HOMES AND HEARTS LIGHT UP FOR PRASHANT
DARJEELING, September 3: Diwali arrived in Darjeeling a month earlier today.
Thousands of jubilant people gathered here today to welcome their home-grown hero, lining up sides of the roads with copper vases and flowers. This hill town wore a festive look and was decked up as a bride.
And all eyes waited impatiently for Prashant Tamang to come and be amongst them.
Darjeeling prove today that the next Indian Idol would be no one but Prashant. When this Idol aspirant arrived at NJP railway station on the Darjeeling Mail from Kolkata, accompanied by Sony TV crew, the crowd waiting to welcome him at the platform went frenzy with excitement. As he boarded a jeep after a brief reception for Darjeeling, all traffic movement in Siliguri stopped.
All along the route from Siliguri to Darjeeling, thousands of people lined up along the road sides, with flowers and khadas in their hands. At first, Prashant rode on an open jeep, waving enthusiastically to the cheering crowd. He had to stop at numerous places, where pockets of people had gathered to welcome him. His entourage moved at a snail’s pace.
Security at all places was tight and unprecedented for anyone from the Hills.
As luck would have it, his vehicle suffered three tyre punctures along the route and at Sonada, he was forced to change the vehicle and travel in a closed jeep. At a number of places, his fans, especially young girls, deliberately laid themselves on the road, causing a road blockade of sorts just to force the convey to stop so that they could meet their hero.
In Darjeeling town, the mood was festive and the excitement was infectious. It seemed that the entire Nepali-speaking Diaspora had gathered at one place today. Excited fans waited with bated breath and tears in their eyes for hours for Prashant to arrive.
Prashant finally arrived in Darjeeling at around 5 in the afternoon and ahead straight for his alma mater, St. Roberts School were he was welcomed by the principal, teachers and students. Then he went to the Chowrasta for a public audience where he barely managed to sing few lines to the jubilant crowd. The turn-out at Chowrasta was massive, with more than a lakh people crowding for a glimpse of their Idol. Young girls, mothers, aunts, uncles and little boys screamed his name and cried in pure joy. There was not a single square of empty space in Chowrasta.
The next stop was the North Point ground for a public felicitation programme especially organised for him.
A beaming Prashant thanked his people for the massive support he has received in his dream run. He said that he was confident that he was the next Indian Idol and promised his people that he would live up to their expectations. He then sang four songs from his Idol galas, much to the delight of the crowd.
A special mention was made for Prashant’s supporters from Sikkim, as reports have suggested that he is getting maximum votes from his Sikkimese fans. The organisers of the programme specially invited groups from Sikkim to come to the stage and felicitate Prashant.
About ten vehicles had arrived here from Gangtok today with members of various organisations and groups supporting Prashant.
All houses here tonight will be lighting up candles and diyas to celebrate Prashant’s home-coming and extend him best wishes fro the finale.
Prashant is expected to return tomorrow
Thousands of jubilant people gathered here today to welcome their home-grown hero, lining up sides of the roads with copper vases and flowers. This hill town wore a festive look and was decked up as a bride.
And all eyes waited impatiently for Prashant Tamang to come and be amongst them.
Darjeeling prove today that the next Indian Idol would be no one but Prashant. When this Idol aspirant arrived at NJP railway station on the Darjeeling Mail from Kolkata, accompanied by Sony TV crew, the crowd waiting to welcome him at the platform went frenzy with excitement. As he boarded a jeep after a brief reception for Darjeeling, all traffic movement in Siliguri stopped.
All along the route from Siliguri to Darjeeling, thousands of people lined up along the road sides, with flowers and khadas in their hands. At first, Prashant rode on an open jeep, waving enthusiastically to the cheering crowd. He had to stop at numerous places, where pockets of people had gathered to welcome him. His entourage moved at a snail’s pace.Security at all places was tight and unprecedented for anyone from the Hills.
As luck would have it, his vehicle suffered three tyre punctures along the route and at Sonada, he was forced to change the vehicle and travel in a closed jeep. At a number of places, his fans, especially young girls, deliberately laid themselves on the road, causing a road blockade of sorts just to force the convey to stop so that they could meet their hero.
In Darjeeling town, the mood was festive and the excitement was infectious. It seemed that the entire Nepali-speaking Diaspora had gathered at one place today. Excited fans waited with bated breath and tears in their eyes for hours for Prashant to arrive.
Prashant finally arrived in Darjeeling at around 5 in the afternoon and ahead straight for his alma mater, St. Roberts School were he was welcomed by the principal, teachers and students. Then he went to the Chowrasta for a public audience where he barely managed to sing few lines to the jubilant crowd. The turn-out at Chowrasta was massive, with more than a lakh people crowding for a glimpse of their Idol. Young girls, mothers, aunts, uncles and little boys screamed his name and cried in pure joy. There was not a single square of empty space in Chowrasta.
The next stop was the North Point ground for a public felicitation programme especially organised for him.
A beaming Prashant thanked his people for the massive support he has received in his dream run. He said that he was confident that he was the next Indian Idol and promised his people that he would live up to their expectations. He then sang four songs from his Idol galas, much to the delight of the crowd.
A special mention was made for Prashant’s supporters from Sikkim, as reports have suggested that he is getting maximum votes from his Sikkimese fans. The organisers of the programme specially invited groups from Sikkim to come to the stage and felicitate Prashant.
About ten vehicles had arrived here from Gangtok today with members of various organisations and groups supporting Prashant.
All houses here tonight will be lighting up candles and diyas to celebrate Prashant’s home-coming and extend him best wishes fro the finale.
Prashant is expected to return tomorrow
