Gangtok winter festival kicked off

Gangtok, Dec 09 (UNI) The annual Gangtok Winter festival has been kicked off with a glittering street carnival,"Himalayan Wedding." Participants representing different ethnic communities attired in their traditional costumes participated in a procession last night showcasing their marriage customs, traditions and culture.

The four-day festival which would end on January 11, was aimed to woo tourists to the state in the lean winter season.

State Urban Development Minister D.D.Bhutia, who inaugurated the festival, blessed the mock couples participating in the carnival representing the Gurung, Lepcha, Mangar, Tamang, Limboo, Nepali, Rai, Marwari and Christian communities.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Bhutia appealed to the people to maitain peace and reap the benefits of tourism boom in the state.

State Tourism Minister R.B.Subba said the state had already made mark in the field of tourism in the national and international arena. Due to the agressive marketing, the number of tourists visiting the state was likely to cross three lakh by the end of this financial year.

Tourism Secretary A.Srivastava said the objective of organising different festivals was not only to woo tourists but also to educate the younger generation about their tradition and culture.

He said over the last few years, the number of festivals had increased from two to eight now with the Union government financing six of them.

Mr Srivastava said the number of tourists had registered a 20 per cent hike in 2006 over its previous year and the tourism sector had generated a revenue of Rs 140 crore last year.

He stressed for community participation to give a further boost to the tourism sector.

UNI