Tourism News

Experience Onam in the Hamlets of Kerala

Mr. Kadakampally Surendran, Minister for Tourism, Kerala launched the project ‘Nattinpurangalil Onam Unnam, Ona Sammanam Vaangam’, a campaign which offered travellers a unique opportunity to experience the grandeur of Onam. 

The Minister released the video and concept card of the project in an inaugural function held at Thiruvananthapuram. The project was aimed at organising Onam packages for tourists by collaborating small enterprises run by the local community and Responsible Tourism units. The initiative intended at introducing the traditions and customs of the festival of Kerala to foreign and domestic tourists was a huge success.

The project intends to ensure a source of income and livelihood to the villagers, Mr. Kadakampally has said. The project lets interested families welcome tourists into their homes and treat them to ‘Onasadya’ (Onam Feast), the traditional feast. Apart from helping the tourism sector, the project benefits small merchants and traditional artists as well. 

The project was organised by the Responsible Tourism wing of Kerala Tourism. 

The project which focused on locations such as Wayanad, Kovalam, Kumarakom, Vaikom and Bekal was categorised into two stages. The first, named ‘Onam Special Gramayatrakal’ (Onam special village tours), introduced tourists arriving during Onam season to the rural hamlets of Kerala. Subsequently, tourists were given Onam gifts from the Responsible Tourism ventures in the area. 

The second part of the project let tourists experience Onam celebrations in the hamlets of Kerala. Along with Thiruvathira and Onasadya, tourists were introduced to the traditional activities these regions are famed for such as pottery making, weaving, coir manufacturing, fishing, country boat rides, toddy tapping, and so forth. The project was structured with an aim to bring the tourism sector closer to the local community.