Guess what! A stunning dhow is Kerala's special gift to Qatar world Cup
text_fieldsThough wedged by Arabian Sea for miles, Karala is awash with excitement of Qatar World Cup.
There is another reason for football fans in the state to mark the world cup a memorable event.
Kerala is offering for display a traditional handcrafted life-sized dhow at the World Cup.
The 27x6x7 feet dhow was made by the guidance of PO Hashim from Chaliyam in Kozhikode's Beypore, famous for centuries-old skill, according to the News Minute.
Alongside the dhow, Beypore's craftsmen also sent 1,000 miniature dhows to the traditional dhow festival in Qatar held as part of the World Cup.
Kerala Tourism tweeted, "These beautiful pieces of art, with the FIFA ensignage, are meant to be gifts. However, they are available offline and online too."
The dhow making has long history in Beypore where generations of families involved in the trade preserve the skill they have learnt from Arab traders.
Nikhi Das, who is the secretary of Kozhikode district tourism promotion council, reportedly said that the tourism department would pin on dhow-making village to be developed into a tourism spot.
The handcrafted dhows of Beypore are so popular in Qatar that the royal family of Qatar commissioned a dhow from the village in 2011.