Although Keats didn’t sadly have the good fortune to see the majestic Kanchenjunga, what he’s written in another context is a perfect description for this grand peak in the Himalayan range. One who gets an opportunity to see this stately peak (from Darjeeling, I must add!) will approve of what Keats once wrote: a thing of beauty is a joy forever.
One of the blessings that I can count of life is the ability to gaze at the beautiful Kanchenjunga as and when I like, being a resident of Darjeeling. And no matter how much I see this wonderful sight, it never fails to fill me with profound joy and indescribable awe. One can have a sweeping view of the range, on a clear day, from almost anywhere in Darjeeling. But for a tourist or first timer nothing would match the panoramic view one can have from the mall early in the morning or from the Tiger Hill during sunrise. The view from Sandakphu is also an unrivalled, priceless experience.
Towering 8586 m over sea level, Kanchenjunga and its adjoining peaks seem to touch the sky and overlook Darjeeling town nestled below on its south western side. On a pristine clear day one can have a view of all the peaks from Kang on one end to Sinichilu on the other. Flanking Kanchenjunga from these two ends are other peaks such as Koktan, Kumbhakarna, Rotang, Kabru north and Kabru south, Tolung, Guichla, Pandim, Jopono, Simvo, and Narsing.
Lepchas, one of the indigenous tribes of Darjeeling and Sikkim, revere this mountain as a deity. Consequently, I think that Lepcha climbers haven’t scaled the peak. But I do not have any hard evidence to back that statement. After all, not all Lepchas today are animists as their ancestors. A major congregation of Catholic churches in Darjeeling are made up of Lepchas. I have also not fully researched into how many expeditions have been to the peak of this mountain. It would be imprecise to give as facts data collated from only one source. However, I think I can share a fact safely though that Charles Evans, a British climber, made the first successful ascent in 1955.
Such is your poetic description of Kanchenjunga that whoever has not visited Darjeeling will surely visit the place. I am wondering whether you could help us with the Lepcha name of the mountain and not the Anglicised one.