UNIT 29 GOVERNMENT

Structure
Objectives
Introduction
Tourism, Culture and State
Goverment : Policy and Planning
Tourism Policy : Protection and Promotion
Tourism Policy :Need for Reorientation
Let Us Sum U p
Answers to Check your Progress Exercises

29.0 OBJECTIVES
After reading this Unit you will:

be acquainted with the relationship amongst tourism, culture and the state,
know about the goevernment policies to preserve, protect and promote various facets of
Indian culture, and
be able to analyse the cultural contents of Government's tourism policy along with the
inherent contradictions.

29.1 INTRODUCTION
Tourism is becoming one of the most important social and economic activities of today's
world. The number of domestic and international travellers is steadily increasing and many
countries in the world are now seeking to develop tourism for its many benefits. There is
also justifiable concern about the existing as well as possible negative effects of tourism and
a growing desire to develop this sector in a planned and controlled manner that optimizes
benefits while preventing any serious problems. In addition to newly developing tourism
areas, those places that already have substantial tourism development are now re-examining
their tourism sectors, policies, and in many places, desiring to make improvements where
necessary to meet contemporary standards and environmental objectives. Recognition is
gradually being given to the development of tourism in an integrated manner that sustains
its resources for perpetual use, and helps conserve (and not deteriorate) an area's natural
and cultural heritage.

In developing tourism of any particular countrytregion, its cultural heritage plays a very
crucial role. Equally important is that how the culture is portrayed to the tourist or How its
promotion is carried out in the tourist generating markets. Alongwith it, ideology, values and
the +ion of the tourist plays a critical role in influencing the nature of tourist development
and policy formulation. The vice-versa is also true in this regard.

Since tourism is generally considered as an unproblematic activity that is beyond a political

unileque, the Government and inter -governmental agencies concerned with tourism have
zenerally not been questioned on who makes Tourism Policy and what are its contents as far
as social and cultural impacts are concerned. The notion that it is an industry which is
generally considered as a remedy for foreign exchange problems with no side effects has
proved to be erroneous in the case of developing countries.
In the present Unit we will discuss the relationship ofthe state, tourism and culture. Besides,
a critical evaluation of the government's policies regarding promotion and preservation of
Indian culture in relation to cultural tourism are also discussed.
 ---- -- - -- - - -

29.2 TOURISM, CULTURE AND STATE

Tourism is developed for various reasons. Besides economic benifits, tourism can also
justify applying measures for environmental and cultural heritage conservation for which
resources otherwise might not be available. Socially, tourism in its best form provides
recreational, cultural and commercial facilities and serviccs that may not have been
developed without tourism for use by both tourists as well as by residents. It provides thc
opportunity to educate people about their cultures and environments as well as their own
national hcritage. Often this helps in circumventing ideological and political differences and
reducing prejudicial attitudes, that is, achieving a cross- cultural exchange.

Howevcr, tourism can also generate various problems such as the loss of potential economic
benefits and local economic distraction, environmental degradation, the loss of cultural
identity and integrity, and cross-cultural misunderstandings, reinforcing existing prejudices.
These benefits and problems will be examined in more depth in the specific context of
cultural aspects.

One of the difficulties in examining the relationship between tourism, culture and
Government is that the concept of culture is, like state:power, a contested concept.
Recreational tourism is typically perccived as a leisure activity which is undertdken
voluntarily, without constrains, as a sense of obligation. On thc other hand, politics denotes
the struggle over scarce resources, the domination of one group over anothcr and the
potential exercise of state control. The two would, therefore, seem to be completely different
social realms or spheres. Nevertheless, Wilson has explained it very clearly:

"Theliberals and conservatives both locate leisure firmly within the private sphere, a
region of elite in which the individual can engage in these integral and significant social ,
relationsl~ipsthat are the building blocks of personal identity. The private sphere
connotes freedom and autonomywhile the public sphere means constrains and aliena-
tion. In the private sphere the individual is in control, in the public sphere the
individual is under control".

