Promoting lesser known attractions and Encouraging visitation - Good or Bad?

[os10]

Hi Priyanjan,

Could not agree with you more, You said it all! No SECRETS exists in this day and age, all information is available in the public domain, if one of us visit any place and find any damage done it is important to highlight it and bring it to the notice of the public/authorities via forums like this. That will also assist in any future explorations by anyone who wants to visit such places, we can't be the judges of who can visit or not.

Well done Ashan, keep it up, wish I had the time and legs to join you. Though silent, I've seen a lot of this beautiful country through your and many others eyes. I thank and salute you all.

[Ashan253]

Hi Priyanjan

thanks Priyanjan for the motivation....as you said how could i easily(with difficulty at some instances ) find these less known places??? i think you have given the answer for that..
almost 90% of these ancient sites were vandalized by treasure hunters, today i visited a temple 2km's away from the town and the monk said that the statues have been vandalized few years back despite been a populated area. and the monk also requested for my ID which i happily presented to him...now things have changed alot where the monks have to ask for ID's from visitors too for safety sake of these ancient sites...
and i have to agree with you again that if i can get one or two people to visit these places, it will bring on up some second thoughts!
I also try and inform the archaeology department of UVA when ever I can through my contacts..

Hi Os10
thank you for the motivating comments, and i think all of our forum members are doing a pretty good job towards the community by number of ways which cannot be listed(too long).

rgds
Ashan

[NG]

Its great to see that Nade Gura team is doing all it can to clean up the impact of irresponsible travel.

The fact that so many groups are invovled in such activities ('Supun 44' had posted some info on the time the Uni of Moratuwa students did Sri pada clean ups http://www.lakdasun.org/forum/index.php?topic=3959.0.)  makes you think that slowly but surely things will change.

N.

[NG]

Ashan, like most other members in this Forum I agree with you..... IN TOTAL.

Totally, totally agree that we need to promote less known sites.  

Our heritage, whether natural or constructed, will live on only if we engage in it.

But RESPONSIBLY. Along with promoting places, we need to constantly emphasise what we mean by responsible, sensitive travel. In a natural environment, cultural and social environment sense.

On nidan horu, treasure hunters:  there is obviously a long, long history to this. All invaders for thousands of years ransacked temples and towns. Took away what they wanted very openly. Doing it in secret also obviously happened for long. As the 1910-11 Archeological Report says:



BUT, this does NOT mean it is to be TOLARATED. We need to do all we can to stop or minimize it. And one thing we CAN do is make the sites known. Sri Lankans love to travel. They will visit. And cramp the space of unscrupulous persons.

Imagine if the archeology department decided they don’t want the sites cleared and made known to the public…! What a disaster by now!

and, on:

It will also to a certain extent either encourage or even force the authorities to act..... not that they would (or could) do ‘wonders’ over night.

Yes, very true. And things are already being done:
Sometime back the archeology department started a community archeological protection programme. It was under this programme that the set of books (Rs.40 per district) were published with all the possible known and little known archeological sites listed. I got the full set at the Book Fair in 2005 ( I think). Popularizing unknown sites clearly is the intention of the Arch. Dpt. along with increasing the knowledge of the local residents and getting them involved in conservation. Clearly looking at the positive rather than the negative possibilities.

Much more recently, apparently police stations now have a designated officer that is dealing with archeological sites. So complaints of suspicious activity etc can be reported and they will follow up. This also means that we should be careful as well, given the places we go looking for, and the interest we take, the photos we take, its not hard to be mistaken for a fact finding group of the dishonest groups. Best is to follow the rule of speaking to the Hamuduruwo, if there is one, speaking to the villages, stopping off at the තේ කඩේ and making your intentions known, rather than just arrive and explore without the knowledge of the locals.  

Lets explore, help others explore…this wonderful land of ours.  
Let US be sensitive and responsible, and help others do the same[/u].

N.

[Dinesh Deckker]

Its great to see that Nade Gura team is doing all it can to clean up the impact of irresponsible travel.

Thanks NG

We are not against in promoting archeological sites and the other interesting places, but We are against in promoting places with rich bio diversity which mostly remain virgin.  Because there are many threats to those places if those are promoted.

