Google, ASI usher in ‘digital tourism’ in India
NEW DELHI: Archaeological Survey of India and Google India have embarked together on a “monumental journey” to usher in, what possibly will be “digital tourism” in the country.
After bringing iconic global landmarks like France’s Eiffel Tower, America’s Grand Canyon and Japan’s Mt Fuji, among others, alive on the Internet through its immersive “visual walkthroughs”, Google has now commenced work on putting 100 major Indian monuments and sites in that league.
Once completed, architectural icons like the Taj Mahal, Humayun’s Tomb, and heritage wonders such as Khajuraho, and Ajanta and Ellora Caves, among others, will “visually explode” on the Internet in a “360-degree panoramic imagery”.
“We wanted enhanced and an active experience for our (virtual) visitors and not just mere passive viewing of the sites. And, that’s why we want to partner with agencies like the ASI, UNESCO, World Monuments Fund to source authoritative content – current and archival to enrich user’s experience,” Google Cultural Institute Director Amit Sood told PTI.
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) under the Ministry of Culture has prepared a “tentative list” of the 100 monuments and Google would keep on executing them, “as and when the names get cleared.”
The Internet giant recently signed a memorandum with the Ministry in this regard at the Qutub Minar complex here, which would see the company creating the application using its ‘Street View Trekker’ technology for the first time in India.
“Eiffel Tower, Grand Canyon, Mt Fuji, etc have all been immersively mapped on to our GoogleMaps and can also be seen on the World Wonders site, part of our Cultural Institute.
“Indian monuments too will be available there once we go live,” Sood said.
At the launch, a preliminary walkthrough of Qutub Minar was shown, and a Google employee also gave a demo of the ‘Street View Trekker’ by walking on the manicured lawns, with the gadget strapped to his back.
Google India said it saw the opportunity as a happy marriage between “5,000 years of Indian history and 20 years of internet history” and an opportunity for “digital preservation” of collective heritage.
Vice-President and Managing Director of Google India, Rajan Anandan, said, “We see this as an opportunity to make these monuments accessible to people in the far-flung areas of the country at the click of a button and to digitally preserve the heritage for posterity.
“With this, rural India can see and experience heritage online despite time and distance constraints. Information is transforming our future and with this we seek to bring more Indians on the Internet,”
However, Sood said all such projects are “non-commercial agreements.”
Sood added that “we were excited to partner with ASI” which has “cultural and archival wealth” at their disposal.
“We wanted such cultural bodies to come out and share their treasures and archives with the users online, instead of sitting cooped up in their conservatories with all the materials lying physically inside and thus rendered inaccessible to people,” he said.
Google Cultural Institute has worked with multiple partners in over 40 countries on sites such as in Italy’s Pompeii and France’s Eiffel tower and Palace of Versailles, among other cultural icons around the world.
‘World of Wonders’ project by Google, founded last year covers as of now, over 100 sites in Europe and Asia Pacific and India’s addition to it will make the country’s 100 heritage “accessible to the world”.
Google India and Ministry of Culture had earlier partnered on the creation of virtual walkthroughs for the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) and the National Museum in the Capital.
The Internet bellwether, however, did not disclose either the cost or the timeframe for the project.
“Without confirming anything, I can say that since Qutub Minar’s walkthrough was the first to be done…I guess it possibly will be the first monument to go online. Also, it will take at least five to six months minimum to execute the project at a given site,” Sood said.
“Archaeology meets technology. 5,000 years of Indian history and 20 years of Internet history coming together will create the magic,” Anandan said. -PTI
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