Of the 280 identified monuments in Karnataka, 61 in Mysuru Division open for adoption

Mysuru/Bengaluru: In a significant move aimed at enhancing the visitor experience at Karnataka’s monuments, Chief Minister Siddharamaiah launched the ‘Namma Smaraka’ digital online portal (‘Digital Vedike’) at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru this morning.

This event, jointly organised by the Tourism Department and the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage, also featured an interactive session.

Key attendees included Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Legislation and Tourism H.K. Patil, Commissioner of the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage A. Devaraju, Additional Chief Secretary of the Tourism Department Kapil Mohan, Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) Managing Director G. Jagadeesha and others.

The portal’s launch had a symbolic gesture where CM Siddharamaiah and H.K. Patil used brushes to clean a miniature monument displayed on the stage. The primary aim of the adoption scheme is to provide essential facilities for tourists.

Basic amenities encompass public rest-rooms, drinking water facilities and accessible pathways to monuments, ensuring ease of access for individuals with disabilities. An essential focus will be placed on maintaining site cleanliness, coupled with a strict prohibition on the usage of plastic.

In total, 280 monuments have been earmarked for adoption, with 61 of them located in the Mysuru Division. The remaining divisions include Bengaluru (59 monuments), Kalaburagi (66) and Belagavi Division (94). The ‘Digital Vedike’ has been developed by the Kalki Foundation.

Immediate adoption

Out of the 280 monuments, tenders for adoption through immediate Expression Of Interest (EOI) have already been invited for 34 of them. In the Mysuru Division, some of the listed monuments include Lakshmikantha Temple and Sati Temple Complex at Kalale in Nanjangud, Adinatha Basadi at K.R. Nagar, Raja Gaddige at Madikeri in Kodagu, Nalknad Palace at Yavakapadi, Kakkabbe in Kodagu.

In Mandya, Ananthapadmanabha Temple at Boodanooru in Mandya, Narasimhaswamy Temple at Melukote, Kalyani, Bhuvaneshwari, Mantapas and Rayagopura at Melukote, Kodandarama Temple at Haravu in Pandavapura, among others have been listed.

Phase II

Furthermore, monuments like Wellington Memorial Government Museum, Gunjanarasimha Swamy Temple in T. Narasipura, Panchalingeshwara Temple in Somanathapura, Bateri in Srirangapatna, Mir Sadiq’s Palace in Srirangapatna and the 239 Garrison British Tomb in Srirangapatna are listed under Mysuru Division, offering   opportunities for interested parties to apply for their adoption at a later stage.

Commissioner of the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage A. Devaraju mentioned to SOM this morning that these monuments, including temples, churches, mosques and other heritage sites, will be opened for tourism, thereby creating investment opportunities and generating employment.

‘Digital Vedike’ and online process offer significant investment prospects in tourism &  serve as a platform for small and medium enterprises to invest in tourism-related activities throughout Karnataka. The portal provides a comprehensive list of monuments eligible for corporate adoption, complete with scanned data and photos for reference.

This scheme encompasses multiple objectives, including the conservation, preservation and protection of heritage monuments, with an emphasis on enhancing tourism infrastructure to improve the visitor experience. It aims to create superior facilities and amenities at heritage sites for an enhanced visitor experience while raising awareness about their cultural and heritage significance within the State.

Moreover, the scheme focuses on developing and promoting sustainable tourism infrastructure while ensuring the proper operation and maintenance of these facilities. It aims to generate employment opportunities and support the livelihoods of local communities residing near heritage monument sites.