environment essay in konkani

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Educational and entertainment content in Konkani language

• KONKANI WRITERS
• MOTIVATIONAL THOUGHTS
• QUOTES BY LEADERS
• QUOTES BY WRITERS
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• CONDOLENCE MESSAGES
• FRIENDSHIP QUOTES
• QUOTES ON TRUST
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• ELECTION QUOTES – वेंचणूक संदेश
• COVID 19 QUOTES – कोवीड 19 संदेश
• WISHES – परबीं संदेश
• INVITATIONS – आमंत्रण पत्रां
• MONOLOGUE – आप-उलोवप
• LOKVED (FOLKLORE) – लोकवेद
• KONKANI GRAMMAR – कोंकणी व्याकरण
• GENERAL KNOWLEDGE – सामान्य ज्ञान
• NURSERY RHYMES – बडबड गितां
• CAREER ADVICE – करियर विशीं
• LETTERS – पत्रांचे नमुने
• CERTIFICATE – प्रमाणपत्र
• ESSAYS – निबंद
• जल्मदिसाचीं गितां – Birthday songs
• TONGUE TWISTERS – उतरांचो खेळ
• MEMES – मीम
• UKHANE – उखाणे
• RIDDLES – उमाणीं
• PROVERBS – म्हणी
• JOKES – हास्य तिठो
• KONKANI LULLABIES – कोंकणी अंगाई गितां
• FOOD AND DELICACIES – रांदचीकूड
• Mangalashtak – मंगलाष्टकां
• Shri Ram Konkani Songs – श्री राम कोंकणी गितां
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संवसारीक पर्यावरण दीस

(हो निबंद विद्यार्थ्यां खातीर फकत एक नमुनो. हो निबंद तश्या तसो घेवचो न्हय.)

5 जून हो दीस संवसारीक पर्यावरण म्हूण मनयतात. पर्यावरणा विशीं जागृताय घडोवपाक आनी पर्यावरणाचें रक्षण तशेंच संवर्धन करपाक हो दीस मनयतात. संयुक्त राष्ट्रसंघाच्या जनरल असेम्बलीन 1972च्या स्टॉकहोमच्या पर्यावरण विशींचे परिशदे वेळार 5 जून हो दीस पर्यावरण दीस म्हूण जाहीर केला.

दर वर्सा वेगवेगळ्या संकल्पनांच्या आदाराचेर हो दीस मनयतात. संवसारीक पर्यावरण दिसा निमतान सरकारी पातळीचेर कार्यावळी आयोजीत जातात. ते भायर साबार बिगर सरकारी संस्था, शिक्षणीक संस्था तशेंच हेर संस्था वेगवेगळ्यो कार्यावळी आयोजीत करतात. भारतांतूच न्हय तर संवसारांतल्या साबार देशांनी हो दीस मनयतात. ह्या दिसा निमतान झाडां लावपाची कार्यावळ, नितळसाण मोहीस, जागृताय कार्यावळी जातात. शाळांनी आनी महाविद्यालयांनी विद्यार्थ्यां मदीं जागृताय घडोवपाक पोस्टर तयार करप, निबंद लेखन आनी हेर सर्ती आयोजीत करतात. ह्या सर्तींनी कितलेशेच विद्यार्थी वांटेकार जातात. शारांनी आनी गांवांनी लेगीत नगरपालिका आनी पंचायत पांवड्यार कार्यावळी आनी सर्ती आयोजीत करतात.

पर्यावरण म्हणल्यार Environment हो मूळ फ्रँच शब्द Environ ह्या शब्दांतल्यान तयार जाला म्हणल्यार Surrounding वा सरभोंवतण. सजीव तशेंच निर्जीव हांच्या मदल्या क्रिया आनी प्रतिक्रिया तशेंच आंतर क्रियेंतल्यान निर्माण जाल्ल्या सजिवाच्या सरभोंवतणची परिस्थिती म्हणल्यार पर्यावरण. पर्यावरणाची गुणवत्ता वाडोवप, पर्यावरणाची समस्या सोडोवप, पर्यावरणाचें रक्षण करप आनी संवर्धन करप असो संदेश ह्या दिसा दितात. झाडां-पेडां, रानां, रानांनी रावपी जनावरां हे सगले पर्यावरणाचो भाग आसात. तांचें रक्षण केल्यार पर्यावरणाचो सांबाळ जातलो.

पयल्या म्हाझुजाचो पर्यावरणाचेर भयंकर परिणाम जालो. तशेंच उद्देगीक क्रांतीचोय पर्यावरणाचेर खूब वायट परिणाम जालो. उद्देगांक लागून उदक आनी हवा प्रदुशीत जावपाक लागलीं. ते खातीर पर्यावरणशास्त्रज्ञ पर्यावरणाचो स्वतंत्रपणान अभ्यास करपाक लागले आनी तेन्नाच्यान पर्यावरणाचो सांबाळ करपाक खास पावलां उबारूंक लागले.

