A three-day tourism carnival will be organised in the hills and in the Dooars later this week to promote various destinations and showcase activities that tourists can enjoy in the region.
“The third edition of Bengal Himalayan Carnival will be held on January 27, 29 and 30 in three different locations of the hills and plains. The idea of this event is to promote the Himalayas and the natural and intangible cultural heritage of Bengal,” said Samrat Sanyal, general secretary, Himalayan Hospitality & Tourism Development Network (HHTDN).
HHTDN, along with the state tourism department, is hosting the event. Some other associations have joined it as partners.
The carnival, the organisers informed, will start at Bijanbari of Darjeeling.
“We will have paragliding, a rally of the vintage Land Rovers and some other events at the venue. Our plan is to promote this as a destination for adventure sports,” said Sanyal.
On January 29, the carnival would be held in Lataguri on the fringes of Gorumara National Park of Jalpaiguri district, which has in the past two decades or so emerged as the most popular tourist destination in the Dooars.
“Lataguri, along with nearby Murti, Chalsa and Malbazar areas, will be promoted through the carnival. The attempt is to showcase the entire western Dooars in an integrated way,” said Raj Basu, a veteran stakeholder in the tourism industry in the region.
In Lataguri, there will be exhibitions of local produce, handicraft, and stalls for cuisine and sweets, as well as cultural functions.
“We are also hosting a cycling event from Malbazar. Participants can pedal through pristine forests and lush green tea estates of the area,” added Basu.
The event will culminate atChuikhim, a tiny hamlet nestling in the Kalimpong hills, on January 30.
The state tourism department, the HHTDN representatives said, has decided to make the carnival a calendar event of the department.
“This means that the event would be held every year. We are also planning to finalise the dates for every forthcoming year so that the carnival can be organised on a larger scale,” said Sanyal.
