Sakewa celebrations in Legship

KUSH HANG LEEWANG

Involvement of new generation key for preserving our traditions: Dr. DP Rai
GEYZING,: The Rai community celebrated their traditional festival ‘Sakewa’ at Legship in West Sikkim on Thursday.
Eminent cardiologist Dr. D.P. Rai was the chief guest for the daylong celebration which started with prayers conducted by the Rai priests at the venue. Members of Rai community organisations from different parts of Sikkim and neighbouring Darjeeling hills took part in the festival.
Cultural presentations like Sili dance and talks on the community’s cultural and social history were also held.
On the occasion, the organising committee felicitated several personalities from the Rai community for their contributions and achievements in various fields. Those felicitated included Mangpa Birkha Bahadur Rai, musician-singer Manoj Rai and boxer Yeshika Rai.
Organising committee president B.B. Rai shared that the ‘Sakewa’ festival is celebrated annually at Legship to preserve and promote the Rai culture and tradition among the new generation of Rai community. He added that inclusion of the new generation in the mission pertaining to preservation, propagation and promotion of Rai community's distinct cultural heritage needed collective efforts from the associations working for the community.
The chief guest, Dr. D.P. Rai in his brief address maintained that cultural and traditional values of all communities should be safeguarded and an equal development must be ensured as in a society, co-existence of all remains important in terms of development and aspirations of the common.
Dr. Rai added that in the context of preserving the cultural heritage and long standing community based practices, the involvement of new generation must be ensured so that culture, traditions and religious practices get passed from one generation to another generation. He also pitched for inclusion of Kirat Rai culture in academics and as extra-curricular activities. He further called for a reawakening needed to revive and promote Rai's culture and traditions from grassroots level as well by engaging the people.
Dr. Rai further spoke about the importance of modern education system and the need of involvement of Rai community in the sector for the wholesome progress.