Dahanu Festival 2022: Celebrating Dahanu and its sustainable tourism
With sustainable tourism and promotion of local culture as the core objective, Dahanu Municipal Corporation is organizing the first-ever Dahanu Festival on 12th and 13th March, 2022. The Seaview Park, Dahanu beach will be the venue for the grandest ever festival that will celebrate the legacy and culture of Dahanu. The venue which is the key highlight of the event is a beautiful, picturesque location surrounded by beautiful trees across the ground.
The two-day mega event will be an eclectic mix of various aspects of the region which offers pristine natural beauty, beaches and a lifestyle that is well preserved despite being very close to major cities of the region such as Mumbai, Nashik, and Surat etc.
Historically known as ‘Dhenu Gram – the Village of the Cows’, Dahanu is a coastal town and a municipal council in Palghar District of Maharashtra. Despite being less than 3 hours of drive away from Mumbai, it is a green destination nestled in the Konkan region. Swaying palm trees, fragrant roses, and sweetness of Chikoo (Dahanu contributes more than 35% of the Chikoo production in the state of Maharashtra), with refreshing sea breeze, Dahanu is the place to be for beach lovers looking at an authentic cultural and cuisine experience of tribal Konkan region.
Speaking about this, Ashima Mittal, Asst Collector, Dahanu said, “Dahanu has been a key attraction for tourists from nearby areas of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The beaches are extremely popular among the people from cities like Mumbai who prefer a quick weekend getaway from the crowded city life and spend some time in lush green Konkani ambiance. With an aim to drive sustainable tourism in the region, we are organizing an event of the scale that hasn’t yet taken place in Dahanu and expect hearty response from visitors not just from Maharashtra and Gujarat, but, also from other parts of the country.”
The two-day long festival has some exciting activities planned for visitors including kite flying show (day and night), beach paragliding, agro farm tours, old and ancient games, art and craft workshops (Warli) and Mardaani khel. Tourists will also get to enjoy some local folk dance performances, live musical band, Puneri dhol fusion band, onsite camping activities like star gazing, trekking and other extravaganzas.
Adding further, Bharat Rajput, President, Dahanu Municipal Council said, “The need for sustainable tourism is rapidly growing from an ecological point of view as well as to support the local tourism infrastructure in high potential destinations like Dahanu. The area has rich diversity of flora and fauna, greenery, and a fascinating history. The biggest attractions are the lovely beaches of Dahanu. We are organizing this event close to the waterfront to give all visitors a fascinating and memorable travel experience. We are confident that the event will help put Dahanu firmly on the national tourism map.”
Elaborating about the things that will keep tourists across age groups engaged, Abhijit Deshmukh, Tahshildar, Dahanu said, “We are aiming to welcome visitors across age groups, and preferences. From folk dances to traditional games, and other activities, there is going to be no dearth of activities to choose from. Food lovers will be able to relish traditional Maharashtrian and Konkani cuisine and as the theme of the event suggests, the sustainable sweetness of Chikoo and Chikoo based products which are the specialty of Dahanu.”
Speaking further Vaibhav Aware, Chief Officer, Dahanu Municipal Corporation & Rohintan Zaiwala, Vice President, Dahanu Municipal Council, said “We are trying to revive interest in sustainability and everything nature through this initiative. Heritage walk around the area to show people what Dahanu holds along with village tours are things we feel will pique interest of the visitors attending this festival”.
Dahanu is the GI of Chikoo. Visitors to the festival will not only be able to enjoy the celebrations, but can also first-hand experience Chikoo and fish farming, and honey combing. They will also be able to explore the thriving Chikoo food processing units in the area. The organizers of the Dahanu Festival are leaving no stone unturned in making the two-day event an iconic celebration of sustainable sweetness. A plethora of activities has been planned for both the days.
