Staff Reporter
MECHUKA, Nov 23: The fifth edition of Adventure@Mechuka festival began on a colourful note at the picturesque Mechuka valley, with Chief Minister Pema Khandu declaring the festival open amidst a huge gathering of public and adventure enthusiasts.
Pema was accompanied by DCM Chowna Mein, Home Minister Kumar Waii, Minister Nabam Rebia and state BJP President Tapir Gao.
The three-day adventure festival features various activities like propelled gliders, micro light gliders, aero-modelling, trap shooting, para-gliding, mountain biking, rappelling, river crossing, rafting and trekking.
The event site also has an array of local food stalls to choose from, while the evenings have a line-up of cultural and musical events, besides a fashion show.
As part of the inaugural programme, different colourful cultural programmes of various tribes of Arunachal Pradesh were showcased. However, the mega dance performed by five communities of Mechuka Sub-Division -Memba, Adi Bokar, Adi Ramo, Adi Pai Libo and Tagin -mesmerized the audience.
Welcoming the dignitaries and visitors from across the globe, event chairman-cum-local MLA Pasang Dorjee Sona highlighted the objective of conducting the Adventure@Mechuka festival.
He also informed that the festival, which was earlier organized from November 7 to 9, has been rescheduled to November 23, 24 and 25 to make it bigger and better.
Lauding the locals of the area for their support in the previous four editions, Sona appealed to them to keep supporting the event and make it one of the best adventure festivals of Arunachal Pradesh.
A coffee table book titled, “Mechuka” was also released on the occasion by the Chief Minister and DCM.
For a permanent site for celebration of Adventure at Mechukha festival, the Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone for a festival ground that will have VIP and public gallery, parking lot and modern facilities. He thanked the Deputy Chief Minister for sanctioning of funds for construction of a new festival ground.
Earlier, in the morning, paragliders from various parts of the country demonstrated their skills over the serene valley. Other activities, such as rock climbing, rappelling, river rafting and zorbing also took place.