Kerala gives a special Onam invite to tourists

Thiruvananthapuram: Mammootty and Arundathi Roy would have long forgotten how Onam was celebrated in their villages. This month, the Tourism Department intends to take tourists through the villages of Chembu and Ayemenem, besides a handful of others where time still stands still, to give them the original taste of Onam.

It was last year that the Responsible Tourism Mission began its Onam initiative, titled ‘Naattinpurangalil Onam Unnam, Onasammanam Vangam’ (Savour Onam in the villages, and receive Onam gifts). But it were just half-day and one-day packages. This time, if the tourists are interested, they can stay in the villages.

“Last year's success has encouraged us to expand the scheme,” tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran said. “This time, therefore, we have devised 'Village Life Experience' packages,” he added. The scheme, he said, was also a way of generating income for the local villagers. The scheme will begin on August 15, and extend till September 30.

'Grama yatra' or village trip will be highlight of the revised Onam project. The package will cost Rs 3000 for a family of four, if taken for a day. While weaving through the village, the tourists can participate in local Onam games like uriyadi or vadamvali or boat race. And in between, the family will be served a lavish Onasadya (Onam platter) in a local house. They can also experience village life by visiting local places of worship and workshops of traditional artisans, and also by travelling through canals that snake through the backyard of these villages. And at the time of parting, will be presented banana chips, seed pens, and a handicraft product. Of course, they will also be presented an 'Onakkodi'.

The villages selected for the 'grama yathra' are: Balaramapuram, and Madavoor Para (Thiruvananthapuram); Kunhimangalam (Kannur); Maravanthuruthu, Chembu, Manchira, Varambinakam, Ayemenem, and Thiruvarppu (Vaikom Taluk); Bekal in Kasargod; Olavenna and Kadalundy (Kozhikode); Chekady, Cheruvayal, and Nellaracvhal (Wayanad).

For tourists opting to stay, there will be packages between Rs 4000 to Rs 5000. “Being a discount-rate package, the accommodation at discounted prices will be available only for a day,” the minister said. Accommodation will be arranged in homestays in these areas. The earnings will be shared with the local community.

Then there are also packages where tourists will be taken to places where only traditional Onasadya - in all its ancient flavour, variety and sumptuousness – will be served. “We have already called upon individual houses, village hotels, and Kudumbashree units that are capable of providing such a service to register for the purpose. Classified hotels to street-side shops can be part of the scheme,” the tourism minister said. This traditional Onasady will cost a person Rs 250.

The State RT mission coordinator Rupesh Kumar said that the Onam gifts provided to the tourists would be destination specific products and souvenirs. “Rather than casually visiting the rural areas of the state, the tourists can enjoy the authentic Onam celebrations being held in Kerala with these packages. It will introduce tourists to authentic Kerala but will also open a new stream of income for villagers,” Mr Kumar said.

Last year, 563 tourists had taken part in the Onam initiative. Of this, 151 were foreign tourists and 268 from within the country.