As the monsoon recedes partially, a pink blanket of waterlily flowers is slowly making its way up the backwater landscape of Kottayam.
Malarikkal village in Kottayam has kick-started preparations to welcome tourists who are set to swarm the polder banks here to catch the breathtaking view of sun rising over a sea of flowers . A tourism festival to celebrate the annual flowering season at this backwater village - epicenter of the pink bloom - will begin on Tuesday.
District Police Chief K Karthik will formally inaugurate the fest at a function to be held here at 8 am. Thiruvarppu grama panchayat president Ajayan K. Menon will preside.