Amboli Monsoon Festival Organized to attract Gujarati tourists

Amboli Varsha Mahotsav (Amboli Monsoon Festival) Organised by Directorate of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra Organises to Attract Tourists  

Amboli will soon become an international tourism destination for its natural beauty and bio-diversity: Shri Deepak ji Kesarkar, Minister of Education and Marathi Language, Government of Maharashtra ~

Mumbai / Ahmedabad / Amboli (Sindhudurg, Maharashtra), 14th August, 2023: Amboli, a hill station situated at Sindhudurg District in Southern Konkan, will soon become an international tourism destination attracting tourists not only from Maharashtra and outside; but also from the world due to its rich bio-diversity, serene nature and wildlife, stated Shri Deepak Kesarkar, Minister of Education and Marathi Language, Government of Maharashtra  at the inauguration of the first Varsha Mahotsav (Monsoon Festival) organised by the Directorate of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra in Amboli, Sindhudurg District on 12th August.  Shri Girish Mahajan, Minister of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra conveyed his wishes to the organisers.

The festival is expected to attract many tourists and tour operators from Gujarat.

The Directorate of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra has organised Maharashtra’s this year’s first Monsoon Festival in Amboli in association with the Sindhudurg District Administration and Gram Panchayat of Amboli. The festival will go on till 16th August, 2023. Many nature lovers and volunteers engaged in developing Amboli as a tourist destination also extended their support to the festival.

Shri Kesarkar further claimed that Amboli, which is known as the Cherapunji of Maharashtra known for the highest rainfalls could be well-developed as a round-the-year tourism destination by holistically developing the tourism assets located in and around Amboli by leveraging the potential of its rich natural endowments, wildlife including the species of butterflies, snakes, frogs, etc. and introducing new-age tourism activities such as adventure tourism, jungle safaris, hang gliding.

He also expressed that the tourism destination would generate employment for local youths by developing their skills to take up tourism – related occupations, which will also boost the local economy. Shri Kesarkar also suggested to create a sustainable roadmap for development of tourism in the region and establish certain projects like hang gliding facilities of global standards, golf course, jungle safaris, etc. besides setting up a star-level hotels to attract tourists.

Explaining the idea behind organising the Amboli Varsha Mahotsav, Dr B N Patil, IAS, Director, Directorate of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra said, “Our thrust on leveraging Maharashtra’s tourism potential for tourists continues with Varsha Mahotsav at a nature’s heaven like Amboli. We are committed to take Amboli and the

surrounding region on the national and international tourism maps where tourists from within and outside Maharashtra and even from foreign countries will throng in to witness its natural beauty and ecology.”

Smt Savitri Palekar, Sarpanch of Amboli stated that the efforts of the people of Amboli and local nature lovers who have worked hard to promote Amboli as a tourist spot for its bio-diversity is gradually getting rewarded, as it is emerging on the national tourism map with support from the Government, the Tourism Ministry, the Guardian Minister, the Directorate of Tourism and the District Collector’s Office.

Smt K Manjulakshmi, IAS, District Collector, Sindhudurg hailed the efforts of the Directorate of Tourism for organising the first of its kind monsoon festival in Amboli will open up opportunities for the local people and women pertaining to tourism. She added that the tourists should not only visit; but stay in Amboli and explore its bio-diversity.

Amboli Varsha Mahotsav at Amboli was inaugurated at the Grampanchayat Office at Amboli today in the gracious presence of Shri Deepak ji Kesarkar, Smt Savitri Palekar, Sarpanch, Amboli Grampanchayat, Smt K Manjulakshmi, IAS, District Collector, Sindhudurg, Shri Saurabh Kumar Agrawal, IPS, District Police Superintendent, Sindhudurg District, Dr B. N. Patil, IAS, Director, Directorate of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra, Shri Rajan ji Teli, Ex-MLA, Shri Prakash Sawant, District BJP Head, Shri Hanumant Hede, Senior Manager of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation, Pune Region and other eminent personalities.

The festival has opened up the treasure troves of Amboli for the tourists beyond just scenic destinations during the monsoon. For instance, Amboli will showcase varieties of butterflies such as Blue Mormon. The places in and around Amboli are laced with attractions offering nature trails, rich bio-diversity and places of historic significance, which are still virgin and unexplored.

During the festival in Amboli, the tourists can explore Hiranyakeshi River, Kawalesad Point, Nangartas Waterfalls, Phanaswadi Dam, Butterfly Garden with activities such as trekking, rappling, site seeing, swimming, mud games, etc. The festival will also have a presentation on bio-diversity of Amboli and include many cultural activities. It will also have cultural attraction like Dashavatar and Chitrakathi. A three-day programme will also impart a special activity for Ex-Army Soliders at Shaheed Hawaldar Pandurang Gawade Memorial.

Amboli is a hill station situated at Sindhudurg District in Southern Konkan, which is the world’s well-known ‘ecological hotspot’ in the Western Ghat and about 489 kms from Mumbai (via Pune – Satara – Kolhapur Highway), 31 kms from Sawantwadi, 72 kms from Chipi Airport in Sindhudurg and 118 kms from Goa.  Amboli is known for its abundant natural beauty, waterfalls and mountains.  It lies in the Western Ghats and is peculiar because of its geographical relevance. It is 700 metres (2,300 feet) above sea level and is the last hill resort before ending in the coastal plains of Goa state. It is one of the world’s ‘Ecological Hotspots’ abundant with an unusual flora and fauna

adding an element of pristine beauty. It has a source of the Hiranyakeshi river lies in the hills around Amboli village, and an ancient Shiva temple (called Hiranyakeshwar) sits at the cave where the water emerges. The main attraction for tourists is the incredibly-high rainfall (7 m average, per year) and the numerous waterfalls and mist during the monsoons. The near-by Sawantwadi has a historical significance being a princely state of Sawant – Bhosale’s, a royal clan of the Capital State, which is also known for wooden toys in today’s times.