Editorial photo #13706956 Human Interest

Himalayan Hamlet Sillery Gaon

Sillery Gaon village is nestled in the hills beneath the clouds, with inhabitants engaged in daily chores and cows grazing on mountain weeds in the Himalayan forest above the village in Kashyone, West Bengal, India, on April 15, 2026. Sillery Gaon, located in the 'Silk Route Circuit' of West Bengal at 6,000 feet, offers serene eco-tourism and rich history. It is part of the Kashyone gram panchayat in Kalimpong District and is surrounded by the dense forest of the Pankhasari range, with views of the Tista River and Kanchenjunga. Historically, it was a British-era Cinchona plantation for quinine and is significant for its proximity to the ancient Silk Route. The village is surrounded by dense pine forests and Cinchona plantations, home to various Himalayan birds, and is named after the Sillery plant. Villagers have developed ecotourism facilities and activities, transforming their traditional agrarian economy into a tourism-based livelihood. Ecotourism plays a significant role in community development through sustainable livelihoods. (Photo by Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto)