View allAll Photos Tagged digitizing
At the southern edge of Snowdonia National Park. A pretty hard peak to hike as trail starts close to sea level and up to about 1000m.
Taken with a Praktica MTL5B, Kodachrome 64 film, unknown lens (possibly Praktica 50mm or Praktica 28mm), most likely using a linear polarizer.
Digitized with a Nikon D90, Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 AI + extension tube, F22, 1.3s, ISO 200. Processed with Darktable.
Photo taken on backpack trip around Mt. Rainier in 1994.
This spot reminds me of Henry David Thoreau on his 200th birthday:
' I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived' -HDT Walden p.66
DAP Monet on White
к 105-летию папы:
1988 год, папа сам выращивал розы на даче.
Обработанный оцифрованный слайд. /
pour le 105e anniversaire du père:
1988, papa lui-même cultivait des roses dans le pays.
Peinture diapositive numérisée. /
to the 105th anniversary of the father:
1988, dad himself grew roses in the country.
Painting digitized slide.
Digitized Document from our Collection-----Please tag these photos so information can be recorded.---Note: This material may be protected by Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.)--Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum
1949. Kodachrome Transparency digitized using Canon EOS 5Diii with EOS 100mm f2.8L Macro Lens and JJC FDA-S1 Film Digitizing Adapter. Processed using Lightroom.
digitized Mar 17, 2016
Minolta x570 film camera
Minolta Rokkor 58mm f:1.4
This photo reminds me of the final scene in the 1st Terminator movie, where Sarah Conners is at the gas station climbing into her Jeep getting ready to head out into the coming storm
This was taken at the start of our trip to Mt Rushmore on Nevada Hwy 50 officially known as "The loneliest Road in America".
The blazer is stopped because we wanted to look at what we were getting into.
There is nothing out there at all as you can see. You could sit in the middle of the road and eat your lunch in peace.
It was so quiet when I turned the truck off, we looked at each other and noted "The Silence Was Deafening"
Vinyl LP (1980)
Label: Time-Life Records
Catalog No.: STL-J10
Monophonic / Stereo
out-of-print
Number of Discs: 3
**************
▶ Benny Carter (1907-2003) was a composer, arranger, big-band leader, and multi-instrumentalist, fluent on alto sax, tenor sax, trumpet, and clarinet. His instrumental tone was gorgeous; his chops, wicked good; his solos, logical yet inventively surprising. He was a great among greats, without, perhaps, as much renown as others.
▶ This album is one in the 3-LP set, Giants of Jazz: Benny Carter (1980) — itself one in a Time-Life series of jazz compilations— that provides a snapshot of his career, comprising 40 recordings from 1929 through 1977.
A wonderful find in a local thrift shop...and in good condition.
10 January 2020.
*****************************
▶ "No jazz musician has ever exceeded, and few have approached, Benny Carter in all-around achievement. If a jazz decathlon were held that included competition in alto saxophone, trumpet, clarinet, tenor saxophone, piano, and trombone performances, as well as arranging, composing, conducting, and instructing, Carter might not win every event, but his point total almost certainly would eclipse that of any conceivable rival."
— Morroe Berger (LP pamphlet)
▶ The sound of the set is very good. A crucial reason is its recording engineer: Frank Abbey (1922-2008). In 1951, he began working at Capitol Records, recording pop, jazz, classical, rock, broadway, and spoken word for nearly two decades. In 1968, he moved to CBS Records (later Sony Music) where he specialized in remastering —and then digital remastering. Abbey retired in 1988 but continued to freelance from his own New Jersey studio. In 1991, he received a Grammy for technical excellence for re-mastering the original recordings of bluesman Robert Johnson.
▶ The notes to the accompanying 52-page pamphlet —at times overly fulsome— were written by Morroe Berger (1918-1963): a sociology professor at Princeton University who wrote about jazz. The notes on the music —detailed and less florid— were written by Morroe's son, Edward "Ed" Berger (1949-2017), a longtime curator at the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University.
***************
▶ Photo by Yours For Good Fermentables.com.
▶ For a larger image, type 'L' (without the quotation marks).
— Follow on Facebook: YoursForGoodFermentables.
— Follow on Instagram: @tcizauskas.
▶ Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M10 II.
▶ Commercial use requires explicit permission, as per Creative Commons.
photos for the collage with Canon G12
in english language below
Wer heute - immer noch oder wieder – analog fotografiert, der steht oft vor dem Problem „wie bekomme ich das Foto auf den Computer, um es z.B. hier bei flickr zeigen zu können?“
Die schnellste und einfachste Lösung ist den Film in eine der großen Drogeriefilialen zu bringen und dort entwickeln zu lassen. Mit Foto-CD kostet ein 36er Film ca. 10€. Dieser Preis ist nur deshalb möglich, weil der gesamte Prozess mit modernster Technik vollautomatisch erfolgt.
An dieser Stelle will ich mit meinen Erfahrungen und meiner Lösung aufsetzen.
Der vollautomatische Prozess einer standardisierten C41 Filmentwicklung führt zu Resultaten, die ich mit einem C41 ChemieSet nicht besser und preiswerter hinbekäme. Zu einem anderen Ergebnis komme ich bei der automatischen Ausbelichtung von Negativen. Im besten Fall bekomme ich ein Ergebnis "state of the art" aktueller Scannertechnik.
