Explore the unexplored in northeast India
Let me introduce you to another version of India. A version that is far from the Taj Mahal or the bylanes of Rajasthan and the bustle of Bombay. This is the India that hardly fits within the borders of known stereotypes. A land with lush green forests, bridges made out of living tree roots, hundreds of unique tribal communities and open plains where the one-horned rhinos graze. It is a land where snow-covered Himalayan peaks are dotted with mystic monasteries, gushing rivers that cut through deep ravines and feed the verdant tea plantations of the Brahmaputra floodplains.
Meet the northeast of India. Composed of eight states - Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim, the region shares an international border with Nepal, Bhutan, The Tibet Autonomous Region, China, Myanmar and Bangladesh. In fact, the entire region is connected to the rest of India only by a thin strip of land of about 22 km (14 miles) known as Chicken’s Neck of Bengal or the Siliguri Corridor. This geographic seclusion along with other socio-political factors has resulted in a slow development for the region compared to mainland India.
“I really believe that the northeast of India is one of the most serene and beautiful places in the country. And even though I might be biased towards my homeland of Manipur, I think there is so much that this region has to offer to people. It is certainly quite different from the rest of India in terms of its social and cultural approach. Moreover, from adventure sports, to biodiversity hotspots, rich cultural traditions and great food, there is something for all in the northeast,” says John H. Ruolngul, the Consul General of India in Hamburg.
With increasing infrastructure and road connectivity, the region has seen rapid development in the last decade. This has also opened up tourism as a viable means of sustenance for many locals. In many parts of the region, there is already a growing consciousness about ecotourism that focuses on minimising the impact of tourism on the environment while generating sustainable employment opportunities for the locals.
Dr. Khafiluzzaman Ahmed, fondly known as Dr. Zaman, hails from Assam and now runs a travel company in Europe solely focusing on the northeast India. He believes that there is tremendous untapped potential in this region due to the easy-going nature of the people, the dazzling landscapes and a gradual awareness and curiosity of outsiders to explore offbeat destinations in India. Moreover, his aim is to showcase and promote eco-tourism in the region by conducting environmentally mindful tours.
“I feel the northeast is still untouched by what I call rampant tourism. If we are not careful, we can end up becoming the next Shimla or Ooty where unchecked tourism has created havoc in terms of pollution, destruction of nature and a loss of local heritage and authenticity. Tourism is important and we all want to welcome outsiders to show our region with pride. But tourists should be equally responsible in maintaining the sanctity of a place. This is what I hope to promote through my work,” says Dr. Zaman.
Interestingly, the people of northeast have always been living close to nature and in a way that is now termed as ‘sustainable’. With so many tribal communities spread across the region, even today, it is quite normal to live in sync with nature. It is only with urbanisation that the old way of living has been changing. And while the concepts of ecotourism and sustainable tourism are often used synonymously, they do differ in their inherent approach. According to the definition framed by the United Nations, sustainable tourism is that which ‘takes full account of the current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.’
In this regard, one organisation has been playing a mindful role in developing sustainable tourism opportunities in Assam. Mandelzweig-Projekthilfe e.V. is a Hamburg-based organisation that is undertaking several projects to support tea plantations and their workers in the state of Assam. Their core idea is to bring together German donor groups and developmental projects in countries of the south with a focus on India. The development aid organisation supports many of their partners’ projects in Assam and maintains close contact with the local people.
At present Mandelzweig-Projekthilfe is building an education centre aimed at raising awareness about sustainable tourism in Assam. In order to do this, they have partnered with families of workers at the tea plantations who will host tourists in the newly built tea guesthouse at Rangapara, a small town in the Sonitpur district near Tezpur. A bonus is that Rangapara has a train station that is well-connected to all parts of India, allowing easy accessibility for tourists. Daniel Kiwitt from Mandelzweig-Projekthilfe explains, “The aim of the tea guesthouse - which is also a training centre for the tea cooperative members - is to provide information about how tea is cultivated, and to show the alternative way of social tea cultivation within the framework of a tea cooperative. Moreover, we want to provide the tea workers and their families a professional perspective in sustainable tourism and fair trade of the world’s most popular beverage.”
The tea guesthouse is scheduled to launch in spring 2022 and can host up to 15 people at a time. From solo travellers to families and large groups, all are welcome to come and stay at this sustainable tea plantation and participate in workshops and other activities at the tea cooperative. “For those interested to explore other parts in the northeast, we can also plan for outdoor trips to the Kaziranga National Park, along with other tourist attractions in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh,” states Daniel.
Initiatives like these are a beacon of hope for creating long term solutions for mindful tourism. As one of the top biodiversity hotspots in the country along with a culturally rich place, the northeast of India has enough to offer for even the most discerning tourist. The responsibility to create a future where tourism can thrive sustainably rests on all of us.
To get to know more about Mandelzweig-Projekthilfe, you can visit http://www.mandelzweig-projekthilfe.de
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