Digital Heritage Preservation Technologies for Monasteries of Sikkim

Abstract

Digital heritage preservation has become increasingly critical as monasteries face environmental threats, limited accessibility, and inadequate documentation. This comprehensive survey examines current technologies for digitizing and show- casing Buddhist monasteries, with specific focus on Sikkim’s monastic heritage comprising over 100 monasteries across di- verse Buddhist traditions. We analyze more than 65 recent publications spanning virtual reality systems, 360◦ virtual tours, artificial intelligence integration, and gamification approaches for cultural tourism. The survey identifies three key technological layers: Immersive Visualization Layer (IVL), Intelligent Interac- tion Layer (IIL), and Engagement Enhancement Layer (EEL). Current implementations demonstrate promising results, with museums reporting 60% increased visitor engagement through virtual tours and AI-powered guidance systems achieving 50% satisfaction improvements. Major challenges include limited high- resolution 360◦ content availability for remote sites, multilin- gual accuracy in AI cultural systems, and sustainable funding models for comprehensive digitization. Our findings indicate that integrated platforms combining VR, AI, and interactive elements can significantly enhance monastery preservation while creating global accessibility. This survey provides implementation frameworks for the Smart India Hackathon 2025 challenge addressing Problem Statement SIH25061.