Potential tourism site Fulbari in Myagdi in shadow; ‘Thali Naach’ getting popular in Myagdi

Myagdi / November 13: Fulbari, a beautiful place at Rima, Histan VDC-6 in Myagdi district, which has high potential to be developed into another major tourism site in the district, is in the back burner.

A flatland in the middle of the rhododendron forest, Fulbari, is located at an altitude of 2,900 meters above sea level.

Whereas Punhill which can be reached after 45 minutes walk uphill from Fulbari is teeming with tourists, Fulbari looks deserted. This is due to the lack of publicity and enough facilities for tourists. The main reason for Fulbari lying in the back burner is because there is no well-managed and sound foot trail to reach up to Fulbari.

Yam Bahadur Pun of Rima, who runs a motel at Fulbari, said 250 tourists visited the place last year whereas only 30 have visited as of the second week of November. According to him, the place could be developed as a ‘butterfly view’ meaning the panoramic view of the white Himalayan range that one can get from the middle of the rhododendron forest.

The forest around the place is abundant with rhododendrons of different 15 species with various hues as red and white. Various Himalayan peaks as Annapurna South, Baraha Shikha, Nilgiri, Ghampu Peak, Dhampu Pass, Tukuche Peak, Dhawalagiri First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth and the Gurja peak can be seen from Fulbari.

In another issue, the traditional Thali Naach or the plate dance believed to have originated in Chimkhola of the district is gaining in popularity.

Thali Naach entails the performer dancing to the tune of folk music holding plates on the palms and rotating the plates meticulously.

This unique form of folk dance is catching up the fancy of the locals these days, thanks to the efforts of some folk culture lovers who also recorded the special music for this type of dance.

According to Dhan Kumari Thapa, a local who has been dancing and also teaching the Thali Naach, the plate dance is unique and requires special skills and practice as the performer has to do the dancing synchronizing the movements of the hands and feet to the music while rotating the plates.

It is considered offensive if the plate drops while performing in public, she said. This dance is performed at various social and cultural events. Believed to have originated in Chimkhola some 48 years back, Thali Naach is performed only by women dancers wearing the traditional Gunyu Choli dress. RSS