[ Prem Chetry ]

BOMDILA, 24 Jul: The inaugural ‘Bomdila Connect’ – a cultural festival to revive the town’s rich cultural, historical and tourism legacy – was organised here in West Kameng district on Friday.

Kalaktang MLA Tseten Chombay lauded the initiative and said the event would undoubtedly revive the past glory of the town.

“It will showcase our culture and traditions and help boost tourism,” he said.

Chombay said that Bomdila was once one of the most popular tourist destinations, as well as the district headquarters of the then Kameng division. “However, with the passage of time, its popularity began to fade, while places like Tawang, the rapidly urbanising town of Dirang, and even a small place like Shergaon have now emerged as major tourist hotspots,” he said.

Responding to a memorandum submitted by the Bomdila Tourism Society (BTS), the organiser of the event, the MLA assured that he would take up with the chief minister the matter of making Bomdila Connect an annual event.

Meanwhile, the 12th Guru Tulku Rinpoche said, “This event is meant to showcase our rich culture. People from distant places, both national and international, visit here not just to enjoy a new destination but to experience our rich culture, traditions, history and spiritual values.”

He added that the continuity of cultural traditions would ensure their longevity and allow them to thrive uninterrupted.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Dilip Kumar highlighted the significance of Bomdila’s rich cultural heritage and said the district administration would extend all possible support in the days to come.

Earlier, BTS adviser Tsering Wange spoke on the importance of tourism, saying it helps in fostering cultural harmony among people across the globe.

He said that tourism provides opportunities to explore and showcase the rich cultural, historical, and spiritual heritage of a place in particular and a nation in general.

The event began in the morning with a street carnival from the Sahara Tyre area, with dozens of cultural troupes marching through the main market, performing various traditional dances, including the famed snow lion dance, and gathered at the Thubchog Gatsel Ling monastery.

The event was organised in collaboration with the district administration and the Department of Tourism.