Economic and Employment Potential of Archaeological Monuments in India (An Old and Rare Book)

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

It was with great interest that I went through the script of Economic and Employment Potential of Archaeological Monuments in India. I am happy that some light has been thrown on the economic and the employment potential aspect of the monuments in this book; other-wise the common idea entertained at the official and the non-official level generally is that the monuments are only a liability to the country, as the Government is required to invest huge amounts in them for their upkeep.

The monuments of our country speak of its history and civilization. They provide continuous inspiration to the generations. And these have got to be protected by the Government; but with us in India, at places, our monuments give an impression that they are neglected and deserted; the bat and the bad smell greet the visitor many a time. And at others the Archaeological Survey of India has put up a board, "Trespassers will be prosecuted." Even if prosecution is launched at some places it means we are quite active about the monuments.

In the context of the fast-developing tourism trade, monuments have assumed greater importance. The expenditure incurred on their maintenance and preservation is no longer a luxury but a necessity. Today, as rightly observed by the authors, archaeological monuments are capable of providing aesthetic pleasure as well as generating economic activity. Monuments in India have given opportunity to many an artist for the manifestation of the delicate sentiments. The medium of expression being hard rock or granite, it has made the expression all the more charming and attractive.

At places monuments are associated with religious sentiments as in the case of Buddhist pilgrimage centres at Bodhgaya, Kushinagar, Kapilvastu, Ajanta Ellora and Nagarjunsagar. Large number of tourists come over from the South East Asian countries to these parts associated with Lord Buddha.

Jains visit Palitana and Girnar in Gujarat and Gommateshwara in Karnataka. Now that the Department of Tourism of the Government of India have brought electricity to Ranakpur in Rajasthan, tourists would love to stay there for a while to see the marble temples built amidst sands.

Ajmer Sharif is visited by Muslims from all over. Foreign tourists visit many of these monuments, irrespective of religious sentiments, only to see the exquisite beauty of art in marble or in sand-stone.

The Archaeological Survey of India has under it, 3500 monuments in the whole country. This is indeed a small number as com-pared with the number of monuments existing in the country. But this Department has got to see that the further deterioration of monuments is stopped and also to see that existing things are maintained in good condition so as to inspire visitors.

Monuments of national importance have generated both direct and indirect employment. Maintenance and landscaping of the area and providing facilities to the tourists, do provide employment potential. A tourist, domestic or foreign, would always appreciate the services of a good guide explaining in a language known to the tourist. He would also appreciate toilet facilities nearby and a resting place in the garden around the monument, with a cup of coffee or cold drink, if it is made available.

He would also like to carry some beautiful pieces of handicrafts in memory of his visit to India. The number of tourists coming over to India from America and Europe is fast increasing. With sophisticated air service facilities, hotel accommodation and internal transport are also getting geared up. The number of tourists to this country during this decade may go up to a million, bringing more than ten million dollars of foreign exchange, in its chain.

Well, monuments can make significant contribution to the economy of our country on account of the impetus they can give to the tourist industry. A study of economic and employment potential of archaeological monuments thus becomes important in the context of the national economic development programme.

I hope this small book, written by Rajesh K. Agarwal and Sudesh Nangia on scientific and analytical lines, will be warmly received by all those interested in the monuments of our country and in the promotion of tourism.

This study makes an attempt to examine some of the economic and employment aspects of archaeological monuments in India. The areas where immediate action is needed have been identified so that our monuments become a viable proposition not only in micro terms but also substantially improve their contribution in macro terms. We feel that they can provide significant benefits to the economy of our country on account of the impetus they can give to the tourist industry.

The vast expansion of tourism has been one of the outstanding features of our technological age. It was not very long ago that travel to distant parts of the world was considered unusual unless it was motivated by notions of profit, conquest or missionary work. However, today tourism involves the mass movement of peoples from one country to another. This has become possible due to the sweeping technological changes in the means of transportation, and due to the extension of leisure with increasing prosperity, especially among the more affluent countries. In addition, now a perceptible change can be felt in the nature of tourism. While the traditional "sun, sea, and snow" retain their holiday appeal, an increasingly large number of tourists are becoming "footloose" in seeking to satisfy their hunger for culture. They want to see and touch the marvels they heard of at school, or saw in picture albums, the cinema or on television-the monuments of antiquity.

Archaeological monuments are capable of providing aesthetic pleasure as well as generating economic activity. Thus, the expenditure on their maintenance and preservation, once considered a luxury in the face of more pressing basic needs, does not really compete with economic development but actually forms a part of it. It represents a form of capital investment which can be amortised with exceptional swiftness. A study of the economic and employment potential of archaeological monuments thus becomes pertinent to a national eco-nomic development programme.

This study has no pretension to providing final answers. Its major objective is to generate a meaningful dialogue on the economic and employment potential of archaeological monuments in India and, more specially, on the measures necessary to realise their potential. This should be particularly timely now in view of the high priority assigned to the creation of gainful employment opportunities in the country.

We would like to extend our gratitude to: Mr. M. N. Deshpande, Director-General, Archaeological Survey of India, for allowing access to the data available in the monument section and in the library; Dr. R. Subramaniam, Superintending Archaeologist, for his suggestions and assistance during field-work; Mr. B. M. Pande, Deputy Superintending Archaeologist, for his advice from time to time; Mr. George Sioris, Counsellor, Chancery of Greece, and Professor M. Curradi, Counsellor, Chancery of Italy, for providing data on archaeological monuments in their respective countries; Mrs. Saroj Bhatia, Reference Librarian, American Embassy Library, and Mr. Biswas, Reference Librarian of the Reference Section, British High Commission, for the assistance rendered and Mr. D. Callow of Middlesex, England, for his assistance in procuring data on monuments of England. Last, but not the least, we have benefited immensely by the encouragement of Shri Suresh J. Desai and the guidance of Dr. Anand P. Gupta, Directors, Economic Research Division, Birla Institute of Scientific Research.