Don Sebastian
Tuesday, November 15, 2005 22:28 IST

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Parameswaran Namboothiri is a disciplinarian. The retired school teacher doesn't allow his guests to drink or smoke. Yet he seldom gets a break from visitors — some recuperating after ayurvedic treatment, some studying Kerala architecture and some others just hanging out in God's Own Country.

Families across Kerala have opened their doors to foreigners who travel to India for something more than a window-side view.

People like Namboothiri are increasingly receiving guests at home as the homestay concept for holidaymakers catches on. Namboothiri charges each couple $60 and singles $40 a day.

Homestay is not a new concept, but its popularity is suddenly catching up with many tourists opting to stay at homes and experience the local culture first-hand, rather than check into the more expensive hotels. "We treat every tourist as a member of our family. They eat whatever we cook for ourselves. We don't even have a fridge or air-conditioner. It's as natural as any Brahmin house can get," Namboothiri says.

The tourism department has the same idea. Take the visitors beyond the façade of star hotels. "Tourism is not only about big hotels. We have to give value-added service to tourists. They go to local homes and get a closer look at the way of life," tourism director B Suman says. The department has so far recognised about 300 homes across the state, most of them high-end houses.

"A district-level committee visits every house that applies for homestay and checks certain parameters like access, layout of the house and hygiene of toilets," he added.

Namboothiri’s Thani Illam is one of the 50-odd traditional houses that are subsidised by the government as part of a ``Grihasthali'' project to conserve heritage buildings. ``We encourage people to conserve these houses. Once they have completed the maintenance works, they get Rs 2 lakh as subsidy," Suman said.

The concept is not limited to big houses. Vinod Kumar, an agriculturist, raises half his income from foreigners who visit his house in Kottoor village, 40 km from Thiruvananthapuram. He gets tourists coming to Peppara and Neyyar wildlife sanctuaries.

"We get about 15 guests a year. They dine with the nine members of our family. They are interested in knowing our customs and lifestyle. They accompany us to the temple or some family functions. We also give them facilities to go for trekking or boating," he said.

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Teej Festival Celebrates Advent of Monsoon

Jaipur: Rajasthan, one of the most colourful states of India, has a large number of festivals spread throughout the year.

The Teej Festival, held in Jaipur in July/August, marks the advent of the monsoon, and is celebrated on the third day of the bright lunar half of the month of Shravn in accordance with the Hindu calendar. Goddess Parvati is invoked to bless her worshippers with conjugal harmony and bliss.

Women in groups can be seen in the countryside on swings set up on trees singing songs. This year Teej is being celebrated on August 8/9-2005.

Banana Festival in New Delhi

New Delhi: A three day Banana Festival and Conference is being held from August 4, 2005, at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. India is the largest producer and as also consumer in the world. With an estimated annual production of 16 million tonnes of bananas, India’s domestic production exceeds the entire world trade.

Medical Tourism: Injured in UK, Surgery in India 9/08/2005

London: Elliott Knott, a 14-year-old British schoolboy is being brought to New Delhi for surgery for a back injury. He sustained this injury in an ice-skating fall and had to wait for 17 weeks at the state-funded National Health Service (NHS) for an appointment, and another nine months for an operation at the NHS. His mother found that surgery and trip to India would cost £ 6,000 for treatment. The boy can barely stand and has to be helped around his home. The family has been assured that he would be treated at a hospital in India by competent doctors and where all medical attendants speak English.

More and more people are visiting India for medical treatment.