Tamil Nadu - Madurai   

Globe-trotting, disability notwithstanding Globetrotting, disability notwithstanding

T. Saravanan

WITH WANDERLUST, WITHOUT BOUNDS: Jawahar, a guide approved by the India Tourism Development Corporation, showing off the Tirumalai Nayak Palace to the physically challenged French tourists in Madurai on Saturday. — Photo: K. Ganesan.

MADURAI: Physical disability seems to have affected these six French tourists little. For, they travelled thousands of kilometres to South India to get a bite of a place replete with history and culture.

South India has always been a favourite destination as it has plenty of fascinating things to offer, not just for 85-year-old Blanche Chretien, but also for her fellow countrymen Gisele Cabrelli, Meilen Larisa, Dominique Dupuis, Catherine Clavelier, and Nicole Lamacq (all physically challenged), and Severine Guyon, Laetitia Gorius, David Nottin and Ntba (who volunteered to accompany them).

Navigational problems did not bother them, as all the physically challenged tourists have a motorised vehicle for better mobility.

"Of course, the facilities and infrastructure are good here, but not for people like us. They should have arranged for replaceable wooden ramps for us to climb the steps. Still we enjoy our stay here. Once the Tourism Department realises the potential and money involved in bringing physically challenged tourists, tourism in this part is bound to increase," said Dominique Dupuis, one of the leading tour operators for the physically challenged in France. Through his company, Access Tourisme Service, Mr. Dupuis has travelled all over the world except to some parts of Africa.

"The group arrived in Chennai on August 14 from where they travelled to Mahabalipuram, Kancheepuram, Pondicherry, Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Thanjavur, Srirangam and now they have come to Madurai. Tomorrow they will leave for Tekkadi, Kochi, Allepey and Mumbai, from where they will take off on August 25," said N. Suresh, a local tour operator.

The French tourists visited the Tirumalai Nayak Palace and Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai on Saturday.

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