मनीस होय पर्यावरणाचोच भाग आसा. मनीस हो सामको बुद्दीमान सजीव प्राणी. म्हणून मनीस लेगीत पर्यावरणाचेर निंबून आसा. पर्यावरण नश्ट जावपाक मनीस सगल्यांत चड जापसालदार आसा. प्रदुशण, उदरगती खातीर झाडां मारप आनी हेर कारणांक लागून पर्यावरणाचो समतोल इबाडटा. पूण पर्यावरण ना जाल्यार मनीसय आसचो ना, हें आमी विसरूंक जायना. पर्यावरण सांबाळूंक दरेकल्यान यत्न करूंक जाय. दरेकल्यान झाडां लावपाची जापसालदारकी घेवपाक जाय. ह्या पर्यावरण दिसा, पर्यावरणाचें रक्षण करपाचो सोपूत आमी घेवया.

#Environment #Day #Conserve #Forest #Essay #Goa #Educational

Exploring the Konkani culture through the streets of Gosripuram

Konkani culture in Kochi , encountering such a tale in Kochi is quite likely as the city boasts a remarkable fusion of architecture and a fascinating past of migrant communities, particularly in Fort Kochi and Mattancherry areas. What makes Mattancherry unique is the harmonious co-existence of various ethnic groups like Jews, Konkanis, Gujaratis, Jains, Memons, Marathis, Tamils, and Kashmiris, each carrying its own unique cultural identity, in addition to reflecting the socio-cultural imprints of the foreign colonial rulers, that this region holds even today.

Migration of Konkanis: A History of Trial and Tribulation 

Konkanis had to flee their homeland several times due to several invasions and attacks. Konkanis were among the communities who faced maximum trial and tribulation wherever they landed. Konkanis left Goa fearing Allaudin Khilji in 1294. Again, another group of Konkanis migrated to Kerala fearing that they may lose their identity to the tyranny of the Portuguese in 1560. This migration was led by Saraswat Brahmins also called Goud Saraswat Brahmins or Konkanis, while other Konkani Communities followed. Even in Kerala they faced hostility in areas like Kozhikode. Finally, they were accepted by the Kochi King and were allowed to settle in Cherlai, present day Gosripuram right behind Mattancherry palace.

Bilaterality of Gosripuram: Both A Temple and A Neighbourhood

The Urban fabric of Gosripuram is highly defined by the Konkani Thirumala Devaswom temple, also called Gosripuram. For instance, the width of roads around the temple is wide enough for a ratha or temple chariot procession during festivals and hence these roads are called ratha veethi. The Thirumala Devaswom Temple located in Mattancherry, Kochi is a significant social and religious hub for the migrated Konkanis. It is considered the headquarters and serves as the center for all the migrated Konkanis in Kerala . The Gaud Saraswat Brahmins were denied entry to the local temples as the native Brahmins considered themselves to be superior to the migrant Brahmins. As the Gaud Saraswat Brahmins were mainly priests whose lives revolved around the temples and priesthood, they built the Thirumala Devasom Temple or Gosripuram and settled around the temple in an Agrahara fashion. The Gaud Saraswat Brahmins settled around Gosripuram (temple), while other Konkani communities like Kudumbis, Sonars, and Vaniyars occupied the periphery. Successively, both the Thirumala Devaswom temple and the neighborhood that houses the Konkanis around the temple were referred to as Gosripuram. 

Analysing Thirumala Devaswom Temple Architecturally

The temple was built according to the Temple Vastu Shastra, with Gopurams in all four directions. The monumental gopuram on the Northern side is double-storied and richly decorated, following a Pagoda style influenced by Indo-Tibetan architecture, with a copper-plated roof. Skilled craftsmen from South India have created beautiful wooden carvings featuring scenes from Holy relics, making the Northern temple tower an exquisite sight. The temple has 7 Pradakshina Veethis or 7 loops of paths arranged concentrically, with the Gharbagriha (Sanctum Sanctorum) in the center. Pradakshina is the clockwise circumambulation of the Gharbagriha or the temple itself, and the path along which this is performed is called Pradakshina veethi.

The Gharbagriha (Sanctum Sanctorum) is located at the center of the temple facing East and is enclosed by an inner Parswa Mandapam, a hall open on all 4 sides. There are 4 Upa Kovils (smaller temples dedicated to deities other than the main deity) located outside Gharbagriha. Surrounding the Upa Kovils, there are two Pradakshina Mandapams. These shaded mandapams facilitate the practice of Pradakshina. Around this set of Mandapams, there is a spacious open area that can accommodate many thousands of devotees visiting the temple during festivals. On the outer boundary of the open area, there are Agrasala buildings built enclosing the temple premises, mainly used for marriages, other social gatherings, and meetings, and also used as storage rooms to stock food grains. There is a very big Sheeveli Madapam, in front of the east gate, on the front side of the temple bell to accommodate about 6 elephants in a row to perform Sheeveli during festival days.

