torsa.in:‘Maple’, built in 1934 on Eric Benjamin Road, behind Bhanu Bhawan adjacent to Darjeeling
Mall is a heritage two-story house prominently marked with a circular balcony on the first floor was once intimately associated with the Royal family of Nepal.
Now the house is a tourist lodge (Maple Tourist Lodge, Darjeeling) run by the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).
Maple was the residence of His Majesty of Nepal Late Veer Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev during the time when he used to study in St. Joshep School in Darjeeling. The ownership of the house belonged to the Royal Family of Nepal. The owner of Maple was Bahadur shamsher Janga Bahadur, a member of Nepal Royal Family.
Birendra Bir Bikram Shah was crowned in 1975. “Birendra continued the autocratic tradition of his father, who had dissolved the elected parliament in 1960 and banned political parties in the constitution of 1962; indeed, for a time, Birendra was one of the world’s few remaining absolute monarchs.”- Britannica. It should also be mentioned at the same time that his diplomacy managed to maintain Nepal’s independence despite influences by India, China, and the Soviet Union. During the reign of Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Nepal was made open to the world for tourism what has become the backbone of Nepal’s economy. Birendra Bir Bikram loved to travel and he travelled extensively.
Birendra was fatally shot by his son Crown Prince Dipendra during a dinner party on June 1, 2001. Queen Aiswarya, Prince Nirajan, Princess Shruti, and five other members of the royal family Were Killed together that day.
Once study of completed in St. Joshep School in Darjeeling the property (Maple) was handed over to the District Magistrate of Darjeeling. He handed it over to the Tourism Department, Government of West Bengal. Eventually it has come under the GTA.
Address: Maple Tourist Lodge,Eric Benjamin Road, Darjeeling, West Bengal 734101, India.
Phone: 0354 225 2813
Photo courtesy
GTA (Maple House, now Maple Tourist Lodge)
Pinterest (King Birendra with armymen)
