmade Paper Industry workshop. Sporadic shared minivans (₹30) to Deolo village from the Home Stand in town will stop here.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Kalimpong attractions

1. Deolo Hill

0.72 MILES

On a clear day, the morning views of Khangchendzonga from this hilltop park, about 500m higher than the town centre, are simply superb. After savouring…

2. Tharpa Choling Gompa

0.73 MILES

Built from 1912 to 1922, the main temple of this Gelugpa-school Tibetan monastery of 50 monks contains statues of past, present and future Buddhas. Don't…

3. Thongsa Gompa

1.03 MILES

A short distance below the junction of RC Mintri and Rishi Rds is this charming Nyingmapa-school monastery, also known as the Bhutanese Monastery. The…

4. Himalayan Handmade Paper Industry

1.21 MILES

Visitors are welcome to drop into this small workshop to see traditional paper-making processes, from boiling and pulping of the local argayli (daphne)…

5. Macfarlane Church

1.62 MILES

This handsome 1891 church was severely damaged by a 2011 earthquake, when pinnacles from its tower came crashing to the ground. After renovations, the…

6. Lepcha Heritage Museum

1.86 MILES

This offbeat collection of Lepcha treasures could be likened to rummaging through the attic of your grandfather’s house (if he were a Lepcha elder). A…

7. Nurseryman’s Haven

2.3 MILES

Nurseryman’s stocks over 200 orchid species from the Kalimpong–Darjeeling region and is worth a visit to view its blooms that are exported worldwide (best…

8. Shanti Kunj

2.48 MILES

Walk down to Shanti Kunj to view its greenhouses full of interesting plants from begonias and cacti to anthuriums and araucaria-tree seedlings. Bulbs of…