Outside the East Gopuram, a large Temple Water Pond is situated on the North Eastern side. At the center of the water Pond, a beautiful 2-storeyed structure called Kula Mandapam is present. The Mandapam seems to float in the water. It has a thatched roof with copper sheets resembling the style of Kerala Architecture . It is an essential component of the temple as certain festivals aren’t complete without bringing the temple deities to the Kula Mandapam. Many Konkanis residing in different parts of the world come to Kochi to take part in the festivals celebrated in this temple like the Arattu festival. The temple serves as a representation of thriving Konkani practices and culture in Kochi.

The Streets of Gosripuram Frozen in Time

The streets held their cultural and traditional aura high and maintain it even today. A major chunk of the present residents in Mattancherry are Konkanis. Thus, the streets of Gosripuram, Mattancherry have retained their Konkani character through time to date in comparison to other Konkani settlements in Kerala, like Ernakulam which has changed over time. Especially, a sense of timelessness can be felt in the TD East Road because of the Thirumala Devaswom Temple, the pond and Kulamandapam building, the resonance of the large temple bell ringing, and the olfactory essence of the temple abhisheka milk and cattle. Since Gosripuram, developed as a neighborhood around the temple, the streets were short and still remain short just around the temple, making it cozy.

Cultural Marvels along the streets of Gosripuram

There are other cultural marvels like Konkani Bhasha Bhavan and Saraswath Association Library safeguarding the language and Hari Shenoy’s Bungalow speaking of Hari Shenoy’s legacy as a Konkani leader of Kochi, along the streets of Gosripuram, signifying Konkani culture in the region. 

Konkani Bhasha Bhavan 

Konkani Bhasha Bhavan, the first of its kind in India, was founded in 1978 at Cherlai Junction in Gosripuram with a mission to preserve and promote Konkani language and literature. Narayana Purushothama Mallaya who received the Padmashri, the fourth highest civilian award in India , is one of the eminent Konkani writers living in Gosripuram and has been the President of the Konkani Bhasha Bhavan since it was founded. The other well-known Konkani writers including  R S Bhaskar, Ananth Bhat, Saratchandra Shenoy, Surya Ashok, and Suseela Bhat also reside in Kochi. Konkani culture and language have certainly stood the test of time, remaining vibrant and intact in Kochi, and keeping Konkani literature alive with pride in Kochi.

Conservation of Hari Shenoy’s Bungalow: Sustaining Konkani Culture and Eminence of Hari Shenoy

Hari Shenoy, the Administrator of the TD temple, Kochi was a leading figure among Konkanis in Kochi, and believed “he was a man with a vision”. The abundance of stories highlights his exceptional foresight and entrepreneurial skills. Shenoy also founded the Thirumala Devaswom High School in Mattancherry, the first Anglo-vernacular school in the area, which today is a major center of learning in Kochi. In 1874, he built his bungalow, near the TD Temple, Gosripuram inspired by the Western architectural style prevalent in Fort Kochi near Mattancherry with the consultation of European Architects who were his acquaintances.

Architecture of Hari Shenoy’s Bungalow

This stunning bungalow boasts a unique blend of vernacular and colonial architecture. The centrally located master bedroom on the first-floor features exquisite marble flooring imported from Italy in addition to dark stones locally known as Kutchikallu brought from Kutch. Some of the wooden ceilings were traditionally crafted and adorned with well-preserved roofs. Additionally, a granary, locally pathayapura located at the back of the property can be easily accessed from the adjacent canal which served as a waterway.

A Bungalow as Everything

In 1901, following the demise of Hari Shenoy, the bungalow underwent a division into two sections. One of the sections became the office of the temple, while the other was utilized as the residence of the temple manager. In 1958, the temple authorities established a teacher’s training school. Later, in 1966, a library was intiated in the bungalow. Before the closure of the building for maintenance in 2009, the Saraswathi Primary School utilized the bungalow premises. Currently, the bungalow, known for its heritage, is undergoing conservation under the Museum of Cultural Mosaic project, managed by Kerala’s tourism department. The building is set to showcase the richness of the Konkani community that settled in Kochi 400 years ago, as well as to immortalize the eminence of Hari Shenoy. 

