The volunteers at the news meet. Picture by Suman Tamang

Darjeeling, Nov. 20: Darjeeling Carnival, the biggest show in the hills, is set to grow bigger.

“We are proud to announce that we are growing with every edition,” said Gyanendra Gurung, one of the organisers. “While the festivities will take place in Darjeeling from December 8 to 17, Mirik will celebrate from December 8 to 10 and, for the first time, Kurseong, too, will take part, hosting it from December 13-15.”

Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre will bring troupes from across the country to perform traditional dances. They will join the best talents from Calcutta, Shillong, Kathmandu and the Darjeeling hills.

From talent hunts and ramp shows to heritage walks, about 100 programmes have been lined up for the 10-day carnival, giving people the scope to reflect on the past and present of Darjeeling. “We will organise an exhibition showcasing past masters like Goray Douglas, M. Sain and J. Halbert along with the present generation of artists from the hills. There will also be a cultural rally led by a festive boat decorated as a train engine to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway,” said Samir Sharma, another organiser.

The Victoria Memorial Trust will collaborate with the coordinators to organise heritage walks around the town for schoolchildren who can also take part in treasure hunts at the historical sites.

The carnival, however, is not only about fun and frolic but will also be used as a platform to highlight the aspirations of the hill people. To start with, hundreds of bikers from the hills will converge at Bagdogra to demand the upgrade of the domestic airport to an international one. The Darjeeling Press Guild along with the organisers of the event, Darjeeling Initiative, will also present the Shasheesh Prasad Citizen of the Year award to deserving candidates.