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org © 2018 IJCRT | Volume 6, Issue 2 April 2018 | ISSN: 2320-2882

CULTURAL HERITAGE AND TOURISM

DEVELOPMENT IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR
Sapana Sharma

Ph.D. Research Scholar

Department of Education
Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University

Introduction

“Culture is the widening of the mind and of the spirit.”

- Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru

Culture is derived from the Latin word „cultura‟ which means „cultivation‟. The word culture means cultivation of soul and mind.
According to Bogardus, “Culture is composed of integrated customs, traditions and current behaviour patterns of human group”.
Individuals grow , develop and matures by the medium of culture. Every individual living in a particular society has its own
culture. Societies differ from each other in their cultural aspects. Culture is dynamic , continuous and cumulative . The special
attraction to the destination is added by the culture of that society and their customs , traditions which are inherited from
generations is the cultural heritage of that society. Dance, art , cinema, music and literature are the pride of the Indian culture. The
„Incredible India‟ campaign launched by the Ministry of Tourism , Government of India , has proved to be milestone in the
promotion of culture and tourism of India.

For the cultural interaction , exchange and transformation , tourism proved to be very important. Tourism results into economic
and social prosperity for a nation. India is a land which is rich in tourist places . Tourist from all over the world visit there for
their exciting experiences. Most of the tourists are attracted by the rich and varied cultural heritage.

“We must welcome these friendly visitors from abroad for economic reasons; for tourism brings foreign exchange , but even
more so because this leads to greater understanding and mutual appreciation . There is nothing that the world needs today this
than mutual understanding.”

- Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru

India is a country which is known for unity in diversity. Each and every state of India is famous for its cultural heritage. Goa,
Kerala and Maharashtra are the states which are famous for beaches. Himanchal Pradesh, U.P, Uttrakhand are famous for various
religious places. Himalayan ranges in the states of J&K are beautiful places of attraction and many more. Peoples from all over
the world visit J&K to study the cultural patterns , fairs and festivals , customs , traditions , flora and fauna, historical places and
different natural and manmade places of attraction. J&K is a place which is famous all over the world. It has also a unique history
under article 370 of the constitution of India. State of J&K has two capitals i.e Srinagar (in summer) and Jammu (in winter).
J&K state is rich in its cultural history which attracts tourists in India as well as foreign. Therefore cultural heritage and cultural
tourism are important aspects of Indian tourism.

Cultural heritage resources

Cultural heritage is a wider concept. Cultural heritage is the manifestation of the ways of living developed by the peoples living in
a particular community and transforms it from generation to generation. It includes practices, customs, traditions, objects, places,
expressions and values. Cultural heritage is often expressed as either Intangible or Tangible Cultural Heritage (ICOMOS, 2002).

Cultural heritage types :-

1. Natural environment (Agricultural heritage, Coasts and shorelines, Rural landscape).

2. Artifical environment (Buildings, Townscape, Archaeological remains).
3. Artefacts ( Books & Documents, objects , Pictures).

Tangible and Intangible Heritage

Today , we consider the tangible and intangible heritage inextricably blended with eachother. Our prime motive is to conserve
both tangible and intangible heritage . Tangible heritage includes artefacts, buildings or landscapes and intangible includes
traditions , customs, values & beliefs, oral history, traditional skills & technologies etc.