The problematic positioning of tourism within either thc public or the private sphere reflects
the empyreans of understanding the social context within which tourism is both defined and
occurs as an activity. The notion of the conte~ualityof tourism as a form of leisure implies
thc recognition that there is no such thing as absolute frcedorn.

Each state sets the framework and rules by which tourism activities can be pursucd. Even
within the "free'' countries of the west, certain tourist behaviours may be prohibited. Freedom
is hcdged by the prevailing distribution of resources and by rules which define those activities
as admissible or inadmissible pleasures, and which defines those activities which may hc
legitimately pursued in their own right rather than for instrumental purposes, and which
specifiesby whom they may be pursued. For example, in totalitarian statcs the private sphere
does not exist. In the case of the former socialist countries of Eastcrn Europe, the nature of
tourism activity was a substantial political concern of thc state and was geared to serve the
political and ideological goals of the state with benefits to the individual being a secondary
consideration. However, tourism can play a major role in socialising certain values in
individuals and reinforcing dominant ideologies/imagcs. Moreover, the potential for
wholesale contact between people of different culturcs and values that tourism represents
clearly has the potential for greater value change than industries which primarily deal with
physical products, such as agriculturc, manufacturing or mining.

The role that tourism can play in influencing cultural heritagr. is inherent in ideas of
commoditisation, which implies that what were once personal 'cultural displays' of living
traditions or a 'cultural text' of lined authenticity become a 'cultural product' to meet the
needs of commercial tourism. We already have a changed language in which we talk about
the arts no longer as expressions of imagination or creativity, but as a "product". We are no
longer moved by the expericnces the arts have to offer, rather we "consume" them. Here,
Culture becomes a commodity. According to Dowson:

'... ethnic and multicultural festivals may be seen as cultural products to be exploitecl
for tourism ends. Individual ethnic cultures and multiculturalism itself are to be 'solcl'
using 'professional business practices', through the medium of festivals and other
... 1 .m .. ..... .
special events. Marketing initiatives and advertising campaigns are the means bywhich
. .. < . . - A ..
 Govcrnmenl
....when...an archaic revival of neurotic cultural practices takes place in orderto satisfy
the tastes of tourists, this deliberate, specialized revival vendors ethnicity as a com-
modity. It is valued for the profit it accrues through its exchange in the commercial
tourism market and little more'.

The above discussion makes it very clear that tourism cannot bc termed as an economic
activity only for the state. It is very closely related to the culture and societyof the destination.
Hence, it is necessary for the stateJgovernment to formulate the tourism policy keeping in
view not only the economic aspect but also the issue of commoditisation of culture.

29.3 GOVERNMENT :POLICY AND PLANNING

In this Section wc will discuss various steps taken by government to protect and promote
Indian culture and arts, whereas we will discuss Indian governments' tourism policy to
promote Indian culture separately in the next Section.

India possess a complex, and multilayered, multidimensional cultural fabric with strong
regional identities. To accommodate such intricate culture Indian government developed
vast structure to plan and implement various schemes and programmes. During the
pre-independence period British government promoted few cultural institutions like,
National Library, Archaeological Survey of India, Botanical gardens, Anthropological
Survey of India. Mass- media units (All India Radio), etc. But there was no state finance or
organizational support available to the crafts. Whatever all India institutions of culture were
developed were the sheer voluntary efforts. After independence nccd was felt that Indian
government should frame policies to protect and promote Indian arts and crafts; cultural
heritage, etc.

The basic responsibility of administering culture rests on Union Ministry of Human Resource
Development. Its Department of Culture is the main incharge of policy planning and
execution. It maintains and directly administer certain cultural institutions like -
Archaeological Survey of India, National Museum, National Library, National Archives,
National Gallery of Modern Art, etc. Besides, it provides financial support to number of
autonomous bodies, and also to voluntary efforts in literary, performing and plastic arts.

The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting looks after and controls mass-media,
both, Radio and television. It also administers Directorate of Advertising and Visual
Publicity with the aim to disseminate cultural heritage to the masses. It has two publicity
units Press Information Bureau and Directorate of Field Publicity. Besides, its Song and
Drama Division l o o h after the entertainment of a large audience. The Films Division is the
central film producing organisation responsible for the production of documentary films to
educate people and spread and preserve Indian cultural heritage. The mass-media
organisations were set up with the aim:

i) for popular entertainment, and

ii) to disseminate information about regional, national and international developments.

