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Shri Kadakampally Surendran, Hon'ble Minister for Tourism,
Shri N.K. Premachandran, Member of Parliament,
Shri Mullakkara Ratnakaran, Member of Legislative Assembly,
Shri Radhakrishnan Nair, Panchayat President,
Shri Rajiv Anchal, Chairman & Managing Director, Jatayu Tourism,
Shri Ajith Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, Jatayu Tourism,
Madhyama Suhruthukkale,
Priyappetta Sahodaree Sahodaranmare,
Ellavarkkum Ente Namaskaram.
I am very happy to address you at the Jatayu Carnival organized by the Department of Tourism at the Jatayu Earth's Center, Chadayamangalam, Kollam district.
Let me at the outset, compliment the leaders of the Jatayu Tourism initiative for organizing a month-long Carnival to attract domestic and foreign tourists to this elegant destination which combines the splendor of mythology and the grandeur of superior art.
As we all know, Tourism is one of the factors that enabled Kerala to gain global attention. What is special about tourism in Kerala is its predominantly rural character. You may have noticed that most of the well known Tourism destinations in the world centre around cities, while in Kerala, some of the best destinations are our small villages. Therefore, it is truly befitting that Jatayu Earth's Centre also has come up in a rural setting.
A tourism initiative changes the economic profile of a locality. I understand that Jatayu Earth's Center has slowly begun to change the social, cultural and economic profile of Chadayamangalam village, which has received its name from Jatayu. I am told that it was Jatayu-mangalam which became Chadayamangalam. This new born tourism destination also bestows on this village great popularity and international acclaim. This project is also the realization of Kerala's dream of having a truly international tourism spot.
I am informed that this magnificent statue of the mythical bird Jatayu, is the brainchild of Shri Rajiv Anchal, film maker, art director, and sculptor, who spent more than 10 years to complete this largest functional bird sculpture in the world.
It is said that Sculpture is a balance of poetry and the craft of engineering. What is important is balance, because too much of any of the two can take away the beauty of the structure. Here, the Jatayu sculpture strikes a perfect balance and stands as the symbol of gratitude towards the heroic deed of Jatayu in protecting Sita in the epic Ramayana. In short, this statue reminds us of our duty to ensure the safety of women, which has great relevance in the modern context. After all, the greatness of a land also reflects in how it safeguards its women.
As we all know, our Tourism sector had suffered heavy losses due to the recent floods. It is now returning to normalcy and in fact, progressing through the Responsible Tourism initiative, which seeks to ensure that the rural community benefits from the income generated through tourism. The plan to promote organic farming in and around Jatayu Earth’s Center so as to enable visitors to buy fresh products is really laudable. The Audio visual museum depicting the period of Ramayana and the facilities for adventure sports, camping and trekking etc will certainly provide a fusion of the ancient and the modern and increase the flow of tourists both foreign and domestic.
I understand that the Jaytayu Center is an example of sustainable and eco-friendly tourism in India, since this statue which attracts people from everywhere, has not affected the hills, valleys,caves and vegetation spread across 65 acres.
I must say that the sight of Jatayu sculpture reminds me of a sentinel guarding the hills and rocks by protecting them from mining.
Though this project has been carried out under the Build Operate and Transfer [BOT] scheme, the people and peoples' representatives of Chadayamangalam have a significant role in its upkeep and well being. I hope the people of this beautiful village would consider this project as their greatest wealth.
My visit to this beautiful tourist spot happens to be on the eve of New Year. We are all waiting to welcome the year 2019. The lessons we learned and the hardship we suffered in 2018 may not be easy to forget, but let us hope that the New Year would bring us more prosperity, happiness and greater strength to face challenges. I wish all the people assembled here for the Jatayu Carnival, a very happy and prosperous New Year.
I compliment Shri Rajiv Anchal and his creative team for the visual treat they have created here. I also compliment the organizers for conducting this function in a befitting manner.
Ellavarkum Ente Puthu Varsha Aashamsakal
Nanni
Jai Hind
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