THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:“During this time of the month, my shop used to be flocked with tourists from Northern India and other European countries purchasing Kashmiri shawls, bangles, antique necklaces and other handicraft items,” recollects Vijayalekshmi, the owner of Neela Handicrafts in Kovalam who has been running the shop for the last 20 years. But now, the scenario looks bleak as the rough sea has swallowed most part of the beach and there is a decline in the number of tourists.And in whatever part of the beach is left, swimming and other water sports have been prohibited.
With no leisure activities left, tourists have stopped coming to this famed beach and these vendors are facing the brunt now. Vijayalekshmi says, “Usually the sale is less during the rainy season but this time the situation was worse due to the recent floods. We had brought new stocks in view of the festive season but nothing has been sold yet.”
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Before she used to make a handsome money out of her business, but now she gets only Rs 500 a day. Despite the loss, she hopes things will turn out good and tourists will start coming. Not just Vijayalekshmi, other shops near the beach are also facing huge loss with the decline in tourists.
Umar, a Kashmiri man who owns a handicraft shop, says, “I have been here for more than 10 years. My customers are usually foreigners who seek Kashmiri shawls and handmade carpets. The flood has resulted in the cancellation of many orders. The business is going down season by season. Last season, it was Ockhi and this time it is the floods.”
Besides the Kashmiri shops, many Tibetan handicraft and jewellery shops are also feeling the pressure. Chung Tsering runs the shop that his father Lhakpa set up 15 years ago.
She says, “Many foreigners and local tourists come to us for our handmade jewellery and handicrafts. But this time, the sale has also declined in these two months. I hope that tourists start coming so that we can sustain as this is the only source of our livelihood.”
