The Arts and Crafts Village of Kerala Tourism at Vellar, near here, will become fully functional before the next peak tourist season.
Announcing this here on Sunday, M. Sivasankar, Director of Tourism, said the Kudumbasree units would have a permanent facility to market their products at the stalls in the village.
Mr. Sivasankar was speaking at the valedictory function of a three-day workshop, “Weekend in Vellar,” for members of the Balasabha, a collective of the children of Kudumbasree workers.
The village, modelled on the lines of the Dilli Haat in New Delhi, has been set up at a cost of Rs.7 crore to promote ethnic and authentic products of the State. Kerala Tourism has got the seven-acre site from the Harbour Engineering Department.
The village is expected to give a “genuine Kerala shopping experience” with its handicrafts stalls, ethnic food joints, and recreational facilities in the leisure zone.
Mr. Sivasankar said Kerala Tourism was expecting good patronage from tourists, as the village was near the Kovalam beach. Marketing of the products of Kudumbasree units would get a fillip.
The natural features of the site, originally an abandoned quarry, have been retained. A hillock, rising 15 metres from the ground, offers a fine view of the sea. The buildings are of the Kerala style.
The village has three sections — Travancore, Kochi and Malabar. The Travancore section, close to the reception wing, will have 14 stalls, a traditional house, and a food court, which will serve ethnic cuisine. A vast space has been left open near the reception and the car parking area for erecting makeshift stalls when crafts fairs are organised.
The Kochi section has a covered theatre aimed at imparting training in making craft items. Mr. Sivasankar said the hall, which could seat 500 people, could be used for organising workshops and ethnic fairs.
A major attraction of the village is a water-harvesting system set up using the natural resources available there. A pond on the site can hold five lakh litres of water.
The Malabar section has a food court. A pathway had been created from the entrance to the Kochi and the Malabar sections.
Sarada Muraleedharan, Executive Director, Kudumbasree, said efforts were on to organise regular art and cultural performances, including for children, so that the village would turn into a “happening place with multiple recreational facilities.”
The village will have dedicated facilities for traditional artisans to work and finish their products. The artisans can also bring in finished products for marketing at the stalls. Governmental and semi-governmental agencies, non-governmental organisations, charitable societies, and individuals having skills in handcrafts can associate with the project. The craftsmen and the artistes will be selected through a transparent process.
Balakeralam , a newspaper produced by the members of Balasabha who attended the first of the three workshops being organised at the village, in association with Kerala Tourism, was released by Neelan, mediaperson. Baiju Chandran, Assistant Director of Doordarshan Kendra, was present.
As many as 50,000 Balasabhas function in the State, with nine lakh children in the five-15 age group.
