Adventure tourism at Valmiki tiger reserve

The state government of Bihar plans to develop the Valmiki Tiger reserve as a place for adventure tourism where people can indulge in boating, rafting and mountaineering. There would be entrances built at Madanpur, Goberdhana and Manguraha. Rest houses will also be built for visiting tourists.

Besides adventure tourism including sightseeing, one key historical place which can become a major tourism attaction in this area is the Valmiki Ashram which is located in the Chitwan National Park, Nepal. One can reach the Valmiki ashram through the Valmiki Tourism Reserve.  This ashram is the home of Valmiki who wrote the epic Ramayan and is also believed to be the place where Goddess Sita had taken shelter after being renounced by God Ram. Luv and Kush were also born here.

More details can be found in the Times of India article "Bihar Govt plans adventure sports at Valmiki Tiger Reserve".

While this is a good and welcome move, I am skeptical of the plan taking shape and adventure tourism actually starting at this place. This is based on my experience with the Bihar government's earlier examples of announcing tourism options and then doing nothing about it. Case in point is the Tutla Waterfalls and I will write about it in one of my subsequent posts.

India's own Grand Canyon - Tutla (Tutala) in Bihar

If the people responsible for its development can get it right, India will start boasting of its own Grand canyon as Tutla, barely 18 Km away from Sasaram in Rohtas district. Tutla will be developed as a major eco and adventure tourism site of international importance. Resembling the grand canyon, Tutla is spread over approximated 240 square kilometers.

The vertical cliff like rock formation and the natural cutting by weather gives it a close resemblance to the famous Grand Canyon of US. Tutla is located on the border of Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and surrounded by mountain ranges from three sides.

Tutla has a waterfall which falls from a height of more than 210 meters (approx 700 feet) into a small lake which gives it a picturesque look. "The waterfall is surrounded by high rising mountains which have red coloured stones giving it a magnificent look. Adjacent to the mountain, flows the river Sone which could be seen in a panorama from top of the hill.

Compare this with the height of the Niagara Falls which is just about 176 feet (approx 54 meters) due to rocks at the base. ( actual fall is just 70 feet)

Tutla is also in close proximity to Rohtasgarh fort, Sher Shah Suri's mausoleum and Mundeshwari all of which could be utilised as a nearby excursion area.

The link for this news article with further details is available at

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Patna/Tutla_to_be_raised_as_adventure_site/articleshow/4102398.cms

Read all about the Grand Canyon at
http://www.nps.gov/grca/

Read about the Niagara falls if you want to at
http://www.niagarafallslive.com/Facts_about_Niagara_Falls.htm