It was expected that all programmes to include 'light cultural content to create awareness
about diverse Indian culture among the masses.' Primarily, All India Radio and Television
programmes consist of children's programmes; programmes on music, dance, drama,
educational programmes, news bulletins, etc. Besides Hindi and English other regional
language programmes are also shownibroadcast on All India Radio and Doordarshan. Also,
there are separate stations of All India Radio all over India, which broadcast programmcs in
regional languages. Similarly, regional level Doordarshan Kendras show programmes, news,
etc. in regional languages for a wider appeal. Another important component of media is films.
Its entertainment value and impact on public mind is well established. The government's
role in making feature films is confined largely to give subsidies and to institute awards for
best films. Otherwise, Indian film industry is highly commercial and privately financed.
However, in making documentaries government plays significant role and they are prepared
largely either as propaganda or for information on Indian culture In 1960, Poona Film
Institute was established under the aegies of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for
providing diploma courses in photography, sound recording and engineering, film acting and
film editing, etc. Later, National Film Archives of India (1964) and Indian Institute of Mass
Comlnunication (ITMC, 1965) were established. In the archives copies of all the national and
policy Issues in Culture international films, documentaries, etc. are preserved ; while IIMC provides training and
research in mass communication. Here, we are not going into details about the history and
impact of mass-media on society for we have already dealt it in our Block 4 and in Unit 30 of
the present Block. Here, we are confining to government's promotional policies with regard
to mass-media.
Prior to independence music, dance and drama were not supported directly or indirectly by
the British government. Indian art primarily survived during this period in the urban areas
either under the patronage of Indian princes, or in the hands of handful free-lancers; while
among the rural masses it was the integral part of the folk culture and tradition and also the
chief source of recreation. After independence, Indian government's chief objective behind
the promotion of performing, visual and verbal arts was to preserve, foster and promote
national integration through an awareness of culture. With this purpose, immediately after
independence, three academies were set up:

i) National Academy of Letters (Sahitya Academy, 1952),

ii) National Academy of Plastic Arts (Lalit Kala Academy, 1953), and
iii) National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama ( Sangeet Natak Academy, 1953).

The aim of establishing these academies was not only to revitalise, nourish and nurture
traditional arts but also to create better opportunities for the artists. The Sahitya Academy
was set up with an objective to maintain high literary standards and to sustain and,nourish
literary activities in all Indian languages, and to promote through them, the cultural unity of
the country. The Academy has succeeded in blossoming the variegated richness through its
publications, translations, etc. High quality literary works in regional languages have
appeared and awards of prizes (financed by Government of India) to outstanding works of
writers are given. At present, practically in all the states, on the pattern of Sahitya Academy
various academies, literary societies and institutions are working at regional levels. Its critics
continue to comment that more work should have been done in terms of achievements. To
achieve Academy's goals -to stimulate growth, foster quality and bring out coordination
among regional languages - is not an easy task. Certainly much more is left to be done. But
it no way undermines the efforts which have been undertaken for the promotion of Indian
literature and languages.

The aim of setting up the Lalit Kala Academy was to encourage and promote research and
training in plastic and applied arts; and to encourage setting up of art institutions and art
associations. The academy has since then published a number of monographs on Indian
paintings and sculptwe. Besides publishing a research journal it also does the work of
preservation, dissemination and fosteringof Indian art. Currently it is the most vocal platform
for artists. Here one can see the fine blending of tradition with modernity. But, still more is
to be done to establish coddination among various voluntary organisations.
The third important academy Sangeet Natak Academy, working in the field of dance, drama
and music, is expected to promote research in the fields of performing arts and coordinate
activities in these fields. Since its inception it is involved in organising competition, seminars,
festivals, etc. It provides subsidies for publication and research works in the field of
performing arts. There is a special unit for surveys and documentation of folk musk, dance
and drama. Annual awards are given by the academy in the field of classical music. It has
established three national institutions - National School of Drama, Manipuri College, ~ a h e
-
and Kathak Kendras to provide training in various fields of performing arts. -

