The Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage (DAMH) will offer a 3D walkthrough of important monuments in Karnataka in a bid to kindle interest in them and promote tourism.
The DAMH has finalised 10 monuments to start with, though the long-term plan is to provide such a virtual tour of 530 monuments, all of which will be uploaded on the website of the department.
A. Devaraj, Commissioner, DAMH, told The Hindu that the project has received budgetary support and ₹1 crore has been set aside for the purpose. The walkthrough of the selected sites will be created using 3D Immersive and Generative AI technology to provide users an immersive experience.
The objective of the 3D walkthrough is to create interest among people experiencing the virtual tour to actually visit the site, which will boost tourism.
The DAMH has entrusted the work of 3D laser mapping of monuments to Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology. The project is now complete.
‘’We have to utilise the 3D mapped data and put it to proper use. Providing people with a virtual tour is one way of doing it,” said Mr. Devaraj.
Though the Department cannot take up the work pertaining to 530 monuments, it will make a beginning with 10 monuments spread across Karnataka, and subsequently try to collaborate with third parties who express interest in the concept, Mr. Devaraj added.
The quality of the 3D laser scanning of the monuments is of the highest quality and resolution. Details of the ceilings and carvings at the top of the pillars or other parts of the monuments that are not normally visible to the naked eye, come alive in the 3D scanned maps. “The visuals are superior to any video or photograph,” said Mr. Devaraj.
Apart from triggering interest in the monuments, the experience of taking a virtual tour is different, and is akin to being physically present at the place. This is different from viewing a static picture and, hence, the technology will be harnessed to give the DAMH’s website a touch of the state-of-the-art.
The monuments selected from the Mysuru division are Varahaswamy temple in Mysuru, Chamarajeshwara temple in Chamarajanagar. In neighbouring Mandya district, the sites shortlisted are kalyani (tank) and Bhuvaneshwari Mantapa, and the ancillary shrines at Melkote
In Bengaluru division, Lakshminarasimha temple at Devalapura in Holalkere taluk of Chitradurga district, and Lakshminarasimhaswamy temple at Bhadravati in Shivamogga district are in the list.
From the UNESCO world heritage site of Hampi in Kalaburagi division, the DAMH has selected the Virupaksha temple in Vijayanagar district while Shor Gubaz, which is reckoned to have inspired the more famous Gol Gumbaz, has been finalised from Kalaburagi division. In addition, Bijapur arch and Afzal Khan’s mosque have been included in the project.
In Belagavi division, the authorities will take up Veeranarayana temple at Gadag and Kashilinga temple at Saptasagara in Athani taluk of Belagavi district for the 3D walkthrough project.
Mr. Devaraj expressed confidence that going forward, some private companies could fund the project and the department could even tie up with startups, who have the technology for 3D immersive and AI technologies.
