Nirmal, Somasila Win National Tourism Honours

Hyderabad:Nirmal toys, famous for their light weight, and Somasila village, known for its pristine beauty and wellness centres, were adjudged best by the Union ministry of tourism in the best tourism villages under the ‘crafts’ and ‘spiritual-wellness’ categories respectively on Friday.

The competitions were organised in a eight categories and the awards were given on Word Tourism Day. Union tourism minister Gajendra Singh Shekawat gave away the awards at a function in Vignan Bhavan.

Nirmal toys are popular for their crafts, designs and unique colours. The toys are made out of Poniki wood which is available only in Nirmal and Adilabad forests.

Nirmal additional collector Faizan Ahmed and Nirmal Toys and Arts Society president S. Pentaiah received the awards. The awards were announced to promote tourism in the country as well as in the states.

Somasila, the state’s riverside temple town, received the award under the ‘spiritual-wellness’ category. The village, nestled along the river Krishna, is renowned as a religious and spiritual hub. It is a pilgrimage destination with the historic Somasila temple.

Somasila hosts vibrant festivals like Mahashivaratri, attracting thousands of people from across the country. Visitors can also enjoy boating, traditional crafts and the scenic beauty of the surrounding hills.

T. Narsimha, the district tourism department officer for Somasila, received the award on behalf of the village.

Andhra Pradesh’s Ahobilam, Goa’s Bandora, Jharkhand’s Rikhiapeeth and Tamil Nadu’s Melkalingam Patti also received awards under this category.