Solche digitalisierten analogen Fotos sind damit hauptsächlich ein Resultat der eigesetzten Technik, vom "Klick" bis zum fertigen Foto. Ähnlich einem Digicamfoto im Automatikmodus, nur nicht so "gut".
Auch ein "Experte" wird anhand solcher Fotos nicht erkennen, ob mit einer Voigtländer CLR, Rollei 35, OM2 oder Leica fotografiert wurde.
Eine Eigenschaft von Automatiken ist, dass sie einen definierten Standard abdecken aber kaum Raum für Nuancen lassen. Letztere, sowie kleine charmante Fehler, werden nach vorgegebenen Parametern automatisch korrigiert.
Fazit: mein Beitrag zu einem "tollen Foto" ist übersichtlich gering. Er erschöpft sich in der Motivauswahl und einer rudimentären Bedienung der analogen Technik.
Dazu kommt, dass die niedrige Auflösung (ca. 1,5 MB je KB-Kleinbild Foto), kaum Spielraum für Korrekturen der automatischen Parameter, z.B. Tonwert, Farbe, Kontrast etc., bietet.
Absehbarer Frust für einen Sammler, der mit seinen „Schätzchen“ gerne auch mal fotografiert?
Muss nicht sein, wenn man den letzten Schritt des Laborprozesses, das Digitalisieren, selber macht.
Wie das einfach und sehr kostengünstig geht, will ich nachstehend aufzeigen.
Ich benötige also zunächst nur ein Negativ. Die Herstellung überlasse ich einem Großlabor, welches das viel besser und preiswerter kann als ich. Kosten dafür betragen ca. 2,50€, zusätzlich die obligatorischen Papierabzüge (im kleinsten Format). Gesamtkosten ca. 7,50€ je Film. Auf Erstellung einer Foto CD verzichte ich, weil ich ja selber scannen will.
Das Negativ scanne ich mit einem einfachen Photoscanner mit Durchlichteinheit im manuellen Modus mit der höchsten Auflösung (bei meinem scanner sind das 1600 dpi). Der Photoscanner ist dazu mit einem PC verbunden, der den Scanner steuert. Das Scan-Ergebnis bearbeite ich danach mit einer Bildbearbeitungssoftware. Fertig.
Soweit der Blick aus 10.000 Meter Höhe. Nachstehend eine kurze Beschreibung meines Equipment, welches sich aus meiner Vorliebe für Photoshop CS2 ergibt. Wieso das? CS2 ist ein professionelles Werkzeug von Adobe, das nichts mehr kostet aber „alles kann“, wenn man sich ausreichend mit dem Werkzeug beschäftigt.
Die erforderlichen Geräte setzen sich wie folgt zusammen: Ein alter Computer Latitude D520 mit Windows XP und Photoshop CS2, verbunden mit einem ebenso alten „Epson Perfection 1660 Photo“. Das Ergebnis sind scans mit >10 MB 2282x1550 pixel (je KB-Kleinbild Foto). Diese TIF-Dateien bieten ausreichend Potenzial für eine abschließende Bildkorrektur.
Der Arbeitsplatz ist nur beispielhaft. Entscheidend ist ausschließlich, dass alle Komponenten (Rechner, Scanner, Bildbearbeitungs-SW) von einem Betriebssystem unterstützt werden. Bei älterem Equipment ist Windows XP oft eine sehr gute Lösung. Prozessortakt und RAM sind eher nebensächlich.
Auch Photoshop CS2 muss nicht sein. Es gibt genügend andere Freeware, die gute Leistungen bei der Bild-Nachbearbeitung erbringen und einen Scanner ansteuern können.
Ein paar Anmerkungen zum scannen. Ich habe die Erfahrung gemacht, dass es für die Bildqualität egal ist, ob beim scannen die Emulsion oder die glatte Schicht des Negativs oben ist. Ggf. muss das Foto bei der Nachbearbeitung noch horizontal gespiegelt werden. Wichtiger ist, dass beim Einschieben in die Negativschablone eine Planlage verbogener oder gewölbter Negative erreicht wird. Ansonsten ergeben sich Unschärfen, die digital nicht korrigiert werden können.
Das scannen übernimmt die Scanner-eigene SW. Ich wähle dazu den manuellen Modus mit automatischer Belichtung, weil ich danach sowieso korrigiere. Ziel des scans ist nicht ein fertiges Bild, sondern eine Datei mit vielen BildInformationen. Deshalb wähle ich die höchste Dpi-Stufe und das Dateiformat TIF.
Abschließend noch ein paar Anmerkungen zur Bildbearbeitung. Die Anpassungen sind erforderlich, weil ich – wie oben beschrieben - die Scanner-Software (Twain) auf "Automatik" eingestellt habe. Damit passen erste wichtige Parameter wie z.B. die Helligkeit zumindest bei meinem Scanner einigermaßen.
Ab jetzt erfolgt der Prozess, den ich keiner Automatik der Welt überlasse und auch keinem kleinen professionellen scan-Service mit tollen Mitarbeitern. Denn "ich will eigene Ergebnisse".
