Thiruvananthapuram, February 23 A light and sound show, featuring the history of Kerala with a focus on the teachings of saint-social reformer Sree Narayana Guru, will be launched in the Chilakoor Tunnel near Varkala on February 16.
It will be the country's first visual experience for visitors to be projected inside a tunnel, powered by video mapping technology, according to an official statement on Monday.
The Chilakoor Tunnel, renovated as part of the first phase of the Akkulam-Chettuva Waterway project, will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The 280-km Akkulam-Chettuva Waterway is part of the 616-km Kovalam-Bekal waterway project, a milestone in Kerala's inland waterway development, which will enhance the state's role as a multi-modal logistics hub and boost the state's water-based tourism potential, it said.
The tunnel renovation work has been carried out by Kerala Waterways Infrastructure Limited (KWIL), a joint venture of the state government and the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL).
CIAL will also launch a light and sound system-integrated electric boat for tourists to enjoy the visual spectacle inside the tunnel, it said.
The show, powered by mapping technology on the tunnel's surface, has been designed and executed at a cost of Rs 4.5 crore.
It will project a 3D video to take viewers through Kerala's picturesque landscape, the defining moments of the evolution of literature and literary icons, tourist destinations, and the diversity of culture.
A six-minute visual spectacle about the life and teachings of Sree Narayana Guru, who pioneered the social reform movement of Kerala, is the highlight of the show, S Suhas, Director, KWIL, said.
Students and faculty of R L V College of Music and Fine Arts, Thripunithura, Kochi, have created the illustrated frames of Guru's life, which have been set in motion using cutting-edge technology.
The boat ride and light-and-sound show will mark the panoramic Chilakoor Beach as a captivating destination, providing a significant boost to water-based tourism in Kerala, Suhas said.
The specially designed 20-seater electric boat is built by Kochi-based startup NavAlt Green Mobility.
The vessel is equipped with four high-intensity laser projectors, advanced onboard sound systems, and battery power, ensuring a synchronized and eco-friendly visual spectacle.
KWIL is also setting up a beach park and boat jetty at the canal, and the Kerala Hydel Tourism Centre will set up a ticket counter for visitors.
The 350-metre Chilakoor Tunnel is an engineering marvel, designed to make inland navigation hassle-free for the former princely state of Travancore.
The canal has been restored to navigable condition as part of the state government's Inland Waterways development project, the statement added.