Konkani Culinary Heritage Dots the Streets of Gosripuram 

Moreover, the streets of Gosripuram are dressed with small-scale food stalls selling authentic Konkani foods. Ginger lime juice, fritters, or simply fried veggies called Bajja with a steaming hot cup of tea, patarvado also known as patrado which is a painstaking delicacy made by slathering colocasia leaves with freshly ground masala in a specific way of rolling and steaming serve as gustatory and olfactory treats in the streets of Gosripuram. The aroma of these authentic Konkani dishes wafts around the corners of Gosripuram, representing the essence of Konkani cuisine and holding up the Konkani culinary heritage, substantiating a robust Konkani presence in Gosripuram. 

Unseen Cultural Amalgamation: A Case of Konkani Culture in Kochi

Gosripuram sees a harmonious cultural amalgamation, a coalesce of cultures in an effort of the residents and migrants to sustain their own identity, a new blend of cultures is formed. Surprisingly, the beautiful elephant procession that later became an integral part of Hindu festivals in Kerala is also said to be a contribution of the Konkanis, according to a few Konkani migrants. It is believed that the practice of women wearing a sari and blouse without a veil was also brought to Kerala by Konkani women. Last but not least, pappadams which have a special place in the cuisine of Kerala, were also traditionally made by Konkanis by hand. The culinary art of hand-made pappadams was passed down from their forefathers who migrated to Kochi from Goa and even today there are Konkani families who make and sell hand-made pappadams. This marks the tenacity of the Konkanis to sustain their identity and culture in Gosripuram, Kochi even centuries after they migrated. 

• Devasia, T. (2017a). Fort Kochi and Mattancherry journal, Part 1: Century-old settlements fight to retain historical legacy – India News , Firstpost. [online] Firstpost. Available at: https://www.firstpost.com/india/around-fort-kochi-and-mattanchery-part-1-century-old-settlements-fight-to-retain-historical-legacy-3448748.html/amp [Accessed 21 Sep. 2023].
• Devasia, T. (2017b). Fort Kochi and Mattancherry journal, Part 3: Persecuted for centuries, Konkanis found home in a small plot of land in Kochi – India News , Firstpost. [online] Firstpost. Available at: https://www.firstpost.com/india/fort-kochi-and-mattancherry-journal-part-3-persecuted-for-centuries-konkanis-found-home-in-a-small-plot-of-land-in-kochi-3453486.html/amp [Accessed 21 Sep. 2023].
• Gosripuram.org (n.d.). Cochin Thirumala Devaswom. [online] Available at: http://gosripuram.org/ [Accessed 20 Sep. 2023].
• Ibrahim, B. (n.d.). COMMUNITIES IN KOCHI – 01: Gaud Saraswat Brahmins. [online] www.ayurvedajournals.com. Available at: https://www.ayurvedajournals.com/article/cochin-gaud-saraswat-brahmins [Accessed 20 Sep. 2023].
• KochiCoo (2016). Cherlai-The epicenter of Goshreepuram. [online] KochiCoo. Available at: https://kochicoo.wordpress.com/2016/04/08/cherlai-the-epicenter-of-goshreepuram/ [Accessed 21 Sep. 2023].
• Malladi, A. (2015). Urban Boundaries: An Urban Collective Journal. [online] Available at: https://issuu.com/alekyamalladi/docs/udjournal_19112015 [Accessed 20 September 2023].
• Rajoo, A. (n.d.). The Pappadam Makers of Cherlai. [online] www.ayurvedajournals.com. Available at: https://www.ayurvedajournals.com/article/route-cochin-pappadam-makers-cherlai [Accessed 20 Sep. 2023].
• S., P. (2014). Tryst with time. The Hindu. [online] 19 Feb. Available at: https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/tryst-with-time/article5706364.ece/amp/ [Accessed 21 Sep. 2023].
• S., P. and Menon, A. (2018). A tale of TWO ROADS. The Hindu. [online] 17 May. Available at: https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/konkani-community-in-kochi/article23914968.ece [Accessed 20 Sep. 2023].
• sahapedia (2022a). Konkani Bhasha Bhavan. [online] map.sahapedia.org. Available at: https://map.sahapedia.org/article/Konkani-Bhasha%20Bhavan/3443 [Accessed 20 Sep. 2023].
• sahapedia (2022b). Sahapedia. [online] map.sahapedia.org. Available at: https://map.sahapedia.org/article/Hari-Shenoy [Accessed 21 Sep. 2023].
• Shenoy, D. (2021). Brief History of Gosripuram Mahakshetram Cochin Thirumala Devaswom A GSB Temple, Gosripuram, Kochi. Voice of GSB, 14(4), pp.4–7. Available at: https://gsbsabhamumbai.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/VOG_Jan_to_Mar_2021.pdf [Accessed 20 September 2023].

Valliammai Tirupathi is a budding architect. She has an immense passion for research and writing, mainly in Architectural Theory and the History of Architecture. She believes that Architectural Journalism can bring about a change in the profession. She loves to analyze and break down heavy information and complex ideas into simple sentences.

