Cave tourism for hill visitors - new LInk in sport loop

Takling Busty, April 20.2006 : Caving, as a form of adventure sports, is fast becoming a craze with tourists visiting the region. The credit for bringing the sport in the list of attractions in the region's adventure tourism circuit goes to a self-help group of eight youths from this village, more than 55 km from Siliguri. The youths have been instrumental in opening up a 300-m natural cave for sports enthusiasts. Gloria Cave, as they have named it, was opened for tourists last Saturday, amid the holy chant of a local pastor and cultural performances by village youths. Though the area abounds in caves, Gloria Cave is the first to be opened for caving. 'It is great that we have been able to introduce a new sport for tourists visiting the region,' said Lawrence Pradhan, one of the members of the self-help group ' Takling-Mangwa Nature Guide and Adventure Tracks Group. 'It is only recently that we came to know that caving, which is hugely popular as an adventure activity elsewhere, could be initiated in a cave that has been here for ages,' he added. Rock-climbing and nature treks are other activities that the group wants to promote and form an adventure circuit by linking these activities with white-water rafting in the Teesta.