The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) will host the second edition of the DHR Literature Festival 2026 in Kurseong from Friday to Sunday.

The three-day event is part of the hill railway’s annual summer festival and organised in association with Poets of Community, a cultural collective founded in 2018 to promote storytelling, poetry recitation and music performances in more than eight cities.

DHR director Rishav Choudhary said the festival was envisioned as more than just a literary gathering. He described it as a tribute to the cultural spirit of the “Queen of the Hills”, blending the heritage of the historic toy train with the rich storytelling traditions of the Himalayas.

“The main objective of organising the lit fest is to promote the rich cultural heritage of the Darjeeling hills by providing a platform for local talent,” Choudhary said.

In recent years, the DHR authorities have undertaken several initiatives to promote the century-old heritage railway service around Kurseong, popularly known as the “Land of White Orchids” and as the home of the mountain railway's headquarters. These initiatives have been carried out in collaboration with the state forest department, tourism stakeholders and cultural groups.

According to DHR officials, the opening day of the festival will feature a programme titled “Challenging the Narrative (Kurseong)”, including a workshop called “Why Poetry is Boring” at Victoria Boys’ School at Dowhill in Kurseong.

Author and thespian Megha Mittal, an alumna of the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, will interact with students and discuss how poetry can serve as a vibrant, accessible medium of self-expression through multidisciplinary approaches and contemporary storytelling.

The second day of the festival will feature “Rail & Rhythm: The Open Deck Experience” organised in collaboration with the Unesco-recognised heritage railway. Participants will enjoy a musical ride on a toy train through the hills.

“The ride will begin from Kurseong station around noon and travel up to Mahanadi. During the journey, live acoustic performances by local folk and contemporary artists will be held, creating a memorable fusion of music and motion,” a DHR official said.

Later in the evening, a session titled “Voices of the Hills” will be held at Café De Central, celebrating the oral and literary traditions of the region. Storytellers and poets will present narratives inspired by mountain folklore, tea garden life and the evolving identity of Himalayan communities.

The festival will conclude at Café House in Darjeeling with a multilingual celebration of poetry and prose in Nepali, English and Hindi.

“The final session will bring together artists, writers and community voices to reflect on the cultural heritage, aspirations and contemporary challenges of the Himalayan region,” Choudhary added.