[Ashan253]

Hi NG

Our heritage, whether natural or constructed, will live on only if we engage in it.

totally agree 

But RESPONSIBLY. Along with promoting places, we need to constantly emphasise what we mean by responsible, sensitive travel. In a natural environment, cultural and social environment sense.

On nidan horu, treasure hunters:  there is obviously a long, long history to this. All invaders for thousands of years ransacked temples and towns. Took away what they wanted very openly. Doing it in secret also obviously happened for long. As the 1910-11 Archeological Report says:

you seem to be obsessed with this bell  and yes treasure hunting has been done over centuries but recently its surging up dramatically..

Sometime back the archeology department started a community archeological protection programme. It was under this programme that the set of books (Rs.40 per district) were published with all the possible known and little known archeological sites listed. I got the full set at the Book Fair in 2005 ( I think). Popularizing unknown sites clearly is the intention of the Arch. Dpt. along with increasing the knowledge of the local residents and getting them involved in conservation. Clearly looking at the positive rather than the negative possibilities.

i need to get those books, as i remember you said there werent a book on monaragala???

Much more recently, apparently police stations now have a designated officer that is dealing with archeological sites. So complaints of suspicious activity etc can be reported and they will follow up. This also means that we should be careful as well, given the places we go looking for, and the interest we take, the photos we take, its not hard to be mistaken for a fact finding group of the dishonest groups. Best is to follow the rule of speaking to the Hamuduruwo, if there is one, speaking to the villages, stopping off at the තේ කඩේ and making your intentions known, rather than just arrive and explore without the knowledge of the locals.

yes there is a designated team in police stations who would visit and i agree with talking to Head priest first and having a look around though i get in to long chats with them sometimes 

Lets explore, help others explore…this wonderful land of ours.  
Let US be sensitive and responsible, and help others do the same[/u].

  well said

rgds
Ashan

[Bopage]

Hi All,
I think I agree with that we should explore the hidden places and should keep talking about them.Because only those who love these places and know the value of these places will visit there and they will benefit from what we share here.Everyone know that it is not easy to visit these places unless it it very near by roadside.So the one that badly loves the nature will visit these places although there are many obstacles(like Ashan )Most of the regular travelers do not want to visit this unspoiled virgin places.I know by my experience that whenever I plan to visit somewhere I chose a place like this but my friends don't agree with me so I change the plans.Therefore I think people who visit such places will not spoil them because they love the mother nature(like most of the members in this forum).
Thanks..!
Bopage.

[Ashan253]

Hi Bopage
you have said it perfectly.....
rgds
Ashan

[Ashan253]

this is a good example. thats why need to promote some places
http://www.lakdasun.org/forum/index.php?topic=6010.msg32562#new

[Hasitha KM]

Hi All,

This issue is like two sides of the coin. What Dinesh is trying to highlight is true because "WILD" popularity of sensitive places will make them spoiled by the enhanced flow of visitors (I do not mean that publishing a trip report in a site like Lakdasun is WILD popularity because it does not make places popular in an irresponsible manner). For exaple, you all know what happened to Meemure area after the film Sooriya Arana. Also, this large flow of visitors will lead again to "WILD" commercialization of the sensitive places. Again we all know the story of illegal night camping sites inside Yala NP and the damage caused by them.

It is true that majority of these places had been documented since long time back and the general public had access to details over the years as Priyanjan says. But mostly the people who have a real interest will go through such documents and web citings and explore such hidden places. But popularity created by films like Sooriya Arana and TV programms like Serisara and News paper articles is more harmful as they reach both interested and uninterested (Just for fun) people. Eg: present situation of Kebalitta Dewalaya following the series of articles in Lankadeeepa.

Attractions should be visited by the public as Ashan has pointed out. Then it will bring about some kind of a protection. In addition, resources in a country should be utilized for the betterment of its people preserving its values and in a sustainable manner. Hence aesthetic value of those attractions must be utilized for the pleasure of the community. For example, see Kandalama Hotel. Earlier Kandalama tank was just there. Great architecture blended with nature by Mr. Jeffry Bawa has converted it to a paradise. Because of the hotel, the tank and its surrounding are also conserved.

