Lepcha Festival at Kalimpong

The 274th birth anniversary of Pano Gaeboo Achyok was celebrated today amid huge pomp and fanfare.

According to the Lepchas, Achyok was their last king and members of the community had come from across the district western Bhutan, Sikkim and other parts of India to join the festivities.

Organised by the Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association in collaboration with the Central government-run Indira Gandhi National Museum of Mankind, the celebrations included a host of cultural programmes, an awards ceremony, an archery competition (see picture by Chinlop Fudong Lepcha) and the release of three Lepcha books.

The celebrations started early in the morning with the Lepchas offering prayers to Gaeboo Achyok at Damsang Fort, 20 km from here. The fort is believed to have been built by Achyok.

The rest of the programme was held at lower Bong bustee. The programme, which is being held annually since 1982, was conducted entirely in the Lepcha language.

Later, a local band, Alain, played popular modern songs to regale the crowd.

Source > The Telegraph