To preserve Indian cultural heritage, as early as pre-independence period, efforts were

undertaken. In 1788, under the aegis of Sir William Jones, Asiatic Society of India was
established primarily to locate literary material relating to India's past. Archaeology,
however, formed a very small part of its activities. In 1900, Lord Curzon established a
separate unit -Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The major activities performed by AS1
are : i) excavations ii) preservation and conservation iii) research in the field of epigraphy
and numismatics, and iv) publications. We have already discussed in detail the working of
the Archaeological Survey of India in our Block 1 Unit 3 of this Course. The tirst great task
performed during the pre-independence period was unearthing India's most ancient
civilization, the Harappa in 1924 under the leadership of Sir John Marshal. The
ArcbaeologicaI Survey of India further did commendable work at Kalibangan and Burzahom
in unearthmg the pre-historic past. Government of India passed Ancient Monuments'
Preservation Act under the aegis of Lord Curzon which now exist in the revised form i.e. thc
Act of Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. Similarly,
 Government '
Ii~dianTreasure Trove Act of 1878 exists in the form of the Antiquities and Art Treasures
Act, 1972. With the aim of protecting Indian Monuments Archaeological Survey of lndia
since independence has declared thousands of monuments and art pieces as National
heritage. Attempts are also taken to preserve them. In this direction numbcr of structural
preservation projects are undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India. A separate
Epigraphical Branch is established to undertake deciphering, identifpg, and publishing
inscriptions of Sanskrit, Dravidian, Persian, etc. Archaeological Survey of lndia runs
separate diploma in archaeology to provide training in various branches of archaeology. It
also publishes Reports of Archaeological Survey and Epigraphica Indica. Besides, they
publish a regular journal Indian Archaeological Survey which is an excellent forum for
discussion on approaches, content, and techniques of archaeology. Licences to tourist guides
who work in the monuments are issued by the ASI.

Museums are also established to conserve and preserve artefacts and to serve as a centrc of
public education and recreat~on. They also organise small exhibitions, particularly to
educate and create awareness ahout the cultural heritage of India among school and college
students. They are also used for research purposes. They regularly publish guide books and
information bulletins. However, there is still great need for better training facilities for
museum personnel. We have already discussed about the Museums as vehicle of prcseving
Indian art and culture in Block 6 Unit 20. There are 16 exclusive site archaeological
museums where artefacts of various archaeological sites are preserved. In this regard one
can name Indian Museum, Calcutta, Prince of Wales Museum, Bombay, National Museum,
New Delhi, and Salarjung Museum, Hyderabad. To preserve the extinct tribal culture
government has set up various museums where living tribal culture is preserved. Manav
Sansthan of Bhopal is an unique attempt in this direction. Similarly, in New Delhi a separate
Adim Jati Sangrahalaya was set up where not only various tribal traditions are preserved
and depicted through visuals but it also coordinates with various tribal groups for the
development of various tribal communities. The Goverment of India as well as various state
governments offer grants to museums and formulate policies relating to their management
and fuilctions.

Country's community development programmes come under Ministry of Food, Agriculture,

Community Development and Cooperation. The chief objective of setting up village

I community programmes is to protect and nourish culture at the village and the non-urban
level.

