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| An old chariot in Jaipur used for religious procession |
My government is a marvelous portal for participation of common Indian citizens for developing the nation. There are different groups and one can join five groups plus his/her own district group. He can write his/her views in comments section of chosen group. He/she can also chose a task to complete. The My Gov site provides an opportunity to every Indian citizen to come out for development of the country. Our PM Narendra Modi has rightly said that if every citizen takes one step India would be ahead by 125 crore steps.
The ten measures I suggested to make India the hub for spiritual tourism are as follows.
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Steven Vose, a scholar and researcher from Pennsylvania at a Jain library in Jaipur
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1. Encouraging foreign university research
projects about religions of India: Large numbers of universities in Europe
and America along with few in Asian countries and Australia are teaching
religion as a subject. There are many universities that have departments for
studying Indian religions. Academicians
and scholars from those universities used to come to India for research and
study purposes. However, there are few institutes in India to support them. I,
personally have been volunteering myself to support them since 1983. I found that Indian libraries, museums and
institutions at large are not much supportive.
Moreover, there are only few research institutes in India. If we can
make infrastructure and an environment we can surely attract more researchers
who in turn become the Brand Ambassadors
for our spiritual tourism.
2. Making
online directory: The world has gone digital and online. We should prepare
online directories of our pilgrimage centers, temples, shrines, meditation and
Yoga centers etc. It will be better to include list of festivals and events
organized India wide. A government
portal will be very helpful where individuals, religious trusts and societies
can post events, festivals etc for tourist attraction.
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| Rikhab Jharchur inaugurating an Android app (developed by young boy Darshan Kothari) of a temple |
3. Digital promotion: Besides online directory we can promote art
and architecture of our marvels (Temples, mosques, churches, Gurudwaras,
shrines etc), festivals and events through online tools such as digital
pictures, Videos, audio CDs etc. Indian devotional songs (Classical music) will
add flavor to promotion. Digitalization
of our libraries having old manuscripts and holy books using DLI is worth. I have been doing both these since last few
years.
4. Facilitating
foreign tourists: Facilities to foreign tourists are in poor stage in
India. Smaller countries likes of Thailand and Macau in Asian region have much
more facilities in cheaper rate. We look at foreign tourists as money machines
but do not care for them.
5. Friendly
behavior: Friendly behavior is the most essential part of attracting
tourists. We speak of “Vasudhaiva
Kutumbakam” and boast of our culture. However, we and especially government
officials behave most unfriendly with the tourists. We have to train our
officials for “Atithi Devo Bhava”
and make out citizens at large aware of the same.
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| A village woman at a pilgrimage center with a water pot on her head |
6. Cleanliness
especially in pilgrimage centers and temples: The Prime Minister of India
has launched a campaign today for clean India. This will definitely add to
number of tourists. We have to emphasize on maintaining our temples etc clean. Normally
we find Jain temples, Gurudwara, Mosques and churches clean but the Hindu
temples and shrines. Varanasi is famous for its Ghats at the bank of river
Ganga. I found most of the Ghats very dirty during my recent visit. We spend
thousands of rupees daily in Ganga Arati
but don’t spend anything in cleaning Dasashwamedh
Ghat. During my visit, I found local and foreign tourists turning nose
up and raising eyebrows at dirt even in
the river Ganga. It will be better if
Hindu priests, clergymen, religious leaders and management of trusts think
cleanliness is next to Godliness.
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| Festival devotional songs night at Malpura Dadabadi near Jaipur |
7. Arranging
world class festivals: Foreign tourists love Indian festivals. Large
numbers of tourists visit Jaipur, my city, to see Diwali festival and kite
festival (on Makar Sankranti). We have to increase number and quality of
religious and spiritual festivals to attract more tourists.
8. Encouraging
Yoga and spiritual healing: Yoga
attracts large numbers of people in the western world. They, in general. Use it
to keep themselves physically fit. We know that healthcare is very costly
affair in the countries likes of US and EU. Moreover, there are chronic
diseases beyond modern medicines. People look for spiritual healing in several
cases. Developing Yoga and spiritual
centers will be a right step to make India a spiritual tourist hub.
9. Meditation camps: Large numbers of foreigners
love meditation for spiritual purposes and to get rid of physical and mental
disorders and agony. Several religious and spiritual institutes organize meditation
camps. Encouraging those camps and advertising those worldwide will attract
more spiritual tourists in India.
Vipassana meditation centers are attracting large numbers of mediators
from across the globe.
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| Jyoti Kothari handed over a memorandum for railwat at Malpura to Railway minister Pavan bansal |
10. Better
connectivity to religious and spiritual centers: Most of our pilgrimage
centers don’t have good connectivity. There are large numbers of pilgrimage
centers those have no railway stations (eg Sammet Shikhar at Jharkhand). Even
bus connectivity is poor what to talk about airports. We have to provide better connectivity to
attract more tourists.
There are many other suggestions that can be helpful in
developing India a spiritual tourist destination. After all India is known for
its spirituality since millenniums.
Private public partnership should be encouraged where government can
join hands with religious trusts and societies along with communities and
people at large. I have suggested several times and requested government for
such a partnership in Varanasi and waiting for a response till date.
See details: नमामि गंगे, वाराणसी
See details: नमामि गंगे, वाराणसी
Stop future trading of agricultural products: Suggestions to PMO 7
Suggestions to PMO 6: Make officers accountable
Suggestions to PMO 4: Focus on the top and the bottom of Indian population
Suggestions to PMO 2: Promotion of bio-fertilizers and pesticides
Suggestions to PMO 1: India needs more ITIs
Make in India Made in India
Make in India Made in India
Convener, Jaipur division
Prabhari, West Bengal,
Narendra Modi Vichar Manch
Prabhari, West Bengal,
Narendra Modi Vichar Manch
Thanks,
(Vardhaman Gems, Jaipur represents Centuries Old Tradition of Excellence in Gems and Jewelry)
(Vardhaman Gems, Jaipur represents Centuries Old Tradition of Excellence in Gems and Jewelry)
info@vardhamangems.com
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