http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=114053 Darjeeling’s favorite son looks to conquer Indian Idol Kantipur Report DARJEELING, June 27 - The pristine green hills of Darjeeling are awash with a newfound craze that has gripped the region’s mostly Nepali population. The object of the mania: “Prakash Tamang”, the 22-year old who shot past thousands to reach the top ten slot on Indian Idol, a popular Indian reality show modeled on the US version, American Idol. The “craze” has also stoked an unprecedented unity among the Nepali community in Darjeeling at a time when their search for self-identity has given birth to a divided mentality. Everyone is united in the bid to make Tamang the next Indian Idol. The hills of Darjeeling are painted with banners, pamphlets and stickers bearing Tamang’s photo while rallies and meetings are held every day in his honour. Prashant has been unwittingly delineated as the “pride of the entire Nepali population residing in India.” “We had never seen unity of such scale till date,” senior mucisian Kumar Subba said, “Prashant has erased ethnical division in a snap.” According to him, signs of division had began appear among the Nepali community due to the separate sloganeering of Rai, Limbu and Tamang. “He stands as a symbol of ethnic unity,” Subba said, “Prashant’s fire has covered the hills of Darjeeling”. The pamphlets urging the population to vote for Prashant in the Indian Idol dot every city centre, markets, public places and even alleyways and rural villages. There are even T-shirts flaunting Prashant’s face on them. Prashant is the topic of discussion in every gatherings and daily conversations among the Indian’s of Nepali origin in Darjeeling, Kalingpong, Kurseong, Mirik, Sikkim, Doers, among others while poetically written banners bearing his smiling countenance plaster the marketplaces. One Pema Gyalmo Bhutiya we came across in the local market has already sent 300 SMS votes to the show – where contestants are qualified or disqualified based on SMSs sent by voters -- for Prashant. ”A son of the hills must win the contest,” she says. Local youths have also made arrangements to watch the show on a large screen at the Mirik city center while those from the rural villages that do not have access to cable TV travel up to the city to watch the Indian Idol. It has become almost of a tradition to call in Prashant’s family members to hold rallies and meetings. Such rallies and gatherings have already taken place in Mirik, Kalingpong, Gantok and Siliguri. A rally was held in Kurseong today that featured Prashant’s grandmother and sister. An all-India signature campaign to rally support for Prashant has been launched by the “Himalaya Darpan” daily which is published from Siliguri which collected 40 thousand signatures on just the second day. Mirik city Chief TB Rai has announced that SMSs worth Rs 10,000 would be sent to vote for Prashant while municipality workers have pledged to spend their one month’s salary on SMSs for Prashant. During a musical program at Chaurasta last Monday, lawmaker Pranaya Rai handed Rs 10,000 for voting purpose. Withing half an hour, Rs 21,000 more was collected. Prashant’s fans in places as far as Hong Kong, UK, Brunei, UAE are joining the cause by sending money through banks. “There used to be a time when Darjeeling evoked images of Mt Kanchanjunga, Tea and trains,” MP Rai said, “Now, Darjeeling will be known for Prashant”. Prashant became the talk of the town after leapfrogging over 25,000 Indian Idol hopefuls in the audition round and 66 more in the piano round to reach the gala “Top Ten”. “I respect his courage,” 65 year old senior musician Dil Maya Khati said. Posted on: 2007-06-27 06:14:02 (Server Time)