Dolphin Points Emerge As Must See Destinations For Visitors To Varanasi

Varanasi: Visitors to Kashi can now have the opportunity to see frolicking dolphins from two viewing points that have been established at Dhakwa and Kaithi, at a distance of around 35 km from Varanasi. The dolphins in the area are cared for by ‘Dolphin Mothers’. People can even ride boats to meet the dolphins.

Hundreds of riverine dolphins are present in the area where the two points have been set up to make them a destination on the international tourism circuit.

Forest Supervisor Ravi Kumar disclosed that according to the recent census, the highest number of riverine dolphins are found between Kanpur Barrage and Chunar in the entire country. “Encouraged by this, we have established the two dolphin points,” he said. Efforts are underway to educate the public about dolphins. Awareness is being raised by bringing children from various schools to view the aquatic mammals. There are reportedly more than 6000 riverine dolphins in the Ganges basin.

“We are conserving the dolphins based on the census carried out by the Wildlife Institute of India. We have deployed ‘Dolphin Friends’ here who regularly visit the surrounding areas to raise awareness about dolphins through education and other means. Along with this, continuous efforts are also being made by the Building Department under the Namami Gange Project, which includes patrolling and making other arrangements for the safety of dolphins,” he added.

One of the Dolphin Friends, Preeti Nishad, disclosed that she visits the area daily to observe the routine of the dolphins and also visits the villages to educate the people about not littering the Ganga. She asks them to watch the dolphins from a distance.

“Over a period of time, the people have become more aware of dolphins. We organise various campaigns through camps, books and visit schools and villages to educate children and villagers about dolphins. We explain to them how to keep the dolphins safe. We also conduct training programmes with boatmen asking them not to cast large nets into the Ganges, and if a dolphin gets caught in their net, they must immediately report it to the Forest Department,” she disclosed.

She added that the boatmen are asked to carry knives and scissors with them so that the dolphins trapped in a net can be released immediately. The boatmen are also taught how to navigate the Ganges without disturbing the dolphins. This ensures their employment as well as the safety of the dolphins.

Preeti pointed out that Dhakwa and Kaithi are considered the most suitable for the Gangetic dolphins where they live and interact with nature. These areas have an ideal, peaceful and clean environment. “The water here is very deep, and since dolphins feed on fish, there are plenty of small fish here, which provides them with ample food,” she added while relating that the boatmen play a significant role in dolphin conservation here as they use paddle boats instead of steamers.

She added that the number of tourists coming to see the dolphins is constantly on the rise, with September to March being the peak season when the dolphins are most active during their breeding season. This is the time when baby dolphins can be seen frolicking in the Ganges in large numbers.

Preeti underlined that the dolphin safari has employed the people of Dhakwa and its surrounding villages. The local shopkeepers and boatmen benefit the most. “Once a visitor comes here, he or she asks the others to visit as well,” she said.

A tourist from Australia disclosed that she came to know about the dolphin safari here through Google and had an amazing experience visiting the place. “It was the most beautiful experience of my life. I got to see the Ganges dolphins up close and saw a large number of them,” she said.