Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Jan 6: The 4th edition of the Pakke-Paga Festival – the only wildlife conservation-based festival of the state – is set to be held from 18-20 January at Seijosa in newly created Pakke-Kessang district.
This year’s theme of the festival is ‘Celebrating nature’.
Organized jointly by the forest department, the Ghora Abhe Society, Seijosa-based Village Forest Development Council, and local communities, the three-day event will feature tourism activities like jeep safari, trekking, ‘butterfly walk’, wildlife photography, elephant safari, bird watching, exhibition, workshop on organic dye, traditional games and sports, etc.
Addressing a press conference at Arunachal Press Club here on Sunday, the festival committee’s organising secretary, Basang Wahge, said Pakke-Paga is a festival “which celebrates
the spirit of conservation.”
The Pakke Tiger Reserve is home to four species of hornbills – the great Indian hornbill, the wreathed hornbill, the oriental pied hornbill, and the rufous-necked hornbill.
Seeking participation of people from the state and outside, Wahge informed that apart from usual tourism activities, the festival committee this year is introducing the ‘Pakke-Paga beauty pageant’ to promote the state’s rich cultural heritage.
He informed that rock bands and Bollywood entertainment are not being included this year, saying “indigenous cultural programmes would be the main attraction.”
Informing that a wildlife photography contest is also on the event’s schedule, Wahge invited shutterbugs to come with their gears and try their luck. The winner of the photography competition will be rewarded handsomely, he said.
Reiterating the committee’s emphasis on nature and its conservation, Wahge said around 12 well-trained guides have been roped in to take nature lovers into and around the Pakke Tiger Reserve during the festival.
Welcoming the people, Wahge said home stays and tent accommodations would be made available to the visitors.
