Mangan, Dec 27: The 49th edition of the Namprikdang Namsoong Festival, themed “Ancestral Rhythm,” commenced on Saturday at the sacred site of Namprikdang Dzongu. Organised by the Namprikdang Namsoong Celebration Committee (NNCC), the five-day festival will run until December 31, celebrating cultural heritage, community unity, and resilience through rituals, folk dances, traditional games, and prayers for prosperity.

The inaugural day was graced by Sonam Norgay Lachungpa, Chairperson of the Tourism and Civil Aviation Department, as the chief guest. Also present were Ongkit Lepcha, Chairperson of Horticulture, Zilla and Gram Panchayat members, SP Mangan LB Chettri, OSD Ugen Lepcha, district officials, NNCC members, and the public.

In his address, Lachungpa commended the NNCC for successfully organising the festival and highlighted the role of culture and traditions in shaping identity. He acknowledged the guidance of Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang in preserving Sikkim’s cultural heritage and noted Dzongu’s importance as a hub for rural tourism.

The first day featured a Lepcha folk dance competition and a traditional Tug of War. The festival will also host archery tournaments, log relays, paddy husking, the Lepcha Indigenous Fashion Show, a rock climbing competition, bamboo weaving, hair braiding, stone put, pumpkin smashing, water filling, and other traditional activities. Music performances and exhibition stalls showcasing local products will further enliven the celebration.

The festival aims to highlight nearby historical and cultural sites, including Brong Kyong and Unghrum Hot Springs and Waterfalls at Lingdem, the Lepcha Cane Bridge Ru-Soam at Hee-Gyathang, and other attractions.