Communication & Sustainable Tourism At Madhavmala

Communication And Sustainable Tourism At Madhavmala, Andhra Pradesh, India

The more we travel, the more we appreciate the beauty of the planet earth. Our planet is not only endowed with rich natural beauty which is even beyond the imagination of the best poets, painters, and writers, but it is also home to a rich and varied arts and culture. India itself is home to myriad cultures with precious art and dance forms, many of which are staring extinction owing to fast-paced development. What is required to ensure the preservation of such esoteric expressions of culture is coordinated efforts by all stakeholders.

It is heartening to see that across the country there are many committed organizations and people working tirelessly towards this end. Communication and sustainable tourism have a vital role to play here to revive and keep alive the ancient traditions and culture of India in its most remote hinterland. We saw an example of how technology and a good mobile network were driving a sustainable tourism project in a village called Madhavmala.in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

The Story of Madhavmala

At first glance, Madhavmala is like any other Indian village. Children run behind you in excitement as you enter the village. A rooster cranes its neck and crows even though the village is up and about. A group of old men is gathered around a tree engaged in a heated discussion. Yes, just another village in the countryside. But the similarity ends if you happen to peep into any of the houses that make up the small hamlet of Madhavmala. You will the verandahs of these houses full of wooden blocks, half made wooden carvings, men bent over in concentration on their work. Madhavmala is home to the artisans of wood who breathe life into the wood and turn them into artistic masterpieces.

Madhavmala is home to a community of artisans. About 40 households practice an esoteric art that has been handed down from through four generations. They shape exquisite figures of the Hindu Gods and Goddesses and door frames from wood. The presence of the famous temples of Tirupati, Kalahasti, and others in the vicinity had historically fueled the blossoming of this beautiful art. However, with the passage of time and development, it is not easy for the artisans to keep this art alive. It is highly labor intensive and the rewards are not commensurate. They are into alternative occupations including agriculture.

But with the development that has arrived at its doorsteps, the youth of Madhavmala has migrated to cities in search of opportunities. Some of the old timers hang on to their traditional art like a child clinging to its mother’s apron strings. In order to ensure that the art does not die out, an NGO called Grassroutes is working with the villagers on a sustainable tourism project with their active involvement.

Communication too has played a major part in helping the art of wood carving in Madhavmala redefine itself. With major mobile networks like Airtel and others reaching the village, it is well connected with the mainstream. One very visible result of this could be seen in the way the wood carvings have taken a contemporary look. Now they make door frames that not only adorn temples but also find their way into plush and modern residential houses in the urban centers like Bangalore and Hyderabad.

As we watch an octagenarian named Chinnachari working dexterously on a wood carving of Lord Ganesha, his grandson Lakshman Achari walks up to us. He gives us his smartphone and says, “Facebook, add!”, we understand that he wants us to add him as a friend on our facebook account. We smile and ask him if he is on Whatsapp to which he beams in the affirmative and shares his Airtel number.

The story of Madhavmala is indeed an example of how communication and sustainable tourism are transforming a village. The village now hosts tourists who come to study the art of wood carving. They also directly buy the wood carvings from the artisans thereby eliminating middlemen and resulting in more income to the artisans. The model also involved accommodation and food for the tourists which again is arranged by the different households of the village. This again ensures revenue to the village. The best part is that the project is entirely executed by the locals with training and guidance by Grassoute.

If you look at another dimension, availability of mobile networks and good internet speeds help the village to be connected with the world. They are able to create awareness of their art through social media and also are looking at the possibility of online shops. On the other hand technology and development also means that many of the youth are heading elsewhere. So the challenge is to still keep the art alive by ensuring at least a percentage of the new generation are trained and practice the art.

The salient feature however of the story of Madhavmala is that it is an initiative that rests squarely on the shoulders of the youth. They are harnessing the benefits of good communication and best mobile networks like Airtel to fuel sustainable tourism, job generation, and income generation in their village. The mobile networks help them communicate with the project officers, guests, and prospective guests in real time. A classic example of the latest technology being used to revive and sustain an ancient art form that dates back to the paleolithic age.

Madhavmala Quick Facts

♠ Madhavmla is a village in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh

♠ Madhavmala has the temples of Tirumala, Tirupati, Kalahasti, Kanchipuram, Thiruvallur, within a 100 km. radius

♠ Madhavmala is about 21 km from the famous temple of Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh

♠ Madhavmala is where the sustainable tourism project incubated by Grassroutes with support from Andhra Pradesh Tourism called Project Sanskriti is in progress

Have you experienced any example of communication linked with sustainable tourism? Any dying art form being revived through modern intervention, something like the story of Madhavmala? Do let us know about your experience through our comments section.

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