Four-day festival in the Hills to commence from December 28

Amitava Banerjee | MP | 14 Dec 2022 | DARJEELING: The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration is all set to welcome tourists with a four-day long "Darjeeling Tourism Festival 2022" from December 28.

"We want to send the message to the tourists that after years of strife, Darjeeling is peaceful and they are welcome to visit the Hills without any hesitation," stated Norden Sherpa, GTA Sabhasad in charge of tourism. 

The 4-day long event will be organised jointly by the Tourism department and the Information and Cultural Affairs department of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. A Darjeeling Tourism Festival Organising Committee has also been constituted for the same. Along with musical bands, cultural shows the festival will also host dog shows and baby shows. 

The performances will be held at the Darjeeling Mall- the most popular promenade of the hill town. "We will also hold competitions including one involving social media. Ethnic and local food stalls will also be put up and we will hold a cooking competition," added Sherpa. 

Mostly local bands and artists will be performing at the festival. "It will be an excellent opportunity to showcase our local talents also," stated the GTA Sabhasad. 

With the immense popularity of long distance and trail running with Darjeeling Hill runners bagging many awards throughout the country, famous trail runner Mira Rai from Nepal will be felicitating Hill runners on December 28. 

Meanwhile, a "Kalimpong Street Festival '' will be held from December 26 to 29 in Kalimpong. An initiative by citizens of Kalimpong, the festival is centered around the main street of Kalimpong from Dambar Chowk to Thana-Danra from 6 pm to 10 pm in the evening. Stalls will be set up on both sides of this street showcasing local cuisines, handicrafts and produce. Cultural shows also take place. 

"We have a tourist rush from around December 22 till the second week of January. Such festivals further help attract tourists thereby providing a boost to the economic mainstay of the Hills," stated Suman Baraily, a hotelier from Darjeeling. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/four-day-festival-in-the-hills-to-commence-from-december-28-502123