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Fisheries and Ecology Portrayed in Konkani Proverbs

2021, Nidan: International Journal for Indian Studies

Ecology plays a vital role in producing a diversity of lifestyles, customs, and culture in India, with coastal Maharashtra or the Konkan belt demonstrating this aptly through its characteristically heavy monsoon that is interdependent on, and co-creates water bodies. The creation of sustainable water bodies in turn, bolsters the coastal fisheries of the region. Fish is a favourite and central part of the local meat economy that depends on almost daily consumption, with fisheries therefore constituting the chief element of coastal economy. This article based on ethnographic research describes and analyses the viewpoints of local inhabitants to fish and fisheries through proverbs and phrases encountered in the vernacular.

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Already on the margins of an agrarian society, the marine fisherfolk of the South Indian state of Kerala are faced with a severe environmental problem: overfishing. The actions of trawlers and industrial fishing ships, it seems, have caused the resources on which they depend to dwindle rapidly. Yet what may appear to be a clear-cut case of cause, effect and responsibility turns out to be a complex issue. Local perceptions of the environment are deeply enmeshed with notions of morality, the self and people's understanding of their place in society. Overfishing is one of several environmental issues that bring into focus parallel knowledges, giving rise to contradictory views on what the problems are, whether changes are good or bad, and how they are to be remedied. As the fisherfolk confront the state, a discourse develops on what is innate to the environment, or "natural", and on what its malleability entails. Based on ethnographic fieldwork among Hindus and Muslims in a coastal village, this book explores the fisherfolk's environmental knowledge, its transformation in a period of rapid socio-economic and political change as well as its role in dealing with the state and the science - putatively universal and objective - upon which the state's policies are claimed to be based. The book emphasises conversation as a cultural process, metaphors and figurative speech in the investigation of knowledge, as well as the use and limits of memory in conceptualising environmental change.

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Former district Thane (Maharashtra) was formally split into Thane and Palghar districts for administrative purpose in 2014. Though these 2 districts are very much linked with each other due to their similar geographical features, people and traditions. Inland fishery is a major source of food in monsoon which demonstrates various cultural traits those are unique in this region. Range of traditional fishing methods are prevalent but on the way of extinction with the wave of modernisation. The current research paper deals with the ethnographic and socioeconomic study of these fishing practices.

ANIMALS IN ARCHAEOLOGY: Integrating Landscapes, Environment and Humans in South Asia (A Festschrift for Prof. P.P. Joglekar), 2023

Folklore is a living tradition that reflects diverse features of human life and cognition. Being deeply rooted in peoples’ minds and continued for generations, it gives solid inputs for studying culture. For centuries, the most familiar aquatic animal, fish, has had room in beliefs, mythology, and folklore. From the Manu-Matsya myth of Shathapatha Brahmhana to the present-day tribal songs, fish appears constantly being an aquatic creature, a rescuer, and a friend irrespective of the geographical regions and its physical availability. The present research focuses on studying the versatile representations of fish in Marathi folklore and attempts to understand the facets of fisheries in the folk culture of Maharashtra.

The fisheries sector in Kerala state of India is particularly rich in custom, tradition and local knowledge, reflecting this in its communities, their established beliefs and practices. The proximity to the natural resource base has a dominating influence on the culture and thinking of the fishing community. This paper documents the traditional knowledge of traditional fishermen in Kollam district of Kerala on marine biodiversity and conservation, based on a questionnaire survey conducted in 17 fishing villages. The paper records traditional knowledge of fisher folk on algal blooms, jellyfish blooms, coastal vegetation, sea snakes, sea turtles, whales, dolphins, sea birds, reefs in the sea, seasonal availability and medicinal importance of fishes, identification of fish in the sea, threats to marine biodiversity, and their perceptions on conservation and management. For the conservation and sustainability of bioresources, traditional fishers demand increase in the number of monsoon trawl ban days and implementation of the ban in two times a year based on the breeding time of fishes. Further, for ensuring sustainability they suggested limits to exploitation and preventing destructive fishing practices. This knowledge can be further fine-tuned for implementing biodiversity conservation and fisheries management programmes.

The present global fisheries situation demands solving of the issue of resource depletion and environmental degradation to achieve a sustainable development. Efforts for making sustainable marine fisheries development plans pragmatic, necessitates participatory resource management and biodiversity conservation harmonized with attainment of societal, economic as well as ecological well being. Any scientific intervention attempted in a rural society, without regard for traditional and indigenous knowledge systems of local people has often failed. In recognition of these issues, an attempt was made to study the scope of genesis and development of a new paradigm, ethnofisheries. It deals with the indigenous and traditional knowledge items of marine fisheries sector and its significance in the contemporary fisheries management scenario of India. The perception of the actual repositories of this traditional wisdom was also studied regarding the relevance of conserving and scope of applyin...

