Legend has it that the ancient port city of Calicut had developed a primitive model of fair trade much before modern economists coined the term. Autorickshaw drivers in the city somewhat continue the legacy by sticking to fair charges. Now, a few women among them are being trained to offer a heritage-and-culture traveller package to boost tourism.
The programme titled ‘Fairy Wheels’ is being implemented by the Janamaithri police, Kasaba Circle, and the district administration, around two-and-a-half decades after women autorickshaw drivers first plied on the city roads. Kabani Community Tourism and Services, a social entrepreneurship firm promoted by Kabani – the other direction, a non-profit organisation, is training the drivers.
Sunanda Nair of Kabani Community Tourism and Services told The Hindu on Monday that Kozhikode was an interesting destination for travellers owing to its tangible and intangible heritage. “Ancient travellers, especially Arab traders, described Calicut as the ‘City of Truth’ based on their experiences. A primitive form of fair trade existed here, and the auto drivers follow that path. The focus is on highlighting that inheritance to bring the benefits of tourism to them,” she said.
Subjects like communication and interpretation skills, safety, waste disposal, responsible tourism, language, motivation, and storytelling are being taught, and local guides and other entrepreneurs too will be roped in.
Binusha J.B., another member of the training team, said women drivers would double up as guides. Travellers could avail of the services to explore tourism locations, and the drivers will explain the historical and other aspects of the place. However, of the seven drivers who had joined the programme when it was started two months ago, three remain now.
Sreeranjini Vijayan, one of them, said it was a different experience for her. “We were told to collect information about the local history and other stories about various places in the city. The trainers translated them into English after adding more inputs and taught us how to convey them to tourists. For example, we could learn about the historical importance of Kuttichira only now,” she added.
It has also been proposed to the district administration and the Department of Tourism to make their vehicles carbon-neutral by using battery operated-engines. In all likelihood, the package will be launched in December.