Mussoorie, For two hundred years and more there has been no doubt about Sir George Everest’s birthday. One struggles to understand the knee jerk, last minute, frenetic efforts by the Uttarakhand Tourism Department’s efforts to celebrate the famous Surveyor-General’s entry into this world.
A two day celebration is being organised in Mussoorie’s Park Estate and other sprawling venues in town that includes lots of entertainment: from Heritage Walk to Cycling, Mountain Biking, food and handicraft stalls, screening of a movie based on the life of the Great Man, as well as local musical bands, story telling sessions, traditional dance performances and a photo exhibition are just some of the events that hope to attract not only locals but tourists too.
Today i.e. on the 3rd of July, the first day of the two day event, an interesting insight into the stupendous achievement of completing the calculations of the Great Meridian Arc will be highlighted by famous authors Stephen Alter and Ganesh Saili, at the Savoy Hotel Mussoorie.
Perhaps it is in the fitness of things that the programme concludes with a Jagar rendition by Garhwali folksinger Preetam Bhartwan. It is hoped this ‘too little, too late’ makes the Tourism Department awaken from its slumber and pull up its proverbial socks. It doesn’t take a genius to put together an annual calendar, so that programmes can be scheduled way in advance and not become a parcel stuck together with gum and cell-o-tape.
That indeed would be a befitting tribute to a great soul who made his home in Mussoorie from 1832-1843 at the 600 acre Park Estate whose fate swings like a pendulum between various government agencies looking for a face-lift and little care, if not more.
