The 21-day long 'Ghum Festival' inaugurated

MP | Amitava Banerjee | 14 Nov 2021 | Darjeeling: The three-week long Ghum Festival -2021 was flagged off on Saturday. The festival organized by the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) will continue till December 5 at Ghum-the highest railway station of the country along with prominent DHR stations. 

The festival aims to promote culture, adventure, tourism along with showcase Darjeeling Hills as a world famous tourist destination. 

"It aims to attract pandemic-weary tourists back to the Hills along with showcasing the rich and diverse culture and traditions of this region," stated Anshul Gupta, General Manager, Northern Frontier Railway, in presence of senior officials of the Railways. 

The festival will host cultural programmes in DHR stations along with the Darjeeling Chowrasta. 

This will include folk dances, music, stand-up comedy and plays. On the adventure front early morning heritage walks, mountain biking, Trackathon will be organized. Stalls have been opened up in stations selling local goods, produce, food and other items including garments. 

"For more than 150 years the DHR has remained the core of tourism in this region. It is the only 2m gauge operational railway in the world. We want to showcase this world heritage as well as the land in which it runs. We want to boost tourism along with economic activities of this region through such festival," added Gupta. 

The Railways aim to promote film shoots on the DHR and the stations. 

"We are planning to hold such festivals in frequent intervals like a month or three months. Film festivals, book releases, food festivals, cultural fests can be organized in DHR station every month or once in three months," stated the GM. 

December 5, 1999 is commemorated as DHR day—the day the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway was inscribed as World Heritage. On this day the festival will come to an end.

http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/darjeeling-the-21-day-long-ghum-festival-inaugurated-458746