'To preserve India's richest craft tradition i.e. handloom and handicrafts, various
organisations, like the All lndia Village Khadi Development Board, All India Handicrafts
Board, etc., were set up. Indian government's policies are primarily framed with the aim of
prescrving, sustaining and promoting indigenous village industry. Artisan and craft tradition
is imbedded with the day-to-day activities of rural masses. One finds women painting their
mud walls for decoration or embroidering their skirts, ordhnis, cholis, etc. Similarly, craft
tradition among the tribals is linked to the ritualistic cults and deities. They also prepare
items of day-to-day use ( pots, beads, cane and bamboo artefacts, etc.). (For further details
see Blocks 7 and 8 of this Course). Immediately after independence Indian government
launched plans for the development of handicrafts and handlooms. The prime task before
the government was to sustain this craft tradition as part of village culture, instead of reducing
it to museum pieces. To fulfill this objective in the fore govenment had to provide cconornic
support to make the artisans economically independent. The Government also took steps to
crcatc a greater demand and launch programmes to accelerate handloom production for
exports. With this purposc various Handicraft and Handloom boards, Units, etc. have been
I set up. From time to time policies were framed for this purpose. For example, Handlooms
1
Act was passed by Parliament in 1985. Besides, special provisions are made in each five year
i plans for handloom sector. To provide financial support on easy terms in 1983NABARD is
s t up ( for dctails see Section 24.5). Likewise, separate budget provisions are made for the
development of tribal handicrafts. Various projects ( ITDP; MADA; TRIFED; etc.) are in
operation for such purposes. Besides, various crafts melas ( Dilly Haat and Crafts Museum
in New Delhi) are set up with the purpose of eliminating middlemen so that profit can directly
reach to the artisans, Similarly, Gramshree and other exhibition like TEX India,
International Trade Fair, etc. ( at New Delhi) arc organised for the promotion of handicrafts
( for further details see Sub- sec. 28.3.3). But, in spite of government's efforts still lot more
is to be done as the real profit is still not rcaching the artisans. They could hardly achieve
more than the subsistance level. There are problems in getting short term and long term
loans. Many are even not aware about various schemes of the government in operation for
their development. Therefore, in spite of the existing schemes, they are not actually benefited
poky IS- in cult& by them. Therefore, there is need to create more awareness regarding the various assistance
programmes of the government among the rural masses and the tribals. There is also need
to take care that real profit should reach the artisans. Influence of brokers, middlemen, etc.
must be minimised. ,

Indian Council of Cultural Relations is another autonomous organisation created under the
Ministry of External Mairs, which works for the promotion of Indian Culture overseas.
Arranging or sponsoring the visits of Indian artists abroad, holding promotional fairs
depicting India's cultural heritage (see Unit TS-2), etc. are the tasks undertaken by this
organisation.

1) Explain the relationship between Tourism and Culture.

2) Why is it important to plan a tourism policy?

...........................

3) Examine government's policy regarding performing arts.

.................................................
.................................................
.................................................
.................................................
.................................................

29.4 TOURISM POLICY :PROTECTION AND PROMOTION

The World Tdurism Organization sees the role of policy as the means by which Government
motivations can be balanced with private sector improvement. This is primarily because it
views Tourism as one of the few development options for third world countries, and a means
of participation in the International trade. The World Tourism Organisation, therefore,
recommends that all countries,to realize the value of the process of liberalisation would have
a Tourism policy, which defines the means by which the objectives of Tourism development
 Government
are to be realised. To be 'meaningful' these objectives, should be fmed in a tourism
development plan which has the sanction of the Government.

The first ever Tourism Policy was announced by the Government of India in November, 1982.
It was more an aggressive statement in marketing than a perspective plan for development.
Its main thrust was aimed at presenting India to the foreigners as the ultimate holiday resort.
With a view to reach this destination, the following measures were:

1) To take full advantage of the national heritage in arriving at a popular campaign for
attracting tourists,

2) To promote tourist resorts and make India a destination of holiday resorts,

3) To grant the status of an export industry to tourism,

4) To adopt a selective approach to develop few tourist circuits, and

5) To invite private sector participation into the sector

The Planning Commission recognised tourism as an industry by June, 1992.
As is very clear from above policy tourism was considered by Government as an industry
which should use India's cultural heritage as commodity to attract foreign travellers.

The major development in Tourism policy of India came with the National Action Plan for
Tourism in May, 1992. Its central concerns were:

socio-economic development of areas,

increasing employment opportunities,
developing domestic tourism for the budget category,
preserving national heritage and environment,
development of International tourism,
diversification of the tourism products, and
increase in India's share in world tourism.

