TRADITION
Every day in our urbanized existence we are unknowingly scraping off a bit of the unique strand that binds us to the creator. Ironically, achievements of civilization and speed of growth take their toll on ecological sustainability and equilibrium. We wish to go back to the process that should once again bind us back to the rhythm of nature. We crave for age-old formulas for mental peace, spiritualism and rejuvenation. We want to see nature in its many forms and understand its ways and establish our connectivity. We desire to travel to these unique natural reserves which are the habitats of wildlife, where natural elements are pure and pulsating with life. Eco-tourism is responsible tourism wherein one contributes to enrich and preserve the habitat and wildlife and sustain its connectivity with the communities close to nature, culture, customs and ethnic art forms rather than exploit it commercially. A genuine eco-tour is more than a pleasure trip - it is a therapy and an awakening, bound to benefit the heart and the soul. The objective of eco-tourism is generating pleasure in harmony with conservation and preservation of the natural heritage and all its biodiversity. Gujarat is endowed with exclusive legacies and immence intellectual resource base, which have influenced wildlife and nature conservation in the country as well as the world. We are host to the great philosophy of non-violence of Mahatma Gandhi which has a universal appeal. His famous words, "The earth has enough for everyone's needs but not enough for anyone's greed", accurately sum up the essence behind all our ecological and environmental problems. People of Gujarat have been profoundly influenced by the philosophy of Jainism, which advocates non-violence to the entire animate and inanimate worlds. One of the pioneering efforts in nature education and orientation camping programmes was undertaken at Hingolgadh by Lavkumar of Jasdan in the Nineteen Seventies. A keen naturalist and ornithologist, he is remembered as a leading personality in interpretation of nature and environment. He is also credited with having advocated the formation of the Marine National Park, ths Kutch biosphere in Gujarat and the Nanda Devi Sanctuary in the Himalayas.
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