Aiming for Sustainability through Participatory Resource Management
M-Phil Thesis | University of Cambridge, U.K. (1999) 

The aim of this dissertation is to understand the conflicts of tourism and development in the World Heritage Site of Khajuraho and to deconstruct and define the notion of sustainability as it applies in the above context. Khajuraho is a small settlement in the state of Madhya Pradesh in Central India which has become an international tourist destination owing to its unique architectural heritage consisting of temples dating back to the 10th-11th century. While a lot has been written about Khajuraho per se, most of the literature is dominated by descriptions of the art and architecture or the historical legacy of the temples along with the myths and legends surrounding them. This study, besides revealing the lesser known aspects about Khajuraho, attempts to contribute to the existing literature on tourism and development in the Third World, by using the framework of participatory resource management to understand how the abstract notions of sustainability might be grounded in reality and practically understood or achieved in a given context.

In order to achieve the above objectives, the methodology of stakeholder analysis was adopted for which a field trip was undertaken, timed so as to coincide with an year long millennium festival being hosted in Khajuraho. A qualitative analysis was carried out through participant observation and in- depth interviews conducted with the entire range of stakeholders identified. In addition to carrying out the stakeholder analysis, meetings were organized and discussion held with key informants in smaller focus groups to triangulate and cross-check views expressed in the interviews.

The existing situation analysis and discussion with the stakeholders and key informants revealed that, while tourism is an important industry in Khajuraho, the way it has been structured and is being managed presently leads to little benefit actually trickling down to the local community. Moreover, even the resources (cultural and natural) that the industry and the community are dependent on are not being holistically conceived or managed. While on one hand there is a tremendous pressure on the local resources with the industry trying to capitalize on whatever little there is available, on the other the local community is getting more and more alienated from their own resources leading to a situation characterized by ever widening economic and socio-cultural disparity between the two. Under these circumstances it is suggested that instead of promoting tourism or 'developing' Khajuraho as a 'model destination' for tourists, priority should be given to investing in participatory natural and cultural resource management and community development so that the existing disparities are narrowed down, the condition of the local community and the resource they depend on is improved and the overall ethos of the heritage site along with its physical and cultural context is rejuvenated. It is argued here, that the only way to truly conserve and sustainably manage the resources is not by excluding or alienating the people who depend on or use the resources, but to make them realize that the resources belong to them and to revitalize the resource base is crucial for the people's own sustenance. It is therefore concluded that instead of trying to promote or sustain tourism, there is need to sustain the resources (natural & cultural) and the livelihood of the community as a precondition for achieving sustainable development in the context of Khajuraho. Thanks to the organization of the millennium there is widespread realization amongst the majority of stakeholders of the issues involved. What is needed now is a structuring of priorities and creation of an awareness among the most marginalized of the stakeholders on why and how they could contribute in the attempt to achieve long term sustainability.