SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND THE COMMONS IN INDIAN TOWNS

An Economics research paper on

Sustainable Development and the Commons in Indian Towns

Richa Pandey
1616006
Centre for Heritage Management
Ahmedabad University

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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND THE COMMONS IN INDIAN TOWNS

Cover page: Author

CENTRE FOR HERITAGE MANAGEMENT

Asmita Bhavan, Opposite H.L Commerce College,

Near Commerce Six Roads, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380009

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Table of Contents
Abstract ............................................................................................................... 4
1. Introduction to Cultural Heritage ............................................................. 4
2. Cultural Heritage and Cultural Economics ............................................. 4
3. Indian Towns and the concept of Commons .......................................... 5
4. Economic theories and Concerns .............................................................. 5
5. Case Studies ................................................................................................ 6
NATHDWARA, RAJASTHAN ........................................................................ 6
MUZIRIS, KERELA ............................................................................................ 7
6. Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 8
References .......................................................................................................... 8

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Abstract

This research paper speaks about the concept of the Cultural Heritage and its effect of the people as a
whole. It also talks about the intricate relationship between Cultural Heritage and Cultural Economics.
Culture is not only one of the most important elements of any society because of its intrinsic, unifying or
any other intangible values but it also generates a great deal of economic activity. This activity is among
the subjects of study in Cultural economics, this paper discusses the basics of Cultural Economics and the
concept of the Sustainable development and their relationship with the concept of Commons. The tragedy
of commons is one of the most talked about topic and how this relationship of commons and cultural
heritage is dealt with the sustainable is the main essence of the paper. At some places they have failed
completely but a few examples can be stated where the Commons have been the major factor for the
success of the Sustainable development.

1. Introduction to Cultural Heritage

Not everyone feels connection with their Cultural Heritage, but many people do. What is it about
Cultural heritage that draws these people to it? Some many think traditions are archaic and no
longer relevant, and that they are unnecessary during these modern times. Perhaps for some, they
aren’t; but for others, exploring cultural heritage offers a robust variety of benefits. Culture can
give people a connection to certain social values, beliefs, religious and customs. It allows them to
identify with others of similar mind-sets and backgrounds. Cultural heritage can provide an
automatic sense of unity and belonging within a group and allows us to better understand previous
generations and the history of where we come from. In large cities especially, it can be easy to feel
lost and alone among so many other cultures and backgrounds. Delhi, for example, is a huge melting
pot of people from all over the country and world.
Cultural is an extremely broad concept with countless possible definitions. The anthropological
definition, for instance is that everything done by the human beings falls under the classification of
Culture. Culture creates, describes, preserves and disseminates the thoughts, emotions and general
fabric of human society through the production of cultural goods and services as varied as ideas,
sports, arts, languages and traditions. The concept of culture also includes not only the goods and
services produced, but also the work involves in the promotion and dissemination of those goods
and services.

2. Cultural Heritage and Cultural Economics

Human have also always been engaged in culture, and in scientific studies the subject of culture has
been the domain of the liberal arts. However, discussion of culture in the social sciences, including
economics, has increased in recent decades. Cultural economics, as a distinct area of study came
into existence in the 1960s. The consumer valuation of culture is more complex and more subjective
than the economist’s valuation. In culture, value is reflected among the other things, in the impression
made on an individual. It is the work itself, and possibly people’s experience of the work, that
creates value in their minds.
Cultural goods often consist in some form of narrative. A well-told narrative has always been as
important aspect of the human society and is much older even than writing, a fairy late development
in the human history but cultural goods and products are extremely diverse. It is impossible to
evaluate cultural goods or products exclusively on the basis of the traditional methods of economics,
but looking at the concept of the value from two viewpoints, the economic and the cultural, gives us
a good framework for accessing the economic aspects of culture. This concept of value, a key
concept in both economics and culture, forms a sort of bridge between them.

