A number of members of Yathra Kudumbam at Punalur Suspension Bridge
| Photograph Credit score: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
There may be nothing novel about strangers bonding throughout group tour packages. However what if the camaraderie is so robust that they set out on new journeys? That’s the case with Yathra Kudumbam, a journey group made up of people that met throughout Kerala State Street Transport Company’s (KSRTC) finances tourism journeys.
The members of the group, over 300 of them, have been regulars of the finances tourism journeys run by the Finances Tourism Cell (BTC), a vertical below KSRTC that organises group journeys to vacationer locations, historic websites, temples, monuments and the like throughout Keralam and out of doors of it.
“This group works in affiliation with BTC. That’s, the members select the vacation spot as an alternative of following BTC’s itinerary. As soon as the situation is finalised, we guide a KSRTC bus by way of BTC,” Thomas TC, a veteran of finances tourism journeys and a member of Yathra Kudumbam, who can also be a degree 10 native Google information – a non-paying volunteer who posts opinions, photographs and details about varied places.
Guiding the staff is Sajith S, a conductor with KSRTC’s Thiruvananthapuram metropolis depot, who was as soon as a coordinator of BTC. “It’s heartening to notice how the passengers, most of them senior residents, grew to become shut to one another having travelled collectively to numerous places by BTC journeys. There got here some extent after they wished to discover these places that aren’t in BTC’s itinerary, most of that are nestled inside forest areas, and that’s how they shaped this group. Since I’ve been their coordinator in lots of journeys, they wished me to be part of it,” Sajith says.
A view of Peppara reservoir
| Photograph Credit score:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The primary journey was to Bonacaud, a trekking base camp of Agasthyarkoodam, which has breathtaking greenery, waterfalls and tea estates. Over 10 such journeys have been undertaken by the group to date. “We’ve had one-day journeys in addition to these which lasted two or three days,” says Sajith. Among the many spots they’ve visited are Malarikkal in Kottayam, well-known for its pink water lilies, Attayar, Kumbhavurutty, Mankayam-Meenmutti-Ponmudi, Achankovil river and Kalleli Appooppankavu.
Kumbhavurutty waterfall in Kollam
| Photograph Credit score:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The group additionally went to Aranmula to partake within the Aranmula vallasadya, the annual ritualistic feast at Sree Parthasarathy Temple. Not too long ago, they obtained collectively at Mayamkadavu, the gorgeous riverside vacation spot close to Amboori in Thiruvananthapuram, to rejoice Onam. “There have been 60 of us, and we had a good time with cultural programmes, video games, a rustic boat experience, sadya and a campfire,” says Sajith, who was felicitated by the group together with Thomas. He provides that Rosario, who was the private secretary of former President APJ Abdul Kalam was a part of the group.
“The perfect a part of the night was that we may witness the moon rising over the Puralimala Hills,” he says.
On September 12, a visit has been deliberate to Podiyakkala, the scenic tribal hamlet below Peppara wildlife sanctuary, and the 900-acre Braemore Property. A two-day journey has been scheduled for September 25 to Chokramudi the place the Neelakkurinji is in full bloom.
They’ve deliberate just a few lengthy journeys for October.
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Revealed – September 10, 2026 03:48 pm IST