Sri ankans are a funny nation. Many of them do not have the attitude that attractions should be conserved for future. Many just want to take a drink, have fun, do whatever they want, leave all garbage and go. Problem is not with the promoting but the attitude of majority of the visitors. We need an attitudinal change. To enforce an attitudinal change in Sri Lankans strong law enforcement is necessary and it has to be initiated from the topmost level since without commitment of the top level, lower levels will not have the commitment and willingness. For example, now see how clean Colombo city is. It was initiated by Defence Secretary and now it is prohibited to throw garbage here and there and anyone who involve in such an activity is punished. Though initially this is necessary, with time people will get used to it and will become their way of living. Now similar programmes are going on to improve road descipline of people too. This kind of changes are necessary to develop a country.

Most of the hidden attractions get damaged when they are made popular and get visited by "just for fun" people. As Colombo city example, authorities should take action against people who harm these attractions. Although it is needed initially, with time it will bring about an attitudinal change where visitors automatically tend to protect the places they visit. I see this as the most practical and sustainable way to resolve this problem. Until such time, we have to keep removing garbage (Credit to great job done by Dinesh and his team) time to time.

Hasitha

[Upeka]

Hi Hasitha,

Perfectly said with Great examples.
I agreed with Hasitha’s comments.  As per my previous post, need to change our people’s attitudes and mentality as soon as possible.

Rgds,

Upeka

[Ashan253]

This issue is like two sides of the coin. What Dinesh is trying to highlight is true because "WILD" popularity of sensitive places will make them spoiled by the enhanced flow of visitors (I do not mean that publishing a trip report in a site like Lakdasun is WILD popularity because it does not make places popular in an irresponsible manner). For exaple, you all know what happened to Meemure area after the film Sooriya Arana. Also, this large flow of visitors will lead again to "WILD" commercialization of the sensitive places. Again we all know the story of illegal night camping sites inside Yala NP and the damage caused by them.

It is true that majority of these places had been documented since long time back and the general public had access to details over the years as Priyanjan says. But mostly the people who have a real interest will go through such documents and web citings and explore such hidden places. But popularity created by films like Sooriya Arana and TV programms like Serisara and News paper articles is more harmful as they reach both interested and uninterested (Just for fun) people. Eg: present situation of Kebalitta Dewalaya following the series of articles in Lankadeeepa.

Attractions should be visited by the public as Ashan has pointed out. Then it will bring about some kind of a protection. In addition, resources in a country should be utilized for the betterment of its people preserving its values and in a sustainable manner. Hence aesthetic value of those attractions must be utilized for the pleasure of the community. For example, see Kandalama Hotel. Earlier Kandalama tank was just there. Great architecture blended with nature by Mr. Jeffry Bawa has converted it to a paradise. Because of the hotel, the tank and its surrounding are also conserved.

Sri ankans are a funny nation. Many of them do not have the attitude that attractions should be conserved for future. Many just want to take a drink, have fun, do whatever they want, leave all garbage and go. Problem is not with the promoting but the attitude of majority of the visitors. We need an attitudinal change. To enforce an attitudinal change in Sri Lankans strong law enforcement is necessary and it has to be initiated from the topmost level since without commitment of the top level, lower levels will not have the commitment and willingness. For example, now see how clean Colombo city is. It was initiated by Defence Secretary and now it is prohibited to throw garbage here and there and anyone who involve in such an activity is punished. Though initially this is necessary, with time people will get used to it and will become their way of living. Now similar programmes are going on to improve road descipline of people too. This kind of changes are necessary to develop a country.

Most of the hidden attractions get damaged when they are made popular and get visited by "just for fun" people. As Colombo city example, authorities should take action against people who harm these attractions. Although it is needed initially, with time it will bring about an attitudinal change where visitors automatically tend to protect the places they visit. I see this as the most practical and sustainable way to resolve this problem. Until such time, we have to keep removing garbage (Credit to great job done by Dinesh and his team) time to time.

Hasitha

Dear Hasitha
you have worded your say very well! I think we need not discuss any more about this after reading your say Cheers!
rgds
Ashan

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