Jharkhand signs MoU with Gujarat for tourism development

Ahmedabad, Sep 15 (UNI) The Jharkhand Department of Tourism and the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat have signed a memorandum of understanding for the development of the tourism sector.

''Lakhs of tourists from Gujarat, especially Jains, visit the Parshwanath Hills in Jharkhand to worship the 23rd Jain Tirthankara Shri Parshwanath,'' Jharkhand tourism secretary Nagendra Nath Sinha said while speaking to reporters after signing of MoU during the Travel and Tourism Fair here.

Both the states can support each other to develop tourism, he said while informing that in Jharkhand, tourism was being promoted through a public-private partnership.

Jharkhand, Mr Sinha said, wished to offer a new style of tourism -- that of visiting village settings to experience a stress-free and healthy environment, and to enjoy tribal festivals and dances in the traditional settings and the rich flora and fauna.

''Jharkhand is a land of myriad tribes, chirping birds, traditional drum beats of folk music, waterfalls and women with baskets on their heads and children strapped to their backs,'' Mr Sinha said, adding that the land of 700 hills offers the tourists the pleasure of unpolluted land, jungles of ''saal'', ''palash'', ''mahua'', and ''kendu'' and the mysterious world of tigers, elephants and deer.

That apart, Jharkhand has Hindu shrines like Deoghar which attracts a large number of pilgrims from all over India. Devotees find solace at Rajrappa near Bokaro, Rankini near Jamshedpur and Akarshini near Kharsawan, he added.

''One can enjoy the Chhau festival in Seraikela and experience euphoria of song and dances all over the state during Karam or Karma festivals,'' Mr Sinha said.

The excellent work of Dokhra grass mat and paintings of Kohvar, Sohrai, Payatkar, and Jadopotia styles can mesmerise the tourists, while the paintings of Hazaribag are feast for the eyes, he further added.

UNI