The Eighth plan document makes a special mention that the future expansion of tourism
should be achieved mainly by private sector participation. The thrust areas as enumerated
in the Plan include development of selected tourist places, diversification from cultural
related tourism to holiday and leisure tourism, development of trekking, winter sports,
wildlife and beacldsea resort tourism, exploring new source markets, restoration of national
heritage projects, launching of national image building, etc.

It is evident from the contents of this document that now there is greater stress over
preservation of cultural heritage. Contrary to the policy of 1982, where it was suggested to
commoditise the culture, the 8th plan proposed diversification of tourist attractions from
more cultural heritage perspective. This change in orientation is very crucial as India is
moving on the road of development and it needs a positive image rather than a country of
snake-charmers and the rope trick.

As part of Government Tourism Policy certain cultural attractions are being promoted. The
Department of Tourism intends to set up craft villages in different parts of the country to
provide.a boost for the traditional handicrafts of various regions. In New Delhi, Dilli Haat
and Crafts Museum - a kind of shilpgram-which exhibits the crafts of different regions
throughout the year have been started. The Surajkund Crafts' Mela and Shilpgram,
Udaipur, have been a tremendous draw with the tourists. Organisation of Republic day
celebrations in India is a big cultural event. it attracts inlarge number not onlyforeign tourists
but also number of domestic tourists visit Delhi to see the event. Dances and cultural
representations, in the form of jhankis (tableau), from different states are major cultural
attraction. For almost a week after the Republic day parade the dancers and artists give
performances in different auditoriums in the city.
Policy Issues in Culture Certain fairs and festivals have been identified by the Ministry of Tourism and assistance is
given to develop and publicise them to attract inland and foreign tourists. Fairs like Pushkar
Fair, Sonepur Cattle Fair, Kite Festival, Aleppey Boat Race, Duhsehra Festival in Mysore
and Kulu, etc. are already attracting tourists. Ministry gives liberal financial assistance to
develop these traditional fairs and festivalsall over the country and promote them aggressively
in the international market. Festival of India and India-Fest are attempts in this direction
(See Course TS-2, Block-6, Units 21 and 22).

At important tourist centres where, earlier, there were no structured arrangements for
organising cultural evenings which could provide an experience or a glimpse of Indian culture
to the visiting foreign tourists now it will be the endeavour of the government to have a tie-up
with the zonal cultural centres for making arrangement at important tourists destinations to
organise cultural evenings son-etlumieres, craft bazars, food plazas and fairs and festivals all
round the year. Such activities will be organised in coordination with the Department of
Culture and Archaedlogical Survey of India. Konark and Khajnraho festivals, light and
sound programmes at the Red Fort and Purana Qila in New Delhi, and at Gwalior Fort, etc.
are some attempts in this direction.

At the same time the efforts in this direction should not be undertaken keeping in view the
foreign tourists. It is high time that the interests of domestic tourists be taken care of.

29.5 TOURISM POLICY: NEED FOR REORIENTATION

It is suggested that the existing thrust of our Tourism policy, should be reconsidered and to
locate alterations within the reality of our cultural heritage and existing socio - economic
conditions.

South Asian destinations have a marginal share of the International Tourism market and the
60's vision of the economic and developmental benefits and foreign exchange earnings from
tourism continues to dominate the developmental debate. Tourism is penetrating deeper
into our political and economic thinking and our culture.

Experience, however, shows that as the tourism industry draw an accounting's infrastructure,
the more developed and complex the rest of the economy, the greater are the economic gains
and the power of economy to retain the value added in the country.

Tourism policy in India, which is conceived and pushed from the top, is always justified and
legitimised by the yardstick of customer satisfaction. To ensure a competitive tourism growth,
tourism professionals audofficials\are to be encouraged to take an active part in the decision
making process. .-

In the 'free market' economies few needs are satisfied locally. Products originate in
communities that cannot consume them and the determining factor is access to money and
the empowerment it gives to the consumer. Tourism is an advanced form of consumerism
that depends on the distant, unknown "other" to supply it. It complies peoples who have
unknown names and identities to sacrifice the means to meet their daily needs so that the
affluent tourists can effortlessly reach out for whatever they desire - at their price.

