A tourism circuit will shortly be readied linking historic churches, temples and the sprawling paddy fields and agricultural lands in and around Mulanthuruthy, which is located off Kochi.
Flanked by waterbodies, Mulanthuruthy had bagged the Swaraj Trophy and a ₹25-lakh cash award earlier this year after being selected the best panchayat in Kerala.
A tourism circuit had been envisaged, considering that the locale was a 30-minute drive from Kochi, which received the maximum number of domestic and foreign tourists in the State, said Mulanthuruthy block panchayat president Raju P. Nair. The attractions in the region which comprises six panchayats include the church that witnessed the historic Synod of Diamper in 1599, the Chotanikkara temple and the birthplace of Adi Sankara.
State Tourism Advisory Council member M.P. Sivadattan, who during his tenure as president of Kumbalanghi panchayat played a key role in Kumbalanghi being declared the first model-tourism village in India, is among those who are extending support to ready the tourism circuit in Mulanthuruthy.
“The venture, which is being readied as part of the State government’s ‘Destination Challenge’ initiative [to ready at least one tourism destination at the panchayat level], is expected to bring in tourists who can enjoy art forms, cuisine and traditional agricultural practices of the region. They can reside in homestays for a couple of days. It will also be a new destination for high-end tourists who arrive in Kochi in cruise ships, for a day-long tour,” he said.
College students are expected to carry out a survey of art forms, ethnic food items, activities like cooking and angling, and places of interest in Mulanthuruthy, in the coming days. It will be followed by training programmes for stakeholders.
