How We Found Free Food on Navaratri in Darjeeling | Amazing Experience at Phoobsering Tea Estate!

Best Indian Food Blog

Dec 22

We were in Darjeeling, a beautiful hill station in West Bengal, India, and we decided to walk and explore Lebong, a nearby valley that is famous for its race course and tea gardens. We thought it would be a nice and easy hike, but little did we know that it was Navami, the ninth day of Navratri, a Hindu festival dedicated to Goddess Durga.

Navratri is a time of celebration and devotion, but it also means that most shops and restaurants are closed for the occasion. We were getting hungry and thirsty, and we had no idea where to find some food. We asked some locals, and they told us that there might be some eateries near the Phoobsering Tea Estate, which was a bit far from where we were. We had no choice but to keep walking and hope for the best.

As we approached the tea estate, we saw a small group of people sitting in the scorching sun. They had set up a makeshift chairs with some pots and plates. We wondered what they were doing, and we decided to approach them. To our surprise and delight, we found out that they were distributing free food to anyone who wanted it. This was Navratri prasad, a sacred offering to the goddess and a way of sharing blessings with others.

We felt so lucky and grateful to receive this amazing gift. They welcomed us with a smile and a tika, a mark of auspiciousness on our foreheads. They gave us some food, which we won't tell you what it was, but we can tell you that it was one of the best meals we ever had, not just because of the taste, but also because of the spirit of generosity and gratitude that we felt.

We want to thank the people who organized and distributed the Navratri prasad, and we want to thank the goddess for guiding us to this wonderful experience. We also want to thank you for being with our adventure. See you next time!