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In economics, the value of goods and services is reflected in price, which in turn reflects the utility
that individuals subjectively derive from the goods and services in question. However the value of
cultural goods is also determined from another viewpoint that of culture itself. It many sound of a
musical work or the impression created by certain composition of colours in a painting. Cultural value
is manifested in a process that evaluates and re-evaluates and also defines itself. In Culture, value
is, therefore, an assessment of events or goods and services, which is also the case in economics.

3. Indian Towns and the concept of Commons

What is now at stake at this point in the Indian history is control over the “commons”. By 'the commons'
I mean those assemblages and ensembles of resources that human beings hold in common or in trust
to use on behalf of themselves, other living human beings, and past and future generations of human
beings, and which are essential to their bio logical, cultural, and social evolution. What is at issue is
not just whether a resource is capable of being renewed under specific ecological conditions, but
also whether sufficient and effective efforts at renewal are occurring? Various kinds of commons
have long existed as viable and durable arrangements for providing for the needs of human
survival. This is best documented in the case are the Indian Towns. Built environments in towns are
basically organization of space as they consist of space (un‐ built) and matter (built). The spaces
are linked to each other, forming a “system of spaces”. The way these individual spaces are formed
and most importantly, linked together; is responsible for spatial configuration of the built
environment. The socio cultural aspects in terms of the user preferences are responsible for the
evolution of spatial configuration in a built environment, over a period of time. Thus, the built
environment and the social environment are two sides of the same coin and that is the “system of
spaces” which may be referred to as “the commons”.
The cultural and religious diversity of India can be seen in the numerous ancient towns spread across
the length and breadth of the country, many of which are also architectural marvels. The
architectural splendour testifies not only the craftsmen’s artistry but also the extraordinary breadth
of vision of the different dynasties under whose rule these towns were conceived and constructed.
They’re also a real testament to our past and what our ancestors believed in. The research is
intended with the need of understanding how these common built environment in a traditional town
used, availed by the two important stakeholders i.e. people and the Government.
With rapid urbanization, cities formed by expanding a historic town featuring valuable historic
cores and heritage assets struggle to modernize without completely losing their uniqueness. The level
of economic activity these cities can sustain increases, sometimes substantially, but in the process
these places risk losing their distinctive traits, becoming less vibrant and liveable. This is not merely
a concern for culture-loving intellectuals: all income groups of local communities may regret the loss
of a sense of place, which makes them feel part of their society. The good news is that there is an
increasing trend toward financing projects aimed at conserving and incorporating heritage into
development strategies. All countries, developed and developing, are indeed investing more into
conserving their city cores and heritage, with projects focusing particularly on landmarks and other
major assets. However, landmarks are surrounded by urbans capes and landscapes of certain
heritage value that contribute distinctively to the character and uniqueness of a place, and these
areas are home to local communities looking for income opportunities and economic growth.

4. Economic theories and Concerns

In economics, heritage can be seen as an asset, with the theoretical basis in capital theory. Economists
conventionally distinguish between different types of capital, notably physical or manufactured
capital, social capital, human capital, and natural capital. The concept of capital has then been
extended into the field of culture and heritage, with the definition of cultural capital. T is allows
recognition of the distinctive features of certain cultural goods as capital assets, and captures the

