Teesta Triveni Art Carnival, Bengal’s first ever hill art, photography, and music festival, brought together an unprecedented melange of artists and musicians from all over Bengal. Celebrating the all-pervasive power of art, Retro Kolkata magazine in association with t2ONLINE curated a first-of-its-kind extravaganza, in the picturesque hills of Bengal. The four-day carnival took place from November 10 to 13, held across four beautiful destinations — Peshok, Teesta Triveni, Rishikhola, and Sillery Gaon. This festival provided a unique opportunity for art fans to meet individuals who are passionate about art disciplines such as music, painting, and photography, and to combine their love of art with travel for an interesting break. Participants had the opportunity to discover new areas while also enjoying a diverse mix of art and music. The Telegraph was there to soak in all the fun and here’s bringing you glimpses.
Day 1
The first day began with the arrival at Bara Mangwa, Peshok, a picturesque and quiet location in the hills of Darjeeling. The accommodation was in a secluded location amidst the Peshok tea gardens, with a magnificent view of the hills.
(L-R) Madhuchhanda Tarafdar, Nargis Parveen, Aditi Bhattacharya, Nondinii Chatterjee and Pritha Chatterjee posed for The Telegraph during the photo tour.
When we caught up with Pritha Chatterjee, Tollywood actor, before the event, she said, “I was asked by my friend Nondinii to block my dates for this event and here I am looking forward to the next three days.”
The night concluded with a storytelling session by Sandip Dey, who captivated the audience with his performance.
Huge acres of orange orchards were discovered behind the resort, and going through them was an absolute delight for the participants.
The evening kick-started with bonfire and barbecue, followed by live music performance by Arvind Sundas and Anil Chettri who entertained the audience with songs like Pasoori, Gulaabi aankhen and Ye shaam mastani.
The Telegraph also spotted some furry animals during the visit.
Sandip Dey, actor and art enthusiast, was spotted playing flute during the live painting session.
Day 2
The second day began with a trip to Peshok Tea Estate for sightseeing and a photo tour. The view from the sunset point was breathtaking, and attendees were seen taking photos against the magnificent backdrop of the hills. Winter mist over the tea garden creates an otherworldly atmosphere.
The afternoon was filled with thrilling activities such as fishing and rafting. Everyone participated in these exciting activities, and a few even swam in the icy cold water.
Talented Odissi dancer Srijana Bhattacharya performed on the second day of the carnival at Teesta Triveni Art Carnival
Saswati Mondal, an artist, created a stunning piece with acrylic paints.
Camps at Teesta Triveni Art Carnival.
Nondinii Chatterjee, actor and painter, said, “I am very excited about this event by Retro Kolkata as I got to know them through one of the exhibitions which they had hosted for a group of artists and my paintings were included. Such meaningful events promoting the artists, musicians, singers, kind of a platform where you can enjoy and you can also showcase your art.”
“Music is the purest therapy for the soul and I am confident that music lovers across the board will enjoy this first hill art carnival,” said the music duo Adil Rashid and Paloma Majumder.
Day 3 and 4
Next the journey began towards Sikkim where the next two stops were Rishikhola and Sillery Gaon.The third day’s destination was Rishikhola, a riverside location in the Kalimpong hills on the West Bengal-Sikkim border.
The trek to Sillery Gaon began on the fourth day; it took roughly 1 hour 30 minutes to get there from Rishikhola. This is a small village near Pedong in West Bengal’s Kalimpong district, famed for its mesmeric beauty.
Activities such as bird watching and trekking took place in dense woods at a high elevation of 6,000ft.
Panoramic view of Sillery Gaon
Jayanta Guha, an eminent wildlife photographer, clicked pictures of some rare species of birds like Plumbeous water redstart and White-capped redstart while trekking in the dense woods.
Aniket Bhattacharya, a botanist, shared his vast knowledge of the forest’s flora with the other hikers. He even discovered Selaginella, commonly known as ‘Sanjeevani Booti’ in Hindi, an incredibly rare herb that is currently considered endangered.
Plumbeous water redstart and White-capped redstart
Organiser speak:
“For the first time in West Bengal we have organised this kind of art festival including dance, painting, photography and music concert in the beautiful hills of Bengal. Thanks to all the artistes who have made this event a grand success. Thanks for bringing artistry and perspectives into our life,” said Hillol Sen, founder of Retro Kolkata Magazine.