TOURISM: A DRIVING FORCE FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION, JOB CREATION AND SOCIAL HARMONY.

For a given investment in infrastructure facilities and amenities, Tourism has the highest potential for employment generation and social harmony and National integration. Though the multifaceted benefits of Tourism are well known, India has not yet taken sufficient interest to promote Tourism seriously, perhaps due to lack of appreciation of the tangible economic benefits by way of economic and social development. The scope for employment generation and poverty alleviation is enormous in innumerable areas, such as hotels, restaurants, transport of all kinds, communication, entertainment, markets for consumer goods etc. Therefore, that aspect is not discussed here. But the scope for social harmony and national integration is far more significant, value of which is incalculable in financial terms. As recommended by the Ministry of Tourism, I addressed the last PATA Conference on Tourism, held in April 2001 at Delhi, on SPIRITUAL TOURSIM, which was highly appreciated. India is a sub-continent of the size of Europe with far more diversity than any other country in the world. Though India was a single cultural entity for 5000 years or more, it is only after British conquest and rule; India could become a modern nation state. We are hopelessly divided along many divisive forces and factors, like religions, castes, languages and ethnicity. Four religions were born in India - Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. Christianity came to India before it went to Europe. Jews and Parsees were given refuge in India. Islamic invaders conquered India and ruled for 200 years. The partition of India and the Kashmir questions are keeping alive tensions between Hindus and Moslems. Even among the Hindus, the Dalits are trying to introduce a separate identity. In the North East, ethnic problems and separatist forces are destabilizing Indias unity. All these divisive forces are being inflamed by Vote bank politics in an open democracy like ours. Therefore, there is a genuine and urgent need to bring about harmony among all these groups, which are trying to assert separate identities and creating discord and fissiparous tendencies. These groups have developed fixed mindsets and prejudices about each other. The only way to remove such prejudices is to bring them together in various forums. The Government and the private sectors are trying already to do it in various ways which move needs to be done. Seeing is believing. When tourists travel from one part of the country to another, they see for themselves the truth, and invariably their prejudices wane. They even develop a liking for those about whom they had wrong information.

Every part of India has unique features. Kerala and J & K have scenic beauty. Tamil Nadu has magnificent temples. The Himalayas are awe-inspiring. Music and dance, festivals and celebrations, dress and food, cultural manifestations and monuments, Water falls and gardens, flora and fauna, architectural and sculptural marvels, holy places and sacred rivers, customs and traditions and hundreds of places of tourist interests bring peoples from different parts of India to realize the greatness and magnificence of our countrys profound cultural heritage with dazzling variety. Such pride promotes pride in our nation, fostering national integration. Indias unique genius is religiosity and spirituality. Hundreds of saints, sages, seers, evolved souls and scholars were born in India in every century and in every part of the country. Their teachings have inspired all Indians for centuries. Pilgrims visit their birthplaces. Pilgrimage is a popular feature of Indian culture. Millions undertake pilgrimage to Kumbh Melas, Varanasi, Sabarimala, Vaishnava Devi, Rameswaram, Badrinath and hundreds of holy places. All these help to strengthen our unity and emotional integration and social harmony. Even more than religion, language is a big divider of peoples. Europe, though all Christian, is divided on languages. USSR, Yugoslavia, and Pakistan broke on language. It is Indias unique culture, based on manifestations of Hinduism in its myriad forms, which is keeping the emotional unity of our country. During the telecasting of Ramayana and Mahabharatha, all Indians watched the serials, thus showing the cultural unity of the country. These unifying features are shared by all Indians, which can be augmented by CULTURAL TOURISM. For this, all those who are involved in Tourism should get an understanding of Indian culture and its significance to promote social harmony. The present focus is on promoting tourist attractions, which have only a visual impact. The main handicap to promote cultural tourism is the lack understanding of Indias culture. The Tourist Department should promote same by keeping booklets and other audio-visual aids in hotels and other suitable places so that a better understanding of Indias culture can be disseminated. Publicity should be on content of culture. Arnold Toybee, eminent historian, has stated that India would conquer the world with her ancient thought and wisdom. Sri Arabindo had predicted that Indias role in this century is to become a world teacher in ancient thought and wisdom. Similar statements have been expressed by Indologists and great thinkers all over the world. Japanese like to visit India, which is the birthplace for Buddha. There is worldwide interest in learning about Indias spiritual approach to nature, animals and mankind. During the last 50 years, Western approach to natures endowments and animals have depleted natural resources, desertified

