Friday morning brought a pleasant surprise to residents of Raiganj who were mesmerised to catch a glimpse of the glittering silver lining in the northward landscape as Kanchenjungha, the third highest mountain in the world, was visible from different parts of the town.

The residents of Raiganj recalled that the last time they had witnessed the spectacle was on October 8, 2013.

“It was like a dream coming true. Back in 2013, I was not in town and had missed seeing the Kanchenjungha. But I am lucky this time. I had been to Darjeeling and Sikkim to see the Kanchenjungha range, but seeing it from my hometown was a delightful feeling,” said Aritra Day, a college student.

Since morning, hundreds of Raiganj residents were seen swarming into their rooftops. Some of the enthusiasts even moved out of the town or climbed up multi-storied buildings to have a better view of the peak that stands at 8,586m (28,169ft).

“Around 40 years ago, Kanchenjungha was often visible from places like Raiganj, Islampur and Kishanganj. But these days, because of rise in pollution levels, it is rare to get a clear sky free of dust particles and clouds. It is because of consistent rainfall in the region, coupled with lower pollution levels on account of the prolonged lockdown, that we could see the mighty peak again from here,” said Tapan Basak, a schoolteacher.

He also said because of smog and dust which float in the atmosphere, the mountain was rarely visible from Raiganj that is 190km from Siliguri.

Chatakpur near Sonada in the Darjeeling hills on Friday Telegraph picture

From Siliguri, Kanchenjungha can be seen during clear summer days and during autumn and winter. Even on Friday, the peak and its entire range — also known as the “Sleeping Buddha” — were visible from Siliguri.

Along with Raiganj, residents of some other towns of north Bengal like Jalpaiguri, Maynaguri and Dhupguri could also witness the magnificent Himalayan peak.

The peak was crystal clear from all parts of the Darjeeling hills and Sikkim, which left locals and a handful of tourists visiting the region elated.

Those associated with travel trade and even residents of the hills, however, rued the absence of tourists from the region because of Covid-19.

Sandipan Ghosh, general secretary, Eastern Himalaya Travel & Tour Operators’ Association, said thousands of tourists visited Darjeeling and Sikkim to catch a glimpse of the peak but this year, the inflow of tourists was comparatively low because of the pandemic. “Usually, the hills and the Dooars remain flooded with tourists during this time of the year... But the present situation has held many of them back at their homess,” said Ghosh.