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Ropar: Spread in an area of 20 miles of crystal clear water, the Satluj water body wetland in Ropar district is a major ecological site and a tourist destination. A historical hilltop where Maharaja Ranjit Singh met Lord William Bentick, in the spring of October 15, 1831 was converted into a Boat Club in 1975 by the then state Chief minister Giani Singh. Punjab's religious and cultural fairs and festivals, its exotic culinary delights and diverse ecology, have has put it firmly on the international tourism map. Tapping the huge potential in the area of eco-tourism has been one of the major drives by the Punjab Tourism Development Co-operation. Now, a major tourist attraction, the Ropar Boat Club has also maintained the site as a natural habitat for over 250 species of migratory birds. The deputy Commissioner of Ropar, Jaswant Singh shared his experience as, "October to March migratory birds from Syberia, Russia and other countries do migrate here and they come in clusters and birds lovers do visit here and sit for hours to watch the guests." Adding to the attraction, the Punjab Tourism Development Corporation has converted the area, alongside the lake into a green field. A motel within the complex will add another jewel to the crown. The spot is located just 40 miles from the capital Capital city Chandigarh. And, as evening sets in, locals and tourists gather on the lakeside to get the feel of nature's ethereal beauty, its warmth and colour. Bittoo a visitor from Kapurthala said, "coming here in such atmosphere one gets a lot of satisfaction. Its a relaxing place for the huge crowds coming here". "As a majority of visitors are children, there is a need to install more swings and other entertainment facilities for them", said Simran, another visitor. The state tourism department has network of some 20 such tourist complexes and eating places, majority of them located near a river or on the lakeside. The Coral
Tourist Complex in Gurdaspur district is situated on the banks of the
river Ravi, a beautiful stop-over for the passer-by. Watching the natural
flowing water in the hard hitting summer and eating delicious Punjabi
food like 'chatti Lassi', 'aloo da Parantha', with more 'makhan and
aam da achaar' adds a spice to tourism in the area. K J Kutty, Manager
at Coral tourist resort in Gurdaspur said, "Compared to other states
in the country, Punjab is rich in hospitality. Its food is so delicious,
for example when an outsider visiting us asks for breakfast, he demands
for a glass of 'Lassi' and a 'Prantha'. I can say that Punjab has a
great tourism potential". The mushrooming of traditional theme dhabas
in the state is a new concept, a big attraction for the non-resident
Punjabi. An aspect of the private sector playing its part in providing
a boost to tourism in the state. Education-based tourism gets a boost in Goa (Go to Top) Panaji:
Besides beach tourism, Goa has the potential for education-based
tourism. A large number of foreign students are now making a beeline
for several educational institutions in the coastal state. Goa's natural
beauty is added fascination for these students from abroad. Goa University
has started short-term tourism courses for foreign students. "The college
is good, the people are also good, I am enjoying my studies. I am saving
almost fifty percent," claimed Addis, a foreign student from Ethiopia.
"I will spend the same money in three years what I would have spent
in my own country. Therefore I came here," said Jacqueline, a Ugandan
student. "We are designing a few distant learning courses with IIT Mumbai
and GIS with University of Salzburg," said Dr. P.S. Zacharias, the university's
vice-chancellor. Though the students are quite happy with the studies,
they complain that the locals here still treat them as outsiders. "They
do not allow us to sing with them in the choirs though I am a Roman
Catholic," said Ugandan student Connie. Villagers near a World Heritage site fear eviction (Go to Top) Pavagarh (Gujarat): Gujarat's first World Heritage site has sparked tourist interest and anxiety for locals who fear eviction. The Champaner fort in Pavagarh was declared a World Heritage site earlier this month by the UNESCO at its 28th session in Beijing. The UNESCO and the Archaeological Survey of India, which has been authorised to maintain the fort, have clarified that the 3,000-plus residents of the area would not be evicted. But the villagers said they were not convinced. "We feel that our livelihood will be affected as the shops in the locality will be dislocated from here. When there is more inflow of tourists, we also are likely to be shifted from here. We are happy that it has been declared as a World Heritage site but we are worried about our future," said Atul Bhai Roh, a local resident. The district authorities have proposed demolition of some shops near the fort for laying an approach road. The villagers have also been denied permission to add new storeys to the existing buildings. The authorities said increased tourist inflow would help the locals in a big way. "Now with the declaration of the fort as World Heritage site, there will be more influx of foreign tourist also. And it will increase the income of the people living around the fort," B.N. Domar, additional District Collector of Vadodara district, said. UNESCO charter strictly says the locals around the heritage sites should not be disturbed. The
ruins of the fort, scattered over six square kilometres around the foothills
of Pavagarh in the Panchmahals about 160 kms from Ahmedabad, has more
than 100 small and large monuments dating back to the early medieval
period of Indian history. It was selected along with 15 other sites
after a UN agency made numerous visits in the past one year in order
to scrutinise the site. Champaner was earlier the capital of the Chauhan
Rajputs, ancient kings of western India, who had their fort on 822 meter
high Pavagarh hills, a holy place of pilgrimage for Hindus and Jains.
Besides the citadel of Muhammed Shah, a 15th century ruler, Champaner
has a Juma Masjid (big mosque) built in 1513 AD which is adorned with
exquisite carvings and cloistered galleries, near the fort. |
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