TOURISM INDIA MARCH 2019 Tourism India January 2019 IA | Page 18

N E W S / NAT I O NA L
SMILING NORTH MALABAR -
AN EXPERIENTIAL TOUR
K
erala is not only about the
beaches of Kovalam or
the hills of Munnar or the
backwaters of Alappuzha; it is also
about the rich cultural ethos and the
natural wonders of North Malabar.
North Malabar is an un-spoilt terrain,
with pristine waterfalls, verdant
woods and picture-perfect villages.
The wonders explored by the four-
day SMiLE Ambassadors Tour for
tour operators conducted by the Bekal
Resorts Development Corporation
(BRDC) in the first week of December
2018 began with the unfolding of a
marvelous performance of traditional
puppetry of Kasaragod, Yakshagana
Bommayattam. Against a dark
backdrop, the tiny wooden dolls in
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Tourism India January 2019
vibrant costumes and headgears played
out the stories of the great Indian
epics.
The aesthetic odyssey continued
with the witnessing of a flamboyant
performance of Kalaripayattu at the
Bekal Fort beach. With intricate
techniques, flexibility of body and hand
movements, the performance grabbed
the interest of audience. The cool
breeze and the setting sun added more
charm to the whole arena.
One main attraction of the
expedition was a journey to a farm
house situated in a small village awash
with huge leafy trees, majestic coconut
palms and slender arecanut trees. An
array of sumptuous regional delicacies
made from lemon grass, centella (a
medicinal plant), tender coconut,
jaggery sweet, Manjal Ada (steamed
cake wrapped in Turmeric leaf) and so
forth welcomed the guests.
Exploring Suranga was truly
exciting. Suranga is a traditional water
harvesting system which is similar to
a horizontal well or cave excavated in