International Journal of Management (IJM) Volume 11, Issue 11, November 2020, pp. 1906-1911. Article ID: IJM_11_11_181 Available online at http://iaeme.com/Home/issue/IJM?Volume=11&Issue=11 Journal Impact Factor (2020): 10.1471 (Calculated by GISI) www.jifactor.com ISSN Print: 0976-6502 and ISSN Online: 0976-6510 DOI: 10.34218/IJM.11.11.2020.181 © IAEME Publication Scopus Indexed AN OVERVIEW OF RURAL TOURISM IN BHAIRABKUNDA OF UDALGURI DISTRICT, ASSAM (INDIA) Subung Mochahari Research Scholar, Department of Commerce, Gauhati University, Assam, India ABSTRACT It is evident that Tourism sector has a capacity to stimulate different sectors of the economy. Rural tourism is one of the main priorities to develop the tourism sector in many developing countries. During the last decade, the Tourism sector has shown a tremendous growth, promoting business and generating employment. Rural Tourism, an inevitable part of it, focuses on the participation in the activities of rural lifestyle, culture, natural beauty, art, heritage, traditions, customs, food, dress and religion at rural location or rural areas and thereby favouring the local communities socially and economically. It also enables the interaction between the tourists and rural masses, enriching tourism experience. The region for the study is Bhairabkunda, a place located in the Udalguri District of Assam- a tri- junction of Assam, Aurnachal Pradesh and Assam. The place is also a meeting point of three rivers viz. ‘Jampani’, ‘Bhairabi’ and ‘Jia Dhansiri’. With its manmade forest and the immense natural beauty it has become one of the most favoured tourist destinations. The present paper makes an attempt to explore varied prospects and constraints of Rural Tourism, and its role in the rural economy development in Udalguri District of Assam. For, the purpose of the study, a well-structured methodology has been adopted to collect primary and secondary data and suitable statistical tools have been applied for analysis. Key words: Rural Tourism, bhairabkunda, prospects, challenges, rural economic development. Cite this Article: Subung Mochahari, An Overview of Rural Tourism in Bhairabkunda of Udalguri District, Assam (India), International Journal of Management, 11(11), 2020, pp 1906-1911. http://iaeme.com/Home/issue/IJM?Volume=11&Issue=11 http://iaeme.com/Home/journal/IJM 1906 [email protected] An Overview of Rural Tourism in Bhairabkunda of Udalguri District, Assam (India) 1. INTRODUCTION Tourism is a people‟s activity of travelling or moving to a place outside of a usual environment for leisure, fun, vacation, recreation, business or other purposes. As a trend, it has given opportunities for the growth of new business organisations, thereby promoting employment and contributing to the economic development of the country. Rural tourism focuses on the participating in rural lifestyle, culture, natural beauty, art, heritage, traditions, customs, food, religion, dresses, and religion at rural location, thereby favouring the local communities economically and socially. It also enables interactions between the tourists and the local people, enriching rural tourist experience. Relaxation, recreation, leisure, fun etc. is important in human life, as it helps in the growth of focus in one‟s daily business, which leads to increase in productivity. Modern urban population encounters daily busy schedule and to get rid of such a hectic life for a while, people prefer to travel to rural areas and enjoy and experience the beauty of the rural areas. A rural tourism is “A multifaceted activity that take place in an environment outside heavily urbanized areas. It is an industry sector characterized by small scale tourism business, set in areas where land use is dominated by agricultural pursuits, forestry or natural areas” (Report of Department of Tourism, 1994). “Rural tourism may be defined as a Variety of visits away from home to locations outside main town and seaside resorts, by the holidays, day trip, and business trips or to visit friends and relatives” (Government of England). “Rural tourism is a form of tourism in which the guest get to enjoy the unique culture or village life through participation in events or experience the local cuisine or buying ethnic goods and in the process also improve the welfare of the local people” (Rajesh K. Aithal). Finally, according to the report of Ministry of tourism, India Tourism statistics 2010, rural tourism is defined as “Any form of tourism that showcases the rural life, art, culture and heritage at rural locations thereby benefiting the local community economically and socially as well as enabling interactions between the tourists and the locals for a more enriching tourism experience” Rural tourism helps in the growth of rural economy by providing employment opportunities and enhancing development. The government of Assam is also taking various steps to promote and develop rural tourism through the Department of Tourism. Taking into account various infrastructural developments, Assam government is planning to launch „Aamaar Aalohi‟ (Our Guest) Rural Home-stay Scheme to tap rural tourism to provide accommodation for tourists. 