The Kuzu Cultural Festival 2025, was flagged off at the Sikkim State Archives, this morning. The event also featured the trial launch of the Heritage Walk and art work Yiwarra: The Canning Stock Route Exhibition and artefacts from the Sikkim State Archives.
Deputy Speaker SLA, Raj Kumari Thapa who graced the event as the Chief Guest, declared the Kuzu Cultural Festival officially open, after which she initiated the Heritage Walk trial launch symbolically receiving the Heritage Walk Map and Heritage Walk Brooch.
The Heritage Walk (May 1-10) will enable participants to explore Gangtok’s cultural institutions, oral histories, and spiritual atmosphere. Guided by local storytellers, participants will discover the city’s diverse communities, rituals, and connection to nature, promoting appreciation, and preservation of its heritage.
Thapa was accompanied through the National Museum of Australia’s art installation “Yiwarra: The Canning Stock Route Exhibition” by Australian Consulate General, Mr Hugh Boylan. The art exhibition explores the cultural, artistic, and historical connections between Aboriginal people and the Canning Stock Route.
In addition, Thapa was accompanied by Senior Preservation Officer Culture Department, L N Sharma, through the State Archives Exhibition- “Safeguarding Sikkim’s Material Cultural Heritage.”
The exhibition features 25-30 conserved artefacts of Sikkimese importance, highlighting their transformation through ethical conservation practices, with before-and-after treatment records and reference photographs— offering a deeper understanding of heritage preservation.
Yiwarra: The Canning Stock Route Exhibition and aretefacts from the Sikkim State Archives will be on display at Bhanu Udhyan, near State Archives Building from May 1 to May 10, 2025.
The event was also attended by MLA cum Advisor UDD and Food & Civil Supplies Department Delay Namgyal Barfungpa, Mayor Nell Bahadur Chettri, Deputy Mayor Ms Tshering Palden Bhutia, Secretary Culture Department, Basant Lama, councillors, officials of the Culture Department and school students.
