Jalpaiguri, Aug. 3. - In spite of having a tremendous
tourism potential in the form of rich wildlife, lush forests and several
places of historical interest, tourism in Jalpaiguri has failed to
take off.
If you are an eco-tourist, the district
is a veritable treasure trove. The Jaldapara sanctuary, the Gorumara
national park, the Chilapata, Chapramari, and the Buxa Tiger Reserve
Forest, abound in flora and fauna. Some species of wildlife found
here are quite rare.
There are leopards, elephants, bison and deer of numerous species
to be found here, apart from birds, tigers, and other animals. The
one-horned rhinoceros is a star attraction of Jaldapara and Gorumara.
Spotter deer, a rare species, is also found in forests in the doors.If
you are looking for places which history has remembered, then, too,
you wouldn't be disappointed. For, apart from the rich flora and
fauna, the district also has lots of places of historical importance.
If these places were popularised, they would surely attract busloads
of tourists.
The Buxa Fort at the Buxa Tiger Reserve Forest is one such example.
Hundreds of freedom fighters were once imprisoned here in the days
of the Raj. The British had constructed the fort in the 18th century
to keep an eye on the 'Silk Route', from Bhutan to India.
The Devi Choudhurani Mandir, situated at the Shikarpur tea estate
at Rajgang block in the district, has immense tourism potential.
Every year, idols of Devi Choudhurani and Bhabani Pathak are worshiped
with great enthusiasm here.and
The Nalrajar Garh was constructed at the Chilapata forest near
Falakata, Jalpaiguri, during the Gupta dynasty. After years of neglect,
it is now overturn by weeds and banyan trees. An effort was made
to clean up the place in 1951, but work was left incomplete.
For those with a religious bent, the district has lots of aces
up its sleeve. Lord Shiva is worshiped with ardent fervour in the
Jalpeswar, Jatileswar, Bateswar and Sodorkhai temples. The Jatileswar
temple is situated at Hushlurdanga near Maynaguri, and the other
two are in Maynaguri. Every year, during the Shiva Chaturdashi,
thousands of devotees from all parts of North Bengal turn up to
worship Lord Shiva.
In spite of all this, the district struggles to find a mention
in the country's tourism map. Jalpaiguri district magistrate Dr.
Subrata Gupta said: `To bring Jalpaiguri in the tourism map,
we need to attract more tourists.`
He said, the district administration had made a district map showing
tourist spots at the New Jalpaiguri station and the Bagdogra airport.
Mr. Gupta said he had even asked the forest department to provide
more bungalows to accommodate tourists.
The district administration provided 350 permits to private transport
entrepreneurs last month. `If anybody applies for a private
taxi, his request would be accepted on certain terms and conditions,`
the DM said.
He said the Jalpaiguri zilla parishad plans to construct some bunglows
at Kamakhyaguri, Maynaguri, Dhupguri, Malbazar and Metialli. He
also said that a project had been mooted to renovate the district's
historical sites.
The DFO, wildlife-II, Mr. Rajeev Sharma, said efforts were on to
accommodate tourists in forest bungalows. |
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