Yes, I must say that the growth of tourism is indeed a culprit in commodifying cultures and traditions but to a certain extent.
India is one country that is rich in culture and traditions and the people are sure proud of it. However, with the increase in tourism, there has been some form of commodification of products and culture. This is because the influx of tourist arrival has been a great financial contribution to the economy especially because of the high exchange in currency rate and thus, in order to generate a source of income for the locals, they are willing to do anything even if it means losing the authenticity of the culture and product.
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| A replica of Taj Mahal sold as souvenirs |
An example takes place in Agra. The city that is home to one of the eight wonders of the world, Taj Mahal, has attracted a high number of tourists in the country. With this, the locals have mass produced a replica of the mausoleum itself as a form of souvenir for tourists to take home. This form of commodification will ultimately cause a loss of appreciation and meaning behind Taj Mahal because tourists would buy the souvenir without appreciating the art and story of it and instead just purchase it for the sake of decorating their home to show that they have visited the site.
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| A hollywood celebrity wearing a bindi |
Anoher example of commodification in India is the misuse of ‘bindi’ by tourists. The bindi that is used on the forehead of married Hindu women symbolizes female energy and is believed to protect women and their husbands. In addition to that, bindi is used where attention is focused during meditation. However, in recent times, bindi is primarily and widely used as a fashion accessory especially by tourists who are non-Hindu and is even worn by unmarried girls. This is an evidence that tourists where them because it looks nice but one does not know the meaning and significance of bindi.