3-day-long Melo-Tea Fest kicks off in Darjeeling

Amitava Banerjee, MP, 22 Dec 2023, Darjeeling: Twelve rock bands battled it out on the first day of the Melo-Tea Fest in Darjeeling on Friday. The three-day-long mega event of which the Darjeeling Police Marathon is a part, was flagged off on Friday and showcases music, tea, oranges, orchids, food and attire of the Darjeeling and Kalimpong Hills. 

“This is part of a community policing programme. We are showcasing the best that Darjeeling and Kalimpong Hills have to offer. Darjeeling has always been a Mecca of music. The Melo-Tea Fest is the perfect platform to revive this,” stated Praween Prakash, Superintendent of Police, Darjeeling. 

The rock band competition saw 75 bands from all over India, including Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Kolkata, Delhi along with local bands taking part. “Out of the 75 bands, 12 bands performed on Friday at the Darjeeling Mall on Friday. Out of these, 5 bands have been selected. 

They will participate on December 23 from 1.30 pm onwards. The 3 winners will be selected by the famous band Parikrama. They will be awarded Rs 10 lakh cash prize in total,” added the SP. A special award will also be handed over to the best guitarist. The award has been constituted in the memory of Late Sonam Sherpa, the guitarist of Parikrama. 

The popular band will also be performing from 6 pm at the Darjeeling Mall. Stalls have been put up by different tribal development boards, showcasing their food, attire, music and dance. “A fashion show will take place on December 23 that will showcase tribal attire. Along with this, there is an exhibition on tea with different stalls depicting the history of tea, types of tea, tea tasting and other aspects of tea,” stated Prakash. 

Along with this, an exhibition of famous Darjeeling oranges and orchids will also be an important part of the fest. The festival was inaugurated by GTA Chief Executive Anit Thapa. On December 24, the 10th edition of the Darjeeling police marathon will be flagged off. 

“The fest is a bonus for us. We had come to spend Christmas in Darjeeling and got much more than we had expected. The atmosphere is electrifying despite the winter chill,” stated Aruna Dasgupta of Kolkata. 

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/3-day-long-melo-tea-fest-kicks-off-in-darjeeling-545269