Author: Abhishek Kapoor
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: September 15, 2004
Gujarat could be the next international
tourist hotspot if plans of Golden Heritage Fund and the state government
bear fruit.
The US funding agency is planning
to invest in this $ 3.2 million project for a "one of its kind" museum
on the Indus Valley Civilisation.
Jeff Morgan, executive director
of the agency, said the Indus Valley, despite being one of the oldest
civlisations, has not been conserved properly, "Cairo has a national
museum. The Mexicans have one on the Mayas. In contrast, the Indus
Valley section at the national Museum in New Delhi is very small.
That's why w are focusing on this," said Morgan.
"I had a look at the Lothal site
and it's not good. Dholvaira is too remote for the project. Vadodara
or Ahmedabad are good options with their good connectivity," he said,
after meeting senior officials of the tourism and culture departments.
He also met State Tourism Minister Anil Patel.
Gold Heritage Fund will also donate
$30,000 as challenge grant to Vadodara's Heritage Trust for
the Champaner site.
After a five-day visit of the state,
Morgan felt that Gujarat's tourism potential has not been exploited.
"With its mountains, beaches, places and bio-diversity, Gujarat is
hopelessly under-marketed . there is no reason why it should be behind
Kerala or Rajasthan. When a small country like Cambodia gets 40 percent
of its GNP from tourism centered around the Angkorvat temples, why
not India," he asked.
The fund, however, would assist
only in conservation and interpretation of exhibits related to the
Indus Valley at the proposed museum.
"We might also help in building
relationships with all those international museums that have Indus
Valley exhibits. Funds for construction would have come from the
local government and corporates here, though Charles Correa has consented
to design the structure," said Morgan.
Culture Secretary Varun Maira said
the government would first sign a MoU with Golden Heritage Fund.
"We are very serious about this project. Besides, the World Heritage
Site status for Champaner, this project would boost tourism in the
state.
"We have had detailed discussions
and it's a great idea to work on. We would need to thrash on linkages
between various agencies as the Government of India would have to
be involved," Maira said.
The proposed museum would be a virtual
reality campus, seeking to recreate historical, social, architectural
and archaeological aspects of the Indus Valley Civilsation.
"It would be of international standards.
At some stage, we would need to involve Pakistan too, as two of the
most import sites, Harappa and Mohanjodaro are there, " Maira said.
