IN HARMONY WITH NATURE AND HERITAGE - ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT AT SACRED SITE MADURAI AZHAGAR TEMPLE

Abstract

Azhagar Temple is one of the most significant sacred sites at Madurai, Tamil Nadu, located at the foothills of the Azhagar Hills surrounded by verdant surroundings. While the tourism industry makes money, it also degrades the environment and natural features of major pilgrimage destinations. Over the period of time, this place may face issues due to increase in population due to transit developments and increasing number of pilgrims. Although it is still in its infancy, ecotourism has a lot of potential in Tamil Nadu. Eco-tourism architecture promotes sustainable tourism at sacred sites by conserving natural ecosystems, water, improving air quality, and reducing travel distances between tourists and the natural world. There is a need to protect the environment and improve the quality of tourism because of the rapid urbanization that is surrounding the temple, endangering the ecosystem and biodiversity and degrading the site.

The goal of this research is to strike a balance between promoting sustainable practices that enhance visitor experiences while safeguarding the local ecosystem, and maintaining the site's cultural and spiritual significance. It starts with a detailed study and understanding of the historical, geographical, cultural, religious, and economic significance of the site (including the architectural economic development surrounding temples), as well as methodological aspects (reconnaissance survey, field-based survey, case study, and analysis), with a focus on the necessity of development that maintains the temple's sacred nature and give sustainable architectural solutions.  The study will include data collection, survey maps from various stakeholders (government and people), and an analysis of the site to identify needs and flaws.

In Sacred sites, ecotourism influences hospitality architecture, recreation and spatial design and in the same way sustainable architecture can reduce environmental impact and technology integration (like passive cooling techniques, local construction skills, and renewable energy effectively). This will redefine the pilgrimage spatial experience by establishing a close relationship between spiritual exploration and ecological responsibility in the sacred city, through the use of sustainable architecture, cultural preservation, and community participation in context at Azhagar temple, Madurai. Through the results, it can enhance building’s aesthetics and also user’s quality by creating connection with nature.

Keywords: Sacred site, Eco-tourism, Sustainability, Pilgrimage