TBM Staff - Mumbai In her maiden speech in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, philanthropist and author Sudha Murty highlighted promoting domestic tourism.
Murty proposed that 57 domestic tourist sites be considered for World Heritage status. These include the Bahubali statue in Karnataka, Lingaraja Temple, Unakoti rock carvings in Tripura, Shivaji forts in Maharashtra, Chausath Yogini temple in Mitawali, Lothal in Gujarat, and Gol Gumbad, among others.
“In India, we have 42 World Heritage sites but 57 are pending … we should bother about those 57 sites,” Murty stressed.
She underscored the importance of preserving India’s cultural heritage, mentioning landmarks like the Srirangam temples and Mughal gardens in Kashmir.
Murty further emphasised the need for improved facilities such as toilets and roads to enhance tourist experiences and boost revenue.
“There are beautiful Mughal gardens in Kashmir. We always go and see the film shootings, but we never realise that they are not in the World Heritage Sites. The package should be done very well so that people can come and see them. The package should be conveniently done so that we should have good toilets and roads so that the tourists can come. It will increase our revenue in our own country,” she explained.
Drawing parallels, Murty linked the design of the old Parliament Building to ancient Indian architecture, specifically citing inspiration from the Chausath Yogini temple in Mitawali, Madhya Pradesh.
