The yam festival held here has become an important link connecting rural tourism with India and Bhutan, turning the challenge of the elephant plague into creative energy.
What you should know
Bahundangi, a village on the border of Jhapa, has long been known for its elephant plague. However, now, transforming this pain into an opportunity, the village has emerged as a center of international dialogue by tying agriculture, culture, and tourism together.
The fourth International Yam Festival, held on Wednesday and Thursday, turned the challenge of the elephant plague into creative energy and became an important link connecting rural tourism with India and Bhutan.
The festival conveyed the message that it is not only a local pain and problem, but also a basis for opening the door to possibilities. Going beyond the taste and dishes of yam, the festival conveyed the message of cross-border coexistence, cultural exchange and self-reliant rural economy, said program coordinator and ward chairman of Mechinagar-4 Arjun Kumar Karki.
The festival, with the participation of not only locals but also tourism workers, agricultural experts, conservationists and cultural teams from India and Bhutan, emerged as a cultural crossroads connecting the three countries.
Another important aspect of the Yam Festival is tourism understanding. A three-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) was also signed between Sikkim-based 'Discover Team' and the organizing committee on the promotion of agriculture, culture and rural tourism. ‘This is seen as a historic step towards institutionalizing Nepal-India rural tourism cooperation,’ said Niraj Ghimire of the organizing committee.
The cultural program also gave the festival an international dimension. The performances of famous singers from Darjeeling, Daisy Bareili, Chandan Lamjel and daughter Bimochana Lamjel, folk singer Kamalikant Bhetwal, Cooch Behar folk singer Rajivji’s team, musician Tika Bhandari and actor-announcer Siddharth Singh made the festival memorable. The performances of local artists added more charm to the program. Singer Bareili and musician Lamjel were felicitated at the program.
Stalls on human-elephant conflict reduction, transboundary tourism, organic farming systems, ethnic culture, costumes, folk art and indigenous products were set up throughout the festival. As an example of social responsibility, it was also announced during this celebration that the road from Khushi Lal Chowk to Mechi Khola would be paved with tiles in memory of martyrs Suresh Thapa, Manmaya Thapa, and the late Mahesh Thapa.