Der erste Schritt ist ein Aufruf der „Gradationskurven“. Bei CS2 werden dort – neben den Kurven – 3 Pipetten gezeigt. Die rechte davon korrigiert das Foto auf Basis „weiß“. Gehen Sie an eine Stelle des Bildes, die eigentlich weiß sein soll, z.B. Sommerwolken. Dort anklicken und – wenn Sie ein Sonntagskind sind – haben Sie mit einem Klick ein wunderbar ausgeglichenes Bild. Ansonsten mehrmals ausprobieren oder den üblichen Feinschliff von Tonwert, Kontrast, Farbe etc. schrittweise durchführen.
Bei CS2 lassen sich die grundlegenden Anpassungen im Menue unter „Bild anpassen“ im oberen Block unter Tonwertkorrektur, Auto-Tonwertkorrekt usw. durchführen.
Das so entstandene digitale Foto trägt somit schon einmal meine "Handschrift". Der Grad einer eigenen "Handschrift" lässt sich unbegrenzt steigern. Grenzen setzten lediglich die eigene Phantasie und die Virtualität mit der man "auf dem Klavier", sorry der Software, spielen kann.
Übrigens, den oben beschriebenen Arbeitsplatz nutze ich nur zum scannen, denn für die digitale Nachbearbeitung ist deutlich mehr Rechnerleistung erforderlich. Die Kosten für die gebrauchten Geräte eines solchen Scan-Arbeitsplatzes sollten 50€ nicht übersteigen.
Gutes Gelingen, Alex
Anyone who takes analog photos today - still or again - is often faced with the problem "how do I get the photo onto the computer so that I can show it here at flickr, for example?
The fastest and easiest solution is to take the film to one of the large drugstore branches and have it developed there. With photo CD a 36 film costs about 10€. This price is only possible because the entire process is fully automated using the latest technology.
This is where I want to start with my experience and my solution.
The fully automatic process of a standardized C41 film development leads to results which I could not achieve better and cheaper with a C41 chemistry set. I come to a different result with the automatic exposure of negatives. In the best case I get a result "state of the art" of current scanner technology.
Such digitised analogue photos are thus mainly the result of the applied technique, from the "click" to the finished photo. Similar to a digicam photo in automatic mode, only not so "good".
Even an "expert" will not be able to tell from such photos whether a Voigtländer CLR, Rollei 35, OM2 or Leica was used.
The character of automatics is that they cover a defined standard but leave hardly any room for nuances. The latter and small charming errors are automatically corrected or ironed out according to predefined parameters. Conclusion: my contribution to a "great photo" is clearly small. It is exhausted in the choice of motifs and a rudimentary handling of the old analog treasures.
In addition, the low resolution (approx. 1.5 MB per KB small picture photo) offers hardly any leeway for corrections of the automatic parameters, e.g. tone value, color, contrast etc.
Predictable frustration for a collector who likes to take pictures with his "sweethearts"?
Not necessarily, if you do the last step of the laboratory process, the digitizing, yourself.
How this can be done simply and very inexpensively is shown below.
So I only need a negative first. I leave the production to the industrial laboratory, who are much better at it than I am. Costs for this are about 2,50€, plus the obligatory paper prints (in the smallest format). I do without the photo CD. Total costs about 7,50€ per film.
I scan the negative with a simple photo scanner with a transparency unit in manual mode with the highest resolution (in my scanner this is 1600 dpi) in manual mode. The photoscanner is connected to a PC, which controls the scanner. I then process the scan result with an image processing software. Done.
So much for the view from a height of 10.000 meters. The following is a short description of my equipment, which results from my preference for Photoshop CS2. Why is that? CS2 is a professional tool from Adobe, which doesn't cost anything more but "can do everything" if you spend enough time with the tool.
The rest of my tool is composed as follows: An old computer Latitude D520 with Windows XP and Photoshop CS2, connected to an equally old "Epson Perfection 1660 Photo". The result are scans with >10 MB 2282x1550 pixel (each KB small picture photo). These TIF files offer enough potential for a final image correction.
The workplace is only exemplary. The only decisive factor is that all components (computer, scanner, image processing software) are supported by an operating system. In case of older equipment, Windows XP is often a very good solution. Processor clock and RAM are rather unimportant.
Also Photoshop CS2 is not necessary. There are enough other freeware that can perform well in image post-processing and can control a scanner.
And a few more remarks about scanning. I made the experience that it doesn't matter for the image quality if the emulsion or the smooth layer of the negative is on top when scanning. You may have to flip the photo horizontally during post-processing. It is more important that a flatness of bent or curved negatives is achieved when inserting them into the negative stencil. Otherwise, blurriness will result which cannot be corrected digitally.
The scanning is done by the scanner's own SW. I choose the manual mode with automatic exposure, because I correct afterwards anyway. The goal of the scan is a file with a lot of image information. Therefore I choose the highest Dpi level and the file format TIF.
Finally a few remarks about image processing. The adjustments are necessary because - as described above - I set the scanner software (Twain) to "automatic". Thus first important parameters like e.g. the brightness fit at least with my scanner to some extent.
From now on, the process, which I don't leave to any automatic system in the world and also to a small professional scan service with great employees, will be done. Because "I want my own results".
