Winter tourist festival to showcase culture & tradition of North Bengal

Amitava Banerjee | MP | 7 August 2019 | Darjeeling: For the first time North Bengal is all set to host a winter tourist festival to showcase the local tradition, cultures and off beat destinations.

Tourism Minister Goutam Deb on Monday held a meeting with District Magistrates of 5 districts of North Bengal to take part in the first edition of this North Bengal tourist festival.

The first edition will showcase off beat destinations of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Dakshin Dinajpur districts.

The festival will be held from November 15 to December 22 but only on weekends. "The festival will commence on Friday evening and continue till Sunday afternoon during this period," Deb said.

The venues for the festival will include Meteli, Rajabhatkhawa, Gajoldoba, Pedong, Sitong and Talidighi.

"For each venue we will have accommodation for around 125 guests. Out of the 125 guests, 25 can be accommodated in tents and the remaining 100 in twin sharing accommodations mainly in home stays," he said.

Guests will be charged Rs. 1,250 per person per day.

The charge will include accommodation, meals, local sight seeing and local transportation (from the point of accommodation to the venues.)

In the evening there will be cultural shows, exhibition of handicrafts, local merchandise will be sold.

"There will be online booking in the WBTDC website and the official portals of the districts. The local food, culture and hospitality will be showcased. We will make this an annual event," added Deb.

Local sightseeing will include Jayanti, Chilapata, and Buxa fort in the plains and other places of interest in the Hills and plains.

Celebrities who love nature will be invited to the event. "It will be eco friendly plastic free event," added the minister.