Imagine a house that that withstood the test of time. Vintage, architecturally rare but also with all the comforts of today. A magnificent blend of the two, is now brought to you by Sikkim’s first ever private-public partnership in the arena of eco adventure. The heritage Temi Bungalow, that dates back to 1885, is now converted to an eco-adventure hub with five rooms, seven cottages, a view deck, as well as a casino lounge. Partnered with Priya Entertainments Pvt Ltd, this magnificent public property is expected to be inaugurated by the Minister for Tourism, Mr B.S. Panth.
With tea bushes in the yard, that were planted by the last King and Queen of Sikkim and its beautiful old-world charm intact, the Bungalow opens its doors for guests from all over the world. So if you are planning to come, pay a visit, you could also mark the time of the annual cherry blossom festival at Temi. What’s more the resort, according to Arjit Dutta, MD, PEPL, will champion the cause of environmentally conscious and responsible tourism as well as local employment generation. With a unique positioning of being heritage in structure and modern in amenities, this multi-crore investment is expected to act as a gateway for tourists to the beautiful South region of Sikkim.
Built by the British Christian missionaries in 1885, the Bungalow is an antique structure with quite the history. The story goes like this: the Bada Bungalow housed the British pastors during India’s pre-independence. The pastors left Sikkim, a separate country then, while the British left India. It was then when the Forest Rangers took over this beautiful Bungalow. 1960 was also the year when the King allowed a tea garden in Sikkim to be headquartered at Kewzing. However, in a short time the early plantation in Kewzing, with the Tibetan refugees, revealed that the place was unsuitable for tea because of the altitude and terroir issues. In 1973, the headquarter of tea was shifted to Temi and the full-fledged manager began to occupy the Bada Bungalow.
Today, Temi boasts of an annual produce, of one the finest tea, that ranges from 80 to 100 tons in production. Having celebrated its Golden Jubilee, Temi once again opens its legendary Bungalow for travellers. Dedicating this restored and renovated Bada Bungalow, now called the Temi Bungalow, to the visit of His Majesty Palden Thondup Namgyal and his wife Queen Gyalmo Hope Cooke when they planted the two bushes side by side, Temi believes that this new journey will always be one connected to its glorious past.