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Cultural heritage of J&K

1. Customs and Traditions:- The folk dance which is usually performed during night time is called „Kud‟ . it is a ritual
dance usually performed for Gods and Goddess..The musical instruments used in this dance are flute, drums etc. Peoples
living in Jammu celebrate „Lohri‟ festival by performing as „Heren‟. Kashmiri peoples usually perform „Kashmiri
dance‟. The Gujjars and Bakarwals living in hilly areas of Jammu & Kashmir state perform traditional singing of song
usually in chorus and it is popularly called „Benthe‟ .
2. Costume:- The costume of peoples of Jammu is „Cuddidar pajama and kurti‟. And men wear „Dhoti and Kurta‟.
Kashmiri peoples wear long loose gown which is buttoned near the neck and falling to the ankles called as „Pheran‟.
Pheran is worn by both men and women with very minute difference.
3. Art and craft:- Peoples of Jammu and Kashmir are well known for their art and craft throughout the world. Kashmiri
carpets and shawals which are hand knotted is made of either silk or pashmina wool with attractive floral designs
famous across the world.
4. Cuisine:- The common staple food of peoples of Jammu and Kashmir is Rice. One of the favourite dishes of peoples of
Jammu and Kashmir are „Rajma- chawal‟, kashmiri pulao , Kheer etc.
5. Languages:- The J&K state‟s official language is Urdu. However the languages spoken in Kashmir is Kashmiri,
Ladakhi in Ladakh and Dogri in Jammu. The other languages are Pahari, Gojri, Poonchi, Punjabi, Hindi and English.
6. Occupation:- The primary occupation followed by the Jammu and Kashmir peoples is „Agriculture‟. The major
cultivated items are Rice, Wheat, Maize, Pulses, Saffron, Mustard, Lotus –Stalk , and many vegetables . R.S Pura area of
Jammu is well known for rice cultivation. Rice from R.S Pura is transported to all over the world. Kashmir is well
known for apples, saffron, apricots, walnuts, almonds, pears , cheeries , plums etc.
Tourism plays important role in the occupation of peoples of Jammu and Kashmir.

Tourism in J&K
Jammu and Kashmir is the crown of India. It is the northern most state of India sharing its borders with Pakistan , China
and Afganistan. Nature‟s best gift to the world is „Beauty of Jammu and Kashmir‟. Peoples have expressed in number of
ways to describe the beauty of J&K. Amir khusrow in seventeenth century while sitting in a houseboat in Dal lake said
that if there is heaven on earth- it is here, it is here, it is here.
Scared and religious sites:-
Jammu is called the is city of temples and is famous for various religious sites.
1. Vaishno mata mandir in Katra
2. Ragunath temple and Ranvireshwar temple in Jammu.
3. Maha kali mandir at Bahu fort.
4. Gourikund and Sudhmahadev temple in Patnitop.
5. Shadra sharief in Rajouri.
6. Buddha Ammarnath in Poonch.
7. Krimchi temples and ISKCON in Udhampur.
8. Shankracharya and Ammarnath in Kashmir.
9. Machail mata mandir in Badarwah.
10. Shiv khori and Agar Jito mandir in Reasi.
There are many more religious sites.

Natural sites of attraction:-

In Jammu there are various places of attraction like Patnitop, Bhadarwah, Mansar Sudmahadev , Mantali etc Mansar Lake
is surrounded by lush greeneries and forest covered hills. Natural waterfalls in various places are the places of attraction for the
visitors.

In Kashmir , most famous Dal Lake with houseboats called Shikaras . Various Mugal Gardens like Nishant Garden,
Shalimar Garden, chaseme shahi are places of attraction. Other natural attraction sites are Badamwari Garden, Pahalgam ,
Gulmarg are popular hill stations. Aharbal popularly called „Nigara falls‟ is famous waterfall site.

In Ladakah, most popular places are Pangong lake which is divided between India and China, various glaciers and Drass ,
coldest place famous for its history i.e 1999 Kargil war.

Promotion of cultural heritage and tourism

The four commandment assigned to a Hindu in our culture are Matrudevo Bhava, Pitrudevo Bhava, Acharyadevo Bhava and
Atithidevo Bhava(in reference to mother , father, guru, and guest) have become essential behaviour patterns and ethics of life.
Tourism is an essential element of promoting interaction, understanding and brotherhood among different peoples and different
cultures. The natural and cultural heritage, diversities and living cultures are major tourism attractions.

Countries all over the globe are giving tremendous importance to the cultural tourism and heritage tourism in the perspective
growth plans of the country. Naturally, promotion of cultural tourism and cultural heritage used to boost local culture foster and

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alliance and also used to understanding aid the seasonal and geographical spread of the tourism. The exposure and popularity of
tourism and cultural heritage with tourist can increase the economic benefits a lot to the local peoples and it is also a means of
enhancing culture and creating benefit to strengthen cultural production , creativity and development. Now-a-days tourism has
become the world‟s largest industry with millions of rupees in annual revenue comes from tourism. It is a fastest growing social
activity. Tourists choice destinations are cities, historic sites, beaches, lakes and religious centres. These should be strengthened
and sustainably enhanced to fulfil the demands of the peoples.

