Gangtok,
Sep 11: Preparations are going on in full swing at
Ravangla in South Sikkim for the Pang Lhabsol Festival which
begins from Friday. At the same time, Gangtok is also gearing
up for the Khang-chen-dzonga Festival to commemorate 50 years
of triumph of the world’s second largest peak.
The Pang Lhabsol Festival`s chief attraction
is the national-level volleyball championship. The inter-state
championship as well is being held simultaneously here.
There is a buzz of activity around the place
with various cultural programmes, rural sports, competitions
and exhibitions being held as a regular feature of the festival.
While in Gangtok, the Khang-chen-dzonga
festival is being held in honour of Norman Handy, George Band
and Tony Streather – members of the team that scaled
the revered mountain and refrained from climbing the last
6 feets to respect the religious sentiments of the local people
who consider the peak as sacred.
Around 50 mountaineers from India and abroad
is attending the festival this year.