Ilam- The major tourist destinations of Suryaodaya Municipality are Kanyam and Shriantu. With the onset of the summer season, the number of tourists visiting these areas is also increasing. After taking photos and videos at the tea garden in Kanyam, tourists enjoy the cool weather at Antu, go for a boat ride on the pond, watch the morning sun, and then return. The average tourist itinerary includes these activities. However, before returning home, tourists don’t leave empty-handed.
They stop by the central market of Fikkal to buy souvenirs. Dairy products like churpi, ghee, lalippap, and bumbai son, along with tea and Akbare, are popular souvenirs to take home. “When I go to the office, my colleagues ask for souvenirs from Ilam,” said Roshan Sapkota, who came from Chitwan. “They told me not to come without bringing lalippap. I’ve already bought it for Rs. 6,000, and it looks like I have to take whatever I see.”
The souvenir items are neatly arranged for sale in the market. A shop generally sells between Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000 worth of goods. More than a hundred shops have opened in Fikkal. “Yesterday, I sold goods worth Rs. 9,000. Some days, it’s only about Rs. 4,000. The season is just starting. Last year, during the season, we sold goods worth up to Rs. 30,000 a day,” said local merchant Sujan Sapkota.
Tourists visiting the area do not leave empty-handed. It has become a custom to take some souvenir. “When one visits Ilam, it’s not just about taking pictures at the tea gardens. There is also a belief that you must buy churpi, bumbai son, and lalippap to take home,” said local businessman Amir Acharya. “The most popular souvenir in Fikkal is these items. There are so many shops that none of them are ever empty.”
Dipak Khadka, a businessman based in Kathmandu, orders Ilamese souvenirs whenever he hears someone is coming from Ilam. “My daughter insists on having sweets from Ilam,” he said. “We can’t do without Ilam’s lalippap and churpi.”
Lalippap and bumbai son, which are made from milk and sugar, are now boosting Ilam’s local industry. Nowadays, churpi, lalippap, and bumbai son are produced in villages throughout the area. These sweets have now become an “Ilam Brand,” according to Pem Urgen Lama, ward chairman of Suryaoday Municipality-10.
There are around two dozen lalippap industries in the district. The demand for sweets produced here is not only in the local market but also in Kathmandu, India, and other countries, according to entrepreneur Shivlal Pradhan. A small packet of lalippap is sold for Rs. 50, while a larger one is sold for Rs. 100. Gift-packaged “gift lalippap” is also available in Ilam’s markets.
In Ilam, 18 dairy factories collect a total of 27,000 liters of milk daily. Previously, about 5,000 liters of milk were sold in the local market. The churpi-making industry consumes 15,000 liters of milk daily, while the lalippap and bumbai son industries use 5,000 liters of milk, and about 3,000 liters of milk are exported to the Indian market. According to government statistics, there are 18 cheese factories, around 150 churpi-making industries, and 13 dairy sweet-making industries in Ilam.
Ilam produces an annual total of 116,086 metric tons of milk. According to government data, there are 33,371 high-yielding cows of Holstein and Jersey breeds being raised in the area.
