Nexus of Good: Melodious extravaganza

The Melo-Tea Fest has been conceptualised as a community policing initiative by Darjeeling Police to spotlight Darjeeling's rich heritage of music, tea, culture, and tourism on the global stage. While Darjeeling needs no introduction as a global brand synonymous with tea and tourism, the region has much more to offer beyond its famed tea gardens and scenic views. Activities like bird watching, hiking, and other adventure pursuits often go unnoticed by tourists, and due to this, duration of their stay is small. Additionally, Darjeeling is home to diverse local communities and tribes, each with their unique traditions, cultures, clothing, and cuisines, which remain largely unexplored by visitors. The Melo-Tea Fest seeks to bridge this gap, providing tourists an opportunity to experience these hidden treasures and engage deeply with the vibrant local culture.

Tea gardens, though iconic, have often been sites of worker agitation, reflecting the socio-economic challenges faced by the communities that sustain them. The Melo-Tea Fest seeks to address these challenges by creating supplementary income opportunities for tea garden dwellers, with a special focus on empowering women who form the backbone of these communities. By providing them with avenues to participate in economic and cultural activities, the festival hopes to foster financial independence and uplift their quality of life.

Furthermore, the initiative aims to combat deviant behaviours such as substance abuse which is quite rampant in Darjeeling and other crimes that often arise from economic hardship and social neglect. By improving livelihoods and fostering a sense of community pride, the Melo-Tea Fest seeks to create a positive and transformative impact.

The name Melo-Tea beautifully captures the essence of this unique festival, blending the region’s rich cultural and natural heritage. Derived from the word "melody", symbolising the harmonious musical legacy of Darjeeling, and "tea", for which the region is globally renowned, the name reflects the festival's mission to celebrate both. It represents a confluence of music, culture, and Darjeeling’s iconic tea, aiming to create an unforgettable experience for all who attend.

Based upon a unique theme each year, the inaugural Darjeeling Melo-Tea Fest in December 2023 was a grand success, themed “Harmony Over High”—promoting strong message against substance abuse. All appears to be set for the festival this year as well.

Building on the success of the inaugural edition, the second edition of the Melo-Tea Fest has introduced several exciting new features and activities to make the event even more enriching and inclusive. This year, four thematic circuits have been added to provide visitors with a deeper and more immersive experience:

1. Music circuit: Five performances by renowned rock bands from India and Nepal have been planned. However, The festival's highlight will be Key Marcello, former member of the Swedish band Europe, famed for the iconic anthem The Final Countdown.

The Music Circuit will feature Nepali and Western Rock competitions with a Rs 25 lakh prize, providing a platform and exposure for Darjeeling’s talented youth and revitalising the region’s music scene. This year, the competition aims to attract band nominations from Bhutan and Nepal, promoting cross-border cultural exchange.

2. Adventure circuit: It offers thrilling activities like trekking, paragliding, and other outdoor adventures. All adventure activities will be managed by local youth through Youth for Tourism, providing them with income opportunities, even in remote areas. Thirteen hiking routes in Darjeeling have been identified to promote foot tourism in these areas, helping decongest the town and improving the traffic situation, which is a key aspect of local policing.

3. Birdwatching circuit: This highlights Darjeeling’s diverse and vibrant avian population, perfect for nature enthusiasts, which is highly unorganised now. Here, too, local guides and birding enthusiasts shall be direct stakeholder, providing them income opportunities. This initiative seeks to establish birding tourism as a permanent attraction in Darjeeling which has potential to flourish during off-seasons too.

4. Village tourism circuit: A pilot cultural village, in collaboration with the GTA Tourism Department, has been planned in a Darjeeling village to offer visitors an immersive experience of the local communities' lifestyle, traditions, and hospitality. This initiative is set to be expanded in the future.

In addition to these circuits, the festival will host a range of activities that celebrate Darjeeling's cultural and natural heritage. Visitors can enjoy traditional music and dance performances, witness displays of traditional clothing, and savour authentic local cuisines. Sixteen Cultural and Development Boards of Darjeeling, Self-Help Groups and unemployed youth groups of Darjeeling, will set up stalls showcasing their crafts, skills, and innovative products, further supplementing their income.

Other highlights include:

• Darjeeling Hill Marathon: Promoting fitness and community spirit against the picturesque backdrop of Kanchenjunga, the event also attracts international participants. Last year, it saw approximately 3,500 individuals taking part.

• Photography exhibition: Capturing the essence of Darjeeling’s landscapes and life by Photographic Society of Darjeeling

• Art exhibition: This showcases the talents of local artists taken up by Flow-state, a famous art society of Darjeeling

• Orange and orchid exhibition: Exploring Darjeeling’s often-overlooked horticultural gems.

• Movie fest: A celebration of cinema, featuring films that highlight regional and global narratives. This shall be held in competition mode providing a platform to youths of Darjeeling who are involved in film-making.

The second edition of the Darjeeling Melo-Tea Fest promises to be an even grander celebration of the region's rich culture, natural beauty, and vibrant community spirit. With exciting new circuits, diverse activities, and a strong focus on empowering local youth and communities, the festival aims to create a lasting impact, fostering tourism, cultural exchange, and economic growth in Darjeeling. We hope the festival will continue as a key calendar event, with major community involvement, further strengthening its legacy and positive influence on the region.

Initiatives like Melo-Tea Fest under the inspired guidance of this young police officer, Praween Prakash, present a wonderful example of Nexus of Good. Such models can be replicated and scaled elsewhere in the country.

Views expressed are personal