Aranmula likely to get heritage village status

Experts from ASI, Union Tourism Ministry to visit village

RUSTIC SPLENDOUR:An elephant being taken for a bath in the Pampa. A morning scene from Sathrakkadavu at Aranmula.— PHOTO: LEJU KAMAL

The Union Ministry for Culture and Tourism will be sending two expert teams to Aranmula soon as part of its proposal to declare Aranmula a ‘heritage village,’ according to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State president Kummanam Rajasekharan.

Talking to The Hindu , Mr. Rajasekharan said Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Mahesh Sharma had assured him that the Centre was speeding up the procedures for declaring Aranmula a ‘heritage village.’

Mr. Rajasekharan said the Union Minister, during a recent one-to-one meeting in New Delhi, had informed him that a team of experts from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) would be visiting Aranmula soon.

Another high-level team from the Union Ministry of Tourism would also visit Aranmula, exploring the possibility of including Aranmula in the Pilgrim Tourism Circuit, Mr. Rajasekharan said.

Mr. Rajasekharan said the Union Minister, while inaugurating the previous Uthrittathi snakeboat regatta, had promised ‘heritage village’ status for Aranmula, besides its inclusion in the Pilgrim Tourism Circuit of the Union Ministry of Tourism.

State’s proposal

The State government too had send a proposal to the Union government for declaring Aranmula a heritage village way back in 2008.

Rustic traditions

The State’s proposal was aimed at showcasing the rustic traditions, arts and crafts that very much reflect the rich heritage of Aranmula.

The proposed heritage village also included an exclusive workshop-cum-exhibition stall for Aranmula Kannadi where the world famous metal mirror-making process will be demonstrated, besides a Vanchippattu kalari and a country craft building unit.

Snakeboat regatta

The annual snakeboat regatta at Aranmula marking the anniversary of the idol installation (Uthrittathi day in the Malayalam month of Chingom) at the Sree Parthasarathy Temple is the oldest in the State.

Aranmula, famous for its metal mirrors (Aranmula Kannadi), the centuries’ old Sree Krishna temple, the unique ritualistic feast of `Vallasadya,’ and the snakeboat regatta (Vallamkali), has already found a special niche for itself in the world tourism map.

Elephants walking with bunches of coconut leaves tightly-clipped between their mouth and the tusk, mahouts giving the pachyderms a bath in the river, country boats ferrying commuters across the river and countryside toddy shops are all typical rustic charms in Aranmula.