Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) on Wednesday took a leap 'culturally forward' by introducing two bullock-drawn vehicles in the Beach Resort Complex of the world heritage coastal town of Mamallapuram on ECR.

What is more, the Tourism Minister N Suresh Rajan, after officially inaugurating the seven "adventure tourism" sports, including the traditional Villuvandi (the bell cart), himself cruised around in the carriage to enjoy a "rustic feel" and to impress the assembled foreign tourists to follow suit.

Asked what was the rationale behind introducing 'bullock cart' entertainment at a time when the is successfully involved in multiple satellite launches and Kancheepuram district has become the largest producer of passenger cars in the country, Suresh Rajan told Express that it was the best way to showcase the traditional heritage of Tamil Nadu and everyone would wholeheartedly welcome such a move. "If the bullock cart becomes a hit among foreign tourists, more such carts will be introduced," the minister explained.

The government charges Rs 150 per hour to hire this bullock-drawn vehicle and a maximum of three persons would be allowed in the domeroofed carriage.

The first person to use the cart was Mrs Olubunmi Aina, a Nigerian national, who was part of a seven-member team, who had flown down to India to attend an Indian wedding this evening. A family of Denmark nationals, however, shunned this "vehicle" because the 12-year-old boy of the family refused to board it on the grounds that "the animal was scary, and someone had already warned him that this vehicle does not have a break.

A French family that had seen "such a vehicle for the first time" showed willingness to ride it, come what may.

The Tourism Minister said that Tamil Nadu became the number one destination for foreign tourists in 2009, and third in attracting domestic visitors and the tourist flow to Tamil Nadu was increasing at 22 per cent per year.

Having won four awards for excellence in tourism-related activities, Suresh Rajan exuded confidence that Tamil Nadu would become the number one state for domestic tourists too in the near future.

Explaining why the bullock cart was introduced for the first time to promote tourism, TTDC director A C Mohandas told Express that every country in the West showcased their traditional adventures and charged in dollars. So, why not we too introduce our traditional mode of transport to cruise around the heritage town, he queried.