A person’s relationship with his heritage is similar to the relationship a child has with his mother. Our heritage is our pride and it strengthens our sense of history. The foundation stones of our art and culture are also our heritage sites.
- Not only this, our heritages also introduce us to science and technology, they reflect the complex relationship between humans and nature and also tell the story of the development story of human civilization.
- Article 51A (f) of the Indian Constitution clearly states that it is the duty of every Indian citizen to respect and preserve the rich heritage of its overall culture.
- It would be unfortunate that till now we have been talking only about the social and cultural importance of our heritage sites, whereas their role in economic development is very important. This is an aspect which we have been ignoring.
The important role of heritage sites in economic development
- India has been a country whose history is full of diversity, from the world’s oldest Harappan civilization where we can learn the tricks of best town-planning, to Jantar Mantar and observatories of Jaipur we can see a glimpse of contemporary scientific development. .
- Historians believe that many Indian kings built their forts and monuments when there was famine in their areas so that along with the construction of buildings, they could also provide employment. Our today’s policymakers can also take a lesson from this.
- A major feature of our heritage sites is that local resources and local art specialties have been extensively used in their construction. Obviously, these skills are still present in the local communities, hence by protecting them, employment can be created at the local level.
- There are thousands of such heritage sites in India, whose structure is very strong. Many forts of Rajasthan have been converted into hotels equipped with modern facilities. Apart from being used as hotels or museums or libraries, these types of buildings can easily be adapted to be used as schools or clinics.
Problems and Challenges
- India is very rich in terms of historical heritage. There are a large number of monumental buildings in every region of the subcontinent. Yet in India less than 15,000 monuments and heritage sites are legally protected, whereas in a small country like Britain, 600,000 monuments have statutory protection.
- In India, monuments of national/state or local importance are victims of neglect, encroachment has become such a challenge that people are seen walking their cattle and pets early in the morning at the entrance of these monuments.
- Those institutions and bodies which have been given the responsibility of preserving them are responsible for the pathetic condition of our heritage sites. These institutions fail because they are unaware of their economic possibilities.
what should be the way forward?
- The first step in this direction would be to ensure that visiting monuments and archaeological sites proves to be an exciting experience for the visitors. After decades of archaeological efforts, thousands of heritage sites have been discovered in India that are contemporary with the famous Harappan civilization. Very few people know about these places, while the Tourism Department has also failed to publicize the historical importance of these places, effective steps will have to be taken immediately in this direction.
- India has 35 UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Sites, only a few countries in the world have more than 35. It is necessary to collect information about the music, food, rituals, costumes, personalities, sports, festivals, etc. associated with these places so that we can earn economic benefits by giving this information to the visitors.
- If we want to take our heritage forward, we will have to link it with economic benefits, and for this, the cultural sector should be brought within the scope of liberalization, when these places become of economic importance, then private and public sectors will be created for their maintenance. There will be competition between them.
What is a World Heritage Site?
We call places of cultural and natural importance as world heritage. These places are also important from a historical and environmental point of view. They have international importance and special efforts are made for their conservation.
Such sites are officially recognized as World Heritage by the United Nations organization UNESCO. Any site that is important to humanity, that has cultural and physical significance, is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage.
How many World Heritage Sites around the world?
There are a total of 1052 World Heritage Sites around the world. Of these, 814 are cultural, 203 are natural and 35 are mixed.
How many World Heritage Sites in India?
India currently has a total of 35 World Heritage Sites including 27 cultural, 7 natural, and 1 mixed.
Cultural Heritage Sites
Agra Fort (1983)
Ajanta Caves (1983)
Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda University), Bihar (2016)
Sanchi Buddhist Memorial (1989)
Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park (2004)
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) ( 2004)
Churches and Convents of Goa (1986)
Elephanta Caves (1987)
Ellora Caves (1983)
Fatehpur Sikri (1986)
Great Living Chola Temples (1987)
Group of Monuments at Hampi (1986)
Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (1984)
Pattadakal Group of Monuments at (1987)
Hill Fort in Rajasthan (2013)
Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi (1993)
Group of Monuments at Khajuraho (1986)
Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya (2002)
Mountain Railways of India (1999)
Qutub Minar and its Monuments, Delhi (1993)
Rani-ki-Vav Patan, Gujarat (2014)
Red Fort Complex (2007)
Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (2003)
Sun Temple, Kornak (1984)
Taj Mahal (1983)
Architectural work of La Corbusier (2016)
Jantar Mantar, Jaipur (2010)
Natural Heritage Sites
Himalayan National Park Conservation Area (2014)
Kaziranga National Park (1985)
Keoladeo National Park (1985)
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (1985)
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Park (1988)
Sunderbans National Park (1987)
Western Ghats (2012) )
Mixed
Kangchenjunga National Park (2016)
Conclusion
Tourism is the main vehicle of national development. Tourism is going to play an important role in making the ambitious Make in India of the Government of India successful. To generate employment for millions of young Indians, the country will have to grow at a sustained rate of 9-10 percent for a few decades and to achieve this we will have to take advantage of our rich tourism resources.