My first step is to call up the "gradation curves". In CS2, 3 pipettes are shown there - besides the curves. The one on the right corrects the photo on basis "white". Go to a part of the image that should actually be white, e.g. summer clouds. Click there and - if you are a Sunday child - you will have a wonderfully balanced picture with just one click. Otherwise try it out several times or do the usual fine tuning of tonal value, contrast, colour etc. step by step.
With CS2, the basic adjustments can be made in the menu under "Adjust Image" in the upper block under Tone Value Correction, Auto Tone Correct etc.
The resulting digital photo will therefore already bear my "signature". The degree of your own "handwriting" can be increased indefinitely. The only limits are your own imagination and the virtuality on which you can play "on the piano", sorry software.
By the way, I only use the workplace described above for scanning, as for the digital post-processing significantly more computer power is required. The costs for the used equipment of such a scan workstation should not exceed 50€.
my photos overview
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Digitized with Negative Lab Pro v2.1.0
Pentax K1000 | Ilford HP5 400
Digitized with Epson V550 + Negative Lab Pro v2.1.0 | Lomography
Rodinal
This picture was taken more than ten years ago when i visited Bangkok with my film camera. The digital conversion was done recently.
Custom Tattooing by Ainslie Heilich of Vintage Karma tattoo studio in Tuscola, IL. More info at artofvintagekarma.com
We have recently digitized a marvelous book found in our archives. It’s entitled “Port of Manchester” and subtitled “Illustrated History of the Manchester Ship Canal 1708-1901."
The handsome volume contains around 50 full-page images and illustrations. The images include photographs of the canal under construction and in use, various locks and the dock areas and associated warehouses.
The illustrations are advertisements for many of the companies used the canal to operate their businesses. The companies include some of the giants of the cotton industry, heavy engineering and printing.
This first plate proudly advertises the Hollins Mill Company. The firm were cotton spinners with mills in Marple and Hazel Grove as well as offices in the city centre.
The company was owned two families, the Carvers and the Hodgkinsons. They were major figures in the history of Marple. The Hollins Mill finally closed its doors in1954 after 120 years in operation.
From the collection of the Greater Manchester Police Museum and Archives.
For more information about Policing in Greater Manchester please visit our website. www.gmp.police.uk
To report crime call police on 101 the national non-emergency number.
You can also call anonymously with information about crime to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Crimestoppers is an independent charity who will not want your name, just your information. Your call will not be traced or recorded and you do not have to go to court or give a statement.
4/17: Still digitizing slides (~3K). Then prints (~6K). And still doing long walks.
Today I started digitizing my mother’s slides, prints, and films. It’s going to be a lengthy and emotional project; I’ve already discovered images I’ve never seen before. Given the amount of content I have, I expect I’ll be heads-down for a few weeks. Fortunately my mom was very organized. I am as well. I’m a GTD person, for those who know.
After surviving two decades of civil war, the archives of Radio Mogadishu are being converted into digital files.
Abshir Hashi Hali, the head of the archives, is pictured at work in the station’s library.
UN Photo/Tobin Jones
07 November 2013
Mogadishu, Somalia
Photo # 569931
16th July 2017, about 10.30am
Linhof Technikardan S45
Nikkor SW 75 f/4.5
Fujichrome Provia 100F
1/4" f/22 1/3
8º front tilt, 7mm front fall, 18mm front shift right
Again, not the best perhaps: should probably have gradded the sky but thought I could get away with it, and it's slightly over I think. And obviously a wind issue in the foreground. But definitely the right choice of film for this one (over Velvia) - has added a nice bluish tint to the crops. The B&W version came out better in the end (only exposed two sheets on this scene - I feel poorer each time I shoot 5x4 so rarely shoot doubles of the same film stock on a given scene). I suppose I could crop off roughly the bottom half with this one for a panoramic, but I'll probably not bother.
Digitized with D800E and 60mm micro (though no idea why ISO 800, not that it's made much difference!), 4 frames stitched in CS6.
Finally digitized this creation. It has a few more fixes, namely a more clear interior, folding fins, better guns, and rear landing gear. The arms also move up and down at the shoulder area slightly but I forgot to animate that. There are instructions for this model here: rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-47640/TheRealBeef1213/prowler
here is a animation of the new pods in action: imgur.com/8LIaAfc
++++++++ FROM WIKIPEDIA ++++++++++
Kalimpong is a hill station in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located at an average elevation of 1,250 metres (4,101 ft).[2] The town is the headquarters of the Kalimpong district.[3] The Indian Army's 27 Mountain Division is located on the outskirts of the town.[4]
Kalimpong is known for its educational institutions, many of which were established during the British colonial period.[5] It used to be a gateway in the trade between Tibet and India before China's annexation of Tibet and the Sino-Indian War. Kalimpong and neighbouring Darjeeling were major centres calling for a separate Gorkhaland state in the 1980s, and more recently in 2010.
The municipality sits on a ridge overlooking the Teesta River and is a tourist destination owing to its temperate climate, magnificent Himalayan beauty and proximity to popular tourist locations in the region. Horticulture is important to Kalimpong: It has a flower market notable for its wide array of orchids; nurseries, which export Himalayan grown flower bulbs, tubers and rhizomes, contribute to the economy of Kalimpong.[2] Home to Nepalisindigenous Lepchas, other ethnic groups and non-native immigrants from other parts of India, the town is a religious centre of Buddhism. The Tibetan Buddhist monastery Zang Dhok Palri Phodang holds a number of rare Tibetan Buddhist scriptures.[6]
The Kalimpong Science Centre, established under the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) in 2008 is a recent addition to its many tourist attractions. The Science Centre, which provides for scientific awareness among the students of the town and the locals sits atop the Deolo Hill.
