World Heritage Day: Historical sites lay silent, tour guides dread grim future

The heritage sites, in Delhi-NCR, remain locked down like the rest of India, and pose a challenge for tour guides and heritage walks conductors. Some are taking the online route to encounter this hurdle.

The Capital is lying locked like the rest of the nation, and under the watchful eye of the guards are also the various heritage sites in the city, which have probably never been so empty. On World Heritage Day (April 18), the vacant corridors, of some of the iconic monuments that have been the pride of Delhi, tell a grim tale of the fate that has befallen them.

Due to the Covid-19 lockdown, the income of those who are dependent on India’s heritage tourism has been impacted massively. Tourist guides that once thronged the gates of the Red Fort or Humayun’s Tomb are the worst hit. “For most of us, our income comes from this occupation. We are all self-employed and not on any department’s payroll. While the lockdown has put an end to all our tours, it also threatens to erode all our savings,’’ says Ajay Paliwal, who conducts tours for both national and international visitors in Delhi. He adds, “Our work is seasonal; we have written to the Ministry of Tourism for a bailout package since we stand to lose our entire income.’’

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Paliwal feels that the guides, who are solely reliant on daily assignments and are often stationed outside a single monument, will bear the biggest brunt. “These guides often earn about ₹10,000-15,000 a month during the peak season. As coronavirus spreads and the possibility of travelling being curtailed further looks more likely, these individuals will survive hand to mouth in the coming months.’’ He also worries about the possible cancellations in the coming months, from international companies who were set to organise annual tours to India later in the year.

Recently when the historical monuments in Delhi-NCR were lit at night and opened till late evening hours, the tourists had started frequenting them in higher numbers. This continued until the coronavirus pandemic forced most to follow social distancing. (PHOTO: Ronjoy Gogoi/HT)

Vishal Bhaskar, another Delhi-based travel guide, who is a regular at most heritage sites such as the Qutub Minar, Humayun’s Tomb, Red Fort, Hauz Khas, and Mehrauli to name a few, concurs with Paliwal’s statements. “Coronavirus has set India’s tourism industry back by at least two years. Both outbound and inbound tourists will now be terrified of a possible infection,’’ says Bhaskar, who feels it’s too early to have an estimate of the impact on the industry as a whole. He also believes that guides and self-employed workers associated with the heritage tourism are in deep waters. “We save for a rainy day; without government help, our savings are only going to last for a while. I’ve already told my family that we need to limit our expenses to absolutely essential items only,” adds Bhaskar.

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While this day serves as a reminder of the indecisive future of tourist guides, there are a few who aren’t letting coronavirus douse their spirits to celebrate the culture that keeps alive the rich history of the city. Abu Sufiyan, founder, Purani Dilli Walo ki Baatein — a popular group that conducts heritage walks in Old Delhi — shares that the lockdown has dampened his plans but couldn’t affect his spirit. “Last year, on World Heritage Day, we had organised a special walk to celebrate Delhi’s tangible and intangible heritage. This year, though we cannot conduct a physical walk, we are planning a 360 degree virtual tour of the historic monuments on our Facebook and Instagram pages. This will ensure that our audience enjoys the city, even from the comfort of their homes.’’ Sufiyan is also serving his community, comprising small-time calligraphers and haveli or artifact owners, who have suffered a financial setback amid the lockdown.

Ramit Mitra, founder and chief explorer at Delhi By Foot (a walking group) has put up videos on social media that are bound to enthral history enthusiasts. “We are telling people about the small cultural gems of great historical value that they might not have discovered yet,’’ Mitra says. When asked what he felt about the immediate future of Delhi’s tourism industry, Mitra quips, “We, as a team, are mentally and financially prepared to tide off the next six months, and also have plans to revamp our digital presence in different directions, to support our income. We are working on curriculum-oriented partnerships with schools and have also discussed collaboration opportunities with different artists to make our tours a wholesome experience. We are hoping for the situation to get back to normal, really soon, and are keeping our fingers crossed at the moment.’’

Author tweets @bhagat_mallika

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