Calling for Independence of the Tourism Industry

Dear member of the tourism industry of the Indian subcontinent,

It is you and your organization, who is a member of this tourism industry to have proudly taken forward the glorious image of India to the world in the post Independence period. Many regions which were even unknown to our own countrymen, you have highlighted these places. Keeping in view the status of the tourism industry in the pre-independence period and the status today, most of the credit will go to all of you, the members of this self made industry. From a country of snake charmers, India is today known for her diverse nature, culture, people, palaces, plantations and landscapes. As this is not as an organized sector like other industries, the employment and revenue the tourism industry generates is often not visible. This is the only industry through which you have touched the lives of people in the remotest parts of the country, without shifting them from their home or changing their landscape.

Travel has always been a part of the Indian culture, and people have moved in and out for pilgrimage, trade and many other purposes. India did play a lead role in the legendary Silk Route, mainly in connecting the mountains with seas. Travel has so much respect in this country that it is only in this Indian sub-continent, travel has become a part of the religion and traditionally ‘’Guests are considered as Gods’’.   

In a country where we believe and follow ‘Guests are our Gods’ (ATITHI DEVI BHAVO), we cannot effort or think about using the tool of strikes or bandhs to stop the movement or activities of tourists from within our home or abroad. As a part of the pride of Indian culture, and a priority in every religion and community, India has been known for her hospitality. From the rich to the poor, from a pilgrim to an invader, every visitor to any part of this country has been given the opportunity to experience the greatness of Indian hospitality. It is beyond warmth and service, it is a part of Indian religion, offered with all the respect and holiness.

In a more modern context, when the world considers TOURISM as an economic affair and puts it under one of the fastest growing industry globally, many still believe it is much more beyond this simple economic affair, TOURISM is an ism or philosophy which explains the relation between Guests and Hosts. This has been best understood in the Indian culture and hence Guests have been considered as Gods. We in India need to respect this great and foremost Indian tradition, and it a point, both politically and legally to keep tourism out of the purview of Bandhs or Strikes.

The time has arrived when the tourism industry should also be declared as an emergency service. Industries like health, cooking fuel, milk etc are already considered as emergency services and have been kept out of the purview of Bandhs or Strikes. Some states have also considered the IT industry as an emergency service and have kept the same out of the purview of Bandhs. Now, it is high time when the Tourism industry should also be brought under such consideration. The reasons are as follows:

1)      This is an industry where the end user or consumer has to reach physically to the service provider or service manufacturer.

2)      The services are all linked in a chain from Home to Home, and any break in the chain disrupts the entire program of the tourist or visitor.

3)      The services are spread across a region and often involve multiple states and countries.

4)      The tourist or visitor comes to contribute to a region economically, without staying in the region or being a part of the day to day issues of the area.

5)      The reputation of an area or her people will depend upon the impression created on the tourist or visitor.

There are also few issues we must request the Governments to consider. If the Bandh or Strike is a democratic right of a certain group of people with or without an organization, the right not to follow the same and allow free movement and activities of the people or individuals not interested in the said Bandh or Strike should also be considered and facilitated by the Governments.

The Insurance companies do not offer any coverage or compensation for any damage to life or property during BANDHS or Strikes, but the premium is taken by the companies for the said dates. This should be considered as an advantage being taken by the Insurance companies for easy and illegal profit, and any damage of life or property during Bandhs or Strikes should be considered for legal compensation during BANDHS or Strikes by the Insurance companies, who in turn can fight with the Damage causing organizations for the compensation.

Bangladesh Independence

The people of Bangladesh have a more aggressive emotion in whatever they do, be it literature, fashion, agriculture, banking, romance etc, and I feel it is mainly because of their two independence wars, one the freedom movement against the British rule and the other to be the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.

The first one we all are quite aware of, as this was a freedom movement for the whole of the Indian subcontinent and we know how the barefoot freedom leaders from the different areas of present Bangladesh fought against the well armed British establishment. When we visit the Andaman Islands, our memories get refreshed with a visit to the Cellular Jail.

The second war of Independence for Bangladesh is still fresh in the minds of people and you can meet many of the freedom fighters, still fighting strongly through their own medium. One such person you can meet now in Kolkata. Sahabuddin, renowned painter, often referred to as one of the 50 contemporary artists of the world, now settled in Paris and now in Kolkata, India to do an exhibition ‘Liberation’.  He is now engrossed in his own world of painting, who is a very simple man, most happy if you gift him a ‘gamcha’ (a typical hand woven cotton towel used all over the villages of Bangladesh, Assam, Manipur, West Bengal and Orissa after bath to wipe the body), who was one of the biggest student leaders of the Bangladesh War and has wonderful stories.

I had several opportunities of meeting him and one such occasion was at his house in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Azad, his childhood friend, partner during the freedom movement and a great singer in Bangladesh was suddenly there with one of the old photographs of the freedom movement time and both of them became busy identifying the others in the photo, the wall in the background and the stories of the time.

Then the next three hours was a complete ‘lost in the past’ time for us. Azad started on how he did the first bomb blast in the bank area and escaped in the car of a then Pakistani officer as an innocent student. I had just interrupted inbetween asking Sahabuddin and Azad, that was the freedom movement all about violence or was there any love then. It was now stories which will probably never be heard again.

Both Sahabuddin and Azad looked and each other and agreed that like any other youth, they also had their dream girls, both of them their neighbours and they had all the romantic relations which was then prevalent within the society. Brave freedom fighters, creative intellectual youths and romantic relations were all that they lived on in those days. The Pakistani army started following and visiting their houses which made them flee to India. First to Agartala, where Anjan Chowdhury took good care of them and then four days through Assam, New Jalpaiguri Railway Station and then to Sealdah finally. In Kolkata, the then intellectual community (Buddhijibi Samaj) with the active participation of Nripen Banerjee took care of the run aways from Bangladesh. As one was a painter and the other a singer, they were put up at a decent place at Azad Hind Bagh Kolkata Hostel which was looked after by an elderly lady. They were given Rs.7 then in 1971 as pocket money. After some days, they then went to the Camp near the border and saw the regular training, but they wanted to return to their houses as they had not informed their girl friends and was dying to meet them. The border here was not easy to cross.

They came to Halisahar Rail Station, while passing through the standing railway rack, Sahabuddin managed to reach his train, but the standing rack moved on and Azad reached Kanchrapara. After asking some people he managed to return to Halisahar, but his friend was not there. He came back to Kolkata, only to find his friend Sahabuddin sleeping comfortably. Both of them made the long return journey the same way to Agartala. They returned to Dhaka with lot of trouble only to find that Sahabuddin’s girl friend’s house under lock and key.

Azad had a more tragic end to his romance. The girl’s father who was an influential officer in the Pakistani Government had sent her daughter somewhere to get her married. Many years after, once a cultural delegation from Bangladesh visited the US, here Azad met his once girl friend. She was then married with children, she apologized to Azad for not being able to wait for him, as they all thought that Sahabuddin and Azad would never be able to return home. They did as great freedom fighters, but shattered lovers. 

Every house in Bangladesh has such stories, starting for the Freedom movement against the British in the 1940s and the Bangladesh war of the 1970s. We salute the people of this country on this International Mother Language Day.