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ways in which heritage investment contribute, in combination with other inputs, to the production of
further cultural goods and services, job creation, and well-being of local communities. Interpreting
heritage as cultural capital has a clear parallel with the definition of environment as natural capital.
Like any other form of capital, both cultural and natural capital have been inherited from the past,
might deteriorate or depreciate if not maintained, and impose on the present generation a duty of
care so they can be handed down to future generations.
The long-term management of both cultural and natural capital has been integrated in sustainable
development and experts have developed practical tools to operationalize this new paradigm. A
central issue in heritage economics is the question of valuation of these assets. As is the case of
environmental economics, it is customary to distinguish between use and non-use values. These are
also referred to, respectively, as market and non-market values. A third category of value—the
cultural value — should be added to the equation in order to capture the full benefits of heritage
investment. While the first two categories of value are easier to measure, cultural value, by contrast,
is a multidimensional concept.
Economic valuation of heritage investment evolved from methods traditionally used in environmental
economics. The first method is compensation, which seeks to evaluate the cost and benefits derived
from changes in the availability or quality of a heritage asset. The second method is social cost-
benefit analysis, which captures the benefits of an investment with large spill-over effects. The third
method is stated preference, which is rooted in behavioural economics, and aims to uncover what
individuals are willing to pay or accept when the availability of a public good changes. There are
also revealed preference methods, which include travel cost (fourth method) and hedonic price
(fifth method). Travel cost is based on calculating the financial sacrifice that a visitor makes to travel
to a city or a site of cultural significance, but it has some limits, especially due to attribution and
opportunity cost. The hedonic price method, widely used in urban economics, is emerging as a better
tool for evaluating heritage-related investments. This model can help gain a better understanding
of the value of heritage assets by leveraging databases having detailed information on transactions
in the real estate market.

5. Case Studies
We will take two major examples of two temple town, Muziris and Nathdwara, both very different
in character and it is interesting to see that how development issues affected the common spaces and
the people associated with these common spaces.

NATHDWARA, RAJASTHAN

It is widely acknowledged that heritage has a value to the community in which it is located. While
landmarks are often in public ownership, the vast majority of other assets identified as heritage are
in private hands. One of the examples are the Temple towns where the ownership is of the respective
Samaj’s. Nathdwara is a town in India's western state of Rajasthan. Nathdwara town is also famous
as the Apollo of Mewar. In the town of Nathdwara, Shrinathji temple is the centre of attraction, but
the town is also famous for its 'pichhwai' paintings, handmade terracottas, ivory articles and milk-
made sweets. The Nathdwara Temple Board is governed by the provisions of the Nathdwara
Temple Act, 1959(Act No. 13 of 1959) and also under Nathdwara Temple Rules 1973. By this Act
the Rajasthan State Government has entrusted the Administration of the Temple to a Board,
constituted under Section 4 of the Act.
The endowments of the Temple have been defined on as “all properties movable and immovable,
belonging to or given or endowed in any name for the maintenance or support of the Temple, or
for the performance of any service or Charity connected herewith or for benefit, convenience or
comfort of the pilgrims visiting the Temple and include the Idols installed in the Temple, the premises
of the Temple, all Jagirs, Mafis and other properties movable and immovable where ever situated

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and all income received from any source whatsoever and standing in any name, dedicated to the
Temple etc.” The Act has safeguarded the customary rights of “Goswami”, occupied for the time
being of the Gaddi of Tilkayat Maharajshri, Nathdwara. All the powers regarding Seva of Lord
Shrinathji are vested with Tilkayat Maharajshri and the Temple Board is to control and administer
the secular affairs of the Board and also to safeguard the properties of the Temple.
Sustainable Development on Commons:
Tourism has emerged as one of the fastest-growing sectors of the world economy. The average
growth of tourism arrivals, as the world economy recovers, is likely to continue to grow in the
decades to come. This is especially due to growing interest in visiting and enjoying vibrant cities and
heritage assets. Indeed, inspired by a number of success stories attributed to tourism specialization,
more and more developing countries are contemplating such a strategy, supporting museums,
conference centres, exhibition areas, parks, attractions in general, hotels, and infrastructure, as.
Tourism, by virtue of being a labor intensive activity, can allow the large pool of unemployed and
underemployed individuals in developing countries to get jobs and in turn create the conditions for
a sustained and broad-based growth. Indeed, there is a well-recognized positive relationship
between the extent of specialization in tourism and long-term GDP growth.
Nathdwara is not only a famous religious tourist spot for the Hindus but also attractive
for other domestic and foreign tourists because of its marvellous geographic location.
Undoubtedly, tourism development leads to economic development of a region. Nathdwara is not
exceptional to this. As a religious tourist spot it has some speciality also. But it has been
observed that there is some negative impact of tourism on the aforesaid region. Of all
these, during the religious festivals environmental pollution prevails on a large scale. The
other development activities which have been promoted by the Temple Board are also hampering
the authenticity of the place and “the commons” is losing the social and ecological value of the
place.

