The ancient Incas, in what is now Peru, knew that the bark of a tree had miraculous property of curing Malaria. Carl Linnaeus established the botanical genus of Cinchona in 1742. Dr. Thomas Anderson, Superintendent of Royal Botanical Garden at Calcutta, started his experimental trial for cultivation of Cinchona in the Darjeeling Hills and in 1862 selected the Mangpu hills for commercial cultivation. After successful establishment of Cinchona plantation at Mangpu, it was extended to Munsong, Rongo, Latpanchor and Ambotia. The Directorate of Cinchona and Other Medicinal Plants started functioning in Darjeeling in 1862, initially for growing Cinchona trees and to produce the life-saving anti-Malarial drug, Quinine, from its bark. Later, other medicinal or specialised plants were also grown.
Geography
Location
Mangpu is located at Mangpu is 32 km east of Darjeeling. The elevation varies from.
Area overview
The map alongside shows the eastern portion of the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region and a small portion of the terai region in its eastern and southern fringes, all of it in the Darjeeling district. In the Darjeeling Sadar subdivision 61.00% of the total population lives in the rural areas and 39.00% of the population lives in the urban areas. In the Kurseong subdivision 58.41% of the total population lives in the rural areas and 41.59% lives in the urban areas. There are 78 tea gardens/ estates, in the district, producing and largely exporting Darjeeling tea. It engages a large proportion of the population directly/ indirectly.Some tea gardens were identified in the 2011 census as census towns or villages. Such places are marked in the map as CT or R. Specific tea estate pages are marked TE. Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the subdivision. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.
Demographics
According to the 2011 Census of India, Mangpu Cinchona Plantation had a total population of 25,000 1,109 were males and were females. There were 64 persons in the age range of 0 to 6 years. The total number of literate people in Mangpu Cinchona Plantation was 1,023.
Education
Saraswati Higher Secondary School is an English-medium coeducational institution established in 1945. It has facilities for teaching from class VI to class XII. Gyanpith Higher Secondary School is another coeducational school located at Rungbee Division of Mungpoo which is under the WBCHSE curriculum. Sarada High School is also a coeducational school located at Mungpoor Division of Mungpoo which provides education up to Madhyamik level.Labdah Junior High School is another coeducational school which provides education till class 10. Dibya Jyoti High School also provides education till class 10 for both girls and boys. Kasturi High School is the only school in Mungpoo which is Nepali medium till class 10 for both boys and girls. Other than these school there are numerous private/primary schools in Mangpu viz., St. Joseph's School, St. Mangal Academy, Good Star Academy, Dolphin Nursery Primary School,Labdah CP Primary School, Gramshok Primary School, Hill Angel's School, St. Anthony' School, Dr. Ambedkar School etc.
Healthcare
Mungpoo Government Cinchona Plantation Hospital is located below Nali Dara. Dowhill Central Hospital, with 40 beds, is located at Dow Hill and Latpanchar Cinchona Plantation Hospital, with 12 beds, is located at Latpanchar.
Road connections
Mungpoo is located at a distance of 52 kms from Siliguri, 40 kms from Kalimpong and 32 kms from Darjeeling town. Nearest Railway station is New Jalpaiguri Railway Station and nearest Airport is Bagdogra Airport. Mungpoo is almost 88.8 KM far away from Gangtok and 67.3 KM away from Mirik.
