Nepal grub festival attracts Sri Lankans

KATHMANDU: The embassy of Nepal in Sri Lanka, in association with Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), organised a ‘Nepalese Food Promotion’ festival at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo from July 2 to July 12. This was the first-of-its-kind programme organized to promote Nepal in Sri Lanka.

The 11-day fete was attended by over 1,000 guests, including nearly 200 special guests of

the embassy drawn from among leaders of

business community, tourism professionals,

social and political personalities and senior government officials of Sri Lanka as well as ambassadors, high commissioners and other senior diplomats based in Colombo.

Sri Lankan deputy foreign minister Hussain Bhaila, founder-president of Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement Dr AT Ariyaratne, former Secretary General of SAARC Nihal Rodrigo and other eminent friends of Nepal in Sri Lanka attended the event as distinguished guests. Welcoming the guests on various days of the fete, Nepal’s ambassador to Sri Lanka Durga Prasad Bhattarai shed light on various aspects of the food habits and food items as well as music and crafts of Nepal and hoped that the event would help bring Sri Lankan people closer to Nepal and fuel their interest in visiting Nepal regularly.

Chefs Yuba Raj Pokhrel and Shyam Krishna Nagarkoti of Hotel Soaltee Crowne Plaza, Kathmandu, entertained the guests with a wide range of authentic Nepali cuisine at dinner everyday during the event. The chefs were nominated and supported for the purpose by the Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) and NTB.

A continuous multimedia presentation on Nepal and a permanent display of the ‘Nepal Tourism Year 2011’ banner and other promotional materials supplied by Nepal Tourism Board and Nepal Trade and Export Promotion Centre, enhanced the festival.