Joy Roy Choudhury – Ranchi
Tourists visiting Jharkhand, can now look forward to witnessing a spectacular sound and light show on the lines of the ‘son-et-lumiere’ at Delhi’s Red Fort in Deoghar’s Shilpgram. Raghubar Das, the state chief minister recently inaugurated the project at Deoghar’s Shilpgram, just three km from the famous Baidyanath temple. Conceptualised and funded by the state tourism department, the 26-minute project has been implemented by ITDC, through an executing agency. Investments on the project is approximately Rs 4.75 crore. ‘son-et-lumière’ is a popular form of night-time entertainment and is accompanied with narration and dramatic music.
Aqua screen, lasers, dancing fountains and audio-video system, powerful lasers, technological back-up are all part of this visual extravaganza. Work is also on to introduce another sound and light show at Kanke Dam, near the state capital, Ranchi. “The light and sound show on a 60 ft high and 45 ft wide water screen at Shilpgram in Deoghar is on Baba Vishwanath and Lord Shiva, the one at Kanke will present tribal uprisings led by well-known tribal freedom fighters like Birsa Munda, Sidho and Kanhu with special effects. It will depict the history of Jharkhand, its people, natural beauty, tradition, art and folk dances,” said Sunil Kumar, managing director, Jharkhand Tourism Development Corporation (JTDC), the state-run tourism promotion body.
Entertainment will be clubbed with luxury and visitors can enjoy comfortable accommodation with fine dining as part of the package. “We have worked out attractive packages including stay and sight-seeing for the tourists,” he added.
Deoghar or Baidyanathdham in Jharkhand is the seat of the ancient temple of Ravaneshwar Mahadev. Every year more than 40 lakh pilgrims visit this shrine from different parts of the country.
The Government of Jharkhand also proposed a substantial hike in the budgetary allocation for the tourism department in the current fiscal year. While presenting the state budget for 2015-16 in the State Assembly, the CM who also holds the finance portfolio proposed a four-fold increase in the budgetary allocation for the tourism department – from Rs 25 crore to Rs 100 crore. In a related development, Avinash Kumar, secretary, department of tourism, Government of Jharkhand said, “The department would soon appoint a consulting firm or an agency to draw a future road-map for the tourism department.”