From Buffalo Grazing Land to Tourist Destination: The Journey of Antu Pokhari in Ilam

22 Baisakh, Ilam – Four decades ago, Antu Pokhari, now a renowned tourist destination in Ilam, was once a simple buffalo grazing area. Until 1983, locals from four neighboring villages would bring their buffaloes here to graze. The land was waterlogged in places, and even when surrounding water dried up, this pond never did. There were no houses or forests nearby, and during the day the area felt eerily quiet as if night had fallen prematurely. Today, Antu Pokhari remains brightly lit until midnight, bustling with activity. “As children, we used to graze around 20–22 buffaloes here, guiding them from areas like Antu Danda, Budhe Danda, Uniutar, Takpat, and Chirwa to drink water,” said local resident Khagaraj Ghimire. He recalled, “After 2 PM, darkness would fall, and people were afraid to move around. The herders would bring the buffaloes to Dhap Pokhari (the former name of Antu Pokhari) early to quench their thirst and return them to the barn.” At that time, only a few homes, including those of Kashinath Ghimire (Khagaraj’s father), Taranidhi Ghimire, and Til Bikram Nembang, existed, located far from the pond. There were no proper roads—only narrow trails. Today, the same place draws 800 to 2,000 tourists daily for boat rides and fishing. Evenings feature lively music played over speakers, with festivities lasting until midnight. Dining, drinking, singing, dancing, and campfires have become integral to the Antu experience.

The transformation from buffalo grazing land to tourist hotspot began around 1983, when Krishna Prasad Bhattarai was chairman of the District Panchayat. After the District Panchayat provided NPR 20,000, a pond conservation campaign was initiated, involving local residents. “We built walls on the east and west sides of the pond, retained water, and cleaned the area,” Khagaraj explained. On 12 December 2002, the Antu Tourism Development Center was officially registered at the District Administration Office. Under this organization’s leadership around 2005–2006, the Nepalese government allocated NPR 55,000 initially, followed by NPR 170,000 to finance further wall construction and water retention efforts. Since the 1990s, locals have been dedicated to developing this area as a tourist destination. Early on, they rented boats from Mirik in India and later purchased two boats from Kolkata to start operations. Around 2005–2006, then-Speaker Subash Chandra Nembang formally introduced boating at the pond. Initially, the Boat Committee managed operations, but currently, the municipality has increased investment to operate the site, generating significant revenue.

Following Nepal’s federal restructuring, local government attention focused on Antu. Former chairperson Ranbahadur Rai shared that the municipality has spent nearly NPR 50 million on infrastructure development, conservation, and beautification of Antu Pokhari and Antu Danda. “Previously, the area around the pond was impassable and muddy. Tourists were discouraged by the muddy conditions and visitor numbers were low,” Rai remarked. “We developed walking trails and installed lighting. Today, the area is progressing as an integrated settlement. When we became representatives in 2017, homestays and cottages were sparse, mostly roofed with thatch. Now, large hotels have sprung up. We have invested approximately NPR 50 million to create a tourism hub in Antu.” Antu Danda, located above the pond, offers scenic views of Jhulkhe Gham and has become a hallmark of the region alongside Antu Pokhari.

In 2017, no road led to Antu Danda. “The road previously ended at Chipitar near Antu,” said Rai. “After the Road Division Office extended the road up to Bhanjyang (below the pond), they considered returning unused funds. However, when we took local office, we improved the route to enable access to the view tower on the hill. The tower was previously disorganized, but coordinated efforts between federal and local governments have now structured it properly. The path from the playground to the hill was muddy and has since been surfaced with soling and gravel, allowing tourists easy access.” Most parts of Antu now have electricity. Where tourists once generated only NPR 100,000 in annual ticket revenue amid considerable littering, the municipality has since hired staff to boost domestic revenue collections to NPR 5.6 million annually. Tourism fairs and widespread promotion efforts have further supported growth, according to Rai. Currently, the Intensive Urban and Building Development Project under the federal government is implementing beautification work, including drainage along Gate 2 access roads, foot trails, fencing, and road expansion, explained project sub-engineer Prakash Chapagain. Business owners note that visitors now spend hours around Antu Pokhari.

Rudra Ghimire, president of the Antu Tourism Entrepreneurs Association, remarked that tourist numbers have surged. “Between 800 and 2,000 tourists arrive daily. The association includes 110 hotels, cottages, and homestays, with 50 community-run homestays and 35 providing regular services,” he said. “Collectively, these hotels directly employ 310 people. The key attractions are the scenic cottages amidst tea gardens, boating, seasonal fishing, and horse riding. Currently, four boats operate on Antu Pokhari, each accommodating four passengers. Visitors pay NPR 50 per boat trip, which generates revenue for the municipality. The boats are regularly in use. Antu Danda is well-known for its sunrise and sunset views. Visitors often follow a schedule where they arrive the previous day, enjoy Antu Pokhari’s festivities until night, and awaken early to witness the sunrise from Antu Danda.” The road to Antu branches from Chipitar at Kanyam on the Mechi Highway and is approximately 11 kilometers long. The road is paved, accessible by jeep, car, van, and motorcycle from Kanyam.

The prime season for viewing the Jhulkhe Gham sunrise starts in the last month of Bhadra (late August) and continues into Poush-Magh and Baisakh (mid-December to mid-April). The sunrise here is a major attraction, drawing hundreds of domestic and international tourists annually. Antu is a thriving tourist area crowded with rural tourism visitors. From its vantage point, guests can see the northern Himalayan ranges, including Kon Dhari Dhupi-Salla and Jumka-Jumka cardamom fields, along with seasonal fruits and other crops adorning the landscape. The vicinity resembles the markets of Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, and Saptari, as well as Indian towns like Darjeeling, Mirik, and Siliguri. Tourists from the hotter southern districts of Nepal and West Bengal flock here for a comfortable climate. Hundreds of visitors from West Bengal spend two to four nights annually. When the plains experience intense heat, Antu becomes a natural “air-conditioned” refuge. Apart from tourists, student groups also visit Antu for educational trips.

Durga Kumar Baral, mayor of Suryaodaya Municipality, emphasized that tourism is key to economic prosperity. “Not just Antu and Kanyam, but every ward and village here is a tourist destination. Agricultural produce, medicinal herbs, endangered red pandas, religious, cultural, and archaeological sites make Suryaodaya a prime tourism zone. The Koshi Province government has declared it a tourism municipality. Antu and Kanyam are our principal destinations, but we continue to develop other areas as well. Tourism remains the foundation of our economic growth,” he stated.