Alipurduar, Sept. 27 -- An abandoned teak plantation beside the Holong River is set for a new lease of life as a vibrant tourism hub, with the Dooars getting its own version of Bolpur's famous Sonajhuri Haat.
The 'Jaldapara Tourism Haat', inaugurated on World Tourism Day on September 27, will give tourists an opportunity to experience the traditional food, handicrafts, clothing and cultural heritage of the region. The haat will be held every Thursday from 2pm to 5pm at the teak garden on the western bank of the Holong River, adjoining Jaldapara National Park.
The initiative has been jointly taken by the Eastern Dooars Tourism Development Association and the Alipurduar district administration. District Magistrate Mayuri Vasu inaugurated the haat.
The site has an interesting past. In the 1980s, a colony stood on the government land under the Zilla Parishad. During the Left Front government, the residents were rehabilitated elsewhere. The land was later brought under a forestation project and teak trees were planted. The plantation, however, remained largely abandoned for years. The new haat seeks to transform the unused space into both a tourism attraction and a livelihood platform. At least 20 self-help groups comprising women from local tribal communities have joined the initiative.
Visitors will find traditional clothes, food, handmade crafts, pickles and dolls made by members of the Adivasi, Toto, Rabha, Mech and Gorkhali communities. Cultural performances showcasing their traditions will also be organised. "Jeep and elephant safaris at Jaldapara National Park remain closed every Thursday. Tourists visiting on that day often have little to do.
That is why we chose Thursday as the haat day," said Biswajit Saha, secretary of the Eastern Dooars Tourism Development Association.
Basu said the Sonajhuri Haat of Santiniketan had been taken as the model. "We hope this haat will soon attract tourists," she said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.