Lucknow: For a group of students from Oslo, Norway, a visit to Nandgaon village in Mathura on Saturday turned into an immersive lesson in rural India — complete with farm activities, traditional hospitality and local food. Their experience formed part of UP Tourism’s World Agri-Tourism Day celebrations held across 17 districts under ‘Visit My State’ campaign.The initiative aimed to showcase village life, agriculture, crafts and local traditions as emerging tourism experiences beyond conventional destinations such as Ayodhya, Kashi and Agra.Activities were organised in tourism villages across districts, including Prayagraj, Jhansi, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Barabanki, Bulandshahr and Chitrakoot. Students, tourists and local communities participated in village walks, natural farming sessions, cultural programmes and agro-tourism exposure visits.In Barabanki’s Rajauli village, students from a Lucknow-based school visited a beekeeping centre where they learned about honey production, bee species and tasted different varieties of honey. In Jhansi’s Patha Kharka village, visitors explored tulsi farming, pottery and rural cuisine, while Etawah’s Bara Khera hosted farm stay and nature trail experiences.A two-day training programme on agro-tourism and natural farming was also launched in Bulandshahr’s Bhagwanpur village for self help group members and farmer-based tourism service providers.The celebrations additionally featured ODOP exhibitions, local craft showcases, cuisine festivals, folk performances, rural sports and plantation drives across participating villages.Tourism and culture minister Jaiveer Singh said the campaign aims to connect tourists with the “real soul” of UP through villages, farms and local traditions while generating livelihood opportunities for rural communities.Officials said UP currently has 234 notified rural tourism villages and plans to further integrate village circuits with major tourist destinations across the state.
