DARJEELING, Nov. 20. - Kalimpong, the town of cheese
and Swiss lollipops, is ready to set alight its winter with a festival
for tourists.
Inspired by the success of the Darjeeling
Carnival, residents of Kalimpong have got together to organise the
`Kalimpong Winter Fest`, an eight-day cultural extravaganza that
will open from Christmas eve and continue till New Year's eve. In recent years, more tourists have been visiting the hills during
winter, taking advantage of the off-season rates and lesser crowd.
Kalimpong is preferred by many tourists because it is relatively
less cold. The festival's chief coordinator, Mr Sundeep Jain, said would
be offered special discounts in hotels, restaurants and some shops
during the duration.
He noted that the Fest had been tailored along the lines of the
recently concluded 10-day Darjeeling Carnival. In fact, some of the organisers of the carnival are helping organise
the winter fest in Kalimpong.
The events during the Kalimpong Winter Fest will be, according
to Mr Jain, staged at different venues scattered over the sub-division.
This will allow visitors access to places not included in the
usual itinerary, but still attractive. Events are being organised at Pedong, Relli and Teesta, besides
Kalimpong town. While adventure lovers can enjoy parasailing and
rock-climbing at Pedong, white river rafting and other water sports
will be organised at the Teesta.
Pedong is situated close to the Damsang Fort of the Lepchas that
is being promoted by local residents as a tourist attraction. Relli, which is set amid a picture perfect valley of crop-fields
with a river flowing through it, will be a place for picnics offering
ethic food. Mr Jain said the DGAHC, the Army and several cultural organisations
have been roped in for the winter fest.
In the town, programmes will begin in the afternoon on all days
of the fest. The accent of the entire event will be on culture,
which is preserved in its original form in the Kalimpong sub-division
more than anywhere else in the hills.
`It will be a memorable experience for the visitors who will be
exposed to the best of the mountains and its people,` Mr Jain said. He added that the festival will focus on a different community
every day.
Courtesy
The Statesman |
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