The demand for products from Art and Craft Village at Murungapakkam, Puducherry is gradually gaining more traction outside the Union Territory as well

While the government-run Art and Craft Village at Murungapakkam has established a place on Puducherry's tourist map and supports the livelihood of local artisans, the demand for the village's goods is gradually growing outside the Union Territory as well, with government organisations from various States placing large orders for thematic artwork to spruce up public spaces. The Village, which is located in a tranquil setting off the Cuddalore Road on the town's outskirts, exhibits a variety of distinctive handmade products made by regional artists under one roof and provides visitors with the chance to have first-hand experience with the complexities of craft creation.

A variety of goods, including paper lamp shades, coconut crafts, leather crafts, designed mats and jute bags, scented candles, Tanjore paintings, seashell crafts, stonework crafts, hammocks, as well as palm leaf and terracotta items, are available from more than 20 local artisans who work out of the Village, including renowned terracotta artist and Padma awardee V. K. Munusamy. 

The Wildlife Art Gallery, which has paintings on plywood and statues of animals made from single stones, is another draw, especially for kids. President Droupadi Murmu was one of the notable guests in the Village.

"The Village is gradually becoming one of Puducherry's top tourist destinations. On weekdays and weekends, there are about 2,000 visitors per day, up from the daily average of about 500. There are also a lot of interns and students that come for educational purposes. According to S. Bhaskar, tourism manager for the Puducherry Department of Tourism, the craftsmen are also doing well. 

Mr. Bhaskar said that government organisations from States including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have purchased thematic items from craftsmen here, specifically to raise awareness among students about the environment and traffic.

The mangrove trail boat trip from the Craft community to the Thengaithittu mangroves is popular among tourists to the community. However, the boat journey has since been put on hold. The boat journey has been temporarily cancelled. According to Mr. Bhaskar, there is a great demand for boat rides through the mangroves, therefore the government is attempting to bring it back. 

K. Lakshminarayanan, minister of public works and tourism, said that the government has a clear plan for turning the Craft Village into a popular tourist attraction. He stated that the government aims to use the underused portions of the site for tourist promotion activities, including a digital museum, and that about 20 acres of land were bought for the town.

A private player will soon run the fifteen houses built inside the Village that showcase elements of Franco-Tamil culture, he added. Additionally, the government has suggested building 40 cottages to house artists from other States, a playground for kids, additional camps for artists, and a training ground for traditional games.