Mumbai: Maharashtra being the land of rich heritage and colorful festivals, Kokan Bhumi Pratisthan and Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) are all set to set offer a two-day extravagant ‘Chikoo Festival’ in Dahanu. The festival will be celebrated on 1st and 2nd of February 2014, on Camping Ground, Bordi Beach. Organised by Kokan Bhumi Pratisthan, the Chikoo Festival attracts many tourists from and around Mumbai.
The Chikoo Festival promotes Dahanu more towards Sustainable Progressive Development. Dahanu is a small coastal town and not many are aware of its history and its natural topography. The tribal interiors have rich culture and copiousness art & craft.
MTDC has substantiated the true potency of the region which is constellated with agriculturists, horticulturists, floriculturists, artisans, potters, basket weavers, jewelry die-makers, salt manufacturers, balloon manufactures, toddy tappers and fisher folks apart from primitive activities like boat repairing and net making.
Dr. JagdishPatil, Managing Director, MTDC, said, “It is our great pleasure to be the part of Chikoo Festival. Dahanu taluka is at crossroads – ecologically, socially, culturally; surrounded by the rapidly advancing industrial and commercial metros of Mumbai, Tarapur and Vapi. With over 50% land under fruit orchards, forests & mangroves, this region has a lot to offer through agrotourism. We want tourist to get a flavor of the indigenous culture of Dahanu and the Chikoo Festival encapsulates the true spirit of the land to its core.”
Mr. Sanjay Yadavrao, President, Kokan Bhumi Pratisthan, said, “Village tourism has a great potential in Konkan. This provides an ideal getaway to the urban and international tourists to relive a traditional Indian way of living in the natural habitat. Besides, the living experience of local culture and cuisine, Dahanu also offers a pristine scenic beauty coupled with history and heritage. We aim to augment the local economy through sustainable tourism through Chikoo Festival.”
The Chikoo Festival will provide a platform to showcase that Dahanu is well equipped with hotels, resorts, organic farms, sightseeing, hands-on village experiences, games and nature trails, a very good educational tourism opportunity can be generated which will help not only the existing hospitality industry but also provide new avenues of income generation to the orchard owners, local shops and establishments as well as the local tribal population, the Warlis, who constitute 66% of the total population of the area.
The festival entertains, educates and sensitises its visitors. The mission is to create opportunities for individuals and communities to celebrate, share and sustain the arts and the rich cultural traditions of the local area thereby creating alternative sources of income and sustainability.
The events will range from organizing a small fun-fair wherein stalls will be set-up to showcase different offerings; tribal art and craft, agricultural products, fresh fruits & their products, photo exhibition on the region, to outdoor attractions like, Chikoo safari, Vaarli dance, Parsi and Irani cuisine, visit to weekly bazaar, sans castle competition, kite making and Kite flying, local market visits, bon fire with local cuisine finger foods at the beach, etc.