Contents
1 Name origin
2 History
3 Geography
4 Economy
5 Transport
6 Demographics
7 Civic administration
8 People, culture, and cuisine
9 Media
10 Education
11 Flora and fauna
12 Notes
13 References
14 External links
Name origin
The precise etymology of the name Kalimpong remains unclear. There are many theories on the origin of the name. One widely accepted theory claims that the name "Kalimpong" means "Assembly (or Stockade) of the King's Ministers" in Tibetan, derived from kalon ("King's ministers") and pong ("stockade"). It may be derived from the translation "ridge where we play" from Lepcha, as it was known to be the place for traditional tribal gatherings for summer sporting events. People from the hills call the area Kalempung ("the black spurs").[7]
According to K.P. Tamsang, author of The Untold and Unknown Reality about the Lepchas, the term Kalimpong is deduced from the name Kalenpung, which in Lepcha means "Hillock of Assemblage";[8] in time, the name was distorted to Kalebung, and later further contorted to Kalimpong. Another possible derivation points to Kaulim, a fibrous plant found in abundance in the region.[9]
History
Katherine Graham Memorial Chapel, Dr. Graham's Homes
The Clock Tower of Kalimpong.
Until the mid-19th century, the area around Kalimpong was ruled in succession by the Sikkimese and Bhutanese kingdoms.[8][10] Under Sikkimese rule, the area was known as Dalingkot.[11] In 1706, the king of Bhutan won this territory from the Sikkimese monarch and renamed it Kalimpong.[11] Overlooking the Teesta Valley, Kalimpong is believed to have once been the forward position of the Bhutanese in the 18th century. The area was sparsely populated by the indigenous Lepcha community and migrant Bhutia and Limbu tribes.
After the Anglo-Bhutan War in 1864, the Treaty of Sinchula (1865) was signed, in which Bhutanese held territory east of the Teesta River was ceded to the British East India Company.[8] At that time, Kalimpong was a hamlet, with only two or three families known to reside there.[12] The first recorded mention of the town was a fleeting reference made that year by Ashley Eden, a government official with the Bengal Civil Service. Kalimpong was added to district of Darjeeling in 1866. In 1866–1867 an Anglo-Bhutanese commission demarcated the common boundaries between the two, thereby giving shape to the Kalimpong subdivision and the Darjeeling district.[13]
After the war, the region became a subdivision of the Western Duars district, and the following year it was merged with the district of Darjeeling.[8] The temperate climate prompted the British to develop the town as an alternative hill station to Darjeeling, to escape the scorching summer heat in the plains. Kalimpong's proximity to the Nathu La and Jelep La passes (La means "pass"), offshoots of the ancient Silk Road, was an added advantage. It soon became an important trading outpost in the trade of furs, wools and food grains between India and Tibet.[14] The increase in commerce attracted large numbers of Nepali's from the neighbouring Nepal and the lower regions of Sikkim, the areas where, Nepali's were residing since the Gorkha invasion of Sikkim in 1790. The movement of people into the area, transformed Kalimpong from a small hamlet with a few houses, to a thriving town with increased economic prosperity. Britain assigned a plot within Kalimpong to the influential Bhutanese Dorji family, through which trade and relations with Bhutan flowed. This later became Bhutan House, a Bhutanese administrative and cultural centre.[15][16][17]
The arrival of Scottish missionaries saw the construction of schools and welfare centres for the British.[12] Rev. W. Macfarlane in the early 1870s established the first schools in the area.[12] The Scottish University Mission Institution was opened in 1886, followed by the Kalimpong Girls High School. In 1900, Reverend J.A. Graham founded the Dr. Graham's Homes for destitute Anglo-Indian students.[12] The young missionary (and aspiring writer and poet) Aeneas Francon Williams, aged 24, arrived in Kalimpong in 1910 to take up the post of assistant schoolmaster at Dr. Graham's Homes,[18] where he later became Bursar and remained working at the school for the next fourteen years.[19] From 1907 onwards, most schools in Kalimpong had started offering education to Indian students. By 1911, the population comprised many ethnic groups, including Nepalis, Lepchas, Tibetans, Muslims, the Anglo-Indian communities. Hence by 1911, the population had swollen to 7,880.[12]
Following Indian independence in 1947, Kalimpong became part of the state of West Bengal, after Bengal was partitioned between India and East Pakistan. With China's annexation of Tibet in 1959, many Buddhist monks fled Tibet and established monasteries in Kalimpong. These monks brought many rare Buddhist scriptures with them. In 1962, the permanent closure of the Jelep Pass after the Sino-Indian War disrupted trade between Tibet and India, and led to a slowdown in Kalimpong's economy. In 1976, the visiting Dalai Lama consecrated the Zang Dhok Palri Phodang monastery, which houses many of the scriptures.[12]
Most large houses in Kalimpong were built during the British era. In the background is Mount Kangchenjunga.
Morgan House is a classic example of colonial architecture in Kalimpong.
