Murgihatta

Murgi Hatta is a small densely populated area in the heart of Kalimpong town in Kalimpong district, West Bengal, India. It is unknown exactly how this place acquired its name. In Hindi, "Murgi" means chicken and "Hatta" is a market place. It could have been a small rural market area for selling and buying chicken in the 19th century. It is situated close to the Kalimpong motor stand. It (Upper Murgihatta) presently falls under ward No. XI of Kalimpong Municipality (DI Fund Area). The remaining part (Lower Murgihatta) falls under Dungra gram panchayat of Kalimpong Development Block (Khas Mahal). Murgihatta is mostly populated by the Gurkha community of India. One of the oldest families recorded here belongs to the Late Dal Bahadur Lama (Tamang) (Writer Baje). It is inhabited by mixed communities i.e. Gurkha, Biharis, Tibetans. Most of the households provide rooms on rental basis specially to Government employees and hawkers /small business communities and they modtly consist of Hindu and Muslim Bihari. The oldest ferrous concrete building is Lhasha Villa which was constructed in 1953. An old business is the selling of dried fish (Sidra / Sukuti macha) carried out by second generation of the Rai family (descenaent of Sidrawalni Boju).