A small weavers' village on the banks of the Narmada in Madhya Pradesh's Khargone district is about to become a major stop on the state's tourism map. Keriyakhedi, located in the Maheshwar area, is being developed as a textile or handicraft village under a joint initiative of the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Department and the Union Ministry of Textiles, with the aim of giving fresh identity to the families who weave Maheshwari sarees and boosting rural tourism in the region. The entire project carries a cost of Rs 5 crore 11 lakh.
Tourists will be able to buy directly from weavers
According to Neeraj Amjhare, the Tourism Department's nodal officer for the project, the biggest benefit will go to the weaver families themselves. Visitors to the village will be able to watch weavers at their looms as they craft sarees, get a close look at their intricate skill, and, most importantly, buy sarees directly from the weavers without any middlemen involved. This is expected to raise the weavers' earnings and open up a much bigger market for their craft, one that has so far largely stayed confined to the local level.
Village lanes and weavers' homes are getting a new look
A road connecting to the village has already been built, while work is underway to improve the lanes inside the village itself. Signage will be put up at various points so tourists do not lose their way. A garden is also being developed in the village, and the walls of weavers' homes will be decorated with colourful murals. The idea is to give Keriyakhedi a distinct identity of its own and make it easy for tourists to find their way straight to the weaver households.
Tourists will get to stay in mud and tile homes
Rural-style homestays are also being built for visitors to stay in. Made of mud and keval tiles, these homes will let tourists experience the village's traditional way of life, its food and its culture up close. This will also open up new employment opportunities for villagers. Under the Bakri Chhap Yojana, about 10 homestays are being built in Keriyakhedi, and an online booking facility is available for these stays, making it easier for visitors coming from outside to plan ahead.
A modern cafeteria worth over Rs 2.7 crore is coming up
Neeraj Amjhare said that a cafeteria fitted with modern facilities is also being built in the Gandhi Nagar area on Maheshwar Road, at a cost of around Rs 2 crore 70 lakh. The cafeteria will include a large hall, a kitchen, parking space and toilets, among other facilities. Construction is nearly 80 percent complete, and preparations are underway to open it to tourists soon.
A Narmada ghat will link Maheshwar and Omkareshwar in a new circuit
A trekking route connecting the cafeteria to Keriyakhedi village has also been built. Alongside this, a ghat is being constructed near the Tatkaleshwar Mahadev temple on the bank of the Narmada, so that visitors can also take a dip in the river, offer prayers and have darshan. This will give both tourists visiting Maheshwar and pilgrims headed to Omkareshwar an entirely new tourism circuit, one that did not previously connect the two destinations in this way.
The whole route is being planned with the upcoming Simhastha in mind
Neeraj Amjhare said the entire project is being designed like the Omkar Circuit, keeping the upcoming Simhastha in view. Under this route, tourists coming to Maheshwar will enter via Jail Road and reach Keriyakhedi first, where they will see the complete process of Maheshwari saree making. After experiencing rural life at the homestays, they will trek or travel by vehicle back to the highway near Nimar Spice to reach the cafeteria at Ladwi, in Gandhi Nagar. From there, after taking Narmada darshan and visiting the temple, they will be able to continue their journey on to Omkareshwar. The Tourism Department aims to complete all the development work under this project by the end of 2026, so that the entire circuit is ready to welcome tourists.
