मेंगाईसोबतची रात्र

Forts Tourism: A Win-Win Solution?

Maharashtra is blessed with lush green mountains with a series of impenetrable forts holding strong for centuries. Unfortunately, the present conditions leave a lot to be desired, with Governments not paying adequate attention to the upkeep and maintenance of forts. Rohit Harip tries to find out ways to deal with this alarming situation

Maharashtra is embellished with a series of forts in the ranges of Sahyadri which have been flaunting the flag of bravery of our ancestors and are the sample of classic architectural edifices since centuries. In the history of India, it was only the Maratha Empire which fought with the British till the end. The Role of these forts was magnificent in  those battles. It was very easy for any Commander to control a territory around any fort with only a fistful of soldiers. (Umaji Naik’s insurrection at Prabalgad near Panvel was an instance of such a mutiny in 18th century). The British were clever governors and understood the strategic significance of these forts. Hence, the British destroyed all the entrance routes and pathways of these forts with heavy artillery firing and shelling. This is the main reason why forts in Maharashtra are in a ruined state as opposed to forts in Rajasthan and Delhi, which are in good condition. Since then, these forts have been standing in the ranges of Sahyadri quietly. The place where our forefathers shed their blood for keeping their freedom intact, sadly, has become a “love bird” spot for couples and a joint for alcoholics.

Tourism is not merely a source of gaining profit. It is also the medium to exhibit our uniqueness to the outside world. Currently, there are around 350 forts in Maharashtra. Nature has freely given them a treasury of scenic beauty. Out of these 350 forts, only 28 forts are enlisted in the conservation list of the State Government and the archaeological department; remaining forts are still in a state of ruin, waiting for restoration.

This scenario can be changed with the help of an appropriate Tourism policy. It will help in conserving our forts; and will increase the awareness regarding their environmental and cultural importance. For this purpose, initially we have to understand two things. - Firstly why forts are important to us and secondly how we can conserve them as our national heritage. Answer to the first question is very simple. As I mentioned earlier, these forts are not ruined edifices but they are  symbols of our history and bravery. The Answer of to the second question is quite lengthy which I will try to explain below. There are four factors i.e. economy, environment, history and scope of adventurous sports which are closely related to forts. Let’s look them one by one.

 Forts and Economy: Economy and tourism are two sides of the same coin. If we conserve these forts, it will directly boost our economy. If we rebuild the destroyed routes of hilly forts, set up guiding boards, signages in the villages at the base of the hilly forts and provide accommodation facilities on the forts, it will help  attract and enlighten the tourists. Local villagers can be appointed as guides. With the help of these locals we can arrange local cuisine and lodging facility for tourists; this trend, known as ‘Rural Tourism’ is becoming popular now days.  We can also associate it with conservation of forts. Ultimately, it will serve the motive of creating employment along with rural development. Forts like Shivneri or Pratapgad are the models of such forts where tourism has created employment for the inhabitants.

Forts and Environmental importance of Forts: Out of the 40 world heritage sites declared by UNESCO from the Western Ghats, there are four sites in Sahyadri ( i.e. in Maharashtra). They are Koyananagar  Wildlife Sanctuary, Radhanagari National Park, Chandoli  National Park, and Kass Plateau. There are around more than 80 forts which are located in the same terrain. Fort Vasota and fort Makarandgad (Koyna sanctuary), Prachitgad near Sangmeshwar (Chandoli tiger project) are the examples of such destinations. If we arrange accommodation facilities, guides and jungle safaris with the association of the forest department, it can be a role model for environmental tourism.

Adventurous sports activities: If we observe the location of these ancient forts, we realise that most of them are situated in dense forests and hilly terrains of the Sahyadri Mountain ranges, which are impassable for the common people. Apart from inhabitants, only hikers and physically fit people are able to reach there. If we realize the importance of this characteristic, these forts can become a hub for mountaineering sports like rock climbing, rappelling and valley crossing. There are Pinnacles like Tel-Baila, Baan, Kalay Ray, Khada Parasi and Lingana which are challenging for the climbers.

Scope for the Historical and Cultural tourism: As we know, in Maharashtra, the great Shivaji Maharaj is considered as a God; he established ‘Hindavi Swarajya’ in Maharashtra. The forts were pillars of Shivaji Maharaj’s kingdom. Without them, it was impossible for him to establish his kingdom. Unfortunately, apart from the 28 forts included in the archaeological list, the remaining are in a bad condition, waiting for the amelioration by Government. Various tourism facilities such as accommodation, eateries, toilets, information centres, and museums can be developed at such places. By identifying and promoting state’s folk arts and crafts, we can revive our culture.

Acknowledging the importance of our forts, there are some NGOs working for the conservation of forts. Trek Kshitij, Durg Savardhan , Shivaji Trail are examples of these NGOs which are working on their own without expecting any kind of aid from the Government. Though the magnitude of their work is small scale, it is necessary that someone takes an initiative. These NGOs are doing this.

When I met with Mr. Milind Kshirsagar, founder of 'Shivaji Trail' to know more about their project,  he explained his vision and their work in the field of fort conservation.

Shivaji Trail and its contribution in to Fort Conservation;

Shivaji  Trail is an organisation working for the conservation of forts since 1985 under the guidance of Milind Kshirsagar and well known actor Dr. Amol Kolhe. In 2011, Shivaji Trail has selected two forts- Ghangad from Lonavala  tehsil and Chavand from Junnar- for their conservation project. They have built steps from the village at the base to the entrance of the Fort Ghangad to facilitate the way which was in a ruined condition. They have also set up a ladder at the entrance of Ghangad, where initially there was a rock patch that was impossible to climb. Now, because of the ladder, we can easily climb up through the rock patch.  Shivaji Trail also arranges the NSS camps of different schools at Ghangad every year and more than 200 students participate in conservation work and tree plantation projects through voluntary work.  Shivaji Trail is an NGO and it does not get any aid from the Government. What is noteworthy about ‘Shivaji Trail’ is that all the expenses are expended from the pockets of the members of the group. Every year they spend about Rs. 10 to 15 lakhs on such conservation activities. Shivaji Trail also arranges free health workshops at the village at the base of Ghangad, i.e. Aikole. Shivaji  Trail’s work is an ideal  example for all those who want to participate in conservation of forts.