For some years now politicians and various personalities have been harping on the possibility of India assuming the role of a vishwaguru.
While hypothesizing the role of being a preacher to the international community, it is only logical to check the credentials that make one consider such a role. What better case to study this than the Himalayan State of Uttarakhand, which though underrated apart from being a destination for pilgrims and tourists, also plays an essential role in the environment of the sub-continent. The Himalayas, forests along with the Ganga, Yamuna and other rivers originating here exert an impact on environment and lives of people far beyond State.
One needn’t be a technical expert to see how a nation considering itself capable of teaching the world learns from its own errors. One of the basic principles of governance aimed at public welfare instead of being skewed towards maximising government revenues is that in wet regions, beer is priced lower than hard liquor so that the consumer might prefer a beer more often than liquor. But here, liquor can be bought for less than the price of a beer. As a result, in a State where traditionally liquor was consumed occasionally by some, alcohol abuse has become common in both urban and rural areas.
Another example of public attitude undergoing change–some say deterioration –abetted by government policies can be seen in the way the State and many people now view tourism and pilgrimage to the four shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri - publicised as Char Dham Yatra by State though the Char Dham of what is commonly called Hinduism are Dwarka, Badrinath, Rameswaram and Puri.
The pilgrimage to the prominent shrines in Uttarakhand traditionally closes for the winters but now, apparently to attract visitors for augmenting income generation, the State Government is facilitating pilgrimage to the shrines where the presiding deities of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri are ceremoniously worshipped during the winters. However, there is disagreement as to which shrine will be the destination for devotees of lord Badrinath on winter pilgrimage. People in Pandukeshwar stress that the ceremonial worship of Badrinath is conducted at the Yogdhyan temple here while those in Joshimath stress that the lord is ceremoniously worshipped at the Narsinh temple there during the winters. Some people in Joshimath have threatened to undertake agitation if the winter pilgrimage is conducted to Pandukeshwar. Disagreements in religious affairs and other issues are not uncommon in a society, but this case points towards the radical change in the way the government establishment and consequently many of the citizens also view the environmental and spiritual heritage of Uttarakhand.
Ever since the State of Uttarakhand was created in 2000, successive State Governments have failed to harness the potential for agriculture, horticulture, cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants and generation of renewable energy despite spending considerable funds. Instead, they have continued to focus on intrusive tourism for religious, adventurous and recreational purposes stressing on it being a major source of income. Tourism cannot be ignored, but the way it is facilitated should not be environmentally or culturally intrusive. Apart from personal choice, tourist behaviour is also influenced by the ambiance and facilities at a place. A tourist might party or lounge around on a beach in Goa but would not tend to do the same on the beach at Somnath. In Uttarakhand, the State Government claims to be encouraging eco-tourism while more than 200 resorts and lodges - many with bars, discos and bright lights - have come up around the world famous Corbett tiger reserve. Evidently, most of these resorts are not into eco-tourism but providing facilities which can be had in any city to people who should be visiting Corbett to enjoy its nature and wildlife. Since the June 2013 disaster, the politicians and most babus seem enthused about spending vast amounts of funds on activities purportedly aimed at generating income. The focus is on constructing roads, boosting business and on preening up the State to attract money spending tourists while ignoring environmental considerations.
Considering that many prominent politicians, intellectuals and members of the religious fraternity in Uttarakhand often talk about the importance of Uttarakhand in India’s role as a vishwaguru it would be apt to consider what this State has learned so far. It is difficult to judge what the State has learned, but what it has not learned is quite evident. It has yet to learn that environmental and cultural heritage are much more than sources of income. It is yet to learn that though destroyed towns can be rebuilt, the mountains being eaten into by environmental and cultural damage cannot be rebuilt if damaged beyond a critical point.