Kanchanpur, December 28

The home-stay service in Bhimdattanagar has seen encouraging results over the last two years with a good flow of tourists.

A home-stay named ‘Rana Tharu Home-stay’ located near Shuklaphanta National Park, which is run by the Tharu community, received more than 2,500 domestic and foreign tourists in last two years.

“The business is doing well lately. The number of tourists coming decreased five months ago. But, now it gaining momentum once again,” said Chetram Rana, secretary of the home-stay management committee.

The facility is being operated from eight houses in the locality. Tarai Arc Landscape Project and the Shuklaphante Buffer Zone management committee have provided technical and physical help to start the project.

What lures tourists visiting the area the most is the traditional attire of the community. “Foreign tourists get attracted to our clothing. They also visit the place to see the longest suspension bridge of South Asia,” said Rana. The project aims to conserve and protect art, culture and customs of the community, he added.

Different traditional dances are performed for the guests visiting the home-stay and an exhibition of Tharu customs is organized for them. Rana is confident that tourists visiting Nepal via west check point would come to visit the home-stay after the construction of concrete bridge over the Mahakali River.

Chaudhary Tharu community is all set to run a new home-stay at Jonapur in Shuklaphanta Municipality-3 Treasurer at Khairakandra Community Home-stay, Jonapur, Ram Prasad Chaudhary, said that the home-stay would be brought into operation from the third week of January on the occasion of ‘Maghi’ festival.