Cultural tourism is clearly depicted as an essential element of development in the state of J&K which embraces rich and unique
values in relevance to culture. Some of the incredible sights of J&K are Gulmarg, Mugal gardens, Natural waterfalls, Salal
Hydroelectric power plant, Vaishno devi temple and many more million years old caves and old forts and varied flora and fauna.

GEOGRAPHIC, METROLOGICAL AND DEMOGRAPHICAL DATA

S.NO ITEMS DESCRIPTION

1. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA

1) Latitude 34.083656
2) Longitude 74.797371
3) Boundaries
East-China
West-Punjab province of Pakistan
North-Afanisthan & China
South- Himachal Pradesh & Punjab in India
4) No. Of Districts 22 Nos.
5) Forest area 20230sqk.m
2. METEROLOGICAL DATA

1) Average rainfall 40-50mm of rain per months between January &

March.
2) Temperature

3. DEMOGRAPHIC DATA

1) Total population 1.42 crore

2) Population density 124sqk.m.
3) Literacy rate 68.74
4) Sex ratio 1000 889females/1000males
5) Languages spoken Urdu(official language),Kashmiri, Dogri, Hindi,
Punjabi, Ladakhi, Pahari, Gojri.
Source- J&K official state portal

Recommendations

As state has been suffering from terrorism in the last two decades , not much emphasis could be given to the development of
tourism and cultural heritage . It is a very serious and sensitive matter which should be focused and could be developed only in a
very prosperious and peaceful atmosphere. Monuments, various heritage buildings mainly forts , palaces are ignored and even
those which are now under the protection of state government are still being used by the local peoples for their personal uses as
they are ignorant of the significance of the heritage.

Urgent need is felt to revive the traditional folks art forms, handicrafts and various traditional cultural festivals which
differentiate us from other communities of the world.

Ther is a need to promote the cultural heritage tourism among the youth. Proper strategies should be adopted to attract the youth
and to increase the period of stay of tourists.

Tourism friendly policies ensuring safety and security of the tourists and positive attitude of the peoples of J&K will definitely
improve the people‟s perception towards tourism in J&K.

Proper public hygiene and cleanliness for the tourists motivate the foreign tourists. Various rest rooms and guesthouses along with
proper toilet facilities with minimum charges can also a step of improvement in the way of tourism.

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However the state shares the boundaries with Pakistan which is always a threat to the safety and security of the nation. From last
decades there have been many terrorists attacks in the way of Amarnath yatra . Tourists feel unsafe and unsecure when they think
about tourism in J&K . This not only make tourist‟s stay uncomfortable and unpleasant but also spoils the image of the country as
a whole. So safety and security are the major area of concern.

Poor publicity and promotional schemes adopted by the state government till date are proved to be failed to bring desired results.
It needs to be thoroughly reviewed. Media is the best method of promotion. Procurement of digital images for tourism
promotional campaign.

Various parks, monuments should be maintained and various activities like horse riding , various competitions during snow fall
like skating and similar type of activities should be strengthened with the participation of public and private sector.

It is strongly recommended that the overall aim of the government should be to strengthen the quality, security, safety and
attractiveness of the tourism experience in the J&K. The development of the tourism ultimately encourages handicraft, cultural
programmes, local music, employment generation, infrastructure development and ultimately economic upliftment of the state as
well as nation.

References

[1] Bhardwaj, Shruti. (2015). Department of Tourism and Hotel Management . Retrieved from
http://hdl.handle.net/10603/35694.
[2] Bhatia, A.K. (2002). Tourism Development – Principles and Practices. N.Delhi. Sterling Publishers pvt. Ltd.
[3] Singh, B.P. (1998). India‟s Culture – The States, The Arts and Beyond. N.Delhi. Oxford University Press.
[4] Chatopadhyaya, Devi Kamla. (1985). Handicrafts of India. Published by Director General Indian Council for Cultural
Relations.
[5] Hollinshead, k. (1993). Encounters in tourism, VNR‟s Encyclopaedia of Hospitality and Tourism.
[6] J&K ENVIS CENTRE, Department of Ecology and Environment and Remote Sensing, J&K.
[7] Jammu and Kashmir : Official State Portal. Retrieved from http://jk.gov.in/
[8] Jammu and Kashmir State forest corporation. Retrieved from http://www.jksfc.com/
[9] Mckercher, B. (2002). Towards a Classification of Cultural Tourist. International Journal of Tourism Research.4.(28-38).

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