Between 1986 and 1988, the demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland and Kamtapur based on ethnic lines grew strong. Riots between the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) and the West Bengal government reached a stand-off after a forty-day strike. The town was virtually under siege, and the state government called in the Indian army to maintain law and order. This led to the formation of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, a body that was given semi-autonomous powers to govern the Darjeeling district, except the area under the Siliguri subdivision. Since 2007, the demand for a separate Gorkhaland state has been revived by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and its supporters in the Darjeeling hills.[20] The Kamtapur People's Party and its supporters' movement for a separate Kamtapur state covering North Bengal have gained momentum.[21]
Geography
A view from the Deolo Resort, atop Deolo Hill, Kalimpong's highest point
The town centre is on a ridge connecting two hills, Deolo Hill and Durpin Hill,[12] at an elevation of 1,247 m (4,091 ft). Deolo, the highest point in Kalimpong, has an altitude of 1,704 m (5,591 ft) and Durpin Hill is at an elevation of 1,372 m (4,501 ft). The River Teesta flows in the valley below and separates Kalimpong from the state of Sikkim. The soil in the Kalimpong area is typically reddish in color. Occasional dark soils are found due to extensive existence of phyllite and schists.[22] The Shiwalik Hills, like most of the Himalayan foothills, have steep slopes and soft, loose topsoil, leading to frequent landslides in the monsoon season.[22] The hills are nestled within higher peaks and the snow-clad Himalayan ranges tower over the town in the distance. Mount Kanchenjunga at 8,586 m (28,169 ft) the world's third tallest peak,[23] is clearly visible from Kalimpong.[2]
View of the Himalaya range
Kalimpong has five distinct seasons: spring, summer, autumn, winter and the monsoons. The annual temperature ranges from a high of 30 °C (86 °F) to a low of 9 °C (48 °F). Summers are mild, with an average maximum temperature of 30 °C (86 °F) in August.[24] Summers are followed by the monsoon rains which lash the town between June and September. The monsoons are severe, often causing landslides which sequester the town from the rest of India. Winter lasts from December to February, with the maximum temperature being around 15 °C (59 °F). During the monsoon and winter seasons, Kalimpong is often enveloped by fog.[25]
Economy
Oranges grown in the hillsides are exported to many parts of India.
Tourism is the most significant contributor to Kalimpong's economy.[26] The summer and spring seasons are the most popular with tourists, keeping many of town's residents employed directly and indirectly. The town—earlier an important trade post between India and Tibet—hopes to boost its economy after the reopening of the Nathu La (pass) in April 2006.[27] Though this has resumed Indo–China border trades,[28] it is expected that Kalimpong will have a better chance of revival as a hub for Indo–China trades if the demand of local leaders for reopening of Jelep La pass also is met.[28]
Kalimpong is a major ginger growing area of India. Kalimpong and the state of Sikkim together contribute 15 percent of ginger produced in India.[29] The Darjeeling Himalayan hill region is internationally famous for its tea industry.[30] However, most of the tea gardens are on the western side of Teesta river (towards the town of Darjeeling) and so tea gardens near Kalimpong contribute only 4 percent of total tea production of the region. In Kalimpong division, 90 percent of land is cultivable but only 10 percent is used for tea production.[31] Kalimpong is well known for its flower export industry—especially for its wide array of indigenous orchids and gladioli.[32]
A significant contributor to the town's economy is education sector.[26] The schools of Kalimpong, besides imparting education to the locals, attract a significant number of students from the plains, the neighbouring state of Sikkim and countries such as Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Thailand.[26]
Many establishments cater to the Indian army bases near the town, providing it with essential supplies. Small contributions to the economy come by the way of the sale of traditional arts and crafts of Sikkim and Tibet. Government efforts related to sericulture, seismology, and fisheries provide a steady source of employment to many of its residents.
Kalimpong is well renowned for its cheese, noodles and lollipops. Kalimpong exports a wide range of traditional handicrafts, wood-carvings, embroidered items, bags and purses with tapestry work, copper ware, scrolls, Tibetan jewellery and artifacts.[32][33]
Transport
NH31A winds along the banks of the river Teesta near Kalimpong.
Kalimpong is located off the National Highway 31A (NH31A), which links Sevok to Gangtok. The NH31A is an offshoot of the NH 31, which connects Sevok to Siliguri.[34] These two National Highways together, via Sevok, links Kalimpong to the plains.[35] Regular bus services and hired vehicles connect Kalimpong with Siliguri and the neighbouring towns of Kurseong, Darjeeling and Gangtok. Four wheel drives are popular means of transport, as they can easily navigate the steep slopes in the region. However, road communication often get disrupted in the monsoons due to landslides. In the town, people usually travel by foot. Residents also use bicycle, two-wheelers and hired taxis for short distances.
The nearest airport is in Bagdogra near Siliguri, about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Kalimpong. Air India, Jet Airways and Druk Air (Bhutan) are the four major carriers that connect the airport to Delhi, Kolkata, Paro (Bhutan), Guwahati and Bangkok (Thailand). The closest major railway station is New Jalpaiguri, on the outskirts of Siliguri,[2] which is connected with almost all major cities of the country.
