Dharmshala---State Government would consider organising conducted tour of school children to Masroor Temple and Pong Dam to acquaint them with the rich heritage State possessed besides organising a festival to expose Masroor Temple nationally and inter-nationally.
This was stated by Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, in his presidential address he delivered on the occasion of one-day Seminar on Masroor Temple, organised by the Department of Tourism and Civil Aviation and Language and Culture Department at Dharamshala jointly today. He said that the state had approached best of the public schools throughout the country to organise conducted tours of their students to visit Himachal to see in person apple orchards and hydel projects to add to their basic knowledge.
He said that Rs. 71 crore would be spent over development of tourism infrastructure in Kangra Circuit in two phases with the 95 million dollar loan being procured from Asian Development Bank.
Chief Minister said that State had invaluable 40 kms. Clear water in Pong Dam Maharana Pratap Sagar capable of attracting any water sports lover to explore the potential. He said that State had 1.31 crore tourists during last year out of which large number were foreigners. He appealed to the local entrepreneurs to set up eco-friendly hospitality units in Masroor area wherein the State Government would extend every possible help. He said that Home Stay could be one of the concept introduced by the State to rope in villagers in rural tourism promotion activities which had been exempted from various leviable taxes.
Prof. Dhumal said that the objective behind organising such a Seminar was to draw the attention of the world towards the vast heritage potential State had for heritage lovers. He said that tourism was the fastest growing economic activity in the world having potential to generate vast employment and self-employment avenues to the youth. He said that the different types of tourism potential could be conveniently converted into economic activity to the people with the motivational activities directed towards the objective. He said that State had naturally best potential which had to be show cased in the right perspective. He underlined the need for joint efforts by all fronts to propagate the same to achieve the objective.
Chief Minister said that HImachal Pradesh happened to be the land of Gods and Godesses bestowed with best of the natural gifts Mother Nature could bestow upon any one. He said that the greenery and serenity of the state had to be upheld with people’s cooperation. He said that the State had launched a crusade to make Himachal Pradesh polythene free wherein people had overwhelmingly volunteered their services. He said that it symbolized the mass awakening amongst the people who have posed their support in making the State look natural and free from pollution.
Prof. Dhumal said that the State had come out with valuable Coffee Table Books ‘Har Ghar Kuchh Kehta Hai’ ‘Har Gaon Ki Kahani’ to provide a peep into the rich cultural heritage of the State. He said that the State was also considering digging into the details of the age old cemeteries to attract their off springs visit their ancestors. He said that Jakhu hills had the worlds highest statue of Lord Hanuman raised at highest of the altitude. He said that the State Government would also be constructing rope-ways in different places in the State which included Palchan with Rohtang, Dharamkot with Triund, Kullu with Bijli Mahadev, Shah Talai to Deoth Siddh.
Chief Minister said that Rs. 16 crore were being spent over creation of quality way side quality infratcture to cater to the needs of visitors to the State. He said that efforts were being made to connect Adi Chamunda with ropeway besides connecting both the shrines with path. He said that the State Government would also be exploring possibility to document the publication of Prof. NKSingh into a documentary to publicise the same to rest of the world. He said that tourism promotion in Kangra circuit was on the priority agenda of the State Government and concerted efforts were being made to achieve the objective. He said that the State was endeavouring to provide souvenirs to the people in the shape of its own varied products.
Dr. Rajan Sushant, MP Lok Sabha, lauded the initiative of the State Government to explore possibilities of bringing Masroor Temple to the international forum and give boost to heritage tourism. He said that Masroor Temple had a number of unique and incomparable features to attract heritage loving tourism. He said that Pong Dam had vast potential for water tourism. He underlined the need for wider publicity of the tourism potential State possesses to attract tourists visit Himachal.
Smt. Manisha Nanda, Principal Secretary Tourism, delved upon the government perspective over Masroor Temple and said that 100 billion dollar worth of investment had been made in the State as the tourism was getting boosted up by 10 to 15 percent with every passing year. She said that Masroor Temple was a rarest of the rare monuments which was a deserving case for World Heritage Site of UNESCO. She said that destination management package concept was on the anvil by the State besides off beat destination exploration for larger tourists.
Shri B.S.Malhan, another scholar and representing INTACH, said that Kangra had vast potential to allure tourists visit for religious, heritage, scholarly, Kangra paintings, water supports, mountaineering etc. which could form an attractive package. He underlined the need for creation of quality basic infrastructural facilities close to the Masroor Temple site.
Prof. N.K.Singh, a renowned writer, who authored ‘Coronation of Shiva - Rediscovering Masroor Temple’ book, lauded the initiative of Tourism Department in hosting a seminar focussed on Masroor Temple and delved upon the historical background of the Temple which he considered a fit case for recognition as World Heritage site. He gave a detailed presentation comparing idol sculptured in Masroor Temple with other Hindu temples in different Asian countries, especially in Afghanistan. He said that the single rock cut temple had immense architectural and aesthetic value. He underlined the need for special package to give boost to tourism, eco-friendly boarding and lodging facilities closeby to the location and a Masroor Festival could also be organised to highlight the rich cultural heritage.
Dr. Arun Sharma, Director of Tourism and Civil Aviation, welcomed the Chief Minister and other dignitaries to the one-day Conference on ancient Masroor Temple in the district and hoped that the deliberations by renowned historians would give boost to heritage and religious tourism in the State, especially to Masroor Temple in Kangra.
Shri Prem Sharma, Director, Language and Culture, proposed vote of thanks.
Shri G.S.Bali. MLA and former Tourism Minister, Capt. Atma Ram MLA, Shri Rakesh Pathania, MLA, Smt. Malvika Pathania, senior BJP leader, Shri Anil Soni, Editor, Divya Himachal and other senior officers and prominent persons were present on the occasion.
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