Why Kerala's Manaveeyam Veedhi Road Is A Major Tourist Attraction

The road between the statue of Vayalar Ramavarma on the Museum-Vellayambalam road to the statues of G Devarajan and P Bhaskaran at Althara junction was named Manaveeyam Veedhi by the state government in 2001. As per the News18 Malayalam, no significant developments, however, took place on the road in Kerala for a long time and there were no major inroads in the cultural sector as well. It remained confined to only a few weekly folk songs and cultural events.

However, the road underwent a major renovation in 2023 and has become one of the most preferred spots by the elderly and the young alike. Situated in the heart of Thiruvananthapuram city, the Manaveeyam Veedhi road has become famous for its numerous artworks. These artworks are on display along the road and many cultural performances are hosted here.

As part of the renovation, facilities like an open library, seating arrangement, drinking water facilities, coffee shops, and gender-friendly washrooms have been provided to the citizens. This has given a major boost to the Manaveeyam Veedhi and it has been transformed into a cultural centre with street plays, exhibitions, and art fairs performed by various groups and individuals.

According to The New Indian Express, an organisation by the name of Network of Artistic Theatre Activists Kerala has worked to spread information regarding the issue of Manaveeyam Veedhi’s despair state. In an interaction with The New Indian Express, J Shailaja, NATAK’s general secretary, said, “This stretch was designated for cultural events in 2001. It has been two decades. Once the construction work started, everything came to a halt. The entire ambience of the street has been lost, never mind the events. Now, the police are allowing heavy vehicles to park here.”

Shailaja had said that they are holding cultural events to open the eyes of the people. They had also objected to the government’s move to turn this stretch into a food street. Many felt that it would detract from the idea of this street as a cultural hub. Some time back, this stretch stirred the headlines for providing space to the Indian-Austrian band Ashram for their fusion rock concert.