Gates of Gorkha Ranga Mancha to be thrown open

Darjeeling: The sprawling lawns of the Gorkha Ranga Mancha Bhawan will be thrown open to the public including tourists soon. A notification to this effect is expected to be made by the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration at the earliest. Along with this the GTA order will also ensure that no political programmes or activities are held in the Mancha and the premises in future.

Both the decisions were announced from the Gandhijayanti commemorations organised by the GTA in Darjeeling. The day saw the statue of the Gorkha soldier being reinstated in its original place, atop the building.

"I would request the GTA to open the gates of the Ranga Mancha to the public and tourists. I would further request the GTA that the Ranga Mancha be used of the purpose it was constructed to promote fine arts, music and culture. Let it not be used for any political purpose of programme in future," stated Binoy Tamang, former Chief, GTA.

Anit Thapa, Chairman, GTA stated that there should be a change in political culture in the HIlls whereby buildings and other such assets built by erstwhile leaders are preserved and not destroyed or burnt down. "The GTA will immediately take out a notification on the lines of Binoy Tamang's proposals," added Thapa.

From the days of the Raj it used to be the Victoria Park which was later renamed as the Gandhi Park in the late 1970s. The park was later closed down and a Rabindra Sadan came up and was later renamed the Bhanu Bhawan.

In 1997 the Bhanu Bhawan was dismantled and the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) with Subash Ghising as the Chairman, commissioned the construction of Gorkha Ranga Mancha at a cost of Rs. 20 crores. It is popularly believed that the architecture was influenced by the French Opera House.

With Hill politics paving way to the GTA and Bimal Gurung, the Ranga Mancha became an important seat of power with Bimal Gurung holding office here.

On May 15, 2013, the Gorkha Ranga Mancha auditorium, with a sitting capacity of 900 was inaugurated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Following a major clash between GJM supporters and security forces on Jun 8, 2017 in the premises, the Court had put it under lock and key.

An agitation followed which culminated in a 105 day-long bandh. Bimal Gurung went underground. On September 23, 2019, the Darjeeling Sessions Court ordered the State to operate Manch. The State then transferred it to the GTA.