2. OBJECTIVES The present paper attempts to attain the following objectives during the course of research. To explore the potential of the study area with respect to rural tourism. To study the various challenges or constraints in the study area. To find out the impact of rural tourism upon the locals. 3. METHODOLOGY The study is based on exploratory research design. The primary data has been collected through field survey and participant observation. For the secondary data various articles, journals, reports, official websites, news articles, etc. have been consulted 4. STUDY AREA The location of the study area is „Bhairabkunda‟ a place in Udalguri District of the state of Assam and in the boarder of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan. It is also the transit place for eastern province of Bhutan. It is situated at a distance of 22 km north from district http://iaeme.com/Home/journal/IJM 1907 [email protected] Subung Mochahari headquarter of Udalguri district and near the Bhutanese town of „Daifam‟. The river „Jampani‟, originating in Bhutan, merge with the „Bhairabi‟ river, to form a river „Jia Dhansiri‟. „Dhansiri‟ is one of the major tributaries of „Brahmaputra‟. The meeting place of river looks like a „kunda‟ (worshipping place of Lord Shiva). Thus, probably it got the name „Bhairabkunda‟.it also has the Shiva temple in the territory of Bhutan but mainly the Indian devotees visit the place. It also has the irrigation project covering five development blocks viz. Udalguri, Rowta, Kalaigaon, Mazbat and Bechimari under Udalguri civil sub-division to an area of 41.683 hectares. Further, the place also boasts of a manmade forest under JFMC (Joint Forest Management Committee) which has been created by the villagers of six villages, in collaboration with the forest department. The total area now comprises of 450 hectares, and is a shelter to various species of animals and birds, hence contributing to its potential for rural tourism. 5. LITERATURE REVIEW The researcher has come across the following literature: Khound (2013) has examined the potentials and constraints of rural tourism on three shyamgaon, i,e. Na Shyamgaon, Balijan Shyamgaon and betbari Shyamgaon of Titabor of Jorhat district of Assam. The paper has identified various potentials of study area,. viz, Three Buddhist Vihars, Cultural tourism, Village based tourism and Agricultural tourism. Also, the constraints highlighted in the paper are lack of proper communication facilities, insufficient financial support, maintenance, lack of guest house, lack of trained tourist and more importantly lack of awareness of the local people. The researcher opined that, the study area has a potential of rural tourism which can contribute to the rural economic development. Mili (2014) has made an overview study of Tourism in Tipam phakey village of Naharkatia in dibrugarh district of Assam. The paper describes the scope of eco-tourism, culture and village based tourism. The researcher has explored various site in the study area, viz,. Buddhist monastery, rain forest, Buridihing River, Bird watching site at Merbil, Tipam Mountain, Deomhalee pahar, Dighalighat Nagaghat and Sitakunda etc. Some of the barriers identified by the researcher are language barriers, insufficient financial support, lack of communication facilities etc. The researcher has highlighted socio-economic impact in the paper such as employment to youth, boosting of handloom industry, preservation of natural resources and exchange of revenue. 6. DISCUSSIONS AND FINDINGS 6.1. Potentials of Bhairabkunda as a tourist destination Pilgrimage tourism: Pilgrimage tourism is associated with man‟s search for spiritual significance. Bhairabkunda has a popular „Shiva temple‟ in the province of Bhutan, and it is also a meeting point of river „Jampani‟ and „Bhairabi‟ to form another river „Dhansiri‟. This meeting point looks like a „kunda‟ (worshipping place of Lord Shiva). The Hindu devotees from the country visit this place in „Makar Sankranti‟, to take bath in the meeting point of three rivers and offer puja at the temple. Forest tourism: Bhairabkunda has a manmade forest of 450 hectares spread across the area, and it was started as an initiative of JFMC (Joint Forest Management Committee) in Udalguri. Villagers of six villages, viz, Sonaigaon, No. 1 Majorgaon, Goraimari, Sapangaon, No.2 Majorgaon and Bhairabkunda joined