A floating koothambalam for performing arts

Surrounded by water bodies, Kochi has always been a sought after destination in the cruise tourism circuit.
A floating koothambalam for performing arts

KOCHI: Surrounded by water bodies, Kochi has always been a sought after destination in the cruise tourism circuit. Though many international tourists have visited the shores of the city, the state had little in store for short-term visitors. Despite having a rich cultural heritage, the city lacked a waterfront platform to showcase its performing arts. Putting an end to this dilemma, Kochi will soon get a world-class floating Koothambalam on its shores. The ambitious venture envisaged by the Tourism Department is expected to be launched in August. 

The construction of the Rs 4.80 crore project was inaugurated by Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran at Fort Kochi on Monday. The floating ‘Koothambalam’ will be a platform for the state’s traditional art forms. “Before the pandemic, we used to have 50 cruise ships with 50,000 tourists per year. Normally, tourists spend a maximum of 12 hours in Kochi en-route to their destinations like the Maldives and Sri Lanka. Of them, only 10 per cent visit nearby destinations. The remaining lot spend hours onboard. This target group can be attracted to the floating theatre set up closeby,” said  S Vijayakumar, secretary, Ernakulam District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC).

The proposed-Koothambalm will handle 300 tourists at a time. “The existing Koothambalams of the state will serve as a model for the project. It will be an elevated platform with a spacious hull. Apart from the performing area, there will be a cafeteria, souvenir store and other facilities. We are also planning to outsource space for a marine aquarium and similar facilities,” said the official.  

Though the performances will be held while it is stationary, the facility will be docked near the international cruise terminal in Willingdon Island launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday. It will be set at the tourism jetty near Marine Drive, on other occasions. Interconnectivity will be provided via boats. 

“We envisaged the floating model by keeping in mind to shift the facility across Kochi’s backwaters. Through this model, tourists can get into the Koothambalam directly from the ship or berth. We also have plans to take it to Bolgatty, Mulavukad and Kadamakudy in future. We can rent it for private events as well,” he said.  

Traditional performances like Tholpavakooth, Koodiyattom and Theyyam will be performed with an interval of 40 minutes. Six shows can be staged daily with expected daily revenue of Rs 2.25 lakh.  “The performance will also include intricate details and the history of the art form. The project is part of the responsible tourism model which will be hugely beneficial to traditional performing artists. They will receive an all-year-long platform and regular revenue through the initiative,” he said.

Though the Tourism Department approved the project in 2019, the construction was delayed owing to floods and the pandemic. The facility was designed by the experts of Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, following the specifications of Indian Register of Shipping and will be implemented by the Kerala State Coastal Area Development Corporation.

The construction of the Rs 4.80 crore project was inaugurated by Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran at Fort Kochi on Monday 
The project is aimed at tourists who arrive on cruise ships in the city all year
The floating ‘Koothambalam’ will be a platform for the state’s traditional art forms. According to officials, the initiative will also prove beneficial to artists 

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