A view of the Mirik lake, a favourite with tourists. Picture by Suman Tamang

Mirik, Oct. 6: After decades of being overshadowed by its illustrious cousin, Darjeeling, this small and beautiful town might finally be coming of its own.

From being just an additional attraction in the Darjeeling circuit, Mirik has managed to re-define its appeal among tourists.The visit of the 17th Karmapa, Orgyen Trinley Dorje, provided it with just that opportunity.

With its awesome scenery of the mountains and lazy ambience, Mirik surprised many who visited the place for a glimpse of the ?living God?.

The Karmapa?s visit also shattered the myth that Mirik could not handle a tourist rush. For the past two days, the town has almost been bursting at its seams with thousands of devotees pouring in to pay obeisance to the spiritual leader.

?The tourist flow has prompted many residents to let out rooms, but even then there is a shortage of accommodation. Most of the visitors seemed to have liked the quiet of the place, something that is missing in Darjeeling now,? said Saroj Pradhan, a resident.

Binay Lama of Wooden Lodge and Restaurant said: ?The charges here are nominal, ranging from Rs 200 to Rs 300 per single-bed room. All rooms are booked till October 8, two days after the Karmapa leaves the place.? According to tour operators of the region, the tourism potential of Mirik has never been fully exploited.

?The place can also be included on the religious tourism circuit as many come here to see the Bokar Rimpoche monastery,? said Soam Namchu, whose Himali Travel Specialist deals exclusively with foreigners.

The Mirik lake, which has always been a top draw, should be developed further, said Namchu. ?With Darjeeling slowly turning into a concrete jungle, people are finding Mirik a better place to visit. Only, the place needs to be marketed properly,? he added.

Residents of Darjeeling, who visited Mirik to get a glimpse of the Karmapa, however, maintained that the town had a lot to develop. ?Mirik needs to immediately regulate the construction of its houses,? said one of them. The town also lacked connectivity, as Anna Watson, a Buddhist devotee, pointed out.

?Mirik needs a cyber caf? desperately,? she said.

She, however, did agree with Soam who described the town as ?the new hill station of north Bengal?.