Floating restaurant’ holds sway over tourists on Arasalar river

Floating restaurant

KARAIKAL: A ‘floating restaurant’ introduced by the Puducherry Tourism Development Corporation on the Arasalar river in Karaikal town in the Union Territory of Puducherry, is now attracting the tourists and pilgrims visiting Karaikal district.

The ‘floating restaurant’ built on a big fibreglass boat at a cost of Rs.10.50 lakh that was formally inaugurated by Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy in the second week of last month has started attracting the tourists and the devotees coming to the famous Lord Saneeswara Bhagawan temple at Tirunallar.

A large number of people who came to attend the four-day Mangani festival of Karaikal Ammaiyar Temple in Karaikal that concluded two days ago had enjoyed venturing into the restaurant.

K. Dakshinamurthy, Assistant Director of Tourism, Karaikal, told The Hindu on Tuesday that the Tourism Department hoped to attract more tourists during the four-day Mangani Tourism festival organised by the Government to begin on Wednesday.

Besides, this restaurant would attract devotees and pilgrims coming to worship Lord Saneeswara Bhagwan on Saturdays at Tirunallar and also during the ensuing ‘Sani Peyarchi’ event on August 5.

Mr. Dakshinamurthy said that the restaurant had a seating capacity for 30 persons and a nominal entry fee of Rs.30 per head was being charged for boarding the restaurant and for a journey of 45 minutes from one end (from the bridge) of the Arasalar river to the estuary at the sea.

He said that the floating restaurant could start its journey once 50 per cent of its capacity was filled up. A group of tourists with a maximum of 30 members can book for the floating restaurant at a time in advance as there would be crowd especially on Saturdays and Sundays.

They can enjoy eating and venturing into the river in the floating restaurant.

Customers can order for high quality tea, coffee, snacks, etc. that would be served immediately. Of course, the prices of eatables and drinks like tea, coffee, etc will be charged at ‘VIP’ rate.