Kali Gandaki slips into fest mood

Syangja, October 23:

Organisers are working on a war-footing to hold the Kali Gandaki River Festival and River Rafting.

According to the festival organiser, preparations for the mega-event are in the final stage.

“We are organising interactions and collecting suggestions from stakeholders to make the festival a success,” said Buddhiman Shrestha, chairman of the festival organising committee.

The Syangja district development committee and the Department of Roads have agreed to construct a road linking Chapkot with Galyang.

Construction of the road will increase the access of people to the site, the organisers said.

As a part of the preparations for the national-level event, a team comprising local residents, journalists and tourism experts recently cruised on rafts from Ramdighat to Gyamdighat in the Kali Gandaki river.

The team members received warm welcome from people of Kuwakot, Chapakot, Ratnapur, Andhighat, Bardaghat and Gyamdighat.

The festival is going to be organised from November 9 to 11, according to the organisers.

They said that the people from Syangja, Palpa, Tanahun, Rupandehi, Gulmi and Kaski districts are enthusiastic about the festival.

“Exhibitions, cultural show, campfire, sports programmes and visit to various tourist destinations are an integral part of the festival,” said Ananta Shrestha, secretary of the festival organising committee.

The rafting competition will be organised along the 28-kilometre Ramdighat-Chapakot stretch of the Kali Gandaki, the organisers said.

The District Tourism Development Committee and District Development Committee are organising the festival.

The Nepal Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and the Nepal Rafting Association (NRA) are the sponsors.

Sundar Kumar Shrestha, former chairman of the Nepal Tourism Board, said he was ready to help the organisers in every possible way so as to make the festival a success.