With Nakshatra Sabha, India is aiming for the stars. Credit: Shikhar Gupta
“For my part, I know nothing for certain, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.”
It was the same night sky and stars that inspired Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh and that today draw countless people to forego the golden lights of the city to enjoy a moment of tranquility under the sky. These stars are almost the pillars of science and religion, inspiring art and artists alike. And they are the beginning of the infinite mystery that surrounds our cosmos. It is this mystery that astronomy hopes to unravel, little by little, although in a way that is palpable for hunters of the night sky.
Amateur astronomy clubs, the creation of dark sky reserves and parks like Hanle and Pench, and sustained interest in celestial phenomena inspired a renewed interest in a science that has been a long-standing Indian tradition, dating back to the time of Aryabhata (5th century) to as recently as Vikram Sarabhai. But today, this interest is no longer limited to astronomy experts or amateurs, but filters down to travelers from all walks of life through ‘astrotourism‘ – the practice of travelling to observe astronomical phenomena, which found its boom after 2020.
AND Starscapesoffering astronomical experiences throughout the country, has been at the forefront of Astrotourism in India Since 2019. From setting up a telescope in his cottage in Kausani to running five observatories across India, founder Ramashish Ray’s passion project has given India a taste of the stars. “For most of us today, the joy of stargazing under clear summer skies has been lost to the harsh luminescence of street lights and billboards. Amateur astronomers use cheap telescopes and stargazing apps to learn more about space. However, unless you are a serious cosmophile with a lot of time on your hands, there aren’t too many resources available that can help you on this journey. Starscapes was founded in 2019 to expand your horizons and help you experience how limitless the cosmos is. My idea was to make stargazing easily accessible to many amateur astronomers,” he shares.
And today, you don’t have to be an astrophysicist like Rajesh Koothrapalli to reach for the stars; if you’re a newbie, Starscapes teaches you how to observe the night sky, track sunspots, build rockets experimentally, model sundials, learn about cameras, become an astrophotographer, visit dark sky locations, and even set up your own backyard observatory.
The growing astrotourism industry
In recent years, India has witnessed a surge in interest in astrotourism. While Starscapes was one of the few companies playing in the market, several initiatives have now been taken to promote the sector, such as establishing dedicated astrotourism sites, developing infrastructure, and empowering local communities. The most notable example is the Ladakh Astronomical Observatory, a state-of-the-art facility in Hanle, Ladakh. The observatory allows visitors to explore the night sky through powerful telescopes and learn about astronomical research.
Uttarakhand, with its vast forests, nature-based tourism, easy accessibility from major cities and a well-developed hospitality sector, including homestays, is an ideal choice for astro-tourists. Tourism in Uttarakhand The board was started Nakshatra Sabhathe country’s first astrotourism campaign, in collaboration with Starscapes in an attempt to put the state on the astrotourism map.
Nakshatra Sabha: India’s first astrotourism campaign
Starscapes and Uttarakhand Tourism collaborated for the first time for the Benital AstroCamp, part of Benital’s ongoing development as India’s first astronomy village ahead of the launch of the year-long Nakshatra Sabha campaign to create new astrotourism hubs.
“Our aim is to make Uttarakhand the premier astro-tourism destination in India, where travellers from across the world can experience the wonders of the cosmos in a truly unique setting. Also, we want to promote ‘leave no trace’ tourism in these remote places and create employment opportunities for the local people in these areas. Owing to its unique geographical and ecological identity, Uttarakhand cannot have many big hotels. Therefore, promoting homestays is our way of developing accommodation across the state. The department has launched a dedicated portal, www.uttarastays.com, for booking homestays in Uttarakhand. Even for participating in Nakshatra Sabha, tourists can book homestays through this portal,” shares Sachin Kurve, Secretary, Tourism and CEO, Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB).
The Nakshatra Sabha campaign, which was launched on June 2 at George Everest in Mussoorie, aims to bring more places like George Everest, Jageshwar, Takula, Mukteshwar, Gunji in Pithoragarh and Jadung in Uttarkashi into the ambit of astrotourism initiatives. The campaign will not only offer skill development opportunities to residents but will also advocate for the preservation of dark skies in India. This includes the formulation of a dark sky preservation policy and its implementation across the region throughout the year. “Our partnership with Starscapes, which has a deep understanding of astrotourism, is one of the ways we ensure that everyone who attends our astro camps walks away with a wealth of knowledge and memorable experiences. Each event is carefully curated by a team of experts who truly understand astrotourism and know what interests our visitors,” adds Kurve.
Written in the stars
Experiential tourism is currently booming, driven by a generation of young consumers seeking immersive experiences. Astrotourism, according to Ramashish, is the emerging segment of this industry. Not just governments but also individual stakeholders like hotels and resorts have shown interest in offering astronomical experiences at their properties. Starscapes is currently partnering with leading hotel chains in India like ITC WelcomHeritage, Taj, Club Mahindra, St Regis etc. to offer stargazing experiences to their guests. But the trend is still in the impulse category.
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