Participants at the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) Ghum Festival 2025.
DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 10 (MExN): The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) concluded the Ghum Festival 2025 on December 10 with a grand closing ceremony presided over by Northeast Frontier Railway General Manager Chetan Kumar Shrivastava.
This year’s edition was among the most successful, featuring several first-time initiatives including the Kurseong Literature Festival, the Iron Sherpa Heritage Run, the DHRUMA Music Festival, open-roof cultural performances onboard trains, and a series of heritage walks, exhibitions and art showcases. With wider participation, deeper local collaboration and expanded programming, the festival further strengthened its reputation as a premier celebration of hill heritage, culture and the legacy of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.
DHR also marked the 26th anniversary of its UNESCO World Heritage Site status with a community event, the inaugural Iron Sherpa Heritage Run, organised exclusively for hill residents. The run began at Darjeeling Chowrasta and concluded at Ghum, the country’s highest railway station, drawing nearly 200 participants and symbolising the enduring bond between the local community and the historic mountain railway. Encouraged by the overwhelming response, DHR announced that the Iron Sherpa Heritage Run will be held annually on December 5 to commemorate its World Heritage Site inscription.
Following the run, participants and guests joined an open-roof cultural programme onboard the Darjeeling–Ghum–Darjeeling train, featuring the music, dance and artistic traditions of the hills.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Director of DHR expressed gratitude to partners, participants and supporters, and reaffirmed DHR’s commitment to preserving its rich heritage while deepening its engagement with the local community.
The Ghum Festival 2025, which opened on December 2 with two sessions, concluded with the announcement that the next edition will be held from November 28 to December 6, 2026. DHR aims to develop both the Iron Sherpa Heritage Run and the Ghum Festival into signature annual events celebrating heritage, health, culture and community.
