Dooars Utsav

Explore and Experience the Beauty of Duars

Duars Utsav-2005

The idea to have a Duars Utsav is not only to showcase the culture and people of the region but also to use the event to generate revenue to be utilized for the development of the civic and such other infrastructural facilities. A non-governmental initiative by the local people, Duars Utsav – 2005 is going to be organized in Alipurduar for the first time from 27th January to 31st January 2005. This also has the patronage of the local leadership and administration with the local Ministers, Sabhadhipati, Jalpaiguri Zilla Parishad, Member of Parliament, Member of State Legislative Assembly, Commissioner, Jalpaiguri Division, District Magistrate, Jalpaiguri, Superintendent of Police, Jalpaiguri, Divisional Railway Manager, Northern Frontier Railway, Alipurduar, Field Director, Buxa Tiger Reserve, Additional District Magistrate, Additional Superintendent of Police, Alipurduar, and Chairman, Alipurduar Municipality having consented to be in the Advisory Committee of the Utsav with the Sub-Divisional Officer, Alipurduar appointed by the people to act as the President of the Utsav Committee. The administration here would be more in the role of a coordinator and a facilitator than anything else.


As stated, the twin objective of the festival is to project and present the multi-splendoured rich diversity of life and culture pervading the length and breadth of Dooars and to highlight and harness the potentialities for the development of tourism and economy. The Dooars Utsav beckons at all those who love nature, wish to explore and experience its virgin beauty and bounty. Dooars’ innumerable streams, rivulets and rivers, its irresistible range of high hills and lofty mountains with virgin trekking routes, magnificent verdant forests, rich wildlife, lush green tea gardens and its pluralized society enriched by many tribes and indigenous people are just too tempting to be missed out on.


The organization of such an Utsav with the theme ‘Explore and Experience the Beauty of Dooars’ had become inevitable more so because of its many unexploited and unharnessed potential for development. Dooars Utsav is just an instrument, a vehicle to showcase and project the many inherent strengths for development of the entire region rightly christened as Dooars, meaning the portals to the Dragon Kingdom of neighbouring Bhutan.


The cultural diversities, which the Dooars can boast of, are matchless and peerless. Mecheni dance, Chor-chunni, Bishahara, Dhamgan, Bhawaiya folk musical tradition and Rava dance are some of the distinct elements of the local culture. The peaceful and harmonious co-existence of Totos, Santal, Rava, Kotch, Oraon, Mech, Dukpas, Nepalese, Biharies, Marawaries and Bengalese is one more vindication of the idea that is India. Inhabiting together in Dooars and making a perfect mosaic, they truly make for a Mini India simultaneously being a testimony to the celebration of life signifying unity in diversity.


It has been decided that such a festival would be organized around the same time every year with the same purpose in mind, with significant changes made from time to time with a view to retain tourist interest. For the moment, it has also been planned that this festival would be rotated through the six administrative Blocks of the Dooars thereby giving organizational opportunity to newer leadership and, thus, benefit from the newer ideas, energy and intelligence for management and organization brought forth by inclusion of newer brains.


It is needless to mention that the following tourist spots shall be highlighted in the process with an emphasis on family tourism where tourists, on payment of a nominal tariff, would get an opportunity to go and stay with a particular family in Dooars, experience and appreciate their culture at close quarters thereby increasing inter-cultural understanding. As per the present plans, there would be specifically designed tour packages of different price ranges for the tourists. The organizers shall facilitate the accommodation and private agencies would be tied up for guidance, transportation and other arrangements. Emphasis would be on domestic and tourist-friendly accommodation with ethnic food . This would go a long way in promoting inter-cultural interaction and understanding.


