https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Maa Sita’s Birthplace, Bihar On The Cusp Of A Tourist Revolution

Indian Masterminds Stories

Tourism and Bihar – twain so were considered two poles of a globe. Things are a changing a bit. Bihar is on the cusp of a silent revolution – waiting to emerge as one of the prominent tourist destinations in the country. Initial steps have already been taken. 

There are temples, shrines, forests, lakes, rivers and tiger safaris. Yet, tourism in the state hadn’t picked up on account of several reasons including official apathy and law and order concerns. Punuara (Sitamarhi) houses birthplace Goddess Sita while Mundeshwari (Kaimur) and Thave (Gopalganj) have some of the oldest temples. From Bodh Gaya to Vaishali every place is a repository of history about Gautam Buddha and Mauryan empire while Nalanda, and Rajgir are UNESCO heritage sites besides of course Sher Shah Suri Tomb. From Valmiki Tiger Reserve to holy Ganga, too many hidden gems were waiting to be explored.

But, all that is a thing of the past now. Bihar tourism department recently identified 300 tourist destinations categorizing them in three groups on the basis of tourist in-flow and their tourism potential. “This will allow us to take a focused approach for the development of the area, using their best strength & potential”, Mr. Nand Kishore, Managing Director of Bihar Tourism Development Corporation told Indian Masterminds in an exclusive interview. 

RELIGIOUS TOURISM

While Bodh Gaya is the place where Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment, Mundeshwari temple is the oldest temple in Northern India. Besides, there are other religious places too like Janki Mandir & Punaura Dham, Kesariya Stup. The state government has of late, sanctioned various schemes to increase the tourist inflow on these sites,. 

CM Nitish Kumar will inaugurate the renovation of Punaura Dham – spread across 60-70 acres – on November 30. The project includes parking and side construction made out of red stones. “There is a plan to build luv-kush vatika and display history of Goddess Sita through motorized robot. Tenders have already been floated and work will soon start”, he said.

Similarly, the ‘Thave Dham’ of Gopalganj is also being renovated. It is three-phase plan which will take around 1.5 years. All temporary shops are being shifted to the 900 pucca shops being constructed nearby. “There are two lakes – one is behind the main temple and another one on the side. The second one is not visible due to the shops. We are removing them and beatifying the place through plantation on the sides. For the other lake we are making a selfie point connecting it with the temple and a restaurant with its view”, said Mr. Kishore, an IFS Officer. 

AQUA-TOURISM

Amawaman Lake in West Champaran has already been developed as the first Water Sports Destination Of Bihar. Once used for idols immersion, now it has Bihar’s first-ever parasailing site and various other adventurous sports. On the same pattern, Digha of Patna, Manikamal Lake of Muzaffarpur, Motijheel of Motihari is also being developed. Mr. Kishore is hopeful that every facility will be up and running on 2-3 months. 

WILDLIFE TOURISM 

The Valmiki Tiger Reserved, home to more than 50 tigers, doesn’t feature high on tourists’ itinerary. “VTR has its locational disadvantage and sometimes law & order situation. We are hoping that with opening of Kusi Nagar Airport, VTR will be easily accessible from all parts of the country. Right now, we are enhancing accommodation capacities because everything is booked in the tourist seasons,” said Mr Kishore.

To ensure a bright future for VTR, tourism department has also constructed a 100-room hotel. Besides that, several buses have been started and safari trips have also increased.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Image Yoga Day NBCC
Yoga Mahakumbh & Meditation Workshop: NBCC Commemorates 11th International Day of Yoga with Holistic Wellness Initiatives
IAS Prasanth N
Controversy Deepens Over IAS Officer Prasanth’s Suspension Extension Despite Panel Clearance
Indian Bureaucracy News Latest
ACC Extends Central Deputation Tenures of Ajai Kumar Verma and Kushagra Mittal
Screenshot 2025-06-21 202516
CM Yogi Leads International Yoga Day Celebrations in Gorakhpur
Indian PSUs Yoga Day 2025
Indian PSUs Lead the Way: Massive Participation Marks 11th International Yoga Day Across Public Sector
Jammu&Kashmir
Jammu & Kashmir: 27 Officers Promoted to Time Scale of JKAS; Safiya Abdullah Among Them - Check Order Here
Uttar Pradesh UP Government
Uttar Pradesh Launches ‘Urban Green Policy’ to Combat Climate Change and Promote Sustainable Development
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-21 at 8.03
Yoga for One Earth, One Health: NLC India Celebrates 11th International Yoga Day with 10,000 Participants in Neyveli
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Inderjit Singh Interview Plane Crash
What ill-fated pilots of AI171 may have gone through in those 40 seconds before the crash? Intro:
IRAS Ananth Rupanagudi
IRAS Ananth Rupanagudi’s 27-Year Odyssey with Indian Railways | Exclusive Interview
Monika Singh
The Civil Servant Who Finds Peace in Poetry
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-18 at 10.31
"I Just Wanted to Breathe Again": The Man Who Fought Death and Made It to UPSC
Struck by COVID at the peak of his UPSC prep, Devanand Telgote spent months on ECMO, unsure he'd live,...
Ravinder Nandal IDES
IDES Ravinder Nandal's Story of Self-Made Success
Balancing fatherhood, full-time jobs, and six UPSC attempts, Ravinder Nandal’s story is one of perseverance,...
Shailendra Choudhary UPSC
Daily Routine, Optional, Essays & More | Shailendra Choudhary Breaks It Down
Shailendra Choudhary, AIR 362 in UPSC 2024, shares how focused preparation, self-made strategies, and...
Social Media
Tigress Arrowhead
The End of an Era: A Queen Falls - Ranthambore’s Iconic Tigress Arrowhead (T-84) Passes Away at 14, Hours After Daughter’s Relocation
Ranthambore mourns the loss of one of its fiercest and most beloved tigers, Arrowhead, the granddaughter...
Screenshot 2025-06-13 194001
Wild Elephant Disrupts Riverside Picnic, Sparks Debate on Human Encroachment; IFS Parveen Kumar Shares the Video - Watch Here!
Mr. Kaswan used the viral video, which has garnered over 1.5 lakh views, to highlight the risks of human...
Tiger jump Sundarban
Stunning Viral Video Shows Royal Bengal Tiger Making Spectacular 30-Foot Leap Across River in Sunderbans - See It Here
Retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Susanta Nanda shared the clip online, which quickly went...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Image Yoga Day NBCC
Yoga Mahakumbh & Meditation Workshop: NBCC Commemorates 11th International Day of Yoga with Holistic Wellness Initiatives
IAS Prasanth N
Controversy Deepens Over IAS Officer Prasanth’s Suspension Extension Despite Panel Clearance
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Inderjit Singh Interview Plane Crash
IRAS Ananth Rupanagudi
Monika Singh
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT