Landscape As a Commodity or Panacea for the Locals: A Case Study of Daringbadi Hill Station, Odisha

Existing studies on landscapes have primarily focused on their geographical significance. However, landscapes also hold social, cultural, and symbolic meanings. This paper addresses a broad understanding of landscapes by exploring their diverse meanings and their role in the tourism industry. In the Anthropocene epoch, tourism protocols not only committed to achieving a more sustainable economy but also aimed at the effective management of the environmental landscape. In doing so, these policies reconceptualise the meaning of landscape as a shared source to enhance community participation. Although the commencement of a neoliberal economic principle in the tourism sector supports the stakeholders to achieve the first one, however, conservation strategies often fall short because of the institutional regime and disproportionately favour a few while the participation of the broader community is largely overlooked. Drawing from a qualitative study considering Daringbadi Hill station as a field site, this paper explores the different meanings attached to this specific landscape for which this place is referred as the “Kashmir of Odisha”. Further, it explores how these meanings influence in reshaping of local tourism. It also analyses whether this build discourse resulted in the commodification of nature and capital accumulation, or have positive impacts on the locals and their areas. The analysis reveals that Daringbadi is unique because of its cooler environment. However, calling it as “Kashmir of Odisha” is not complementary. The sole purpose for promoting this place in this way is for branding of tourism, which contributes to capital accumulation by the prominent social elite. Additionally, engagement does not necessarily promise the upliftment of the locals but rather contributes to the commodification of tribal culture.