Namchi Festival

Namchi, Oct. 23: The union minister of state for tourism, Renuka Chowdhury had to cancel her visit to Namchi for the inauguration of the Namchi Mahotsav due to more important engagements. Therefore, the chief minister of Sikkim, Pawan Chamling had to complete the inauguration.

The annual tourist festival of South Sikkim will be held at Namchi and Kazitar. Chamling also inaugurated the Namchi Rock Garden and the adjacent building of the district administration yesterday.

The festival is part of an endeavor by the government to showcase the cultures and traditions of the ethnic communities in Sikkim. It is believed that these sorts of festivals will help in attracting more tourists. The Namchi Mahotsav is organised by the state tourism and the district administration.

Namchi was decorated with flowers for the three day festival with flowers like chrysanthemums, dendrobiums and more than 15 other categories. A contest was also held to award the best bloom in the festival. It was a florist from Darjeeling who bagged the first prize of Rs 30,000.

There are about 10 stalls representing the tradition, culture, dress, food and lifestyles of the various communities – and traditional houses of the Nepalis, Bhutias and the Lepchas has also been erected in the festival area.
Chamling also inaugurated the Observatory Tower at Tashi View Point in Gangtok, a place where you can get a magnificent view of the mountains and the landscape surrounding Sikkim. It is located at a height of 6000 feet and has been constructed by the tourism department at a cost of Rs 58 lakhs. It has a restaurant, a tower library and a café while binoculars and telescopes will be installed in the tower shortly.

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