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Darjeeling, West Bengali

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 Darjeeling, the source of the tea millions of people drink every day. Nestled at the very top of West Bengali, it shares little of Kolkata's (formerly known as Calcutta) torrid climate, despite being located in the same State. A night of train from Kolkata and five hours of bumpy road up towards the Hymalayas, get you to the stunning hills that the British used to get some respite from the plains' heat. From Tiger Hill, perched at an altitude of 2'000 meters, you can watch the sunrise over the Hymalayas: an uninterrupted stretch of amazing mountains half of which is in sight from here. Near-9000 meters Mount Everest, of course, beckons. 

Little of it is shared by this woman, homeless as a result of the divorce or perhaps the death of her husband. In traditional India, a woman moves with her husbands' family. And without her husband she can be often be despised and even thrown out of her home. Failing help from her parents or other relatives, she may end up alone, in the street. 

Many organizations are trying to appease the traumatic effects of these cultural constraints, and to eradicate the problem. Have more details in our "what you can do" section. For a more elaborated account of these and other aspects of India's culture you can read Roy's "God of Small Things" and Naipaul's "A million mutinies now".

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