KODUNGALLOOR : President Pranab Mukherjee launched country’s largest conservation project and Kerala’s first green project at a glittering function at the oldest port town, about 50 km from Kochi here today. Muziris, the hub of the spice route and the bustling port of the first century BC that drew legions of Arab, Roman, Greek, Chinese and Jewish traders from across the seas, is all set to come alive again through this ambitious project of tourism department of the state government. The event was attended by Governor P Sathasivam, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Toursim Minister A P Anil Kumar at the International Research and Convention Centre of KKTM College. On the occasion, the President threw open over two dozen heritage museums, places of worship and other sites conserved at a cost of Rs 104 crore in Muziris, a port that is believed to have fallen off the map in the 13th century due to natural calamities. The work on the project was initiated in 2009 when the Kerala tourism approached the Centre with the proposal. The history and heritage of Muziris is described by Roman Naturalist Plity the Elder as India’s first emporium. The project gains added significance due to its close links with the Spice Route initiative launched by the Kerala Tourism with the support of UNESCO to revive Kerala’s age-old trade ties with 41 countries of the world. “Pepper, precious stones, silk, beads, ivory and pottery were exported from here to west Asia and Rome in exchange of gold coins, glass, wine and wheat. For centuries, the land of Kerala mesmerised Babylonians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Arabs, Chinese, Roman and Greeks, welcoming them to come and trade and even settle,” Tourism Department official said. The port of Muziris is mentioned in the first century travelogues, ancient Sangam text and researchers point to the ports location as the mouth of the Periyar river in Kodungalloor. The next phase of the project is a huge maritime museum for which land acquisition is underway and the work will be over by 2017. (AGENCIES)
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