land, polluted water and air, denegrated pasture and so on. Excessive consumption and wastages in utilization of natural resources have led to disastrous consequences. Use of toxic and inorganic substances in agriculture production has created new diseases. At the individual front families are fragmented and loneliness has set in. Humane values such as love and affection are waning. Crash commercialism has overwhelmed mans attitude and behaviour. Selfishness has been inflamed by reckless competition for raw materials and markets. Many thinkers have expressed that the Western world has become sick. Prosperity outside and poverty within have made man alienated from his own true self. Hundreds of such ills are haunting the Western world. Dr. David Frawly, Lester Brown and many eminent intellectuals have opined that the only solution for world peace and harmony is to learn from Indias ancient thought and wisdom. This is already evident from the fact that Sai Baba and Mata Amirtnandamayi have millions of followers all over the West, who come to India for their darshan. Indias unique genius is her spirituality, religiosity, philosophy and culture. In Indian thought, spirituality should be inculcated into all secular work, transactions and relationships, thereby making spirituality as the basis of human existence. India gave birth to four religions, gave refuge to two and assimilated the ideals and values of the other two great religions Christianity and Islam into her culture. India has rational explanations for the many disparities and inequities we see all over the world. Buddha gave the concept of compassion and Mahaveera the principle of non-violence to the whole world. Though India was attacked 69 times, India did not attack any other country. Hindus do not convert. Though Buddhism went to far East, it merged itself with the local cultures in China and Japan. The concept of family, marriage, pilgrimages, meditation, yoga, prayer, Sanskrit, vegetarianism and many such unique features of India are attracting the whole world to India. India should promote cultural and spiritual tourism in order to arrest to deteriorating values in India and abroad and also to take mankind to a higher state of being. The sanctity of family is respected and nourished. Old people are taken care of by their children. Millions visit temples and undertake pilgrimages with great devotion. Indias unique concept of God system, having many deities and celebrations, have genuine meaning for the emancipation of man from the present state of bondage. Even Joseph Campbell has written that Indias Ramayana and Mahabaratha have profound significance to make man a better man.

Tourism is now undertaken mainly as a picnic for enjoyment, pleasure, amusement and relaxation. It has no end purpose except satisfaction of the five senses, which can only be experienced for a brief period. Any activity undertaken with super ordinate goals or worthy goals will make the activity sacred. Observing ethical and moral norms as well as observing humanism and profound ideals will take man forward in his spiritual journey. There was a time when it was believed that materialism is of what matters, and that spirituality and religiosity are meant for recluses. But Indias spiritual literature is entirely meant for removing sorrow, attaining happiness and achievement of peace all in this world and not in the other world, of which nobody knows anything. Indias spiritual literature and philosophy also explain the anamolies in the existing situation, where innocent children are born handicapped, good men suffer and deviant people succeed in life. All these mysteries in life have been explained in the Law of Order, Law of cause and effect and the Law of Reincarnation. The beneficial effects of yoga and meditation have already been acknowledged. Ayurveda has already become popular in many parts of the world. Thus, India has so much to offer for the whole world, which will remove existing ignorance and lack of understanding of the profound knowledge of Indias ancient saints and sages. None of these will be in contradiction with religious thoughts of Semitic religions. None of the millions of devotees and followers of Sai Baba, Amritanandamayi and hundreds of missions have changed their religion. Therefore, it has been proposed that tourism should have dual purpose. One is of course for enjoyment and amusement. More important is the second one to learn from other cultures and thereby improving ones horizon. Concurrently, it may also be possible for imbibing spiritual values. If tourism is undertaken with this perspective, the effect of a tour will be lasting till death. Incidentally, if we promote a better understanding of cultures all over the world, it would promote social harmony at national and international level. For such a transformation of tourism from mere pleasure to cultural tourism would require a new orientation or adding a new dimension to tourism. In the initial stages, only a few may be interested in undertaking tourism with this cultural objective. But slowly over time, more and more people would find the benefits of cultural and spiritual tourism. In addition, there are three million NRIs and five million people of Indian origin. They are also seeking an opportunity to imbibe Indian culture and learn from it for leading a purposeful life. Special programmes have to be organized for them.

At present travel agents and others involved in the tourism industry are merely concentrating on promoting the physical side of tourism, with scant regard for the profound goals, which can be achieved by introducing culture, character, spirituality, ethics, morals and values into the tourist industry. For this to happen, all those involved should undergo training on what India stands for and what Indias culture, philosophy and values are. Unfortunately, there is very little of understanding, particularly among Hindus, about Indian thought and wisdom. This Conference should start a massive campaign for bringing in such dimensions to tourism.. The Indian Heritage Academy (IHA) is equipped to conduct programmes for departments of Tourism, travel agents, transport operators and others, directly and indirectly involved in tourism, on how to introduce additional dimensions to tourism. Thus, tourism would not only increase employment opportunities but also promote social harmony. With increased income, poor people would also get access to culture, which has been denied to them. Poverty is a curse, which dehumanizes people. Therefore, tourism can promote not only employment opportunities but also cultural development and national and international integration. At present the global communication network with Internet and web pages do not have such a perspective. It is proposed that India should take a giant lead forward to make available her thought and wisdom to the world at large, while incidentally promoting social harmony and national integration within India.