Linking festival and sports: West Bengal govt using Durga Puja flavour prior FIFA U-17 to attract tourists

NewsBharati    24-Sep-2017
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Kolkata, September 24: Right after Durga Puja will end FIFA under 17 World Cup will start in 1st week of October. Hence Foreign Tourists across World will gather in Kolkata during this time. West Bengal government Tourism department wants to grab this opportunity to attract more tourists utilizing the festive flavor. For the first time the tourism department has come up with special passes for tourists so that they can visit all Durga Puja pandals in and around the city. There are various packages also for the tourists so they can visit every famous pandal.

"We have made efforts to include different flavours of Durga Pujas, the biggest festival of the state, to cater to all kinds of tourists and their varied likings ... from the hustle and bustle of the city with its overwhelming lights, colours and large pandals to the serene atmosphere of a village where the pujas are celebrated in a different way," West Bengal tourism minister Gautam Deb said.

There are various famous tourist spots in Bengal which are 4-5 hours away from Kolkata. Though Darjeeling and Hill area is not ready to welcome tourists, Dooars and foothill areas are perfect destinations. There are Digha, Mandarmoni, Shantiniketan, Purulia. Those places are also getting decked up.

West Bengal government has launched an app “Sharodotsav”.This app will be full of information for different pandals in the city. Even the app will provide information about other cities in Bengal. Tourists will can visit traditional household pujas and like Shovabazar Rajbari, Rani Rashmoni, Khelat Ghosh Bari, Thanthania Dutta Bari, Chatu Babu and Latu Babu Bari pujas.