Spiritual Journey – Lifestyle News

Journey to the sacred footprints of Lord Buddha in Bihar and other important sites in his life and teachings, visit Jain temples across Maharashtra, some dating back centuries, immerse yourself in the spirituality of Sikhism’s holiest temple, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, or explore Delhi’s Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India and a symbol of Mughal architectural splendor.

People are rushing to visit tourist sites that have historical and cultural significance beyond religion, and various stakeholders are taking appropriate steps to capitalize on this trend. For example, the Uttar Pradesh government is developing a “Buddhist Pilgrimage Route” to promote the historical, cultural and spiritual connections of Buddhism and attract Buddhist pilgrims from India. It has been visited in large numbers not only from within India but also from abroad. At the recent Bodhi March rally held in New Delhi, the Indian Tourism Board made a presentation highlighting six famous Buddhist sites – Kapilavastu, Sarnath, Shravasti, Kaushambi, Kushinagar and Sankisa. Representatives from countries associated with Buddhist culture such as Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, Bhutan, Japan, Indonesia, Argentina, Mongolia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam were in attendance and lauded the government’s efforts in this regard.

“We wanted to highlight our spiritual and cultural connections with various countries of South and Southeast Asia and improve cultural diplomacy with the support of the Ministry of External Affairs and encourage foreign direct investment in the state. We have already allotted two acres of land in Varanasi to the Bhutanese government for construction of a temple and guest house,” Mukesh Kumar Meshram, principal secretary, UP Tourism and Culture Department, said at the event.

A total of 205 projects worth a combined Rs 5,904 crore have been planned across six Buddhist temples in Uttar Pradesh, with maximum investments currently focused on Sarnath (Rs 5,499.2 crore) and Kaushambi (Rs 330.9 crore).

Uttar Pradesh government bets on airports We are also providing rail connectivity and hospitality infrastructure to these six Buddhist sites to boost tourism and attract investments.With over 30 hospitality infrastructure from renowned companies like Radisson Blu, Park Inn, Marriott and Sarovar Portico, connectivity with international airports at Varanasi, Lucknow and Ayodhya, domestic airports at Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Prayagraj and Agra and adjacent railway stations, these sites are set to boom with activity in the coming years.

“The Government of India in collaboration with the Government of Uttar Pradesh aims to not only provide a memorable experience to Buddhist pilgrims, but also ensure development and better employment opportunities for local communities. We are also keen to enhance the infrastructure and facilities of Buddhist museums in the state as they are a living source of history,” Uttar Pradesh Tourism Secretary V Vidyavati said at the event.

Madhya Pradesh is also developing Buddhist pilgrimage routes linking Sanchi with important centres like Bodh Gaya in Bihar. Speaking about the untapped potential of Buddhist pilgrimage routes, Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said at the Bodhi Pilgrimage gathering that currently only 0.005 per cent of the world’s Buddhists visit Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India. “If we can intensify our joint efforts and increase this figure to 0.05 per cent, we can welcome over 2.3 million tourists annually,” he added.

The Buddhist pilgrimage route in Uttar Pradesh is part of 12 major tourist pilgrimage routes in the state, which also include the Sufi Kabir and Jain routes. The Sufi Kabir route is proposed to be extended from Amethi, Magahar and Sant Kabir Nagar to Karmabhoomi Rahartala, Kavildas in Varanasi, while the Jain route is planned to be extended from Deogarh and Hastinapur to Parshwanath, Digambar Jain Temple and Ramnagar. Last year, Maharashtra also launched the “Holy Jain Tirt Pilgrimage Route” connecting important Jain shrines in the state.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi It has launched the Integrated Development Project for Hazratbal Muslim Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir as part of a series of projects under the Swadesh Darshan and Prashad Scheme.Last year, the Kerala government allocated Rs 9.38 crore to launch a microsite on “Islam in Kerala”, a promotional digital piece tracing the roots of Islam in the state, to attract domestic and international tourists.

A powerful rise

Travel agents say religious tourism is on the rise in India due to government efforts to enhance connectivity and infrastructure for religious sites, which is translating into strong demand in the sector across the country.

“We have seen a surge in enquiries for trips to spiritual locations such as Chardham, Ayodhya, Jyotirlinga, Varanasi, Mahakaleshwara, Omkareshwara, Dwarka, Somnath, Mallikarjuna, Rameswaram and the Ramayana Trail in Sri Lanka,” said Rajeev Kale, president and country head, Holidays, MICE and Visas, Thomas Cook. (India).

The Ram temple in Ayodhya is credited with encouraging a growing interest in spiritual tourism. “Spiritual tourism is becoming increasingly popular among Indians. In Ayodhya, with the opening of the Ram temple,“The Indian government has encouraged a surge in religious tourism, with demand for pilgrimage tours to Ayodhya and other places growing by a massive five times compared to last year,” says Daniel D’Souza, president and country head, holidays, SOTC Travel.

Nishant Pitti, CEO and co-founder, EaseMyTrip, agrees that spiritual tourism is booming in India, attracting both domestic and international tourists. According to estimates, the sector is expected to generate $59 billion in revenue by 2028 and create 140 million temporary and permanent jobs. By 2030.

Every place linked to religious faith has its own importance and popularity, said Pitti of Easy My Trip, adding that such places usually see a lot of tourists but this can change depending on trends such as current events and upcoming festivals.

“Famous pilgrimage sites like Vishnu Devi in ​​Jammu, Golden Temple in Amritsar, Balaji Temple at Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh and Jama Masjid in Delhi attract thousands of tourists every day,” Pitti added.