Birtamode - Four decades ago, the famous Antu Pokhari was nothing more than a quiet grazing ground for buffaloes. Until 1983, locals from four nearby villages would bring their livestock here to drink from the steady water source. Back then, the area was so isolated and silent that people were often afraid to walk near the pond after 2:00 PM.

"When we were kids, we used to graze 20 to 22 buffaloes here," says Khagari Ghimire, a local resident. "It was so dark and lonely that as soon as the buffaloes finished drinking, we would hurry back to our sheds before the sun went down."

Today, that same silent pasture has transformed into one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world. Instead of buffaloes, the pond now welcomes between 800 and 2,000 tourists every single day.

The Journey of Change

The transformation began in 1983 when the local district council provided a small budget of 20,000 rupees to protect the pond. Local families joined hands to build walls and clean the area. By 2002, the Antu Tourism Development Center was officially registered, leading to more government funding for better infrastructure.

In the late 1990s, the community decided to turn the pond into a boating attraction. They first rented boats from Mirik, India, and later bought their own from Kolkata. In 2005, the former Speaker of the House, Subas Chandra Nembang, officially inaugurated the boating service by releasing pigeons over the water.

Local Government Investment

Since the shift to a federal system, the local government has heavily invested in the area. Former Mayor Ran Bahadur Rai shared that the municipality has spent about 50 million rupees on Antu Pokhari and Antu Danda.

"When we first started, the area around the pond was so muddy that tourists didn't even want to walk there," Rai explains. "We built tracks, installed lights, and turned it into an integrated tourist hub. What used to be small straw huts are now large, modern hotels."

The government also improved the road to Antu Danda, the famous hilltop for viewing the sunrise. They upgraded the viewing tower and paved the walking paths, making it much easier for visitors to reach the top.

Economic Growth and Employment

The growth of tourism has changed the lives of local residents. According to Rudra Ghimire, President of the Antu Tourism Business Association, there are now:

• 110 hotels, cottages, and home-stays registered with the association.
• 50 community home-stays offering authentic local experiences.
• 310 direct jobs created for local people within the hotel industry alone.

The municipality's revenue has also skyrocketed. While they used to collect only 100,000 rupees a year from tickets, they now earn up to 5.6 million rupees annually.

What Makes Antu Special?

Antu Pokhari is now famous for its tea gardens, boat rides, seasonal fishing, and horse riding. A boat ride around the pond costs just 50 rupees per person.

Most tourists follow a specific schedule: they arrive the first day to explore the pond and enjoy evening music and campfires. The next morning, they wake up early to catch the stunning sunrise from Antu Danda.

Located just 11 kilometers from Chhipitar on the Mechi Highway, Antu is easily accessible by car, van, or motorcycle. It is a popular escape for people from the hot plains of Nepal and West Bengal, India, who come to enjoy the "natural air conditioning" of the hills.

Acting Mayor Durga Kumar Baral says that tourism is the foundation of the region's prosperity. "Antu and Kanyam are our primary destinations, but we are working to develop every village in the municipality into a tourist spot to ensure economic growth for everyone."