Fruit fun

Patna, May 2: Plucking fruit from a tree and eating it fresh is something we all cherish but very few have the pleasure of an orchard to enjoy such moments.

However, courtesy the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC), now even a common man can leap for the juicy fruit.

The BSTDC has come up with a special package that would allow people to visit litchi orchards and enjoy the taste of the fruit by directly plucking it from trees.

The Telegraph on December 28 last year had first reported about the BSTDC’s plan of promoting litchi tourism in Bihar.

As the litchi season generally lasts for about three weeks, the BSTDC has planned special packages keeping the maturity time of the fruit in mind.

“The first package would be available from May 27 to May 29, the second one from June 3 to June 5 and the last one from June 10 to 12,” BSTDC chairman Deepak Kumar said.

There would be two types of packages.

While one would offer a visit to litchi orchards and some other important places for one full day, the second type of package would be of half-day duration.

BSTDC would also provide options as far as mode of transportation is concerned and tourists can avail either the services of a Volvo bus or cars and SUVs.

Those availing the daylong package would start their journey in the morning from Patna and would be first taken to Vaishali, an important destination on the Buddhist circuit, where the BSTDC would provide lunch after sightseeing.

After that tourists would be taken to litchi orchard at Mehsi in East Champaran, where they would be free to eat as much litchis as they can by plucking from trees.

Tourists, however, would have to pay an extra sum in case they want to take some litchis to their homes from the orchard.

The BSTDC has entered into an agreement with some of the orchard owners in Mehsi for providing this rare opportunity to tourists.

After enjoying the fruit in the orchard, tourists would be taken for a village walk during which they would be taken to the button factories of Mehsi and also the famous “Mazaar” of Abdul Halim Sah.

On the return journey, tourists would be taken to the Sudha Dairy unit in Muzaffarpur and they would be provided with snacks and tea. From there, the tourists would be brought back to Patna.

Those availing the half-day package would not be taken to Vaishali.

These tourists would be taken directly to Mehsi and the rest of the itinerary would remain the same.

As far as the rate for this special package is concerned, the BSTDC is working out details and it would be announced in a day or two.

The BSTDC is also working out details for giving special concession to schools, which would be interested to take their students to the litchi orchards.