A pop of colour descended over City Centre Salt Lake that is hosting the Himalayan Orange Tourism Festival, in association with The Telegraph, till December 12. The festival full of merriment and enthusiasm is showcasing the finest collection of oranges, imported from Darjeeling, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Nepal along with delectable traditional food, sweets, beverages and more.
There is a display of different local cultures with soul-warming folk dances and music and along with homestay offers from North Bengal and more. Other than oranges there is also a range of chillies, teas, pickles, marmalades, herbs, spices and even orange-infused chocolates along with self-care and decor items like soaps, baskets, handicrafts and handloom pieces.
“We have always been excited about these events but due to the pandemic there was a break .This festival is unique because no one has really heard about it. This being the third edition, we have brought down orange growers from Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and more along with homestay offers,” said Ramesh Pandey, whole time director, Ambuja Neotia Group.
The Telegraph walked through it all...
Supriyo Ghosal who attended the festival and bought a tonne of oranges was delighted to be there. “I liked it. It’s something new. I think through this a lot of people’s interest will grow in terms of tourism and vacationing,” he said.
Rohit and Prerna Chaoraria were touring the festival, collecting everything from chillies to fruits to floral wines! “It was very nice, we tasted the momos and other stuff. We got to know a lot about the people providing the homestays,” said Rohit gleefully.
Robin Baset who put up a stall at the festival celebrated his district of Yangang, the newest destination spot at Sikkim for the highest ropeway. Summarising his experience from the event, he said, “The festival celebrates sustainable development. Every alternative year we organise this event in Kolkata and even across the state. We’ve just started and it’s been a good response. Everybody is overjoyed that tourism has begun once again post-Covid. We’re thrilled to be here!”
Dropping by the festival was this loveable aunt and niece duo who had a gala time. “It’s so good! We collected the homestay numbers. This festival has made finding homestays so easy. I was planning on going to find out about Sittong and here they are,” Mamika De (right) shared with The Telegraph.
Our Picks
This Rhododendron Wine comes with sweet as well as floral flavours. Rs 800 for the large bottle and Rs 400 for the small one @ NCT Tourism
These Organic Black Tea and Green Tea from Gorubhathan in Kalimpong have wonderful aromas. Rs 250 @ Gorubhathan Block United Tourism’s Gorubhathan United TDA
Coming fresh from the farms of Khanuwa Jhim Homestay, these Dalle chillies are famous for their fiery flavour. These vibrant red chillies are a must-try for spicy food lovers. Rs 100 for a small jar @ Khanuwa Jhim Homestay
Small, cute and colourful! Different varieties of cacti will sure add a riot of colours to your home. Rs 300 onwards @ KITAS’
The Organic Quash from Gorubhathan is the star of this stall. This vegetable has multiple uses and all parts of it can be consumed, starting from roots to the leaves to the vegetable itself. This staple is beautifully green and healthy. Rs 50 a piece @ Gorubhathan Block United Tourism
The Black Large Cardamom (Varlang) that is native to the hills, is primarily exported to several Middle-Eastern countries. How lucky are we to get this unique spice that is popularly used as refreshers. Rs 1,200 @ Gorubhathan Block United Tourism’s Gorubhathan United TDA
The Organic Farmers’ oranges that come straight from Darjeeling are extremely sweet, pulpy and luscious. Rs 100 for six pieces @ NCT