Tamil Nadu: Boat races organised at Ooty Boat House as part of summer festival
Nilgiri, May 28
The Nilgiris District, popularly known as the "Queen of Hills", is witnessing a large influx of tourists for the summer season, with several events being organised as part of the annual summer festival celebrations.
The summer festival commenced with the 21st Rose Show at the Government Rose Garden in Ooty on May 14 and concluded on May 18. This was followed by the 128th Flower Show at the world-famous Government Botanical Garden, which had been held for the past 10 days and concluded today.
Meanwhile, the 66th Fruit Show at Sims Park in Coonoor began yesterday and will continue till May 30.
As part of the summer festival celebrations, boat races were conducted today at the Ooty Boat House by the Tourism Department. The event was flagged off by Nilgiris District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru.
Competitions were held in various categories, including men's doubles, women's doubles, couples' race, journalists' race and boat house employees' race.
In the couples' category, Seshadri and Sangeetha from Hosur secured first place, while Yogesh and Anita from Bengaluru won second place. Sasikumar and Sahana Lakshmi from Chennai secured third place.
District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru distributed trophies to the winners and felicitated them.
Tourists enthusiastically participated in the event and enjoyed the festive atmosphere at the Ooty Boat House.
According to the official website for the Utsav Portal, launched by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Boat Race - As a part of the Summer Festival, the Department of Tourism, Tamil Nadu, hosts a one-day boat race, attracting participants from various states annually. At the Ooty Lake, tourists compete in the boat race by pedalling their way to victory.
Additionally, several cultural programmes, including music and dance shows, are held at the festival to attract tourists.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great to see the tourism department keeping traditions alive! The couples' race winner from Hosur and Bengaluru shows how these events unite people from across states. Makes me want to plan a trip to Nilgiris ASAP.
While the events sound lovely, I hope the authorities are managing waste properly. Ooty already suffers from plastic pollution and tourist crowds. Boat races are fun but sustainability should come first.
As someone from the US who visited Ooty last year, these festivals are truly special. The flower shows are world-class, and boat races add a fun local touch. India's regional tourism is underrated. 🇮🇳
The 128th Flower Show at Botanical Garden! That's history right there. My grandparents used to tell stories about visiting it back in the 1960s. Glad the tradition continues with modern additions like boat races. Proud of Tamil Nadu tourism! 🌸🚤
Good initiative but wish they'd promote local artisans too. Every summer festival I see the same stalls with Chinese toys and plastic junk. Why not feature Nilgiri tea, homemade chocolates, and local honey? That would really attract tourists.
Just returned from Ooty last week -
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