The Darjeeling Police band at a rally preceding the inaugural ceremony. Picture by Suman Tamang

Darjeeling, Dec. 8: A vendor, a porter, a garbage collector…they were among the nine unsung citizens of the town who were felicitated at the inaugural programme of Darjeeling Carnival today.

The idea of honouring individuals who contribute to essential life without being noticed was well appreciated by a record 5,000-strong crowd at the Chowrastha.

Sita Chhetri, a porter at the railway station here, was red-faced as she went up to the stage, embarrassed at being the focus of attention. She was joined by Gang Bahadur Tamang (traffic policeman), Seema Naulakha (primary schoolteacher), Naveen Chhetry (disaster management volunteer), Renuka Tamang (weaver), Dilip Chhetry (garbage collector), Subhawati Lai (nurse), Saraswati Tamang (sweeper) and Khedu Barhi (vegetable vendor).

They were given a certificate of appreciation and a scarf by Ranjita Prasad, wife of the late Shasheesh, who was one of the founders of the Darjeeling Initiative, which organises the carnival. The ceremony followed the screening of a documentary on Shasheesh, who died last year of brain cancer.

Several firsts will mark the fourth edition of the festival, including a Carnival Idol Competition where residents will choose the winner through SMS votes. There will also be a bike rally from here to Bagdogra with the demand that the airport there be given international status.

The main attraction, though, will be the rock groups from Nepal, Calcutta, Shillong and Darjeeling. Skinny Alley and 5th Dimension from Calcutta will perform here, while an army band will put up jazz items.

INOX Darjeeling, too, will participate in the festivities for the first time. The INOX Zone at the carnival will have various offers, including one movie ticket free with every three tickets bought. The offer will be valid between December 9 and 17, when the carnival is on.