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While Darjeeling originally belonged to the independent kingdom of Sikkim, it was taken over by the Bhutanese and the Gurkhas in the 18th century. The British East India Company eventually gained control and annexed this town to develop it as a sanatorium, and a "rest and recreation" centre for the troops. It also serves as a pass to Nepal and Tibet and to date, Sherpas, Gurkhas, Bhutias and Nepalis form an integral part of the population of this town.