Indian J Traditional Knowledge, 2008

Mumbai Metropolitan Region, has experienced massive growth due to rapid economic transformation and urbanization, resulting in degradation of and damage to sensitive coastal ecologies. Mumbai’s artisanal fishers, especially the Kolis, are intensely subjected to survival and livelihood pressures. Sustaining the livelihoods of the Kolis and preserving coastal ecosystems is crucial for the city’s sustainability. Eco-dharma is a term that I have used to mean eco-ethics in general as it would be more appropriate in the Indian setting. The prefix ‘Eco’ is used variably to mean ecology or environment. In such a State of affairs and judging from the still deplorable livelihood and environmental condition in much of koliwadas of Mumbai, what would be the Impact of Gandhian ideas on many issues especially environmental and issues related to sustainability and livelihood is charted out in this project. This paper takes the case study of a Koli family in Juhu-Moragaon koliwada.[Koliwada stands for Koli hamlet in Marathi] This paper links the broader debates on livelihood of the Kolis and environmental sustainability of the coastal ecology with the Gandhian conception on ecology. Gandhi was not merely the conscience of the humanity and the soul of compassion; he was a man of ideas and of action and has left us a legacy of fundamental approaches to social, moral and environmental problems.

Indian J Tradit Knowle, 2009

Abstract: India is the world's fourth largest fishing nation, accounting for over 4.39% of the global output. It is also a major contributor of foreign exchange earnings for several countries including India through export. The potential forward and backward linkages through boat building, construction of fishing harbours, fish processing etc., contribute further to diversification and strengthening of the regional and national economy. Modern fishing devices like motor boats are increasing the pollution and destroy the natural environment. ...

The survivability of the small-scale fishery and dried fish production in Indian Sundarbans, despite increasing threats posed by climate, environmental, economic, and policy drivers, suggests that they possess certain unique strengths and capabilities. One thread of these strengths is connected to the fact that Sundarbans’ fishery system is strongly anchored in the values and beliefs of the local fishing communities. There is, however, limited empirical information available on the prevailing individual and collective attitudes, expectations, traditions, customs, and, above all, values and beliefs that strongly influence local fishing communities of Sundarbans. This manuscript aims to address this gap by drawing on qualitative data to (1) map the nature of values and beliefs associated with the Sundarbans’ Sagar Island fishing communities who are engaged in small-scale fishery and dried fish production; and (2) highlight the contributions of values and beliefs to the small-scale fis...

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Archaeological Reports, 2023

Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, 2018

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European Financial Management, 2010

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How ecotourism in Konkan promotes climate-friendly tourism

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• A few initiatives that promote experience-based tourism, where tourists get to experience the lifestyles of the indigenous communities and their low carbon-footprint living, are becoming popular in Maharashtra.
• The Mangrove Foundation under the Maharashtra Forest Department has also encouraged such initiatives. Mangrove safaris that boost livelihoods are the main attraction of government initiatives.
• Experts say that such ecotourism can promote sustainable rural development if a market for ecotourism is created along with the capacity building initiatives supported by the government.

The Konkan region, along India’s west coast, has been a tourist attraction for several years now. Nestled between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, this region has beaches, waterfalls, temples, forts, mangroves, seafood and more, all of which offer tourists the opportunity to experience this region’s diverse ecosystems.

A few initiatives modelled around experience-based ecotourism, which highlight the lifestyles and culture of the indigenous communities of the region, are becoming popular.

Konkani Ranmanus, a community-based sustainable ecotourism agency, collaborates with local initiatives in villages along the coast and in the hills. “The biggest flaw of commercial tourism is that local people are forced to upgrade their lifestyles to offer urban amenities to tourists. This results in loss of livelihoods and erasure of indigenous culture and sustainable practices,” shared Prasad Gawade, the founder of Konkani Ranmanus.

“In Konkan, we have unique foods such as kokum butter, ragi roti, and fish curry using ingredients that are endemic to this region. But local delicacies with ingredients procured from your own land have no value in conventional tourism,” he shared. Konkani Ranmanus operates on one cardinal principle: for tourism to be sustainable, the lifestyle of the local people must be the unique selling point. This means that tourists must be willing to live and eat like the local people, connect with nature by walking with the farmers and fishermen and, at times, even help out in the fields.

“Travel, food, and housing are all sustainable in our model. Most travel is done on foot; our tourists eat locally grown food, and live in earthen homestays in the villages,” shares  Gawade. Tourists are discouraged from bringing their vehicles, and any plastic they bring must travel back to the city with them. For Konkani Ranmanus, the tourist footfall is around 50 per season – in a year they have 140-150 visitors (including visitors who volunteer).

