Do you know that India has its very own hub of paragliding in Assam? In fact, this year, Assam’s Bodoland will be hosting its first paragliding championship from 10th November to 15th November. The venue of this adventurous tournament will be in Ontaigufur Dangdhufur Chokrosila Wildlife Sanctuary in Kokrajhar, as selected by the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) Tourism Department.
What’s More?
Paragliding was first introduced by BTC tourism department in 2013 during the iconic Bhaokungri festival. As part of that, thousands of people climbed the Baukungri peak to support the initiative. When paragliding was first introduced in Assam, pilots from Sikkim were called to train the youth, opening avenues to provide them with unique livelihood opportunities. This helped in making sure that the basics were right.
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This year, the BTC tourism department will proudly host its first paragliding championship in Assam. They will be inviting around 70 pilots from around 15 countries like Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, Switzerland. Along with that, the invitation will also be open to pilots from Pune, Sikkim, Manali and Arunachal Pradesh. To promote this further, the department also has plans of setting up a paragliding training centre near the Dangdhufur Ontaigufur in Chokrasila wildlife sanctuary in Kokrajhar.
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Paragliding Championship In Bodoland
So are you ready to witness the first paragliding championship in full gusto in Assam this November? This one-of-a-kind event will commence with the opening ceremony on 11th November 2019 at 10 am. Following which there will be registrations, morning trials and first-round competition flies for the next two days. On the 12th and 13th of November 2019 the main paragliding competition will be held, where national and international pilots will take on this adventure sport in full zest from Ontai-Gufur, Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary and land in Damadurpur, Revenue Area. On the 14th of November 2019, you can watch the final fly and prize distribution as well as the final closing ceremony at 5 pm.
Things To Do In Bodoland
When you visit Bodoland for this paragliding competition, there are a plethora of things you can do here. You can go on a picnic with your family to Chowki which lies on the foothills of Bhutan. Park your tent and enjoy a beautiful time in the lap of nature. Nature lovers! A trip to Jamudar, the tri-junction of Assam, Bhutan and West Bengal is a must. Witness the gorgeous river Sankosh, lush green deciduous trees and the foothills of the Great Himalayas here. Do not leave Bodoland without visiting the iconic Manas National Park at the foothills of Bhutan. You can spot a variety of rare fauna and exquisite flora here along with many endemic wildlife species, making it a wildlife abode.
Pay your reverences at some of the most spiritual shrines of India in Bodoland. Visit the Mahamaya Dham temple which is a popular pilgrimage site, second to the famous Kamakhya temple in Guwahati. You can then visit the Mahamaya Shnan Ghat temple where the Goddess Mahamaya was believed to have taken bath. This beautifully designed temple is sure to give you some much-needed peace and tranquillity.
When you’re in the picturesque region of North East, can you really have enough of nature? As you scream no, take a trip down to the gorgeous wetland of Diplai Beel. When you’re here take your cameras and binoculars and spot hundreds of exotic migratory and resident birds here. It’s truly a sight to behold! You can also visit Bhairabkhunda a quintessential picnic spot situated on the banks of River Dhanshri. Devotees of Lord Shiva can pay their respects at this spot which is an important pilgrimage site for for people across India.
How To Reach Here?
Now that we’ve given you an array of exciting things you can experience when you’re in Bodoland (apart from the most awaited paragliding championship) you must be curious about how you can reach here. Well, the nearest airport from Bodoland is the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati. From this Guwahati airport, you can go on a long drive of about 218 km to reach Bodoland. You can also opt for a train from Kokrajhar Railway Station or get on a bus from Guwahati or other regions of the Northeast. So book your tickets and make your much-awaited trip to Assam a reality. Do attend this one-of-a-kind paragliding championship in Bodoland, Assam, which is a landmark move for the BTC Tourism department and for the Northeast.
Paragliding is seen by the tourism department as a way to provide employment opportunities for the youth in other North-Eastern states in India. In order to facilitate that, more and more initiatives are being taken for it. Not only does it generate employment for the locals, but adds on to tourism as well. A win-win it is!
Deets
Event: 1st Bodoland International Paragliding Accuracy Championship 2019 India
Address: Kokrajhar, Bodoland Territorial Council, Assam, India
Dates: 10th to 14th November 2019
For Registrations click here
Check out the website here