Carnival boost for Skating Drama

The hill town revived memories of its old glory as the tea and tourism festival moved beyond music and food. The winter carnival has given a new lease of life to sports and stage shows that were once famous in the region but lost popularity with time.

A skating competition was held at the Gymkhana Skating Rink here today where around 40 children took part.

The rink that has been a venue for several political meetings and cultural shows since it was set up in 1910 was filled with laughter and fun as boys and girls tried to balance themselves on rollers bringing back memories of a sport that was once famous in the hills.

“We are holding a skating tournament here after more than a decade. It feels great to see the kids enjoying and the town seeing the revival of skating competition,” a member of the organizing committee and of the Darjeeling Gymkhana Club.

Assembly Speaker Bimal Bannerjee, who was present in the rink today, said: “It feels nice to be in Darjeeling. We have a skating rink in Kolkatta also but I am not sure whether tournaments are held there regularly,”

Not  just skating, there has also been an effort to boost drama that used to be a regular affair in the hills till about 1985.

“Nepali drama has a 100 year old history. The first Nepali drama was staged in Darjeeling in 1909.It was christened Atul Bahadur. The play was staged at Nripendra Narayan Bengali Hindu Public Hall. But once the Gorkha Dukha Niwarak Sammelan Hall was constructed in 1934, dramas were staged there. The golden days of Nepali plays were the 70 and the 80s,” a  Darjeeling based writer and dramatist commented.

Organising plays in the hills has become a problem because of stages in town.

The Gorkha Ranga Manch Bhawan that is under construction since 1999 has been opened to the public for the festival. Although the hall has not been officially inaugurated, it is being used to stage dramas during the fast.

“It has been such a huge relief for us. After ages we can finally stage our shows here,” said a member of Darjeeling based Baishnavi Productions that staged Hai Jindagi today.

At least 10 dramas in Nepali, Bengali, and Hindi will be staged during the festival that will end on January 5.

Visitors are also being treated to old Nepali movies along with Hindi films like Aradhana, parts of which was shot in Darjeeling.

“We are getting tremendous response for the film shows. Apart from skating, a host of other sporting activities that have become less popular with time and lack of space are being revived at the carnival.

“Badminton and Lawn Tennis tournaments have attracted a lot of participants that time not just from Darjeeling but also from the rest of  Bengal, Bhutan and Nepali. During the fest, archery, marathon, paragliding, body building, and rafting events will also be held.

“I do not remember so many sporting events taking place in Darjeeling at the same time,” a sport enthusiast from the hill town.

Courtesy : The Telegraph