The Velas Turtle Festival, which started in 2007 with the aim of conserving olive ridley turtles, has evolved into a successful ecotourism model that raises funds for conservation. During the first year of the festival, Sahyadri Nisarg Mitra, an NGO that led the turtle conservation efforts in Velas, said that they expected 50 guests, but more than 150 guests showed up.

“The homes of the local communities did not have room for all the guests, so they had to sleep in the yards. After seeing the turtles the next day, however, all the complaints about sleeping arrangements turned into the joy of interacting with the turtles,” shared Vishwas Katdare of Sahyadri Nisarg Mitra. Velas receives 4,000–6,000 tourists per year spread out across two months. The Velas Turtle Festival can accommodate 300 tourists at a time in their homestays.

The local communities in Velas, under Katdare’s mentorship, decided against starting hotels and resorts in the village and now offer homestays to the tourists.

Read more: Transforming a ghost village with hill-centric livelihood and tourism opportunities

Gurudas Nulkar, head of Symbiosis Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability, who studied the Velas model and compared it to the conventional tourism model in Murud, says that the remarkable aspect of the Velas model is the lack of competition among the homestays. Both are popular tourist destinations with populations of less than ten thousand, and both have no industries. Murud’s tourism is not regulated by any organisation, while Velas has formed a voluntary organisation that regulates ecotourism activities. The study notes that these villages have several similarities on paper, but they differ greatly in terms of environmental resource use and cultural changes.

“For an ecotourism model to be sustainable and community-based, all forms of capital — social, human, and natural — must be locally sourced. Unless everyone charges the same amount, homestays are inclined to upgrade their facilities and provide more and more facilities to tourists, which is not a sustainable model,” he shared.

Ecotourism is promoted not just by individual entrepreneurs in Konkan but also by the Mangrove and Marine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation of Maharashtra (Mangrove Foundation), an autonomous body under Maharashtra’s forest department. In nine villages of Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg districts, the Mangrove Foundation boosts livelihoods and diverts tourists from conventional tourism to mangrove tourism, creating awareness about the importance of mangroves in the process.

“We promote bicycles, row boats instead of engine boats, and kayaking wherever possible,” shared Vandan Jhaveri, Assistant Director (Ecotourism), Mangrove Foundation. “We train the selected villages in the importance of ecotourism. The residents of the villages are usually aware of the importance of mangrove species but do not know their scientific names. As the number of tourists who want to experience ecotourism increases, our initiatives will start drawing higher revenues,” he added.

Sushegaad: the low carbon lifestyle

With Konkani Ranmanus, tourists get the “ sushegaad ” experience. A concept in Konkani culture, it loosely translates to “being content with nature’s bounty, and finding luxury in the simple life”.

“Our culture is steeped in sustainable practices. We limit the number of people who visit at a time so that they can revel in varied Konkani experiences: eating crabs and fish, tender bamboo shoots, wild mushrooms. We cannot handle groups larger than 12 people because we would have to exploit resources to serve local delicacies,” shared Gawade, the founder.

Gawade’s policy reflects one of the recommendations of Ya-Yen Sun of the University of Queensland who studied the carbon footprint of tourism in 2018. “A ‘de-growth’ strategy to curb global tourism emissions through finding a sustainable visitor quota and maintaining it over time is critical,” she shared in an email interview with Mongabay-India.

Read more: As tourism grows in Leh, so does the concern about its environmental impact

Gawade shared that the Konkani lifestyle incorporates sustainability and prevents the exploitation of resources.  “The idea of the sushegaad life does not involve the accumulation of wealth and resources, or a 24X7 active lifestyle, which typically involves overconsumption of resources. In this region, farming is less arduous and not expansionist. The land is hilly and densely forested, so wetland farming and subsistence farming on the available land are commonly practised,” he shared. A traditional community-based fishing practice called “raapan fishing” is practised in this region. “A group of 20-50 village residents scours the water close to the beach in a wooden boat. We don’t venture very deep into the sea to protect the smaller fish. This ensures that we do not overfish,” he added.

Kalinje Ecotourism, one of the Mangrove Foundation-backed initiatives, offers mangrove safaris and homestays where tourists get to experience the local lifestyle of the people. Local delicacies such as fried oyster and crab, bhakris (flatbread usually made of millets), amboli (rice and lentil pancakes) are served with local water, buttermilk, or solkadhi (a kokum-based beverage). “We offer urban residents experiences that they do not have access to in cities, such as living in our tiled roof homes. But this is our beginning. Once we grow, we want to start a homestay with a few urban facilities so that people who cannot do without these comforts can also stay with us,” shared Kavita Todankar, one of the guides who leads the ecotourism group.

Ecotourism creates awareness about conservation

Songaon Ecotourism, also supported by the Mangrove Foundation, offers homestay and crocodile safaris along Vashishti river. Visitors can call ahead to book crocodile safaris; timings vary day to day, as the visibility of the crocodiles depends on the tides.

