Heritage Palaces Association: The 7th AGM of the Association of the Heritage Palaces of Odisha was held at the Bhubaneswar Club on the 8th September. It was attended by the present owners of 18 heritage palaces spread all over the state and included Garh Dehnkanal, Killa Auli, Killa Dalijoda, Gajalaxmi Palace Dhenkanal, Parikud Palace, Sundargarh Palace, Raj Nilgiri Palace, Nayagarh Palace, Madhupur Palace, Badamba Palace and Kalahandi Palace. In Odisha, Heritage Palaces has already created a niche in the world of tourism. There are many more palaces which are on the anvil for being transformed into Palace stays.
Speaking on the occasion, Anil Dhir, Convener of Intach Bhubaneswar Chapter spoke on the potential of promoting palace homestays and lamented on the dismal conditions of many of the former royal palaces across the State. Dhir said that these properties have their own distinctive architecture, ambience and history. Intach has restored may of the previous colonial and royal monuments in Odisha among which the Rani Bakhri of Sambalpur, Maritime Museum of Cuttack, Town Halls of both Balangir and Sambalpur, Netaji BirthPlace Museum and Janaki Nath Bhavan are a few.
He said that Intach has documented and listed many of the palaces and most of them are in a restorable condition. Shri Utpal Pati, the former Tourism Advisor spoke on the Tourism Policy of the State and how it needs to be revamped for capacity utilisation of the heritage properties. Dr. Adyasha Das, Professor at the Indian Institute of Travel Trade Management spoke of sustainable tourism and the need for proper packaging and promotion of the royal homestays. She opined that Heritage Tourism, by preserving and reviving the heritage hotels, helps in reviving the rich, cultural, historical and architectural heritage of Odisha. Furthermore, it will also give a fillip to revive the traditional arts, crafts, music and folklore by projecting their skills through these Heritage Hotels.
Dr. Biswajit Mohanty, Chairman of Greenpeace India’s South Asia operations spoke of the immense potential of tourism keeping in view the natural heritage of the state. He said that this segment will be an effective for generating employment, earning revenue and foreign exchange. It will enhance the cultural preservation, traditional crafts, fairs, festivals and creative activities. There is, perhaps, no comparable field of activity where so many people are employed directly or indirectly.
Braj Keshari Deb of Killa Auli said that the major challenges for heritage sector are the old assets which require high cost of conservation and restoration, low room base which affects feasibility and high maintenance costs. The heritage hotels in India are not just hotels, but also “living museums” that offer a glimpse into the country’s rich unforgettable past. The State should have a workable and effective Tourism Policy for exploiting the full potential of heritage tourism.
