SHRINE MAKEOVERS, TOURISM PART OF STATE PLAN.... Temple circuit in north Bengal

TT, 29 Oct 2019, Jalpaiguri : The Mamata Banerjee government has decided to develop a tourist circuit in north Bengal comprising three temples, the initiative viewed as an attempt to promote Hindu shrines in the region.

Sources said the move assumed significance against the backdrop of the Narendra Modi-led government's focus on developing religion-based tourism in the country that has apparently yielded political dividends in various states.

"States like Uttarakhand and Rajasthan have already started working in the lines of the Centre's policy… The BJP has done very well in those states in the last Lok Sabha polls. It appears the ruling party in Bengal is set to follow the same path in north Bengal where the BJP won seven out of eight Lok Sabha seats," said a state official.

Sources in the Bengal tourism department said the department had completed the first phase of infrastructure development of the historic Bhramri Devi temple, located at Bodaganj on the fringes of Baikunthapur forest, around 18km from Jalpaiguri town.

Besides, detailed project reports (DPR) to develop the Sevoke Kalibari, about 25km from Siliguri, are being prepared. It is also expected that the construction of Debi Choudhurani temple, 25km from Jalpaiguri town, would Deb inaugurates the dining space at the Bhramri Debi temple in Jalpaiguri on Sunday. Picture by Biplab Basak be complete in a few months.

Since these three temples are located on the fringes of the Safari Park and Gajoldoba Tourism Hub near Siliguri, the tourism department is hopeful of greater footfalls in the area once the Five-Point tourist circuit takes shape after renovation of the temples is completed.

A section of state officials believe BJP's strong Hinduvta plank did make an impact in north Bengal in this year's Lok Sabha elections. "So, it is very interesting that the state is focusing on development of temples under the name of a tourist circuit," said an official.

Senior Nabanna officials added that Nabanna had an overall development plan behind the focus on the religious circuit as it also wants to benefit from the "Bharatmala" project of the Centre in which roads are developed to connect major religious places across the country.

"If Bengal can make religious tourism spots popular, it would be able to persuade the Centre to include more roads under the central road development scheme," said an official.

Bengal expects to complete the tourist circuit soon and hopes it would boost tourism in north Bengal given the fact that 60 per cent of domestic tourism in India is driven by religion-related factors.

Bengal tourism minister Gautam Deb inaugurated new facilities at the Bhramri Devi temple near Jalpaiguri on Sunday evening.

"In the first phase, we have constructed a dining space at the temple where 500 devotees can sit and have prasad after offering puja. A kitchen and washroom have also been constructed," said Deb.

According to plans, the government will construct a dormitory on the temple premises where 100 visitors can stay overnight. The total expenditure of the project is around Rs 5 crore, of which Rs 3.5 crore was spent to develop infrastructure in the first phase.

Sources said the project report for Sevoke Kalibari was almost ready and work was expected to start early next year..