Darjeeling: A Sikkim youth group won an on-line Darjeeling-Sikkim Carol singing competition organized by a community radio. St. Peter’s Church Namchi (Sikkim) youth group was declared winners.

The competition consisted of composing original Christmas Carols in English or Nepali languages and video shoot the carol rendition and submit it as competition entry for uploading on YouTube. The videos which got the maximum number of ‘views’ were declared winners.

Radio Salesian 90.8 FM’s popular Jingle Bells Season 5 this year, had 24 youth groups from Darjeeling, Sikkim, Kurseong, Kalimpong, Mirik and other far flung areas of Darjeeling-Sikkim diocese participating.

The competition consisted of securing the maximum views, over a period of two weeks to win cash prize, trophy and certificate for first and second positions, as well as three consolation prizes.

The carol competition voting which started on 14 December closed on 28th December at 10:00 am.

While St. Peter’s Church, Namchi (Sikkim) secured the first position with 5135 YouTube views, St. Teresa Church, Kalimpong (West Bengal) had 5111 YouTube views.

Three consolation prizes went to Cathedral Church, Darjeeling with 4604 YouTube views, St. John’s Church, Salghari (South Sikkim) with 4494 YouTube views and Mistletoe group of Salesian Brothers Sonada with 2142 views.

Original Carol compositions in Nepali language was recorded on smart phones and transferred on-line to Radio Salesian and Salesian TV YouTube channel.

All 24 submissions were premiered simultaneously on Salesian TV (YouTube) for on-line voting which started at 10 am on 14 December.

For the first time this year, Radio Salesian conducted the competition in collaboration with Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM) chapter of Darjeeling-Sikkim Diocese, Salesian Youth Movement Kolkata, and Don Bosco Job Placement Network, New Delhi.

Darjeeling-Sikkim Diocesan Youth Chaplain Fr George Lepcha says, “Some 400 plus young people from 24 parishes participated in the carol competition as well as in the video production.”

The best 10 carol video presentations were packaged for a television program in English and Nepali languages with RJ Bryan and RJ Moses anchoring in English and Nepali languages respectively.

Christened ‘Carols from the Hills,’ the half hour program was offered free to a total of 13 local cable television and national YouTube Channels.