Gufapatal Blooms with Angelia Flowers, Attracting Tourists

Ilam. Gufapatal is adorned with colorful flowers after the Angelia blooms profusely. Tourists are attracted as soon as they reach the park and flower garden built on seven ropanis with a view tower. Gufapatal, located in Suryodaya Municipality-4, is a new tourist destination in Ilam.

"When all the flowers bloom at once, it shines brightly like a decorated bride," said Sharada Subedi from Pokhara, "Tourists are attracted. The road needs a little more work."

Angelia is a rhododendron species that blooms in spring. There are about five thousand Angelia plants in this area. During the season, Gufapatal is crowded with tourists from Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and Bhutan.

"Tourists come here not only to take photos and make videos, but also to watch the sunrise and sunset from here, to observe the mountain ranges, and to see tourist places in Ilam, Panchthar, Tehrathum, Jhapa, as well as in India, West Bengal, Sikkim, Darjeeling, etc.," said Vijay Lati, secretary of the Gufapatal Tourism Committee. "Tourists from Nepal also come through India. It is easy for tourists from India to come here."

The three-kilometer road is unpaved, making the road on the Nepali side inconvenient for tourists. However, stone soling has been done. It is only difficult for tourists who do not drive in the hills. Leaving the Mechi Highway and taking the Fikkal Chhpitara towards the Shriantu Road, one reaches Chhiruwa Chowk in half an hour. From there, leaving the Antu Road and going straight north, Gufapatal is about six kilometers away. It is possible to reach Gufapatal on a blacktopped road via Mechi Bazaar through India from the border area Pashupatinagar.

"Two thousand six hundred meters of road have been blacktopped. Now, when the three-kilometer road construction is completed, the blacktop will reach Gufapatal," said Ward Chairman Saran Rai. "There is nothing artificial here. Everything is natural. Tourists are being attracted because of the cold air, the fragrance of the flowers, and the beautiful scenery. Infrastructure development is also underway."

This is a border area. The source of the Mechi River is nearby. Locals worship at the source of the Mechi River, which is on the border of India and Nepal. Ward Chairman Rai said that locals have been protecting the border for years.