Landscape conservation and management of sacred lake for Pilgrimage tourism

Abstract

Water to human well-being extends well beyond its role in supporting life- sustaining functions and includes mental health, spiritual well-being, emotional balance, and happiness. Culture directly influences how the values of water are perceived, derived, and used (UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme, 2021). Pilgrimage being the first tourism mobility to come into existence has lost its significance as modern tourism gained prominence. Rewalsar a natural lake located in the Shiwalik ranges of the lower Himalayas is a sacred lake celebrated and revered by people of three ethnicities, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Hinduism. The increase in pilgrimage activities around the lake has dominated the ecological character of the lake. Pilgrimage tourism, an important source of livelihood for the local community, is a reason for the urban sprawl around the lake precinct. This haphazard and unplanned urban sprawl has become a cause of water pollution in the lake, Maintaining the balance between humans and nature is very important for socio-ecological well-being. Studies hive stated that human interference is the major cause of rapid sedimentation and pollution of the lake, A lake precinct is a place where people rest and find peace, a place to attain spiritual well-being. Some activities affect the sanctity of the place. Many festivals and melas are also celebrated in the precinct. Anthropogenic pressure increases drastically during these festivals and thus is a major reason for the pollution in the lake. This thesis aims to identify how tourism has altered ecosystems, how changes in ecosystem services have affected human well-being, and, how ecosystem changes may affect people in future decades. The study will adopt activity analysis, behaviour analysis, focus group interviews and individual interviews as methods to understand the cultural relation of people with the lake and to find out activities that will pose a huge threat to the lake ecosystem. Spatial analysis using GIS will help to understand the geomorphological character of the place.Thus, with the findings, I can identify different ways of sustainable tourism practices to improve ecosystem management and thereby contribute to socio- ecological resilience, Further, help in adopting nature-based solutions to conserve the lake ecosystem.