Bazaar to promote local products in Darjeeling

EOI, DARJEELING, DECEMBER 25, 2022 : The three day long "Gundri Baazar" held with the aim of promoting local entrepreneurs started hereon Saturday at Chowrasta with about 40 different stalls of local products.

Organized by Vikrun Foundation and Decibel events this is the 3rd year that such an event is being held here. Vikrun Foundation, founder member, Vikram Rai said, “The origin of Gundri Baazar was during the Covid pandemic time when youths returned home after losing their jobs, 

They set up their own businesses here after they were forced to come back. The trend in Darjeeling has always been that youths from here went to cities due to lack of opportunity which has been a problem, But many who returned back due to Covid decided to stay back and start something new here.” 

“This is the third edition of Gundri Baazar and in these three years it has become a brand in itself and we are hoping that this will also be an added attraction for tourists annually,” he added. The event which promotes local products has40 various stalls displaying and selling food, decorative pieces, jewelry, thrift stores, cosmetics, art and craft, hand made scented candles, pickles, among many other things. 

The event kicked off with Kumdini Homes School from Kalimpong and Darjeeling Municipality School band display. 

Also, part of the event are seminars to let the young entrepreneurs train and learn about their trade. Speaking in the programme the Darjeeling SP, Santosh Nimbalkar said, “We are talking about localization and taking local products to the global level. This is one such effort being shown through this. 

In India there are various handicraft melas held indifferent places and Darjeeling is giving one such mela in the form of Gundri Baazar. 

We should be proud of our local products and should give such opportunities to small entrepreneurs especially during this tourist season.” 

The Darjeeling SP today inaugurated the program which got its name “Gundri Baazar” as it was the first ever market of Darjeeling in the past. (EOIC)