7th August, 1941, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore left on his Mahaparinirvan journey leaving behind the first modern institution of its kind Sriniketan-Shantiniketan. He nurtured rural of Asia in a rural setting and confirmed footfalls from across the world for immersions through exchanges and learning. Association for Conservation & Tourism (ACT) have inherited his actions in its mind and have decided to take forward the values through tourism across Asia. It has launched Gurubas,our very Asian form of Sustainable and Responsible Tourism, our own conscious journey to achieve the Sustainable Tourism Goals.
ACT Ambassador and implementer of Gurubas at his village at Tinkitam in South Sikkim, Shri.Bhaichung Bhutia shared his journey. As the former captain of Indian Football Team, the project which has been initiated under his leadership is #Boots2Roots. Only recently, Gurubas has been adopted by the celebrity of spiritual music, Rina Das Baul for her village Paruldanga near Shantiniketan.
“Gurubas is today’s answer to people’s disconnect with nature and a platform for deep immersion into cultures. It is also a means to address contemporary challenges of creating sustainable livelihood, addressing issues of climate change and finding a balance between the old and new. What we would like to call transitional tourism. Every culture is unique, be it rural or urban. Every human who inhabits a certain geography builds a culture that helps them to live in it as meaningfully and sustainably as possible. Gurubas wants to build on this philosophy of sharing human values through meaningful exchanges where tradition meets modernity. It is an initiative that builds mutual respect for what is valuable in the old and how the new need to merge with the traditional practices, to build on a culture that will sustain future generations.” said ACT member.
“Tourism has evolved into myriad forms over centuries and continues to adapt and grow with every passing moment. This growth has never been more potent and regular as it has been in this millennia. We are all realizing that despite all the challenges, people cannot resist the temptation to travel and to engage with other landscapes, cultures and thoughts.” added ACT member.
