Jharkhand Govt Plans To Promote Ecotourism At 'Queen of Chotanagpur' – All You Need To Know
Netarhat is known as the "Queen of Chotanagpur" because of its beauty. It got its name from what British people used to call - 'Nature's Heart,' according to old-timers.
The Latehar district's Netarhat, hidden in the lap of pristine forests and located at an elevation of 3,622 feet above sea level, is where the Jharkhand government intends to encourage eco and cultural tourism, according to a report by news agency PTI on Sunday.
Only 157 kilometres separate Netarhat from Ranchi, the state capital, and it is renowned for its lush hills, magnificent waterfalls, and picturesque surroundings. According to Jharkhand tourism, the site is known as the "Queen of Chotanagpur" and got its name from what the British used to call—"Nature's Heart"—and the sunrises and sunsets are mesmerising here like an oil painting.
Latehar Deputy Commissioner, Bhor Singh Yadav told PTI: "We have plans to promote eco and cultural tourism here and thereby also create employment for locals. Various initiatives are underway including promoting homestay programmes where tourists can enjoy living with the tribes."
"The homes of the villagers joining the homestay programme are being given a distinctive identity by painting them with tribal colours – cream and white. In the first phase, 40 homes joining the homestay programme in Paseripat are being painted. In the second phase, 83 houses of Sirsi will be painted," he was quoted as saying by PTI.
The entire Paseripat and Sirsi village population has consented to participate in the homestay programme.
The district administration has provided training in hospitality and catering to about 100 Netarhat youth, and many of the village's residents have worked in hotels and inns.
"Have you been to Netarhat recently? To calm your soul, stroll through these trees" posting a panoramic video of the lush green woodlands, Jharkhand Tourism claims. A dense jungle of pine, bamboo, mahua, palash, and saal along the route to Netarhat, as per the report by PTI.
The Particularly Vulnerable Tribe Groups (PVTGs) of Latehar include the Asur and Birajiya.
Shivendra Singh, the tourism officer for Latehar District, said to PTI: "After arriving in Netarhat, one may directly observe the beauty of the tribal people who live here and their culture and way of life. They have a unique language, culture, and way of life. You can witness their love of nature in their farming, song-music, dance, cuisine, and home-building methods." The largest waterfall in Jharkhand, Lodh Falls, as well as Koyal View Point (Sunrise Point), Magnolia Point (Sunset Point), Lower Ghaghri and Upper Ghaghri, Netarhat Dam, and Netarhat Residential School, which Singh described as a "nursery for bureaucrats," are among the major attractions.
Similar to other well-known British hill towns, Netarhat has a suicide point, and according to local legend, English girl Magnolia, who had fallen in love with a peasant there and was consequently shunned by society, committed herself by jumping off the cliff.
At Magnolia Point, a statue of the duo has been erected.
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Jharkhand is blessed with natural wonders like hills, waterfalls, forests, animals, and a rich cultural heritage.
From 4.53 lakh in 2000, the year Jharkhand was created, to over 3.50 crore in 2019–20, including 1.75 lakh foreign visitors, the annual inflow of tourists has surged.
Skywalk and ropeway projects are in the works, according to Manoj Kumar, the secretary of tourism for Jharkhand.
Patratu in the Ramgarh district, Netarhat in Latehar, Hundru, Jonha, and Dassam falls in the Ranchi district are the locations that the tourism department has chosen for these projects.
In order to boost the industry and draw tourists to the state, the Jharkhand government recently unveiled its tourism policy and announced a plethora of financial incentives for those willing to invest in creating tourism facilities, such as hotels and resorts, amusement parks, ropeways, and adventure sports.
(With Inputs From PTI)
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