3rd Meghauli Mahatsov (Festival) 2006 Concludes

The 3rd Meghauli Mahatsov (Festival) 2006, which began from 28th Jan’06 – 1st Feb’06 organised by Meghauli Tourism Development Committee and supported by Nepal Tourism Board and various organizations.

The festival was concluded amidst large domestic participation (50,000 +). Mr Shankar Prasad Koirala – Joint Secretary – HMG, MOCTCA, was the chief guest, who inaugurated the 3rd Meghauli Mahatsov (Festival) 2006.

Addressing the audience Mr. Koirala highlighted the importance of Meghauli and empasized on the need to create an amiable environment both from the local community and private sectors to develop into a major tourist destination. He also said that HMG is bringing out the tourism policy to develop all the sectors of the tourism industry. The Tourism Policy is under review and would come out soon by the month of April’06. In the new Tourism Policy developed by HMG, local entrepreneurs, donor agencies and non-governmental organisations has a big role to play for the development of the tourism industry in Nepal.

Dream Nepal Travels & Tours Pvt. Ltd., Rhino Resort Pvt. Ltd., Socialtours.com, Discover Nepal, SNV, Center for Rural Technology – CRT and Channel Nepal Television, Nepal Tourism Board, a group of journalists and reporters from various daily and weekly papers and FM stations had participated in the 5 days long festival to cover the event in a more effective way.

In the concluding ceremony, Mr. Binod Prakash Singh – Local Development Officer (LDO), Chitwan District said that the local district office would help for the development of tourism in Megahuli. Mr. Krishna Prasad Bhurtel – Chairman of the Buffer Zone Committee and advisor of the Meghauli Festival 2006 also stressed that even though there are possibilities of tourism development in that region, it would help in the promotion of Megahuli.

The following Activities were provided to the participants:
- Ethnic Dance Show.
- Elephant Safari.
- Jungle Drive.
- Nature Walk.
- Bird Watching.
- Awareness Programme at Meghauli.
- Local People displayed their local products at the exhibition.
- Duet Song Concert (performed by national Nepali duet song artists).
- Sightseeing of Golaghat to view the Sun – set.

Primary objective of the festival is to promote Meghauli and surrounding areas of Chitwan National Park as a primary destination for Wildlife lovers and Eco-tourists. The festival aims to develop Meghauli as a wildlife tourist destination and Royal Chitwan National Park. It would definitely help to lengthen the stay of the tourists and generate revenue much needed for the management. To promote Meghauli and the surrounding areas of Royal Chitwan National Park, we would like to invite Wildlife lovers and Eco-tourism promoters primarily from within the country and abroad to participate during the festival.

Justification:
After successful performance and turnouts of people during the 2nd Meghauli Mahatsov 2060, Meghauli, Chitwan has been ready to promote the diverse products and programme. Eco-tourism sector is the most demanding products of the tourists visiting Chitwan.

Objectives: · To Promote Meghauli as an Adventure Travel Destination for Jungle Safari lovers
· To Promote Wildlife Tourism in Chitwan as a whole
· To Promote Community Based Tourism in and around Chitwan District
· To Promote the Concept of Eco Park in Meghauli

Meghauli: Community Based Tourism

When talked about the Nepalese tourism there is one place never missed out and that is Chitwan. Why it became such a popular tourist destination? The answer is simple, because of the Nepal’s biggest wildlife reserve, Royal Chitwan National Park (RCNP) and its special feature the rare one horned Rhinos. The wildlife safari and elephant ride at RCNP is considered unforgettable for the dwellers as popular as any mountain activity in Nepal.

Meghauli, a village situated in the district headquarter, is surrounded by Royal Chitwan National Park and two big rivers Narayani and Rapti. Nepal is rich for cultural diversity so is Meghauli. Housing about 16200 populace, Meghauli has been settled by the ethnic groups Tharus for hundreds of years, beholding rich culture,nature and adventure at its best. Tharus are the main tribes and others are Kumal, Braman, Kshetri, Gurung, Newars, Magar, Damai, Kami, Bhote, Sarki, Mushahar and few other. The main occupation of the people living in this village is agriculture and they do it for their survival. Few others are involved in business and government jobs. The majority of the population believes that the development of the village depends on the development of the tourism industries.

Tourists can be attracted here by highlighting community forests, culture, national park, wild animals and improving air service transportation and communication services etc. Rare plants and birds, wild animals, art and culture of different tribes, lakes etc. have attracted a large number of tourists every year. Machan, in the community forests, boating, elephant riding etc. can have significant contribution in promoting Community Based Tourism at Meghauli. The geographical location and its closeness to the national park is the reason for developing tourism industry.

The tourism industries of this village has close affinity to the National Park, so that the first task is to educate the people about the importance of Ecology in preserving rare plants and animals.

The rivers like Narayani and Rapti can be used for swimming, boating, rafting and fishing. People of Meghauli are interested these days to develop tourism industry and are organizing festivals almost every year because they have high hope that tourism can be a major source of employment as well as the total economic and social development of the village. The beautiful scene and scenery of the National Park view of the community forests and the wild animals and birds living there, lakes and rivers etc are the properties, which can be used for the total development of the village and a s spot for both national and international visitors to spend their holiday without anxiety and tension.

