Gangtok, Jan. 7: The organisers of the Pang Lhabsol celebrations in Rabongla want the event to be declared a “state function” on its silver jubilee year, allowing the entire government machinery to get involved in its promotion.

The celebrations, held to pay obeisance to Mt Kanchenjunga, the guardian deity of the state, will complete 25 years this September.

Preparations for the event have already begun. This morning, Sikkim urban development and land revenue minister D.D. Bhutia presided over a meeting of the celebration committee, of which he is the chief patron.

The meeting decided that Bhutia would urge chief minister Pawan Chamling to head the celebrations, which would be declared a state function subject to government approval. Union tourism minister Ambika Soni will be invited to the celebrations as the chief guest on the main day and all the northeastern states will be asked to take part.

The organisers also plan to hold cultural programmes, a national-level trade fair and a national-level volleyball tournament at the venue, Mane Chokerling Complex.

The festival will be aggressively promoted to attract more visitors from outside the state. A website, too, will be launched. More than 50,000 people attend the celebrations each year.

The Namgyal Institute of Tibetology will work on a souvenir, which will be released during the festival.