Demographics
Population growth
At the 2011 India census,[37] Kalimpong town area had a population of 42,988, of which 52% were male and 48% female.[37]
At the 2001 census,[38] Kalimpong had an average literacy rate of 79%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy was 84%, and female literacy was 73%. In Kalimpong, 8% of the population was under 6 years of age. The Scheduled castes and scheduled tribes population for Kalimpong was 5,100 and 5,121 respectively.[39]
Civic administration
Kalimpong is the headquarters of the Kalimpong district. The semi-autonomous Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), set up by the West Bengal government in 1988, administers this district as well as the Darjeeling Sadar and Kurseong subdivisions.[40] Kalimpong elects eight councillors to the DGHC, who manages the departments of Public Health, Education, Public Works, Transport, Tourism, Market, Small scale industries, Agriculture, Agricultural waterways, Forest (except reserved forests), Water, Livestock, Vocational Training and Sports and Youth services.[41] The district administration of Darjeeling, which is the authoritative body for the departments of election, panchayat, law and order, revenue, etc., also acts as an interface of communication between the Council and the State Government.[41] The rural area in the district covers three community development blocks Kalimpong I, Kalimpong II and Gorubathan consisting of forty-two gram panchayats.[42] A Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) presides over the Kalimpong subdivision. Kalimpong has a police station that serves the municipality and 18 gram panchayats of Kalimpong–I CD block.[43]
The Kalimpong municipality, which was established in 1945,[39] is in charge of the infrastructure of the town such as potable water and roads. The municipal area is divided into twenty-three wards.[44] Kalimpong municipality is constructing additional water storage tanks to meet the requirement of potable water, and it needs an increase of water supply from the 'Neora Khola Water Supply Scheme' for this purpose.[45] Often, landslides occurring in monsoon season cause havoc to the roads in and around Kalimpong.[46] The West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Corporation Limited (WBSEDCL) provides electricity here.[47] Renewable Energy Development Agency of the state has plans to promote usage of solar street lights in Kalimpong and proposed an energy park here to sell renewable energy gadgets.[48] The Public Works Department is responsible for the road connecting the town to the National Highway–NH-31A.[49] The Kalimpong municipality has a total of 10 health care units, with a total of 433 bed capacity.[50]
The Kalimpong assembly constituency, which is an assembly segment of the Darjeeling parliamentary constituency, elects one member of the Vidhan Sabha of West Bengal.[51]
People, culture, and cuisine
The Zang Dhok Palri Phodang monastery atop Durpin Hill
The original settlers of Kalimpong are the Lepchas, although the majority of the populace are ethnic Nepali, having migrated from Nepal to Kalimpong in search of jobs while it was under British rule.[52]
Indigenous ethnic groups include the Newars, Bhutia, Sherpas, Limbus, Rais, Magars,[53] Chettris, Bahuns, Thakuris, Gurungs, Tamangs, Yolmos, Bhujels, Sunuwars, Sarkis, Damais and the Kamis.[54] The other non-native communities as old as the Nepalese are the Bengalis, Muslims, Anglo-Indians, Chinese, Biharis and Tibetans who escaped to Kalimpong after fleeing the Communist Chinese invasion of Tibet. Kalimpong is home to Trinley Thaye Dorje—one of the 17th Karmapa incarnations.[55] Kalimpong is the closest Indian town to Bhutan's western border, and has a small number of Bhutanese nationals residing here. Hinduism is the largest religion followed by Nijananda Sampradaya, Buddhism and Christianity.[53] Islam has a minuscule presence in this region, The Oldest settlers include people residing since the mid of 19th Century and also mostly Tibetan Muslims who fled in 1959 after Chinese invasion of Tibet.[56] The Buddhist monastery Zang Dhok Palri Phodang holds a number of rare Tibetan Buddhist scriptures.[6] There is a Mosque, Kalimpong Anjuman Islamia Established in 1887 in the bazaar area of Kalimpong.[57]
Popular Hindu festivals include Dashain, Tihar, Cultural Programme and the Tibetan festival of Losar. Languages spoken in Kalimpong include Nepali, which is the predominant language; Lepcha, Limbu, Tamang, Kirat, Hindi, English and Bengali.[2] Though there is a growing interest in cricket as a winter sport in Darjeeling Hills, football still remains the most popular sport in Kalimpong.[58] Every year since 1947, the Independence Shield Football Tournament is organized here as part of the two-day-long Independence Day celebrations.[59] Former captain of India national football team, Pem Dorjee hails from Kalimpong.[60]
A popular snack in Kalimpong is the momo, steamed dumplings made of pork, beef or vegetable cooked in a wrapping of flour and served with watery soup. Wai-Wai is a packaged Nepalese snack made of noodles which are eaten either dry or in soup form. Churpee, a kind of hard cheese made from yak's or chauri's (a hybrid of yak and cattle) milk, is sometimes chewed.[61] A form of noodle called Thukpa, served in soup form is popular in Kalimpong.[62] There are a large number of restaurants which offer a wide variety of cuisines, ranging from Indian to continental, to cater to the tourists. Tea is the most popular beverage in Kalimpong, procured from the famed Darjeeling tea gardens. Kalimpong has a golf course besides Kalimpong Circuit House.[2][63]
The cultural centres in Kalimpong include, the Lepcha Museum and the Zang Dhok Palri Phodang monastery. The Lepcha Museum, a kilometre away from the town centre, showcases the culture of the Lepcha community, the indigenous peoples of Sikkim. The Zang Dhok Palri Phodong monastery has 108 volumes of the Kangyur, and belongs to the Gelug of Buddhism.
