Karnataka - Bangalore   

Mapping cultures, heritage

BANGALORE: Ever visited Anegundi in Hampi?

Heard of Arsikere near Belur?

Perhaps not, overshadowed as these towns are by their famous neighbours. But that can change when a web-based initiative headed by the United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to map heritage and culture takes off in June.

Speaking to reporters at the Connect-Poised to Soar, held by the Department of Tourism on Thursday, Minja Yang, director, UNESCO-India Office, said the existing cultural maps by the Government did not adequately reflect the wealth of India. “Karnataka and Rajasthan will be our pilot sites for cultural maps. We will evolve a template for other regions based on this pilot project.”

The maps would contain monuments, heritage sites, information on intangible heritage of the region in form of dances and festivals, all aimed at giving the prospective tourist a feel of the region.

The maps would not merely reflect official and academic information but would involve inputs from people living in the area and Panchayat Raj institutions.

“It will not just be top-down but also have a bottom-up approach,” she said. The web pages would have a “stamp” stating which agency had validated the information. UNESCO was working with National Informatics Centre for web assistance.

Ms. Yang said the maps will include regional variants such as dances, food and other concepts to identify and demarcate a “geo-cultural region”. Pointing out that the Hoysala influence is not restricted to just one particular place but spreads to peripheral regions, Ms. Yang said that the maps would register and record the natural and cultural heritage.

The State Government will propose the Western Ghats to be declared as a Natural World Heritage Site in 2009, Ms. Yang said. “It is an extremely important site as it is one of a bio-diversity hotspot. It has many inscriptions and gains cultural importance,” she said.

UNESCO will soon start an online self-training manual for South Asia, including India.

“It will not be site specific but include a geo-cultural region. We are trying to rope in non-governmental organisations who work at the grassroots level to help reach the training manual to more number of guides,” Ms. Yang said.

A training manual would soon be worked out for Hampi and UNESCO was in the process of identifying sources for preparing the manual.

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