Three days' Gorkha Traditional Food Festival begins with fanfare

Gorubathan is in a festive mood since the Republic Day (26th January 2024).

KalimNews, Gorubathan, 26 January 2024 : Gorubathan is in a festive mood since the Republic Day. The second edition of the three-day Gorkha Traditional Food Festival 2024 began at the picturesque Titanic View Point near Chel River in Gorubathan since Friday. 

The festival organized by Gorubathan Tourism Development Society (GTDS) was launched by Anjul Chauhan, Chairman of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) who was present during inaugural session as a chief guest. The inaugural occasion of the festival was chaired by Ratan Thapa, Executive Sabhasad (Sabha member) of the GTA as well as the Sabhasad of no. 43 constituency . Others present as special guests during the festival were Suryamani Rai, Chairman of the Gorubathan Block Panchayat Samiti, Lakpa Namgel Bhutia and Harkaman Chhetri, Executive Members of GTA and Sabhasads of no. 45 and 44 constituencies respectively.

The festival also had the guests Subash Sotang, member of Sahitya Akademi Nepali Language Consultative Committee, Shishir Pradhan, Karmadhyakshya of Panchayat Samiti, Panchkumar Rai and Shyam Thapa, the working president of the Festival organizing committee as well as Dr. Pawan Thapa Advisor of the GTDS, Omprakash Karki, Devprakash Rai and Homanath Sharma.

The three day festival will conclude on 28th January and will be open from 12 noon to 8 pm every day. 

The inaugural program was started with the welcome address of Shyam Thapa, the working president of the organizing committee. Anjul Chauhan, the chief guest in his speech stated that Gorubathan is situated in the foothills and its geographical feature is a gift of the nature. , and in the field of tourism it has immense potential.

It already has been successful in establishing its identity in the plains and the hills. Chouhan also stated that the initiative of the GTDS and people from all walks of life to bring the area in the map of tourism is praiseworthy. He also requested the people to preserve its unity, natural beauty and natural resources.  

The people of Gorubathan started a remarkable venture by connecting the traditional food and culture of the Gorkhas with tourism and assured that the GTA will always come forward to support such programmes. 

He also affirmed that under the leadership of Ratan Thapa, the area Sabhasad, many constructive works are being done in Gorubthan.

Subash Sotang also addressed the inaugural session and stated that Gorubathan Tourism Development Society has taken a good initiative to bring cultural revolution in Gorubathan through Gorkha Traditional Food Festival.

Areca nut a crop of the plains and orange a fruit of the hills both grow in Gorubathan and that is the significance of Gorubathan. Through this festival a message is being sent by the organizing committee that the people of Gorubathan are alert, aware, dynamic and progressive.

Tufan Subba, Secretary of the GTDS, gave detailed information about the schedule and details of the following programmmes.

The chief guest, special guest and guests visited the stalls of exhibitions and sales of local and cultural products and food items set up during the three-day Gorkha traditional food festival. In The programme was conducted by Sanjay Pradhan in which cultural items like dances and songs were performed by local artists.

During the evening session of the program, multi coloured cultural programmes were presented by local artists.

It is reminded that Gorkha traditional fashion show, art and crafts competition shall be the added attraction on the second day from the morning hours and on the concluding day in the evening, a cultural team from Mirik will present their items as guest artists.

(Courtesy Souraj Butang Rai)