Media
Kalimpong has access to most of the television channels aired in the rest of India. Cable Television still provides service to many homes in the town and it's outskirts, while DTH connections are now practically mandatory throughout the country. Besides mainstream Indian channels, many Nepali-language channels such as Dainandini DD, Kalimpong Television KTv, Haal Khabar (an association of the Hill Channel Network), Jan Sarokar, Himalayan People's Channel (HPC), and Kalimpong Times are broadcast in Kalimpong. These channels, which mainly broadcast locally relevant news, are produced by regional media houses and news networks, and are broadcast through the local cable network, which is now slowly becoming defunct due to the Indian government's ruling on mandatory digitization of TV channels. The movie production houses like JBU films produces the movies on the nepali and other languages.[64]
Newspapers in Kalimpong include English language dailies The Statesman and The Telegraph, which are printed in Siliguri,[65][66] and The Economic Times and the Hindustan Times, which are printed in Kolkata.
Among other languages, Nepali, Hindi and Bengali are prominent vernacular languages used in this region.[25] Newspapers in all these four languages are available in the Darjeeling Hills region. Of the largely circulated Nepali newspapers Himalay Darpan, Swarnabhumi and some Sikkim-based Nepali newspapers like Hamro Prajashakti and Samay Dainik are read most.[67] The Tibet Mirror was the first Tibetan-language newspaper published in Kalimpong in 1925.[68] while Himalayan Times was the first English to have come out from Kalimpong in the year 1947, it was closed down in the year 1962 after the Chinese aggression but was started once again and is now in regular print. Internet service and Internet cafés are well established; these are mostly served through broadband, data card of different mobile services, WLL, dialup lines,[69][70] Kalimpong News, Kalimpong Online News, Kalimpong Times and KTV are the main online news sites that collect and present local and North Bengal & Sikkim news from its own agencies like KalimNews and other newspapers. Besides this there are others like kalimpong.info, kalimpongexpress.blogspot.com and several others. All India Radio and several other National and Private Channels including FM Radio are received in Kalimpong.
The area is serviced by major telecommunication companies of India with most types of cellular services in most areas.[71]
Education
There are fifteen major schools in Kalimpong, the most notable ones being Scottish Universities Mission Institution, Dr. Graham's Homes, St Joseph's Convent, St. Augustine's School, Rockvale Academy, Saptashri Gyanpeeth, Springdale Academy, St. Philomenas School, Kalimpong Girls' High School, Kumdini Homes, Chandramaya High School, Lolay Sampu High School and Gandhi Ashram School. The Scottish Universities Mission Institution was the first school that was opened in 1886. The schools offer education up to high secondary standard, following which students may choose to join a Junior College or carry on with additional two years of schooling.
Kalimpong College, Cluny Women's College and Rockvale Management College are the main colleges in the town. Former two are affiliated to the North Bengal University and the latter affiliated to West Bengal University of Technology and apart from these, Good Shepherd IHM (Hotel management Institution) offers courses on hospitality sectors. Most students however, choose to further their studies in Siliguri, Kolkata, and other colleges in the Indian metropolis. The Tharpa Choling Monastery, at Tirpai Hill near Kalimpong, is managed by Yellow Hat sect and has a library of Tibetan manuscripts and thankas.
Flora and fauna
Heliconia
The area around Kalimpong lies in the Eastern Himalayas, which is classified as an ecological hotspot, one of only three among the ecoregions of India. Neora Valley National Park lies within the Kalimpong subdivision and is home to tigers.[72] Acacia is the most commonly found species at lower altitudes, while cinnamon, ficus, bamboo and cardamom, are found in the hillsides around Kalimpong. The forests found at higher altitudes are made up of pine trees and other evergreen alpine vegetation. Seven species of rhododendrons are found in the region east of Kalimpong. The temperate deciduous forests include oak, birch, maple and alder.[73] Three hundred species of orchid are found around Kalimpong.[74]
The Red panda, Clouded leopard, Siberian weasel, Asiatic black bear,[75] barking deer,[76] Himalayan tahr, goral, gaur[76] and pangolin are some of the fauna found near Kalimpong. Avifauna of the region include the pheasants, cuckoos, minivets, flycatchers, bulbuls, orioles, owls, partridges, sunbirds, warblers, swallows, swifts and woodpeckers.[77]
Kalimpong is a major production centre of gladioli in India,[78] and orchids, which are exported to many parts of the world. The Rishi Bankim Chandra Park is an ecological museums within Kalimpong.[79] Citrus Dieback Research Station at Kalimpong works towards control of diseases, plant protection and production of disease free orange seedlings.[80]
Kalimpong is also famous for their rich practice of cactus cultivation. Its nurseries attract people from far and wide for the absolutely stunning collection of cacti they cultivate. The strains of cacti, though not indigenous to the locale, have been carefully cultivated over the years, and now the town boasts one of the most fascinating and exhaustive collections of the Cactaceae family. The plants have adapted well to the altitude and environment, and now prove to be one of the chief draws of tourism to the township.[81][82]