The Government of India, through the Publications Division of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, has recently published Navina Jafa’s pioneering book, ‘Exhibiting India: Art of Heritage Walks.’ The book, reasonably priced at 500 rupees, was launched at the Delhi Book Fair, Bharat Mandapam, in New Delhi on 9th August. Published by the Government of India, Jafa’s book legitimises her groundbreaking work in advancing heritage tourism and conserving living cultures, taking these fields to unprecedented levels. Dubbed the ‘Gatekeeper of the Spectacular’ by the Financial Times, Jafa seeks to enlighten travellers, tourist guides, travel agents, hoteliers, transport providers, communities, and other stakeholders involved in tourism, art, and culture about new ways to enhance tourism experiences, both for travellers and for those curating experiential tourism. The launch, organised by the Publications Division, was attended by more than 200 schoolchildren and others at the book fair, organised by agencies under the Government of India, including the Ministry of Education and the Indian Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO).
The book, divided into six chapters, begins with seminal concepts on heritage tourism and heritage walks, which Navina Jafa defines as ‘living exhibits’.
The chapter examines how India has been ‘exhibited’, beginning with the 19th-century ‘Great Exhibition’ in London and continuing through to the ‘Festivals of India’ in the 1980s, along with Apna Utsav, the Surajkund Mela and, more recently, the ‘Dekho Apna Desh’ campaign. Offering new terminology and critical observations, the book introduces terms such as ‘Heritage-scapes’ in the third chapter, which defines the entire environment surrounding historical and natural landscapes.
Skill Building
With thousands of young people striving to forge careers in culture and tourism, Navina Jafa offers unique examples of heritage walks and tourism experiences from various parts of India, encompassing a variety of geographical locations. In the fourth chapter, titled’ Art of Heritage Walks,’ Jafa shares ideas on communities (whom Jafa calls tradition-bearers) in different regions that are repositories of cultural practices and integral to built and natural heritage landscapes.
Traveller’s Delight
Filled with pictures and fascinating examples of heritage walks such as pastoral tourism involving yaks and cheese in Arunachal to the swimming camels and Fakirani Jats of Kutch, the Godwar camel culture of Rajasthan, the Ajanta caves, the Taj Mahal, the riverfront in Varanasi, or the education heritage at the Anglo-Arabic school in Delhi, the water conservation heritage in Dholavira and the holistic approach to experiencing heritage landscapes and cultural traditions in Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Delhi, Bhopal, Sikkim, Ladakh, and the natural heritage of Bhitarkanika in Odisha, the book is a treasure trove for travel enthusiasts.
Skill and Capacity Building
In the fifth chapter, ‘In the Footsteps of Study Leaders,’ Navina Jafa addresses the need to upgrade the perception and stature of tour guides, heritage experience curators, interpreters, cultural enthusiasts, and organisations engaged in cultural heritage conservation. This publication by the Government of India offers practical ways to address skill-building in cultural heritage experiential tourism and cultural conservation.
In the final chapter, ‘Engaging Debates on Heritage Walks,’ Navina Jafa critically examines 10 examples of immersive heritage walks across India conducted by different studies or walk leaders.
Indo-US Cultural Diplomacy
Dr. Richard Kurin, Ambassador-at-Large of the Smithsonian Institution, wrote the foreword. He was Jafa’s advisor during her Fulbright Scholarship at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC. The foreword highlights the vibrant cultural diplomacy partnership between India and the United States.
A Must-Have for Tourism and Culture Enthusiasts
Navina Jafa’s book, ‘Exhibiting India: Art of Heritage Walks,’ is an essential read for Indian tourism offices and tourism studies institutes worldwide, as well as for various libraries and networks, including the Raja Ram Mohan Library. Priced at a reasonable 500 rupees, this book serves as a guide for enhancing heritage tourism experiences and a significant contribution to cultural heritage conservation.
In an era where cultural heritage and tourism are increasingly intertwined, Jafa’s work stands out as a beacon for those who wish to explore the depth and richness of India’s heritage landscapes. It is a call to action for all stakeholders to engage in preserving and promoting cultural heritage, ensuring that it continues to thrive for generations to come.
