prospects of darjeeling
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Prospects of darjeeling:
There were four billiard tables, a large and well –appointed reading room and library, stables for members' horses and also a three-storied concrete structure for the accommodation of servants. It is interesting to note that the Club was not only exclusively meant for the Europeans but it was also hierarchically arranged that could be ascertained by the list of fees paid by its members. The fees were-rs. 70/-as entrance fee, Rs. 12/-as annual subscription, Rs. 16/- per month for temporary members , Rs. 10/-per month for Army and Navy officers of and above the rank of 1st Lieutenant and Rs. 5/-per month for members below that rank (Dozey. E.C.1922: 88). Reference of European games like cricket, hockey are available which were held at Government House ground and drew large crowds. Polo, another British game, drew fairly large crowds to the Race Course at Lebong. The idea of Golf Link originated in 1905 and Golf took its devotees each Sunday right away to the links at Senchal. Apart from European play ground Darjeeling gained fame for amusing the Englishman to the fullest possible extent. The novel and uncanny idea of a 'ghost dance' at Gymkhana Club hosted at least 60 guests including a party from Government house. The Knights – Errant each year gave an entertainment uvder the direction of Grand Master, at which over 200 guests, including Their Excellencies attended (Dozey, E.C. 115-118). The Darjeeling Times of 1912 has also reported the unique event of a dog show in Darjeeling hills.All these amply show that the efforts at providing for the entertainment of the English man were met with complete success. The Britishers thus started arriving more in numbers in the hills for regaining their health and energy and to spend meaningfully their leisure time in a British environ that Darjeeling provided at that time. Consequently, the local trade of Darjeeling was practically confined to supplying the wants of European inhabitants and of the tea planters. The shopkeepers of Darjeeling dealt mostly in European piece goods, stores, glass, hardware and crockery (Imperial Gazetteers, 1908: 179). In fact, the import of European goods in the native market of Darjeeling was surely an attempt to establish an abode in which the nostalgic Europeans could feel athome