India’s space agency has introduced two new satellite-based applications on Bhuvan, its national geo-platform, with a dual purpose: making heritage and cultural destinations more accessible to travellers, and helping authorities monitor these sites for encroachment and damage in real time.
The two applications, Bharat Darshan and Kasturi, were launched at ISRO’s User Interaction Meet in Hyderabad on 13 March. Bharat Darshan currently covers 42 UNESCO-protected locations, offering virtual 2D and 3D tours alongside terrain data and links to official state and ministry resources. Kasturi, described as India’s first curated geospatial gateway, covers 20 cultural and heritage landscapes, bringing together satellite imagery, historic maps and field data to help users explore the geographic and ecological context of significant sites.
Both applications draw on information from UNESCO, the Archaeological Survey of India, state archaeological departments and the Ministry of Culture. More sites are expected to be added in the coming months.
The initiative is notable for being the first in India to bring all listed heritage sites onto a single platform with GPS coordinates and live satellite monitoring.
