PEPPER at Vaikom ;  A Responsible initiative by Kerala

Surrounded by the Vembanad Lake, Vaikom embraces travelers with its beautiful water bodies and serene village life. The emerald Murinjapuzha Backwaters and green-carpeted nature allures the traveler in you to Vaikom. Besides this, the majestic Vaikom Mahadeva Temple enhances the exquisiteness of the place.

Vaikom, located in the Kottayam district allures tourists with its rich natural beauty and spiritual significance.
A people’s participation tourism mission named PEPPER (PEOPLE’S PARTICIPATION FOR PARTICIPATORY PLANNING AND EMPOWERMENT THROUGH RESPONSIBLE TOURISM) was first implemented in Vaikom on an experimental basis. The project is carried out in the Vaikom assembly constituency by the Tourism Mission was supported by the World Tourism Organisation (WTO). The first phase of the project covered Vaikom municipality, Thalayazham, Vechoor, Kallara, Maravanthuruthu  Chempu, Udayanapuram, and TV Puram, and the second phase will target Thalayolapparambu and Vellur panchayat.

As part of the project, residents and local bodies of Vaikom started getting involved in the decision-making process of tourism activities. Within local bodies, the gram sabhas conducted meetings to discuss tourism programs.

The project aims to make complete use of the tourism potential of Vaikom. The project also decided to make videos of the prominent festivals of the place. The festivals that will be covered include Vaikathastami (Vaikom temple festival), the festivals at various churches, Karthika festival at Udayanapuram, Theeyyattu performance, Gandharvan Thullal, Sarpam Thullal (dance of snakes), Garudan Thookkam (eagle hanging), and Aattuvela.

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