Guwahati/Darjeeling, May 19 (IANS) The Northeast Frontier Railway successfully organised the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Literature Festival 2026 in line with its vision of bringing together the industrial heritage of the UNESCO World Heritage Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and the rich oral and literary traditions of the Himalayan region, officials said on Tuesday.

Northeast Frontier Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Kapinjal Kishore Sharma said that the four-day festival, held from May 15 to 18, was organised by the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway in collaboration with the creative collective Poets of Community.

The grand valedictory and certificate distribution ceremony was held on Monday, celebrating the enthusiastic participation of students, youth, writers, artists, and members of the local community.

Sharma said that, through a vibrant blend of literature, music, storytelling, and community interaction, the festival created a meaningful cultural platform that highlighted the region’s diverse artistic and literary heritage.

The events were organised across Kurseong and Darjeeling and witnessed active participation from writers, artists, students, and literature enthusiasts from different parts of the region.

On the opening day at Victoria Boys’ School in Kurseong, noted author and Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee alumna Megha Mittal conducted an engaging workshop titled “Why Poetry Is Boring?”, encouraging students to explore poetry as a contemporary and expressive art form.

The second day featured the unique “Rail & Rhythm: The Open-Deck Experience”, which combined a scenic steam locomotive journey aboard the heritage Toy Train with live musical performances by regional artists.

The Northeast Frontier Railway Chief Public Relations Officer said that the programme was followed by an interactive folklore and storytelling session at Café De Central in Kurseong, celebrating the oral traditions and folk narratives of the Himalayan communities.

The concluding day at Cafe House in Darjeeling featured multilingual literary performances in Nepali, English, and Hindi, with writers and artists reflecting on the cultural heritage, identity, and contemporary realities of the Himalayan region through poetry, storytelling, and spoken-word presentations.

To mark the successful conclusion of the festival, a special certificate distribution ceremony was organised on May 18.

Certificates of appreciation and participation were presented to children, students, performers, and community members who actively contributed to the workshops, storytelling sessions, literary interactions, and cultural performances during the four-day festival.

Sharma said that the initiative reflects the continued commitment of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and the Northeast Frontier Railway towards preserving the cultural heritage of the hills while encouraging creative engagement among the younger generation and local communities.

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

–IANS

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