To achieve well-planned tourism with full effective strategy, people of Meghauli have stepped forward to develop the village as an ideal tourist destination with difference. When it comes to developing any new destination, infrastructures and facilities in the area play a big role for its possibility.

Rhino Resort Pvt. Ltd. – Meghauli is outside the buffer zone of Royal Chitwan National Park built for the tourists with all the modern facilities. The resort is spread in 160 acres of land with an absolute jungle environment, where human and wild can live without disturbing one another.

Though the country is not big but beautiful in its geographical shape, cultural heritage and animals and reptiles and fishes found in the country. The geographical landscape is divided into three divisions, i.e. high mountains, hills and plains. The peculiarity is that a wide range of earth’s topography and climates are found within its 147,181 sq kilometers area. The varying character of subtropical Jungle of Terai and Arctic condition of high Himalayas, 19 % of the total land is divided for Wildlife and classified 9 as National Parks, 3 as Wild Life Reserves, 3 as Conservation Area and 1 as Hunting Reserves. All of these have played a vital role for the ecosystem and among them, Royal Chitwan National Park is well known as the most beautiful one. It is going to be developed as an Eco – Park.

Royal Chitwan National Park (RCNP) offers a wilderness of rich ecosystem that includes Mammals, Birds, Reptiles and water animals of several kinds. Owing to its rich adornment of nature, the park is supported naturally. The park was declared as a UNESCO’s World Heritage site list in the year 1979.

There are around 600 different types of plants, 50 different mammals, 526 birds and 49 amphibian reptiles. The highlights, of course are the 372 Asian One Horned Rhinos and some 100 nocturnal Royal Bengal Tigers that live in the dense forest of the RCNP. Other animals like Rhesus Monkey, Grey Langur, Deer, Leopards, White Stocking Gaur, Wild Boar, Jackal, Fox and wild cats. Among reptiles different kind of snakes including Python are found here in RCNP, while the river areas breed Amphibians like the endangered snorted Gharial, popularly known as Gigantic Crocodile and Marsh Crocodiles.

The forest is alive during summer with the arrival of migrant birds like Paradise Flycatcher, Indian Pitta and Parakeets, while winter birds includes water Fowl, Brahming Ducks, Pintails Bar – Headed Geese, Cormorants and migratory birds from Siberia. Other bird varieties are Wood Peckers, Hornbills, Peacocks, Pheasants, Folricans and Redheaded trogons.

Meghauli is known as one of the richest village in Nepal in terms of wild life and birds, which surrounds the 25 km border of Royal Chitwan National Park. It is widely known to average tourist that, Meghauli in spite of small and rural village, is an interesting place with many attractions.

Community forest by the side of Meghauli airport is one of the attempts of the village people, who are always thinking for the betterment of this area in terms of tourism and ecology. The community forest is spread in about 60 acres of land and is being tended and improved in such a way that it can be an interesting and refreshing place to the visitors or tourists specially, who come to enjoy in the park.

Meghauli Tourism Development Committee (MTDC) has started to launch its own programme for the betterment of this place and tourism as well. ‘Eco-Park’

Inside the Radha Krishna community forest, Meghauli is under construction, which covers 8 acres of land and has aimed at providing extra facilities to the tourists visiting Megahuli. The programme of establishing and developing Eco – Park will be an extra effort, which will ultimately be an additional attraction of this area.

To develop Megahuli as a tourist destination, Meghauli Mahatsov (Festival) is being organized every two years since 1994. This festival was organized in full participation of locals and has been a great success. It has encouraged the people of Megahuli to unite and participate in the overall development and has made them aware of the potentials of Meghauli to develop it as a tourist destination.

Other possibility of Meghauli is to develop it as and ideal Bird Watching destination and the survey shows that RCNP has almost 500 species of birds. To have a proper bird watching a peaceful environment is required, which Meghauli has so that makes it even perfect. Meghauli can be developed as a practical center for students, who’re studying tourism especially Eco – Tourism.

The World Elephant Polo Association (WEPA) has hosted several tournaments in Megahuli since 1982. It is an international event and has in the past included teams representing from different countries. The 23rd World Elephant Polo Championships commenced on 27th November to 3rd December 2004, which was won by Chivas Regal of Scotland.

The Major Attractions of Megahuli are:
· Royal Chitwan National Park and its Bio-diversity
· Meghauli Village, the unique pattern of Tharu Community
· Wildlife Safari (elephant ride)
· The Community Forest and Machan Towers
· Jungle Walk and Bird Watching
· National Museum and Crocodile Farming
· World Elephant Polo and Parajumping
· Sunset and Sunrise Viewing
· Boating and Rafting on Rapati and Narayani Rivers
· Typical Tharu Village Tour
· Eco Park – Children Park, Picnic Spot, Camping Sites, Open Zoo, Crocodile Farming etc are under-construction).
Transportation to Meghauli: By Air (Kathmandu – Bharatpur or Kathmandu Meghauli Airport).
By Land (tourist Bus from Kathmandu to Bharatpur and then by Jeep to Meghauli).