Gangtok, Sept. 8: Like in recent years, the state capital will celebrate the unique festival of Pang Lhabsol as “unity day” on Thursday.

The call for unity has become even more significant this year since communal tension has been simmering in the state for sometime now.

Hectic preparations are underway at the Statue of Unity in Thakurbari, Gangtok — the venue for the celebrations.

The Pang Lhabsol festival is unique to Sikkim and is held to pay obeisance to Kanchenjunga(called Kanchendzonga in Sikkim), the guardian deity of Sikkim.

The festival is also organised to commemorate the pact of blood-brotherhood between Lepcha chief Thekong Tek and Bhutia chief Khye Bhumsa, at Kabi Longchok in the 13th century. The pact is symbolic of the harmony and unity between different communities in the state.

This is the eighth year of the festival being celebrated as “unity day”.

In 1997, former minister Thukchuk Lachungpa, had installed the Statue of Unity depicting the blood brotherhood of the two chieftans at Thakurbari.

Cultural programmes, a procession and various contests are being organised to mark the occasion.

Thukchuk Lachungpa who heads the Pang Lhabsol Celebration Committee said the celebrations this year would see the biggest cultural extravaganza the state has seen so far. Representatives of all communities in the state, school children, NGOs and the public will participate in the event.

Sikkim governor V. Rama Rao will attend the function as the chief guest. Chief minister Pawan Chamling will be the guest of honour.