Tourists and local residents of the Darjeeling hills are all set to witness a unique celebration in the second week of June. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) authorities have planned a week-long summer festival to promote the mountain railway from June 8 to June 15.

The initiative, driven by a strong community spirit, promises to celebrate heritage through local participation.

DHR, a world heritage site recognised by UNESCO, will launch a dedicated film and visual arts festival under the banner of DHRUMA (Darjeeling Himalayan Railways Universal Motion Arts Film Festival), for the first time.

Rishav Chowdhury, the director of DHR, said that the festival will begin on June 8 with a cycle rally from Sukna to Giddapahar, thus setting the tone for the event aimed at engaging children, youth, artists, and film enthusiasts across the hills.

“DHR has placed local participation at the heart of the festival, calling on its most vital stakeholders, the people, to share in the preservation and celebration of the railway’s legacy. Throughout the week, a range of competitions and exhibitions will unfold,” he said.

“Children under 12 will participate in a painting competition, while participants above 12 can try their hand at a ball-point doodle contest. A poetry competition, open to all ages, will invite reflections on nature, heritage, and the railways,” Chowdhury added.

A source said that at the headquarters of DHR, Elysia Building in Kurseong, curated artworks by local painters and selected competition entries will be displayed in an exhibition.

“The most anticipated segment arrives under the DHRUMA banner, scheduled around mid-June. On June 14, RSP Boys’ High School in Kurseong will host film screenings and a master class, featuring regional filmmakers and cinema professionals. A cinematic experience is being curated for June 13 and 14. Films will be screened inside a stationed DHR train at the Kurseong railway station,” a source said.

The railway officials said the heritage carriages will transform into intimate cinema halls for the “screening on wheels” segment.

“Bookings for these screenings can be made directly at the Kurseong station; no entry fee is required. Local filmmakers still have a five-day window to submit their entries for the short film and documentary competition, which has cash prizes for winners and runners-up,” said an official.

He mentioned that the festival is a heartfelt community outreach. “The goal is to strengthen ties with the people who breathe life into the railway’s legacy. We have emphasised that the films must reflect the life, culture, and history of the hills or the legacy of the DHR itself,” the official said.

“With participation free across all categories, DHR has extended an open invitation to local residents, local institutions, and tourists to join in what promises to be an immersive celebration of motion, art, and heritage,” he added.