Winter Splendor: The Red Panda Festival of Sikkim
Red Panda is a winter festival celebrated every year in Sikkim. It is one of the most awaited festival in state. This festival attracts tourists from all over the world. It also showcases the culture and tradition of the Sikkimese people. The festival’s main goal is to attract more tourists during quieter months of the year when fewer people visit the state. This helps to maintain the state’s economy. The festival takes a lot of planning, including fixing up the streets and making everything available for visitors. Hotels also offer special deals, which are good for both the locals and tourists.
The Red Panda winter festival was earlier known as the Sikkim winter carnival. It was aimed to promote tourism during the winter months in the state. It was first started in 2016 to honour the state animal Red Panda.
As the Red panda Festival falls in winter, the event takes place either during December or January. These dates are determined and announced annually by the state tourism board. It is a nine day festival mostly held at the Titanic Park of MG Marg in Gangtok. It is a jubilation of culture, unity, festivities, and traditional cuisine, creating a shared platform for both local residents and visitors.
The festival starts with a cultural parade led by the festival’s mascot, the Red Panda. This parade always catches everyone’s attention. It’s fascinating to see participants dressed in traditional clothes dancing to the beat of drums. After the parade, there’s a nine-day schedule full of cultural displays, adventure sports competitions, photography exhibitions, handmade textile shows, and flower exhibitions. These are the main things that draw people to the festival, creating an exciting atmosphere in the beautiful Himalayan region.
Sikkim being the first Organic State in India, one can see organic fruits and vegetables on display during the winter festival. Many food stands are also available there to offer special dishes from different groups of people. A big food event with lots of delicious Sikkimese food is a special part of this winter festival. The food comes from different groups like Lepchas, Nepalis, and Bhutias. Many people who love food and cooking really like this event. Some of the traditional foods included in this festival are Momos, Sel Roti, Sha Phaley, Soup and Hard Churpi.
This festival is also a great time for travelers to visit Sikkim, especially those who like adventure. People who love things like hiking, biking, rafting, and flying in paragliders can do these activities in the mountains during the nine-day festival. And the prices for these activities are lower than usual during this time.
