TOURISM INDIA MARCH 2019 Tourism India January 2019 IA | Page 22

N E W S / NAT I O NA L
2 ND EDITION OF ‘MUZIRIS PADDLE’
CONCLUDED SUCCESSFULLY
ORGANIZED BY JELLYFISH WATERSPORTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
MUZIRIS HERITAGE PROJECT
THE KEY AIM OF THE
PADDLING EVENT WAS
TO PROMOTE THE USAGE
OF OUR RIVERS FOR
RECREATIONAL AND
CREATE A CONNECTION
TO THE RIVER WITH
YOUNGSTERS AND
TOURISTS.
M
uziris Paddle 2019, the
two-day kayaking stand-up
paddling (SUP) and sailing
expedition organized by Jellyfish
Watersports in partnership with
Muziris Heritage Project (Kerala
Tourism) successfully concluded on
January 6th, 2019. The event witnessed
participation from over 100 paddlers
from India and abroad, including
Shilpika Gautam, world record holder
of paddling the entire Ganga River,
International paddler Jim Bush from
20
Tourism India January 2019
Perth and other prominent people.
The entire expedition was managed by
Jellyfish Watersports and participants
learnt the skills from expert trainers
and river guides.
The event flagged off from the
Kotturpuram Jetty in Kodungalloor
district and concluded on at Ocean
Blue International Marina at Bolgatty
Island. Kerala Adventure Tourism
Promotion Society (KATPS) CEO
Mr. Manesh Bhaskar inaugurated the
closing ceremony. Muziris Heritage
Project Managing Director Mr.P M
Noushad, Jellyfish Watersports founder
Kaushiq Kodithodi, Rachana Bakshi,
Jolly Thomas and Prasad Thumbani
graced the occasion.
The kayakers covered an overall
distance of 40 km traversing through
rivers, backwaters and important
Muziris destinations en route. Each
day they covered an easy distance of
20 km with several strategic breaks for
sightseeing and greeting locals. The
organizers had also teamed up with
Switzerland based stand-up paddling
group waterwalh.ch and Cochin Bikers,
a group of bicycle enthusiasts and
members of Global Sailing Club. One
of Kerala’s most incredible nature
experiences the event saw participation
from paddling enthusiasts from five
year old to sixty five year old.
Muziris, once a bustling seaport
and the heart of the historic spice
route used to be the key trade point
between southern India and rest of
the world. The region is dotted with
numerous monuments of a bygone