TTT NEWS NETWORK
KURSEONG| 5 DECEMBER 2025
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, successfully organised a vibrant 3-day Station Mahotsav within the Ghum festival at the historic Kurseong Railway Station, celebrating the rich cultural spirit of the hills through music, poetry, art, and community participation.
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, DHR collaborated with the Delhi-based creative collective Poets of Community to introduce the culture of open mics to Kurseong and the surrounding hill regions. This pioneering effort was aimed at giving local artists a platform to express themselves and connecting the hills with contemporary artistic movements across the country.
The festival began on 2nd December with two dynamic sessions:
* Open Mic for Local Artists: Youth and performers from Kurseong and nearby areas showcased an impressive range of talents—from poetry and music to storytelling and stand-up performances—captivating the audience with their creativity and confidence.
* Evening Curated Showcase: The second session featured invited artists from across India and abroad. Their diverse styles, languages, and artistic expressions added a global flavour to the event, making it a memorable cultural evening at the station premises.
As part of the Mahotsav’s commitment to nurturing young minds, the following day witnessed a series of engaging competitions for schoolchildren of Kurseong, including essay writing, painting, and poetry. The students participated enthusiastically, reflecting the cultural sensitivity and artistic depth of the region’s youth.
The 3-day celebration concluded today with a day-long Music Festival at Kurseong Railway Station. Musicians and bands from across the hills came together to perform a variety of genres, filling the station with rhythm, energy, and community spirit. During the closing ceremony, DHR felicitated the winners of the children’s competitions, recognising their creativity and encouraging them to continue exploring the arts.
Speaking on the occasion, Director DHR highlighted that the Station Mahotsav is part of the organisation’s broader efforts to promote community engagement, heritage awareness, and cultural revival along the historic DHR route.
The success of the Kurseong Station Mahotsav marks another step forward in DHR’s continuous journey to connect heritage with contemporary cultural expressions, making the railway not just a mode of transport but a living, breathing cultural hub for the hills.
Tomorrow we will have a Heritage Run of 8.6km  from Darjeeling Chowrasta to GHUM station. it will be flagged off at 06am with around 200 participants. This will be followed by an open flat wagon music display from Darjeeling to Ghum and back.
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