Rural tourism in India reveals exciting takeaways

Sudhir Sahi

Ambika Soni, Union minister for tourism and culture speaking at the Toshali Crafts Mela in Bhubaneshwar

India's new rural tourism experiences are ready! The visitor can draw up close to India's rural traditions as they vibe with the present. The rural heartland of India is home to an array of distinct endowments that connect the visitor from the frenetic present with the traditional assets of communities whose domain lies off the beaten track.

Each experience comes with the distinctive 'Explore Rural India' brand identity, partnered by UNDP with India Tourism and showcased in the new visitor-friendly website www.exploreruralindia.org that is conveniently hyperlinked to the well-known www.incredibleindia.org. The Ministry of Tourism and UNDP have together optimised the readiness levels of infrastructure and professional capacity at the rural sites and the direct consumer, to take away the unforgettable!

On offer is the skilled diversity of art, craft, cultural and natural heritage, enabling visitor interaction with the local community's way of life at rural sites. Special attention has been given to the community's understanding of visitor needs. There is overarching focus on sustainable practices, hygiene and sanitation, and signage, interpretation and local guides to unveil the local history.

Packaged programmes will provide insights to rural art and craft imparted by skilled artisans, together with accommodation created using local material, local style and local skill or in home-stays offering the region's cuisine. Village entertainment groups disclose local history and culture and natural treasures. Rural tourism also draws on the gurukul tradition that is one of the earliest learning systems in India.

Bhungas (traditional dwelling huts) at Shaam-e-Sarhad Resort in Hodka (Kachchh District, Gujarat)

Virtually every region of rural India possesses a craft or traditional skill, preserved and passed on by the gurus to their pupils. Living examples are Pattachitra and mural painting in Raghurajpur (Orissa), ikkat style weaving in Pochampalli (Andhra Pradesh), metal mirrors in Aranmula (Kerala), the chanderi weave in Pranpur (Madhya Pradesh), embroidery in Hodka (Gujarat), lac ornaments and leather jootis in Samode (Rajasthan), furnishings and accessories using banana and natural fibres in Anegundi (Karnataka), leather and pottery in Ballavpur Danga (West Bengal), muga and pat silk weaves in Sualkuchi (Assam), woollen creations in Lachen (Sikkim), wrought iron work and hand-painted cotton fabric in Nagarnar Chhattisgarh), Kandanki Chettinad cotton saris in Karaikudi (Tamil Nadu) - the list is truly endless.

Site artisans and artistes have received appreciation at India's visitor events such as Dilli Haat, the bazaar in the capital city Delhi, the India International Trade Fair, and new initiatives such as the Toshali Crafts Mela in Bhubaneshwar, capital city of the eastern state of Orissa and the Banni Cattle Fair at Hodka along the Rann of Kachchh in Gujarat. Some of the rural destinations being launched under the Rural Tourism Scheme are featured here.

Aranmula (Pathanamthitta District, Kerala)

Tribal community members creating furniture from lantana in Chaugan (Mandla District, Madhya Pradesh)

Aranmula is home to the intriguing metal mirror, the secrets of which are known to only two families. The mirror creates not just a reflection but an image with depth.

Its perennial artery is the Pampa river, renowned for the annual snake boat race. It is a sanctuary of traditional art, culture, knowledge and more - the Sree Parthasarathy temple linked with the pilgrim trail to holy Sabarimala, the Vastu Vidya Gurukulam imparting formal instruction in the building blocks of vastu kala, and the Kathakali academy nurturing one of India's most celebrated dance forms.

Ballavpur Danga (Birbhum District, West Bengal)

Not far from Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore's Santiniketan, Ballavpur Danga will quickly transport the visitor to glorious musical reverie. The community is Santhali tribal, a living testimony to Tagore's celebrated seat of Bangla literature, music and learning. Santiniketan is home also to India's newest Nobel laureate, the gifted economist Amartya Sen. In the surrounding serenity that blends with the tranquil Santhali lifestyle there is harmony with nature's gifts as Ballavpur Danga unveils a tradition of locally-refined art and craft, in leather and pottery, music and dance.

Hodka (Kachchh District, Gujarat)

Hodka symbolises captivating Kachchh in the Banni region, bordering the Rann of Kachchh where the local community has hand-crafted Shaam-e-Sarhad, its own rural resort, to create a lasting, magical experience. Swathed in appealing ethnicity and exquisitely decorated with mirror work, textiles and the range of local crafts, Shaam-e-Sarhad is an unforgettable getaway resonating with the skills of the local Rabari, Meghwal and Maldhari communities. The experience carries over to melodious desert strains, star-gazing, guided walks, bird watching excursions, camel safaris, even embroidery workshops.

Nagarnar (Bastar District, Chhattisgarh)

Nagarnar is synonymous with Bastar's terracotta, handloom weaves, bell metal and wrought iron handicrafts nurtured for decades by skilled traditional artisans. Many have won international acclaim. Flora, fauna, caves, the nearby Indravati river and dense reserve forest of saal conjure up the perfect paradise for nature lovers. For those in a hurry, a short drive from nearby Jagdalpur will enable a quick dip into an amazing matrix of cultural and natural heritage where tribal dwellers synthesise tradition with the ripple of modernity.

Raghurajpur (Puri District, Orissa)

Raghurajpur is a testament to the tenacity of illustrious artists whose delicate, deft hands have created an open-air gallery just 12 km from Puri. The hallmark is revival - patachitra, stone craft, papier mache, mural painting, coir and woodwork, filigree, appliqué, even terracotta and bell metal - art abounds everywhere, using mineral and earth colours! A walk through the by-lanes of Raghurajpur is a visual feast as local households proudly display the diversity of their creations. The Gotipua Dance Gurukul adds lustre, keeping alive the tradition of Raghurajpur's illustrious Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra.

The writer is UNDP's national consultant for Rural Tourism Project