Within an hour distance from Jaisalmer airport there are villages like Barna & Janra, home of Manganiyar musicians and located very near to popular desert camp Khuri. The first village festival celebrating traditional art & culture will be held at Barna on 29-30 Dec and at Janra on 8-10 Jan. Villages like Kanoi located next to Sam desert camp or Hamira, located near Jaisalmer city – the mecca of Manganiyar music’s most important instrument – Khamaicha, or, Pokhran the GI holder of Pottery are very important places too. Jaisalmer city hosts Puppetry festival too (next edition in Feb 2021). Tourists may ask us at toureast@banglanatak.com for details.
The Phalodi region of Jodhpur desert is a hotspot for Langa musicians. Chopasani is home of Kalbelia dancers, the dance which is inscribed in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Jodhpur also is famous for Durrie making at a village called Salawas, which is within 30 minutes driving distance. The first village festival celebrating traditional art & culture will be held at Chopasani on 3-5 Nov and at Salawas on 3-5 Jan, 2021. Tourists may ask us at toureast@banglanatak.com for details.
Pugal in Bikaner is the home of Mir musicians, they travelled to India with Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti. One can see Usta Art or Miniature painting at Bikaner city area itself. People interested in seeing weaving village may visit Napasar, located within 30 minutes driving distance from Bikaner. Tourists may ask us at toureast@banglanatak.com for details.
Barmer is the goldmine for desert village based folk music and handicraft tourism. From Jodhpur, one can reach Patodi to see Jutti and Kasidakari work and Barnawa Jageer (located next door) for Langa music. From Jaisalmer, one can come to Sheo, to see a number of fantastic desert villages with Manganiyar musicians. Kiradu Temple or appliqué work of Chohtan can easliy be covered from Barmer town. The first village festival celebrating traditional art & culture will be held at Patodi on 6-8 Nov, at Sheo on 11-13 Dec and at Barnawa Jageer on 18-20 Feb, 2021. Tourists may ask us at toureast@banglanatak.com for details.
A simple green village by the river Bhagirathi in the border of Bardhaman and Nadia is the home of about 60 handicraft artists families working on Wooden Doll making. Natungram located at Kalna block in Purba Bardhaman has a beautiful Folk Resource centre developed by West Bengal Khadi and is maintained by the local artists fraternity. This has evolved as a quite popular Cultural Tourism destination for art lovers, both for workshop/ demonstration and also to procure souvenirs/ gifts directly from the source. The 6th edition of the Wooden Doll Festival will be held on 8-10 Jan, 2021. Entry to the festival is free and open to all. Tourists can visit Natungram from Shantiniketan and Kolkata anytime during the year and may ask us at toureast@banglanatak.com for details.
Knowing yourself is the essence of Baul Fakiri music, which reflects the joy, love and longing for mystical union with the Divine. Living the life of an esoteric, denouncing the material world, they urge people to rise above the divides created by caste, creed and religion to find peace. In 2004-05, we started working with 300+ Baul Fakirs in Nadia, strengthened Gorbhanga as a centre of disseminating Baul Fakiri music and then increased the spread to 1300 Baul Fakirs covering all 5 districts. While working with the artists, we realized the importance of Akhra in transmitting knowledge to next generation through Guru-Sishya parampara and thus hosted many workshops at Tepantar Theatre village in 2016-2019 timeframe. But then we realized that the Baul Fakirs need a permanent space for them, and thus we developed a Baul Fakir Ashram at Bannabagram in Ausgram near Guskara. We have also started organic farming there and also the 1.3 acre campus has a pond. Tourists can visit Ashram between August and April. Tourists may ask us at toureast@banglanatak.com for a suitable package, mentioning number of visitors, desired duration of stay and their interests.
Wooden Mask makers village – Kushmandi, Dhokra weaving artists; villages around – Mahisbathan, Kulator, Dehat, Pottery village – Kunoor, Basketry village – Daspara, Bamboo Mask – Baishyapara will give you a unique cultural tourism experience. They also hold the Geographical Indication (GI) for the Wooden Mask art form. Explore the village, interact with artists, participate at workshop and see Community Museum at Kushmandi located at the Resource centre developed by West Bengal Khadi and the same is used everyday under the leadership of Paresh Sarkar. The 7th edition of the 3 days Mukha mela (open to all, free entry) will be held at Kushmandi on 9-11 Oct, 2020.Tourists may ask us at toureast@banglanatak.com for details and we will be happy to connect you directly with the artists communities.
