Madhya Pradesh has embarked on a huge tourism makeover, starting late-2023. The state has given a boost to rural tourism, gone on to connect its tourism destinations under the country’s first intra-state aviation service, and set up a Museum of Music. The emphasis is on the contributions of the four major classical music gharanas that the state has nurtured, the greats who thrived there, and the architectural and natural beauty of the state. Rina Mukherji outlines the state government’s plans to provide visitors a holistic, inclusive, sustainable, eco-friendly and adventure-packed experience
In a bid to give a shot in the arm to tourism, the Madhya Pradesh Government has charted out a multi-pronged strategy. Cruises, adventure tourism, all-women tours, biking tours and rural vacations are all on the agenda. Several routes have been chalked out for cruises, through collaborative ventures with neighbouring states. The main attraction will be the nearly 130-km inter-state cruise on the Narmada River from the Statue of Oneness in Omkareshwar to the Statue of Unity in Gujarat. Floating jetties are already being put in place for this. The multi-option, multi-destination cruise will be punctuated with rural experiences.
Another cruise will link the Rajhat Dam near Chanderi (in Madhya Pradesh) to Deogarh in Uttar Pradesh. In addition to these long cruises, there will be several intra-state cruises too, including from the Miakal Resort in Bargi near Jabalpur to Tindini in Mandla District, Dharaji in Dewas to Sailani Tapu east of Omkareshwar, and from Sanjit Village to the Gandhi Sagar Tent City. Additionally, the existing Tawa-Madhai cruise will receive a facelift by adding new experiences for tourists.
Many new trekking trails will be identified and developed in the various buffer zones of national parks/sanctuaries as part of the strategy. The state intends to promote biking trails, biking events and car rallies too. In March 2024, an all-women seven-day biking event – Queens of the Wheel – was organised, which saw bikers driving from Bhopal to Orchha via Chanderi, Kuno, Gwalior, Mitawali, Padavali, Bateshwar and Khajuraho.
As part of the plan, the government intends to develop off-beat destinations, besides giving a fillip to rural and wellness tourism in the state. Wellness retreats are being set up in select hotels run by the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation. These retreats will provide a holistic regimen comprising yoga, meditation and nutritional guidance. In the first year, 12 such retreats will be set up, followed by 24 and 36 retreats in the second and third years, respectively. According to Principal Secretary (Tourism) and Managing Director Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board Sheo Shekhar Shukla, “The plan is to make it tourism more holistic, inclusive, sustainable, eco-friendly and adventure packed.”
To boost tourist arrivals in the state, the PM Shri Paryatan Vayu Seva, connecting eight tourism destinations in the state, was inaugurated by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav in June 2024. This will see Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Rewa, Ujjain, Gwalior, Singrauli and Khajuraho being connected through an intra-state air service. The PM Shri Paryatan Vayu Seva, the first intra-state air service in the country, will be operated on a public-private-partnership basis with Jetserve Aviation (Flyola). Flights are already operating in Bhopal, Jabalpur, Rewa, Ujjain and Singrauli. Efforts are on to connect the pilgrim centres of Omkareshwar and Mahakaleshwar, besides Orchha, Salkanpur, Katni and Datia, to boost religious tourism. Currently, the air service is being operated using two six-seater aircraft.
Rural tourism will be boosted by increasing the existing number of homestays to more than 500 in 2024. Plans are afoot to skill women in hospitality-related and front-line jobs. Training is being imparted in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Hotel Management in housekeeping, food and beverages, hygiene, and front desk maintenance. Local singers, dancers, potters and artisans will also be trained to provide a typically rural experience for tourists. The Tourism Board has trained more than 4000 women so far to function at 50 destinations across 20 rural and semi-urban clusters in the state.
A Safe Tourist Destination for Women initiative has also been taken up to welcome solo women travellers to the state. The initiative, under the Nirbhaya Fund of the Ministry for Women and Child Development and the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, will see 10,000 women being trained and linked with tourism-related services, which includes driving e-rickshaws at tourist destinations, working as tourist guides, rowing boats, and driving vans in national parks and sanctuaries. The women are also being trained to stitch and make Bagh prints on bags for sale. Besides being trained in livelihood-related skills, the women are also being taught self-defence techniques under the initiative. Currently, women are driving e-rickshaws at tourist destinations in Jabalpur, Khajuraho, Bhopal, Shivpuri, Ujjain, Dhar, Indore and Gwalior, among others.
Meanwhile, close on the heels of Gwalior being declared a UNESCO Creative City of Music, the 19th Century Moti Mahal Palace in the city is to be converted into a Museum of Music, as announced on International Music Day, June 21, this year. A grant has already been approved by the Ministry of Culture. The museum will showcase the four major gharanas of Hindustani Classical Music – namely the Gwalior, Seniya, Maihar and Indore – that originated in the state, besides the work of stalwarts associated with each of them, such as Ustad Allauddin Khan, Tansen, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Amir Khan, D.V. Paluskar, Kumar Gandharva, Veena Saharabuddhe and Malini Rajurkar. Efforts will also be made to further popularise the various classical music events that continue to be held regularly in the state, such as the Allauddin Khan Sangeet Samaroh in Maihar, the Amir Khan Mahotsav in Indore, Sangeet Prasang, Vishwa Yog Evam Sangeet Diwas, Ye Shaam Mastani, the Lokrang Festival in Bhopal and the Tansen Music Festival in Gwalior.
(The writer is a senior journalist who lives in Pune.)
from Webdoux