Itanagar: The Meghalaya Institute of Governance (MIG) in collaboration with Garung Thuk, an NGO, organized a four-day exposure trip for participants from Meghalaya’s Kongthong Village to Shergaon in West Kameng district.
The exposure tour that took place from March 21 to 24 saw thirteen participants from Kongthong and three officials from MIG take part in the trip to Shergaon, which was awarded the “Best Tourism Village of India 2023” in the Silver Category.
Kongthong Village, known as “the Whistling Village,” was also recognized at the same award ceremony as the “Best Tourism Village of India 2023” in the Bronze Category.
The exposure trip was part of MIG’s initiative “Bridging Rural Communities with Best Governance Practices” and aimed to establish a connection between the two communities for the exchange of governance mechanisms promoting sustainable rural tourism in Meghalaya.
Garung Thuk Local NGO, renowned for its grassroots efforts in community development and rural tourism promotion, coordinated the exposure visit to Arunachal Pradesh.
The participants received a one-day classroom session on sustainable rural tourism practices and Sherdukpen culture. They engaged in interactive sessions to learn about the people and the place.
The following three days included field visits to the Granjo Project (a cherry blossom plantation project), the weaving centre of Seinthuk Women SHG, Mandala Top, Morshing Village heritage walk, Tanpe Droima Museum, Taklung Gompa, Chillipam Gompa, Yokmuzor Buddha Park, among others.
The visitors also received firsthand demonstrations on home stay management at Red Berry River View Homestay owned by Pentang Thungon and her daughter Tsomu Thungon.
A session on farm stay management was also conducted by Dr D K Thungon.
Ibakordor Dohling, manager at the MIG expressed gratitude to Garung Thuk and the Shergaon Village Council for hosting the exposure visit.
She hoped that such exchange programs would continue in the future for the mutual benefit of both communities.
Garung Thuk chairman Ledo Thungon, thanked the Government of Meghalaya for selecting Shergaon as the destination for the exposure visit.
Alternatively, Rothel Khongsit, the secretary of the Kongthung-based Indigenous Agro Tourism Cooperative Society Ltd, informed the locals about the unique tradition in Kongthung village, where each villager has a ‘whistle name’, earning the village the title of ‘the whistling village of Meghalaya’.
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