An alternate tourism policy must reject this value system. It must stop just being consumer
oriented. Its focus should be on that form of tourism that encourages an exchange of cultures
and wealth, a sharing of skills and problems. This would include both domestic and
international tourists who wish to come at the terms of the destination. If India has developed
resistance to tourism it is because the people at the destination have no role in decision making
or in the benefits from tourism.

We want a policy that does not reduce as to a 'field' for which our Government has become
the 'native informant', making value and cultural statements that are neither authentic nor
representative for culture. We should have a policy that assents our subjectivity in the context
of unequal trade so that we do not subsidise the mass tourist and become victims of the travel
trade.

Therefore, the Tourism Policy must be re-defined by people's needs, people's movements
and people's organizations, in cooperation with similar badies and counterparts elsewhere
keeping in view the conserrvation and preservation of culture.
 Government

ICheck Your progress-2

1) Examine the salient features of Tourism Policy of India.

2) Examine the problems of current Tourism Policy and give some suggestions?

29.6 LET US SUM UP

To sum up, in this Unit we have analysed the:

role of government in Tourism Policy making process and its execution,

role of cultural heritage in Tourism development,
critical examination of government's policies to protect and promote Indian culture and
cultural tourism, and
impact of Tourism over our cultural heritage.

29.7 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS EXERCISES

n Check Your Progress-1

1) See Sec. 29.2

2) See Sec. 29.2

3) See Sec. 29.3

r Check Your Progress-2

1) See Sec. 29.4

2) See Sec. 29.5

Policy Issues in Culture
UNIT 30 TRADE

Structure
30.0 Objectives
30.1 Introduction
30.2 Archaeological, Historical, and Cultural Sites
30.3 Arts and Handicrafts
30.4 Performing Arts
30.5 Let Us Sum Up
30.6 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises

30.0 OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this Unit are to know:

How does Tourism industry use Indian cultural attractions to its own end? and
What kind of impact is made on the culture of the regionlcountry as a consequence of
this use?

30.1 INTRODUCTION
The attraction features of a country or region provide a basis for developing tourism there. .-
But these are not the only factorswhich promote tourism; alongwith them the marketing arm
of the government and private enterprises also play an important role in order to induce the
tourists to visit a particular place. These agencies take the help of age old historical, cultural,
and religious traditions as well as the natnral assets of the countrytregion to create an image
of mysticism, kingly grandeur or lively folk culture in the world tourism markets. Thus India
is shown as one of the last untamed frontiers, with her diabolic traditions and culture,
danscrous tigers, alluring mountain, seductive beaches, inviting deserts, lively but mystical
oricntal culture and friendly people. It must be noted that for the tourism industry culture
is a product which is packaged, marketed and sold to earn profits.

Hence when tourism is understood as an industry to earn foreign exchange it uses definitions
of places and people and promotes areas that fit those definitions. Thus advertisements
create images of places, and evoke expectations on the part of the visitor, which inturn leads
destinations to adapt to such expectations.

This Unit is addressed to understand the process of image creations on the part of tourism
industry (trade) in order to study the perception of Indian culture, invoked by the industry.

30.2 ARCHAEOLOGICAL, HISTORICAL, AND

CULTURAL SITES
Archaeological, historical, and cultural sites include cultural and national monuments,
historic buildings, important religious houses such as churches, temples, mosques, etc. Prime
examples of these in India are the famous cave paintings, cave and other temples, Indo -
Islamic architecture, numerous regional styles, colonial architectures, etc.

The tourists are attracted, through wide publicity given by tourist agencies, to the 'oriental'
religious mysticism manifest in many layered carvings on temple walls, depicting scenes from
Hindu mythology or religious stories or various aspects of different deities. Similarly, erotic
sculptures and paintings, boldly emblazoned in all their grandeur in Khajuraho and other
temples, are projected as another major attraction which lure tourists to visit these places.
The tourists are invited to treat themselveswith these diverse subjects of carving and paintings
and understand that full human life must concern itself with religious, sexual and artistic
experience. But in order to earn more and more revenue, such specific features, which are