Ghanpokhara attracting tourists

Cham Bahadur Gurung, president of Nayu Ghanpokhara Homestay, said that tourists come here to see the nature. According to him, dozens of mountain ranges including Lamjung Himal, Annapurna, Machhapuchhre, Manaslu, Buddh and Ganesh can be seen from Ghanpokhara.

He said that researchers also come to the village to see the Ghantu, Krishna character, Serga dance of the Gurung caste and to research it. "Dishes made from corn, millet, and rice produced in the village, local chicken, local wine, vegetables, cooked on the fire will be very delicious to the tourists," he said.

There are more than 60 houses in Ghanpokhara village. Although 13 homestays are registered, currently only 9 are operational. They have also formed the Nayu Ghanpokhara Homestay Committee by connecting the lower village Nayu. Local Jeet Bahadur Gurung said that the village is busy welcoming tourists when they start coming.

According to Hemjang Gurung, Ghanpokhara Tourism Management Sub-Committee, tourists are happy to see the mountains in front of their eyes, to hear the sighs of midim and marsyangdi, and the sound of birds. He said that even though there is no human settlement in the upper area from Ghanpokhara village, tourists are coming.

When tourists come to the village, they ask about the village. They are surprised when there is no human settlement above here,' he said. According to him, there is no shortage of guests in any month. He said that the homestay is packed during the tourist season.

Our village is near from Ghalegaon. It is on the way to Bhujung. Some tourists come to inquire. "Some people come directly as Ghanpokhara," he said. He said that if the homestay can be managed more, it can attract more tourists.

Ghanpokhara, where the homestay has been operating for a decade, has recently started a discussion about making it more organized with the increase in the number of tourists. Ghanpokhara, which is also known as the primitive land of the Gurung tribe, is believed to be about 1,000 years old. The locals have directly and indirectly started discussions with the public representatives to organize the homestay of Ghanpokhara, which is considered important from a historical and tourist point of view.

According to the ward chairman Rudraman Gurung, the local residents have discussed the matter of organizing the homestays with village chairman Arjun Gurung, vice chairman Junamaya Thapa, chief administrative officer Arjun Chapai and others.

Recently, the number of tourists visiting the homestay has increased. "There has been a discussion between the rural municipality and the villagers to prolong the stay of tourists, to attract tourists and to provide more facilities to tourists," he said. Ghanpokhara village is located near the touristic Ghalegaon. Ward chairman Gurung said that the tourist arrival has started increasing in Ghanpokhara, which is about 2 kilometers from Ghalegaon to Bhujung.

Village chairman Gurung has suggested that agriculture should be emphasized along with homestay. "Necessary structures for homestays, road improvement, capacity building of locals, homestay management, training etc. are necessary. The attention of the rural municipality has gone to this," he said.

He said that along with Ghanpokhara, tourism promotion programs will be conducted in Siurung Homestay, Chapa-Mipra Homestay, Bhushme Homestay and other homestays.