The distant vanchipattu (boatman’s song) echoes across the gentle hush of waves and wispy Chinese fishing nets cast a web across the shoreline in Kumbalangi, the country’s first model eco-tourism tourist village in the backwaters of Kochi. The very mention of the quaint village of Kumbalangi evokes memories of the blockbuster Malayalam movie, ‘Kumbalangi Nights.’ But this idyllic hamlet shot into the limelight when the movie featured the stunning visuals of the seasonal sea sparkle or bioluminescence or Kavaru in local parlance.
The genesis of eco-tourism can be traced back to 2003 when the Kerala Government selected several villages as model villages. Kumbalangi was one of them. Kerala’s integrated tourism project was meant to transform the village into a model fishing village and tourism destination. CFC lamps were installed, and biogas plants put up for waste management. Kumbalangi is the first panchayat in the state to set up such a waste management system.
“ Kumbalangi provides a fascinating glimpse into the livelihood of villagers, their traditional culture, cuisine and folklore. As part of the experiential tourism activities, women were trained in making delicacies unique to the area, in weaving coconut fronds, a practice that was on the verge of extinction, and also in making coir from coconut husk. Toddy tapping and fishing practices too were revived. Community participation is one of the salient features of the project. Tourism has also augmented employment prospects in the village. All these furthered the cause of integrated and sustainable tourism,” says Rupesh Kumar, CEO, Kerala Responsible Tourism Mission Society.
Essentially a fishing hamlet, the main occupation of thousands of people living here depend on fishing, farming besides coir matting. The village is gifted with nature’s bounty – acres of paddy fields, a vast shoreline where you can see Chinese fishing nets and backwaters rich in marine life. A walk through the village will unravel different kinds of fishing such as throw-netting, fixed-netting and hooking. Bait fishing near the mangroves is a popular tourist activity in the mangrove area. Poomeen chaattam, a group movement of fish in half circles, during high tide is another attraction. Tourists can set out to sea with fishermen for some adventurous fishing at the break of dawn. Boatmen are available but tourists can also venture out alone on country boats on the backwaters. The project has boosted incomes for boatmen who take tourists on boat cruises and also fishermen who demonstrate various fishing techniques to the tourists.
Explaining the concept of homestays, MP Sivadathan, Director of Kerala Homestay & Tourism Society (Kerala-HATS) says, “As part of the eco-tourism concept, many houses in the village offer homestays. Here, tourists live with the family, eat traditional food cooked by family members, use available amenities and see village life in its real, raw form. With the focus being on home-stays, there are only a few hotels in Kumbalangi. The increase in home-stays generated several employment opportunities for women, especially in food preparation and housekeeping, contrary to hotels and resorts which seek qualified personnel. Initially, when big tourism majors were keen on constructing cottages and walkways, the panchayat members felt that it would disturb the village’s rustic ambience and thwarted all their attempts.” It offered us a slideshow of rural life and culture and a chance to explore, observe, discover, interact and learn from the villagers.
“One will be bowled over by the simplicity of this friendly village of farmers, fishermen, toddy-tappers, coir spinners and boatmen. As part of Kumbalangi village tours, we have curated packages for our clients. We engage local artisans to showcase all activities in one place. The tours showcase rural life and culture and a chance to explore, observe, discover, interact and learn from the villagers. Cruise operators have included Kumbalangi in their itinerary. Since coconut trees are abundant in the region, people have mastered using them for various reasons. The coconut trees are essentially the focal point around which the lives of Kumbalangi’s residents revolve. Tourists get the chance to see how coconut husks are turned into useful ropes and mats, watch ladies spinning coir strands, a skill that has been passed down for generations. They also get a chance to witness local women expertly crafting things from coconut leaves,” explained Kallenchery Martin who runs a homestay.
In order to strike a balance between tourism and the eco-system, this village has been preserved in such a way that nature can be seen in its essence. Mangroves are common in the area and form a comfort zone for the fish to grow in. Consequent to the mangrove restoration, there was a three-fold increase in fish population, a fall in salinity level and formation of an excellent habitat for birds.
Kumbalangi is one such village where you can witness how the villagers’ livelihoods are rooted in and intertwined with sustainable practices. Since coconut trees are abundant in the region, people have mastered using them for various reasons. It is a treat to watch the local toddy tapper clambering up a coconut tree to tap toddy, a fisherman demonstrating traditional fish catching methods, a skilled artisan deftly crafting country boat models, and villagers sharing their life experiences. Tourists can take a stroll in lush paddy fields, toil with the farmers and picnic at the mangroves or indulge in birdwatching.
Pokkali farming, a crop pattern that alternates between rice and fish (each for six months in a year), was restarted. But currently the focus is more on fishing activities as it is more lucrative than agricultural farming. Farms are given on lease for fish farming which is more lucrative. Lands, trees and some of the water bodies have disappeared.
But there are problems galore. “Several components of the model-tourism village project are yet to be realised since the declaration as India’s first such village in 2003. Only 15% of the tourism project has been completed in the past 22 years,” laments Sivadathan. “The reckless dumping of waste has taken a heavy toll on the backwaters. When salt water enters through the small drainage, it affects the eco system,” says Sivadathan. Big tourism majors should also be discouraged from constructing high-rise hotels as they would disturb the village’s rustic ambience. It is high time the panchayat made sustained efforts to preserve the environment and ecosystem of the country’s first eco-friendly model tourism village.
Susheela Nair is an independent food, travel and lifestyle writer and photographer contributing articles, content and images to several national publications besides organising seminars and photo exhibitions. Her writings span a wide spectrum which also includes travel portals and guide books, brochures and coffee table books.