Rajaram Govind Divekar, a fisherman from Songaon who coordinates the safaris, says that the initiative has increased awareness about the importance of these mangroves.

“We have a wide coastline with dense mangrove forests, which protect our village against coastal erosion and mitigate the impact of floods,” Divekar shares.

Kranti Minde, Project Associate with the Mangrove Foundation, says that the success of Songaon Ecotourism assured the local people that ecosystem services could boost the economy, which inspired the entire village to contribute to the success of the initiative. “The entire village is now helping the ecotourism committee because they are convinced that ecotourism can bring in more money into the village and boost livelihoods,” she shared.

Pravin Desai, who owns a homestay near Dodamarg, had decided to take to cashew farming on his 10-acre land, when he met wildlife experts who convinced him of the potential of a homestay with wildlife trails. He then started Vanoshi Forest Homestay, close to Tilari and Talkat forests, after receiving training with the experts on the biodiversity in the vicinity.

“The homestay took off at home, to a great response. Photographers, researchers, and other nature lovers enjoy the trails. This pushed me to build another cottage next to my house. We constructed it on my land and have been receiving bookings ever since the lockdown ended last year,” he shared.

Balu Parab, a farmer who owns Mangar Farmstay, a Ranmanus ecotourism centre, says that he had never considered foraying into tourism before Ranmanus’ Gawade convinced him to turn his 150-year-old outhouse into a homestay.

“Our guests are interested in livelihood-based learning and learning more about the endemic species in this area,” Parab shared.

Konkani homes typically have a mangar — a Konkani word for outhouse where goods or utilities are stored — which can be equipped with basic facilities for guests. The mangar model has several advantages. Farmers get to share their lifestyle and educate travellers in essential farming-related life skills, while also finding a better paying market for their produce by selling to tourists.

“The tourists who come through Konkani Ranmanus come with the objective of being close to nature. I take them on jungle trails and show them wild edibles and trees from my farm. We warn them that the room does not have urban comforts such as televisions or air conditioners, but all feedback has been positive so far,” shared Parab.

“Responsible, community-based tourism promotes sustainable rural development”

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) released guidelines in 2021 to support “low impact nature tourism” within protected areas and ecotourism zones around forests. Experts say that these guidelines, while being a step in the right direction, need to be revised to make them implementable. With specific guidelines and policies, ecotourism can serve as a means to sustainable rural development if operationalised through gram sabhas, gram panchayats, and urban development authorities.

“Successful ecotourism models where natural resources are not exploited typically involve research feedback from the scientific community. Research inputs about the carrying capacity of the area, wellbeing of biodiversity, impacts of tourism on fragile landscapes, and designing experiences for ecotourism are all essential to develop successful sustainable ecotourism models,” shared Aparna Watve, ecologist and member of Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board.

Tourism research in India is still in an infancy stage, shared Megha Budruk, Associate Professor, School of Community Resources & Development (CRD) at Arizona State University. Data-based decision-making can boost tourism responsibly. “Beyond economics, research about the social and ecological impacts of tourism such as, carrying capacities or wants and hopes of local communities, can help shape responsible tourism policy,” she shared.

 “A market for ecotourism must be created”

Capacity building for ecotourism is only one side of the coin, but simultaneously a market for ecotourism and awareness about responsible, sustainable ecotourism must be created, say the experts. “Governments must support ecotourism initiatives by investing in ecotourism and also creating awareness about conservation of local resources and heritage. We need an institutionalisation of the work of the Mangrove Foundation. Standalone activities are not enough to conserve the landscape of Maharashtra,” shared Gurudas Nulkar.

Budruk of Arizona State University suggested that targeted marketing based on data on why people travel, known as ‘push and pull motivations’ be collected. “A baseline on the awareness of tourists is needed to create educational programmes for tourists. Given the increasing influence of social media, its impact on tourism should be explored,” she shared.

“India must invest in the tourism sector so that local policies align with the national goals to reduce carbon emissions,” shared Soumen Rej, Ph.D. candidate at Vinod Gupta School of Management, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur who studied the role of environmentally friendly tourism in decarbonization .

Since the return on investment for energy-saving initiatives remains low, businesses have limited incentive to lower emissions, said Ya-Yen Sun of the University of Queensland.

Responsible ecotourism can contribute to the mitigation of carbon emissions when combined with careful carbon editing and assessment over time, she shared. “To mitigate tourism emissions, it is necessary to develop tourism from both demand and supply perspectives. Serving domestic travellers will keep the travel-related emissions to the minimum,” she added.

Banner image : Mangrove safari in Achara village in Sindhudurg district where tourists are shown 21 mangrove species. Photo by Konkani Ranmanus.

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