Tourist test to promote Sitong begins

SNS, DARJEELING, 29 JANUARY 2019: In a bid to promote Sitong, a picturesque place around 45 km from Darjeeling, as a tourist destination, a three-day tourism festival started there today, and focus is not only being given on tourist attractions around the area, but also on the display of the various culture and traditions of the Hill communities.

Organised by the Sittong Tourism Festival Comprising locals and supported by the department of tourism of both the state and the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, the area is already slowly becoming a part of the tourism map with about 30 home-stays already there at present

"This is the first time that such a festival is being organised here and we are planning to make it an annual event. Sitong has a good potential as a tourist destination with lots of places here where tourists can visit, be it historic places and site-seeing, including a sunrise point, while it is a haven for bird lovers with about 253 types of birds found here. Moreover, it is close to places like Mungpoo, Kurseong and even Darjeeling," the festival committee president, Vikram Rai, said. He added that a 'Rock Garden' was also being built there. Among the tourist spots include Paach Pokhari, Namthing Pokhari, an old Lepcha monastery, and oranges from that area are also popular.

"We are focusing our rural tourism and want to promote this place as a model tourist destination. It at present has more than 30 home-stays, with this area being popular among bird watchers also as indigenous birds like rufus hornbill can also be found here. We have been promoting this area in different trade fairs and through magazines and newspapers also," said Jeetu Giri, a home-stay owner from Kurseong, who is helping in the promotion of the area.

GTA vice-chairman Anit Thapa, who was also present in the inaugural programme today, said, "Through the GTA we are helping with the improvement of the infrastructure here like water and electricity. The hill university is also coming up around this area at Jogighat, which will prove a plus point for this area."

According to Mr Thapa, counseling of people of that area was needed, and that it would be done in the coming days.

"Tourism has already developed here, with growth seen in this area, which I have seen through my numerous visits here, but we should take it further, and it will take time. Darjeeling has become congested now, so we are trying to expand it in the rural areas also," said

Mr Thapa.

The three-day festival includes a photo gallery on birds, cultural programmes, band performance, photography, bird watching, tour of places like Rabindra Bhawan at Mungpoo, Ahal Dara, 250-year-old Mud-monastery, 139-year-old church, and Lepcha Falls. Apart from that, there are activities like painting workshops, sit and draw competition, seminar and workshop on photography, traditional food, birding, local fish, Village walk along with adventure activities at Io Jogighat like river crossing, rock climbing, archery competition and traditional sports like grease bamboo climbing. Eating competitions like chilly, momo and pork is also part of the different programmes there.