Impact of declaration of a monument as a world heritage

Abstract

Ritigala is one of the most picturesque places in Sri Lanka. This picturesque value is mainly due to its cultural and natural aspects. Ritigala mountain range is located in the Palugaswewa divisional secretariat, Kekirawa in Anuradhapura district. The most outstanding value of this Archaeological site is the Padhanaghara building tradition. Rare species of flora and founa is found in this forest and the value of this heritage is immeasurable due to the dense forest which has been there unharmed for thousand of years. There are more than enough reasons for Ritigala to be included in the world heritage list due to the above mentioned outstanding universal values. But it seems that no considerable attention in this regard has has yet been drawn on the part of heritage conservation authorities. A long and meticulous feasibility study has to be done before Ritigala being declared a world heritage site in addition, management system which is to be submitted in this regard should be prepared in impact of declaration of amonument as a wodld heritage: A study of Ritigala monastic complex in Sri Lanka, it is attempted to research the need for it. It is done employing the methodologies of defining what a world heritage is, how it can be applied to Ritigala and examing the advantages and dis advantages arising from that it was observed when analysing the data collected the local and foreign tourists that majority of them are of the opinion of it being declare a world heritage. A few tourists have expressed their comments against. It justifying their reasons. Both of these parties have expressed their opinions based on some facts and they can be justified depending only on the management system implemented once it had been declared a world heritage site. Some of the locals also were posed the question whether Ritigala be declared a world heritage or not. When their responses were summarized, it is clear that they have shown more inclination for it than otherwise more over attention was paid to the world heritage sites in Sri Lanka and in othr countries in relation to their present condition after the inclution of them in the world heritage category. It was reveated that there are many such sites which have been maintained minimizing the damages and conserving the heritage due t the actions taken under the world heritage concept. Thus, there is evidence that this concept has been a success. On the other hand, there are some other world heritage sites in and out of Sri Lanka, which have failed to achieve success due to the lake of a proper management system. Venice charter and Narah document provide a very wide coverage on the subject of conservation of cultural heritage. Thus, how for these charters could be utilized in relation to Ritigala has been examinedhere. However, local and foreign tourists have expressed their concern over environmental issues which could be arisen due to declaring Ritigala a world heritage site. So, strict measures should be taken to protect the founa and flora of this natural reserve. Several suggestions on how Ritigala could be carefully maintained once it is declared a world heritage site have been presented here. Deciding on the number of tourists allowed entry to the site on a day, preventing opportunities for the unnecessary tourists entering the site by increasing the value of entry tickets, closing down the site for some period of time every year for the environmental balancing are the suggestions which require attention since majority of the tourists have expressed the need forimplementing rules, regulations and restrictions for conserving the site, implementation of these rules, regulations and restrictions also could lead to minimizing the damages to the site.