Viewpoints · Teesta Bazar
Triveni, where the Rangeet meets the Teesta
Drive a few kilometres upstream to Triveni, the sandy bank near Melli where the green Rangeet joins the grey Teesta. Hear the Lepcha story of the two river lovers, then see the confluence from above at Lovers' Meet on the Peshok road.
The Rangeet rises on the glaciers of West Sikkim and the Teesta in the far north of the state, and they meet a few kilometres upstream of Teesta Bazar, near Melli. You can usually see the difference: the Rangeet runs clearer and greener, the Teesta greyer with glacial silt, and for a stretch the two flow side by side before they mix. The bank at the meeting point is called Triveni, and before 2023 it was a picnic spot and a rafting put-in.
The Lepcha tell the confluence as a love story. Rongnyu, the Teesta, and the Rangeet agreed to meet in the plains. Rongnyu followed Parilbu the snake, who went straight; the Rangeet followed Tutfo the bird, who dawdled to feed. Rongnyu arrived first and waited, and when the Rangeet arrived they joined. It is folklore, but it is why the place is called Lovers' Meet. From the Peshok road, on the Darjeeling side, a viewpoint of that name looks down on the junction from high above.
The October 2023 flood reshaped this bank, and access paths and picnic areas have changed. A car from Teesta Bazar costs about ₹800–1,500 for the trip with waiting time. Stay well back from the water's edge, which can shift without warning, and check current status before you travel.
Cost: Free · car ₹800–1,500 return
Questions people ask
Good to know
Where is Lovers' Meet near Teesta Bazar?
Lovers' Meet is the confluence of the Teesta and the Rangeet, a few kilometres upstream of Teesta Bazar near Melli. The bank at river level is called Triveni. A viewpoint called Lovers' Meet on the Peshok road, on the Darjeeling side, looks down on the junction from above.
Why is it called Lovers' Meet?
From Lepcha folklore. The Teesta, called Rongnyu, and the Rangeet were lovers who set off to meet. Rongnyu followed a snake, who led her straight down; the Rangeet followed a bird, who dawdled. They met at this point, near Peshok, and have flowed together since.
Can I go down to the river at Triveni?
Usually you can reach the bank, but the October 2023 flood changed the riverside, and paths and picnic areas have shifted. Stay well back from the edge, never wade in, and ask locally whether access is open. Check current status before you travel.
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