Lohagarh hosts orange festival to strengthen India-Nepal ties

PRASHANT ACHARYA, EOI, Siliguri 11 Dec 2015: A three-day India-Nepal Terai Orange Festival was today inaugurated in Lohagarh under Mirik block of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration in a bid to strengthen relations between the two neighbouring nations and spread the message of peace among the two peoples. 

The festival was inaugurated by the chief guest, Stefan Loose, well-known travel writer from Germany. 

The festival, organised by Lohagarh tea estate and initiated by local NGO Darjeeling Friends of Environment Social Welfare Society (DFESWS), aims to highlight and promote Lohagarh as an eco-tourism hotspot and build better ties with Nepal. 

In his inaugural speech, Stefan said, "It is a nice gesture to organise a festival to spread the message of love and peace across the border, which will play a vital role in maintaining good relations between the two friendly nations." 

He said he was amazed to see the green and pollution free environment of Lohagarh from where any person can cross the international border by walking a distance of just five minutes. Arun Sigchi, GTA member from Mirik constituency, said although Lohagarh has the potential to promote tourism, it has always been neglected by the West Bengal government in terms of building better roads, transportation and communication. 

He assured support for all types of development works for Lohagarh if the locals were to approach him through a proper channel. Raj Basu, director of Help Tourism Private Limited, said, "You are all aware of the situation along the India-Nepal border, an area which has always been the backyard of our home. Keeping this in view, we have decided to initiate the Terai Himalayan Orange Festival in Lohagarh with the help of the people of the Terai region of both Nepal and India.” 
This was the route by which the British entered through Titaliya to establish the tea estates of Belgachi, Manza and Lohagarh among others, on to Sri Antu in Nepal and finally to Sukhaypokhari and Darjeeling in India. 

The orange festival will end on December 13 with a India-Nepal Ethnic Fashion Show where models from the two nations will walk the ramp for peace and love wearing traditional attires designed by well-known local designer Alka Sharma. The Siliguri-based Dance Planet Group will also perform to fortify unity between India and Nepal.