Mangaluru: Kuthlur, a village once tagged as ‘Naxal-affected,’ is now on the tourism map with a new tag — the ‘Best Tourism Village.’ It is one of the 36 winners in the Best Tourism Villages Competition 2024 and the only one from Karnataka.It is one among the four in the adventure tourism category in the country.The first edition of the Best Tourism Villages Competition in 2023 saw applications from 795 villages. In the second edition of the Best Tourism Villages Competition, a total of 991 applications were received from 30 States and UTs, out of which 36 villages were recognized as winners across 8 categories of the Best Tourism Villages Competition 2024.At the World Tourism Day celebration held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi attended by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat presented the awards. On behalf of Kuthlur village, Harish Dakayya Poojari, Shivraj Anchan, and the Joint Director of the State Tourism Department, Srinivas, received the award.Kuthlur is a village situated amidst Kudremukh National Park in the Western Ghats, about 60 km from the district headquarters Mangaluru. Few years ago this village was listed in the ‘Naxal-affected villages of Dakshina Kannada as there were naxal activities in the region.Over the years as the Naxal movement declined in Karnataka, the village too saw a reduction in these activities.When the Ministry of Tourism organized the Best Tourism Village Competition 2024, Harish Dakayya Poojari, a software engineer in Bengaluru, Sandeep Kuthlur, employed in Qatar, and Shivraj Anchan, all with roots in Kuthlur, made a documentary about the village’s tourist spots, environment, and natural beauty. They uploaded it online as per the competition rules. The Ministry of Tourism collected information about the tourist spots through several rounds, and Kuthlur village was selected.”We participated in this competition last year also but narrowly missed out on the award. But this time we made proper preparations as per the guidelines set by the Ministry. Our village is now shedding its former label as a Naxal-affected area and is now recognized for a good cause,” Harish Dakayya said.“Kuthlur is a perfect destination for adventure enthusiasts. The Western Ghats here offer breathtaking views. The waterfalls and various trekking spots would serve as a perfect destination for adventure enthusiasts. We aimed to bring this hidden gem to the forefront as a major tourist destination,” he added.Within a 50 km radius, tourists can visit popular destinations like Dharmasthala, Karkala, Moodbidri, and Mangaluru, along with beaches and temples.
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