GAURIPUR, Nov 30 - The historic Lowkhowa Beel situated on the Northern side of Gauripur town has become a neglected tourism spot due to apathy and inaction of the present Zamindar family of Gauripur for years together.
Famous Goalpariya folk singer Pradmashri Pratima Barua Pandey and Dr Bhupen Hazarika sang a memorable song about Lowkhowa. The song is still popular ampng all sections of people in Dhubri district. Pratima Barua Pandey passed her early life by playing and dancing on the banks of this famous beel.
Since the time of Raja Pravat Chandra Barua, the illustrious Zamindar of erstwhile Zamindari Estate of Gauripur, the beel was owned by them. The beel consists of 285 bighas of land and was full of fish and tortoise. Besides these aquatic creatures, the beel was also full of different varieties of flowers, including lotus, lily etc.
Moreover, during the winter season, different species of migratory birds come to the beel and tourists coming from various parts of the state and outside visited the beel and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Prabhat Chandra Barua had the habit of fishing annually in the beel and he used to distribute the fish among the students and teachers of the famous Tarini Priya Chatuspathy, a seat of Sanskrit learning and teaching.
The beel was surrounded by various types of trees and the Zamindars used these big trees as a stable for keeping their pet elephants.
After the death of elephant-expert Prakritis Chandra Barua, Popularly known as Lalji, the Zamindar family was divided and the beel is presently owned by three families. During the period of inter mediation, a large portion of the beel has since been encroached upon and a number of families constructed their dwelling houses on the banks of the beel and some people used the soullern bank as their lavatories. Besides, the E&D Department raised the embankment along the beel and a large number of valuable trees were felled, thereby causing extinction of some birds like eagle, kites etc.
Presently, the beel is owned by three families of the Royal family and they leased out the beel for a three-year term with one-year term for each family. The environmentalists of this region have pleaded the authority concerned to come forward and to take initiative to take over charge of the beel in consultation with the stake holders of the beel, otherwise the existence of the beel will be threatened in the near future.
