3 Nights in The Samabeyong Tea Bungalow

 For long we have wanted to stay at a 'Dak Bungalow' like place: reading books besides a crackling fire place, sipping onto flavours that cling onto the head and we found such a hideaway at Samabeyong Tea Bungalow. So, one morning, recommended by a good friend of mine ,we drove down to the place....fire places, ghost stories, heavy solitude, barbecues, long walks and to retire.. a good library made for a great time. The hunt for that British ghost in a Dak Bungalow, the Chicken curry cooked by the Khansama is still there, but a portion of it has been satiated!

Two weeks after the Chota Mangwa sojourn,  we were speeding on the Durgapur Expressway yet again at dawn. At the Morgram Dhaba, where we had stopped for breakfast, the waiter even recognized us, as we ordered the standard fare of tea and aloo paranthas. The 11 AM breakfast, being quite heavy, made us skip lunch and with the evening closing in we had some tea and biscuits as we exited Dhantola. At night, after a dinner of sizzlers at Marina’s Motel, we slept off early – eagerly waiting for the next day, when we would reach Samabeyong.

After a superb breakfast on the verandah at Marina’s we commenced our journey through Sevoke-Bagrakote-Phaperkheti. The Samabeyong tea garden was located 6-7 kms before Lava. Till Phaperkheti it was a smooth and winding drive. However beyond that the road was in a state of disrepair. Now, however majority of the road (>95%) till Lava is in excellent condition.

We were welcomed in the tea bungalow in the traditional way and shown our room. The entire room had glass walls through which we could see that there was an orangish hue of the twilight. Two steaming cups of Darjeeling tea and biscuits were placed on the table beside the glass wall. Sipping onto the tea, in the warmth of the room looking at orange hued sky and the lawn beyond – our tiredness evaporated into thin air.

We freshened up and then went to the drawing room where the fireplace was lit and we could hear the crackling of the firewood and the hollow steps that we made while walking on the wooden floor. We spent the next couple of hours listening to the stories of the manager, who accompanied us till the dinner. The dinner felt like it was cooked straight from the home. And it was these little things on the first day, that set the tone for our stay at Samabeyong.

Morning, especially on a trip, I usually wake up early. But on that day we waited till the knock on the door for morning tea. The blinds were pulled up and a glorious morning poured into our room. Son, got up soon, charmed by the view and the love for cookies. Finishing our morning tea, we went to the dining room for breakfast. The plan for the day was to visit the tea factory, head to Lava to visit the Lava monastery and a barbecue in the evening.

We whiled away the time sitting on a bench overlooking the tea gardens in the morning. After which we went to the factory, a short walk from the bungalow. But the time from January to March, when there is no tea production, the factory mechanical devices are usually overhauled for the season ahead. Infact, there are tea tasting sessions that are held during the time from Q2 to Q4. One of the employees, took our son in his arms while returning. We had a nice lunch yet again and then drove to Lava where we spent close to an hour. In the evening, a barbecue was lit up and we had chicken with roti. The manager accompanying us all along yet again – a personal touch that made us cherish our stay all through out.

Post our dinner, we were informed that the next day we would have a river side picnic. A 4X4 ride took us to the river bed in the morning.  We were sheltered in a shade and handed cups of tea initially post which we went on a walk beside the river. Our son was very excited dipping his hands in the ice cold, gurgling water and then we were called for some snacks. Lunch was Rice and a local fish curry – and after all the meals we had – it was a proven affair that the lady cook, was a gifted one. We wound up as the shadows got longer and then reached our rooms.

We didn’t want to have anything for dinner – but still there were chicken momos made for us.

The next morning, we started early for Malda and then subsequently to Calcutta.

Of all the holidays that we have spent, the flavours of our vacation in Samabeyong still continue to linger even after 4so many years.