More than 600 people gathered for the first-ever Manas Winter Festival at Panbang in Zhemgang. The festival, held as a tribute to His Majesty The King, brought together locals from the district’s 20 chiwogs to showcase their products and traditional foods. It concluded on 23rd February.
The two-day festival gave a glimpse into local life and sustainable practices, inviting guests to explore and witness a variety of cuisines, forest resources, and handmade goods, all highlighting the rich culture of the community.
The festival also offered adventure programmes such as traditional bamboo rafting, bird watching, and recreational hikes.
The district and the dungkhag administration hosted the festival to provide a platform for local producers and artisans, supporting local economic growth and promoting regional tourism.
“The festival allows locals from Kheng to showcase their traditional foods, agricultural products, and grains. Visitors get the chance to experience these unique items, which will help attract both local and international tourists, ultimately boosting the local economy,” said Rinchen Tshering, Ngangla Gup.
Pem Dorji, one of the stall owners showcasing his bamboo crafts said that the festival provided locals with an opportunity to promote their local products.
“People make these products, but without festivals and exhibitions like this, there is no platform to showcase them. It is also important for the youth to see our products and know about them,” said Pem Dorji, a resident of Panbang.
“We have brought a variety of local produce and handmade goods from remote villages, including potatoes, radish, ginger, and bamboo products like traditional bows. So far, we have sold about 30 of them. This festival is a great opportunity for us locals,” said Phurpa Wangchuk, another resident.
Along with the festival, new infrastructure at the “Twin Waterfall”, one of the most visited tourist spots in Panbang, was opened.
“The “Twin Waterfall” is the main tourist spot in Panbang. We have many planned initiatives to develop infrastructure at the site. The installation of railing is the first step, providing amenities for visitors to take pictures,” said Sherab Zangpo, Panbang Dungpa.
The district and dungkhag administrations organised the festival with funding support from the government. They plan to make the festival an annual event.
Panbang lies within the Royal Manas National Park, spanning three districts: Sarpang, Zhemgang, and Pema Gatshel. As the nation’s oldest protected area, it shelters hundreds of species of wildlife, birds, and plants, many of which are globally endangered.
Sangay Chozom
Edited by Sonam Pem