The “patuas” of Pingla hold the Geographical Indication (GI) for Patachitra. Learn about Patachitra tradition, join the workshop to learn about the process of making natural colours or listen to the Patachitra songs ‘Pater Gaan’ to know the stories of the paintings. Enjoy the Community Museum of the village. Pingla also has a beautiful Chau Resource centre developed by West Bengal Khadi and the Patachitra artists led by their Cluster CHITRATARU maintain it very well and they also have a provision of simple stay. One can visit nearby village Sabang to see Madur weavers also. The 11th edition of the 3 days Patachitra mela (open to all, free entry) will be held at Naya village in Pingla, Paschim Medinipur on 20-22 Nov, 2020. Tourists may ask us at toureast@banglanatak.com for a suitable package, mentioning number of visitors, desired duration of stay and their interests.
Tepantar is a theatre village with a four-acre campus. In the last few years, it has evolved as a dynamic cultural hub. Lush greenery, chirping of birds, buzzing of bees make your stay really nice. Within 1/2 hour(s) driving distance, one can visit Joydeb Kenduli to interact with the Baul musicians, Nanoor to meet Kantha stitch artists, Shantiniketan, Bannabagram Baul Ashram, Dokra hub at Bikna in Bankura and Terracotta temples at Bishnupur. Tourists may ask us at toureast@banglanatak.com for a suitable package, mentioning number of visitors, desired duration of stay and their interests; or, get in touch with Kallol Bhattacharya at ebongamraindia@gmail.com for accommodation at Tepantar. Tepantar also celebrates Dol/ Folk Holi, next edition on 27-29 March, 2021.
Purulia is a pied panorama of nature, people, culture and heritage. It is the land of the spectacular Chau dance inscribed in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010. Chau is a colorful, martial mask dance of eastern India. Nearly 180 families of Chau mask makers live in Charida village. This has evolved as a major Tourism destination for art lovers, both for workshop/ demonstration and also to procure souvenirs/ gifts directly from the source. They hold the annual mela between November and January. Tourists may ask us at toureast@banglanatak.com for details and we will be happy to connect you directly with the artists. One can also get in touch with Pinaki Ganguly at rose.ngo@rediffmail.com for accommodation at Charida itself.
Purulia is a pied panorama of nature, people, culture and heritage. It is the land of the spectacular Chau dance inscribed in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010. Chau is a colorful, martial mask dance of eastern India. Nearly 3,000 artists pursue this vibrant performing folk art tradition in Purulia. Balarampur is famous for Chau dance and Maldi village has a beautiful Chau Resource centre developed by West Bengal Khadi and the Chau artists do training everyday under the leadership of Jagannath Chowdhury and Biren Kalindi. There is a provision of simple stay at Balarampur Chau Centre. 2nd edition of Chau Jhumur Utsav (ofree entry, open to all) will be held at Maldi on 18-20 Dec, 2020. Tourists may ask us at toureast@banglanatak.com for a suitable package, mentioning number of visitors, desired duration of stay and their interests.
Situated on 60 acres of land, Nimdih Gandhi Ashram is located at the foothills of the Dalma range of hills and offers a picturesque and enchanting view of the region. Nimdih offers simple stay arrangements with cottages, hash-huts and rooms, with provision of attached toilet for the cottages and common clean western style toilet for both tent and room accommodation. Tourists can visit Nimdih between September and mid April. Nimdih has big land dedicated for organic farming and guests can experience doing it. Visitors interested in Purulia tours may also opt to stay at Nimdih Gandhi Ashram and visit Chau mask makers’ village at Charida in Baghmundi, Chau dance village at Maldi in Balarampur and Ayodhya hills, all are within 1-1.5 hours of driving distance. Nimdih also celebrates Dol/ Folk Holi, next edition on 27-29 March, 2021. Tourists may ask us at toureast@banglanatak.com for a suitable package, mentioning number of visitors, desired duration of stay and their interests.
Sunderbans is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is renowned for its bio-diversity, unique landscape and the iconic mangrove forests. This landscape of the Sunderbans inspires the folk traditions of this land, such as Bonbibir Pala, a mythological play that revolves around the age-old conflict of man and animal. The mystic rivers of the Sunderbans inspire soul-stirring Bhatiyali songs. Likewise, another local tradition, Jhumur dance and songs, resonates through time. The land offers visitors an experience of a lifetime.
Sundarban has a beautiful Folk Resource centre developed by West Bengal Khadi and is maintained by the local artists fraternity led by Puranjan Mondal. The 4th edition of the Sundarban Folk Festival will be held on 25-27 Dec, 2020. Entry to the festival is free and open to all. Tourists can visit Sundarban anytime during the year and may ask us at toureast@banglanatak.com for a suitable package, mentioning number of visitors, desired duration of stay and their interests.
TourEast, an initiative of banglanatak dot com, promotes cultural tourism destinations of rural Bengal which offers authentic experience of heritage traditions and simplicity of rural life.
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