Lower Fagu Tea Estate

Lower Fagu is a small tea garden located in the Kalimpong district of West Bengal, India. The area falls under the 43rd constituency of Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). It is situated on the eastern part of Chel river, Sombaray Bazar. The area is bordered in the south by Bhuttabari forest area, in the north by Ahaley Busty and in the east by Mission Hill Tea Estate. It lies about 60 km far from Siliguri, 20 km from Mal Bazar and 2 km from Sombaray Bazar. It comes under Gorubathan police station.

Lower Fagu Tea Garden has population of 2070, of which 1017 are males and 1053 are females as per the Population Census 2011. In Lower Fagu Tea Garden, male literacy rate is 86.15% and female literacy rate is 61.13%.

Since the area is tea garden, most of its people are engaged in tea garden.

The area is well connected by road. The nearest railway station is New Mal Junction which is about 20 km far from Fagu. Fagu can be reached via bus, small vehicles, hired taxi, etc. from Siliguri, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, Kakarvitta (Nepal), Mal Bazar, Gangtok and Kalimpong.

The nearest market of Lower Fagu is Sombaray Bazar (Weekly Market organised on Monday/Sombaar). People go for weekly marketing on Monday and purchase their necessary household items. Ganti (Village market) is organised every Saturday just in front of Fagu tea factory where local vendors come to sell their various products, vegetables, food items etc.

The area is one of the leading supplier of Areca Nut ( betel nut). The people generally sell their respective Areca nut garden to various businessmen who later supply it to differen locations.

The one and only school of Lower Fagu is Lower Fagu Primary School (Estd-1956) being run by District Primary Board. Many of students enrolled are mainly children of Tea Garden worker. Apart from this another school namely Sanatan Vedic Primary School (Estd 1986) which is situated near Lower Fagu also attended by some students of Lower Fagu. One Private school namely Morning Glory English School is also run by some individual here. After completing the primary school, the students enrol themselves either in Judhabir Higher Secondary School or at other private schools as well as educational institutions at Kalimpong, Darjeeling & Siliguri etc. The one and only Degree College i.e. Gorubathan Degree College, is under construction and is located at Lower Fagu, near Gupteswar Dham and Sanatan Vedic Primary School. The new session of the college has been started from this year.

The major attraction of Lower Fagu is green Tea Garden. The green foothills around Fagu are really fantastic and make pleasant feeling. Apart from this one can enjoy at Fagu bungalow which is located at the northernmost tip of Lower Fagu. The Fagu Bungalow was constructed by the then British tea garden owner during colonial era. Now it has been converted as The Fagu Reserve (website - www.thereserve.in ). One can enjoy the viewing of vast Tarai areas, rivers and Dooars from here.

Gupteswar Temple of Lord Shiva is also located at Lower Fagu. It is one of the famous Hindu temples in the area. Devotees of various places come to have 'Darshan' of Gupteswar Baba i.e. Lord Shiva. One Roman Catholic Church named St. Francis of Assisi also located here in the heart of Lower Fagu. A temple of Sri Satya Sai Baba is also situated here at top line.