Name of the Tourist Spot
Special Features
Distance from Alipurduar
Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary
Is located in the flood plains of river Torsa. It lies at Madarihat Block in Jalpaiguri district. The total area is 216.15 sq. km. The main entry point is from Madarihat town, adjacent to N.H.-31 in between Hasimara and Birpara, about 55 Km. away from Alipurduar. The nearest railway station, Falakata is 22 km from Madarihat. Famous for the Jungle Safari in the world of rhinos, bison, deer, elephants and exquisite Hollong Tourist Lodge.
58 Km.
South Khairbari Leopard Rehabilitation Center
A perfect picnic spot for a joy-loving family looking forward to relax and have fun amidst boating, car safari in the Kingdom of Leopards, a Children Park and a soothing quietude of the sylvan surroundings.
60 Km.
Kunjanagar Eco-Tourism Park
A Deer Park, a Gharial Rehabilitation Center, Watch Tower for observing wild animals, a Children Park, a Fun-Bridge on the river Hollong.
48 Km.
Makrapara Kalibari
Established by Bengali tea planters, a magnificent bird’ eye view of Makrapara Tea Estate can be had from this temple.
70 Km.
Toto Para
In abode of the Totos, one of the three most primitive tribes of West Bengal, a journey through the Hollapara Forest will be a wonderful experience. It is also a confluence of the river Torsha and Howri
75 Km.
Bania Ruins
The capital city and seat of power of the hoary Nal dynasty, this historical place is also blessed with good, evergreen dense forests.
75 Km.
Moorti River
Near Gorumara and Chapramari forests, the view around Murti River is very enchanting.
130 K.M.
Chalsa Resort
At the upper portion of the Chalsa river, the view of Chalsa town and adjoining forest is very charming. There are some other tourist spot such as Samsing, Mataili and Samsing tea gardens.
125 K.M.
Garumara National Park
Ensconced in the watershed areas of river Murti and Jaldhaka, the main attractions, inter alia, include Rhinoceros, Elephant, Gaur, Leopard and Hornbill.
140 K.M.
Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary
It is situated in the foothills of Eastern Himalayas in the district of Jalpaiguri. It is home of diverse flora and fauna e.g. mammals like Elephant, Gaur, Leopard etc.
125 K.M.
Alipurduar Town
The sub-divisional headquarters, a typical North Bengal township with its bungalow type house is transit to eastern Dooars, Assam and Bhutan. It is well-connected by road and rail. Alipurduar is used as divergence and convergence point by the tourists of this region. There are six natural horse-shoe lakes in Alipurduar Municipality area and one beautiful lake at Birpara, namely Rataneshwar Jheel about one and half km. Away from the town Alipurduar town is about 140 km away from Jalpaiguri. For accommodation, there is one beautiful circuit hose, Inspection Bungalow of PWD, Irrigation Department Bungalows apart from the private ones. Of Municipality, Jalpaiguri Zilla Parishad and Buxa Tiger Reserve. Tourists bound for North Eastern region and Bhutan may stay for some days at Alipurduar to have thrilling experience of Dooars.
0 K.M.
Buxa Fort
It is the pride of the Dooars. People have sentimental attachment to it. Here, history whispers and air hums ‘vande mataram’, the Indian freedom movement chant meaning ‘hail the motherland’. Buxa Fort was the detention camp during British period. More than hundred freedom fighters were lodged in this camp without trial. Leading lights of freedom struggle in Bengal were detained in the camp till independence. It has the largest chunk of forest in West Bengal.
The main wild animals are Bengal Tiger (Panthera Tigris), Leopards, lesser cats, civets, Malayan Giant Squirrel, elephant, Gour, Chital, Sambhar, Chinese Pangolin, Clouded Leopard, Regal Python etc. A number of forest rest houses well distributed over the forest area provide ample scope of nature education and solitude to the visitors.
40 K.M.
Chilapata
There are ruins of a garrison namely Nal Rajar Garh probably old Fort of the Gupta period which has great historical value. There is a beautiful temple inside the deep forest.
25 K.M.
Rajabhatkhawa
There is a Nature Interpretation Centre, which attracts visitors from far off places. It gives a glimpse of what the Buxa forests are like. It has separate galleries on Avi-fauna, Entmofauna, forest ecology and such similar themes. There is a Wild Life Rescue Centre.
15 K.M.
Jayanti
A beautiful small village surrounded by hill and forest, where the main attractions are natural beauty, Pokhori (natural pond) and jungle trekking.
35 K.M.
Raimatang
Its natural beauty is very attractive. The main attractions are beautiful view from watchtower and Pokhori (natural pond) and Trekking.
55 K.M.
Jaigaon

It is a small township at the Bhutan foothills by the side of river Amo chu (Torsa) and Dhutikhola emerged from the Bhutan hill. Phuntsholing, the biggest commercial town of Bhutan is almost in continuum of Jaigaon making the two sister cities. Phuntsholing is also the gateway to Thimpu, the capital of Bhutan. In Jaigaon, there is a monastery (Buddhist temple) which is marked for its architectural nuances.
58 K.M.

Besides two primary objective, the other benefits accruing from the Utsav will be as follows:

Development of infrastructure for tourism and attention of the investors for investment in the tourism sector
Marketing of products including handicrafts made by Self Help Groups.
Promotion of research and studies in tribal culture.
Entertainment and promotion of local culture.
To dispel the negative image created by the years of extremist activities in the region as well as helping the extremists to join the mainstream and expel any sense of alienation among them.
Projecting the various facets of life and developments in the area to the outside world.
Project the governmental drives for the development of the area with highlights on special schemes like RSVY.


Some Important Components of the Programme:
Local dance forms.
Local musical soiree involving local talents.
Drama/skits/one act play/caricature/mimicry et al.
Educational contests including quiz/debates for children.
Seminars on issues relating to Dooars every day.
Non-competitive events for general public including house-wives.
Local fashion show showcasing local costumes.
Food stalls presenting ethnic and not-so-ethnic food and savories.
Local handicrafts, artifacts and other local products and manufactures.
Game Show.
Tableau portraying Dooars’ life and culture.
Commercial stalls by sponsors.
Stalls by various governmental departments presenting their operations in the Dooars and other aspects of developmental interventions made by them in the area.
Art Gallery, Photo Exhibition and Flower Show.
Books and literature on Dooars.


The Dooars Festival has been tied up with the East Himalayan Festival, an initiative by the local travel and tour operators and hoteliers brought under the above-mentioned banner by Help Tourism for better publicity and marketing of the event. With sixteen sub-committees including Office Sub-Committee, Exhibition Sub-Committee, Health Sub-Committee, Finance Sub-Committee, Publicity Sub-Committee, Reception Sub-Committee, Transport Sub-Committee, Souvenir Sub-Committee, Accommodation Sub-Committee, Volunteer Sub-Committee, Cultural Sub-Committee, Drama Sub-Committee, Literature and Seminar Sub-Committee, Food Sub-Committee and Stage and Field Sub-Committee formed to look after various aspects of the Dooars Festival under the stewardship of a Dooars Festival Committee, it is expected that this peoples’ initiative would be markedly successful with all and sundry chipping in with their participation and contribution, financial and physical.