At a time when the world had long ago discovered the greens and blues of Kerala, the alluring backwaters of Alleppy and the warm beaches of Kovalam (and perhaps getting tired of the same images), director Maniratnam put a small spot in North Kerala on the map. Thanks to his evocative shots of lovers torn apart by a hostile world (in his movie ‘Bombay’), suddenly the rain-drenched ramparts of Bekal became one of the most romantic destinations within Kerala. It seemed the perfect rendezvous, hidden in the heart of Kerala and far from prying eyes. And the canny Kerala government seized this opportunity with both hands and suddenly, God’s own tiny country was officially larger on the tourist circuit.
Published in the March issue of Windows & Aisles, the inflight magazine of Paramount Airways – read the fort of dreams at Itchy Feet…
O, that’s breathtaking! Kerala has messed up many things, but thankfully they get the tourism part right most of the time. Very unusually they are quite proactive about promoting tourism, which many other states aren’t able to do.