Jorethang prepped for Maghey Mela 2014

JORETHANG, 12 Jan: The biggest extravaganza of the New Year in South Sikkim is all set to kick off here at the border town of Jorethang. The still popular Jorethang Maghey Mela is scheduled to be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pawan Chamling on 14 January. The three-day festival will continue till 16 January 2014.
While the main venue of the mela will be on the river bank, events will be held at Jorethang playground as well. Chief patron of the mela organizing committee, the area MLA [Zoom-Salghari], Madan Cintury, said that more than one lakh visitors are expected to visit Jorethang mela every day through the fest.
He further informed that all the departmental stalls, SHG stalls, Saras Mela and the traditional huts have been given space at the main bazaar area while other commercial stalls have been allotted their sites at the river bank.
Besides the colourful cultural events, other attractions like paragliding, river rafting, tambola, inter-constituency rural sports festival (football boys) are going to add more glitter to the mela this year, he added.
The inaugural day on 14 January will also feature an exhibition football match between the girl teams of Nepal and Sikkim while both the semi-finals of the ongoing football tournament under inter-constituency rural sports festival will be held on 15 January. The final match will be played on 16 January 2014, he added.
As a large number of visitors are expected, security has been tightened in the town and its surrounding areas while Jorethang hospital has been asked to stay on alert for emergency medical assistance, said Mr. Cintury.
He also informed that for the first time in the history of Sikkim, the Governor of Sikkim will be visiting the Maghey Mela at Jorethang. On 15 January, Governor Shriniwas Patil will be here as the chief guest, he informed.
General secretary, organizing Committee, Kamal Chettri informed that on the evening of the inaugural day artists from Prabal Sangeet Sansthan of Jorethang along with other local artists will entertain the crowd while the army band from Ravangla, ‘2 Bikas’, will perform on the evening of 15 January. The Indian Idol 4 finalist Saurabhi will rock the stage on the last day of the mela on the evening of 16 January.
Mr. Chettri said that the organizing committee is working hard to make this mela a grand success and to provide visitors with a peaceful environment to enjoy the mela. On behalf of the organizing committee, he thanked the Chief Minister and Governor for accepting the invitation.