MUZIRIS, KERELA

Muziris was an ancient seaport and urban centre on the Malabar Coast of Tamilakam. It was that
renowned port where the Greeks, Romans, Finnish, Chinese, and the Israelis visited for business
requirements as well as for the other purposes. For the same reason, this place has now attained
much importance in the travel map of Kerala. What was once among the largest cities in the world,
and certainly one of the busiest world ports, is now just another leaf of urbanisation in a state that
struggles to find a rural calling. Conceived at a cost of Rs. 94 crore, Kerala’s Muziris Heritage
Project is billed as India’s largest heritage conservation plan. The tourism project floated by the
Kerala government in conjunction with the Centre aims to showcase the cultural significance of the
region and more importantly boost tourist footfalls in a state that has been flagged for stagnating
growth. Areas and monuments, some of them ancient, some modern belonging to places like
Kodungalloor, Azeekod, Mathilakam, Mala, Kottappuram, Gothuruth, Chennamangalam, Paravoor,
Cherai and Munambam, capable of attracting tourists interested in the subject.
Impact of Sustainable Development on Commons:
The projects main objective was to bring the information on one platform and also is an effort to
involve local communities from the very beginning, avoiding legislation and was an attempt to
conserve the living heritage of the area. The tourism aspect had also been neglected on purpose
since it alienates people, instead opportunities for students had been formulated to promote the
cultural and heritage aspect. The inclusion of multiple stakeholders from historians to mullahs have
been given equal priorities. A number of opportunities for local volunteers have been aggrieved to
help document local traditions and lend a hand at excavation sites that would eventually translate
into permanent jobs. The integration of cultural tourism and the prevailing tourist circuit is expected
to act as a catalyst to boost the local economy and would lead to the development of infrastructure
like waterways, roads, sewerage, drinking water and power supply. People’s participation at all

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levels and hierarchies is the key factor in the success and viability of this project. The natural heritage
of the place, river and its backwaters have been integrated so well so that none of the factors are
neglected and any manner. The journey is filled with history, legends, local stories, myths, and
rumours which makes it more interesting and more available to people. Another important aspect
of the project is the aspect of ownership which the community holds today. They sense a feeling of
belongingness and relativity to the sites and projects which is the key essence of its accomplishment.

6. Conclusion
The modern approach to sustainable development and the common needs to be upgrade in
consideration with the economic principles because it is important that these commons should
belong to the community, they should take ownership in that project. Also, the governance plays a
very important part in the entire process of formulating and implementation. The right approach
which can be followed be as follows
• Balance conservation with an acceptable degree of change. Stakeholders should weigh the
different values and trade-offs between conservation and development, identifying the
acceptable level of change and the extent of adaptive reuse.
• Promote a blend of regulation and incentives. Measures to conserve historic city cores and
heritage assets are not limited to rules and regulation that restrict activities. Incentives are also
essential for achieving “integrated conservation.”
• Ensure a dialogue between public and private sectors. Heritage is a public good and the
economic justification for public sector investment is well established. But, it is unreasonable to
expect the public sector to be the sole investor, and the solution is to have a combination of public
and private investment, with a balance between the two, varying depending on the project scheme
and context.

References
 Rediscovering Muziris, Nirakashan
 http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTSDNET/Resources/Economics_of_Uniqueness.pdf
 http://www.e-elgar.com/shop/handbook-on-the-economics-of-cultural-
heritage?___website=uk_warehouse
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragedy_of_the_commons
 http://www.investopedia.com/terms/t/tragedy-of-the-commons.asp

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