A modest hill marathon launched by Darjeeling police in 2014 has now sprinted far beyond its origins, with the organisers transforming it into a full-fledged festival this year, powered by D-Series thematic events.
The Darjeeling hill marathon, which was later christened as MELOtea FEST — it is in its third edition this year —, will be held from December 11 to 14 and will include events that range from runs and mountain trails to music, birdwatching and even startup showcases.
“The event is a community policing initiative with support from the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration to promote heritage, music, tea, entrepreneurship, tourism and other avenues in remote areas,” said Praween Prakash, the Darjeeling
superintendent of police.
This year, the following Darjeeling-Series thematic events have been lined up at the MELOtea FEST.
D-Rock
An open rock music competition, both in English and Nepali, will have a whopping ₹28 lakh as prize money. This year’s star performers will include famous Nepali singer Purna Rai, Mantra, a Darjeeling band with international repute, and another Darjeeling band, Chakra.
“More than 100 bands from across India have registered for the event,” said Prakash.
D-Run
The Darjeeling marathon, which draws more than 4,000 runners, including international athletes, will be held on December 14.
“This year, the event gains special significance as it will be held in one of the cleanest air zones in India with recent AQI data placing Darjeeling among the top spots,” said Prakash. The total prize award for the run is ₹10 lakh.
D-Hike
This year, an old hiking route, the Tenzing Norgay trail in the Rangaroong area in Darjeeling, will be reintroduced. In the past editions, 16 hikes were introduced, which helped boost the rural economy.
“A pre-MELOtea hike will be organised on December 6 with around 250 hikers,” said Prakash.
D-Birdwatch
The event is being held not just to highlight Darjeeling’s exceptional birdlife but also to create sustainable livelihood opportunities, said Prakash.
D-MTB
This year, a mountain biking competition designed to attract adventure enthusiasts from across India and neighbouring countries has been planned to enhance
the hills’ reputation as an adventure sports destination.
“The total prize pool is ₹2 lakh for this event,” said the SP.
D-Startup
Free exhibition stalls will be offered to young entrepreneurs from Darjeeling to showcase innovative local products, from handicrafts and agro-produce to wellness items.
D-Create
In an effort to encourage content creators, a digital media initiative will be launched at the festival this year.
“The content creators will need to come up with content based on the fest, said Prakash.