India’s pilgrimage tourism magnets

Down the ages, India, the land of sages and seers has been famous for its grand temples, well-designed mosques and faith-inspiring shrines. In a country where domestic tourism is largely faith driven, Religious and Pilgrimage (R&P) tourism is big business. From the snow-swathed Amarnath shrine in Kashmir, the cavernous Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu and the globally famous Tirumala Tirupati Temple in Andhra Pradesh to the remote monasteries in Ladakh, shrines, temples, mosques, monasteries and gurudwaras are the first tourism preference of India’s fast-expanding, 300-million strong middle class. A 2022 NSSO survey says that India’s temple economy generates revenue estimated at Rs 3.02 lakh crore per year ($40 billion). Not a few pundits believe this is an under-estimate. India has over 5 lakh temples, 7 lakh mosques and 35,000 churches according to Central government data. The annual revenue by way of donations, provision of board and lodging, religious services, sales of memorabilia etc of the Lord Venkateshwara temple in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh which attracts over 14 million pilgrims per year, tops Rs.1,000 crore, a sum second only to The Vatican in terms of revenue generation. Likewise, the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu reports an annual revenue of Rs.500 crore. Following the recent liberalisation of the Indian economy which has significantly increased the purchasing power of India’s middle class, the R&P tourism business is growing by 30 percent per year. The salient features of India’s most popular R&P destinations are detailed below. Char Dham This is the collective name of four most revered Hindu pilgrimage destinations —Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath — sited in the Garhwal Himalayan region amidst snowcapped peaks. Temples have been built at the sources of four of India’s most sacred rivers — the Ganges at Gangotri, the Yamuna at Yamunotri, Mandakini at Kedarnath and Alaknanda at Badrinath. These four temples are open only during summer months (April-November), with the exact dates of opening announced by local priests. While Gangotri and Badrinath are accessible by road, visitors must trek between 12-17 km to reach the other two shrines. According to ancient Hindu puranas, a theerth yatra (complete tour) of the Char Dham shrines is an attainment which confers great religious merit upon those who complete the circuit. Char Dham package tour. Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN), the tourism department of the Uttaranchal state government conducts a ten-day Char Dham Yatra Package starting from various parts of the country. The package price of private tours inclusive of transport, food and accommodation varies between Rs. 50,000 to over Rs. 1 lakh. GMVN packages start from Rs. 20,000 for six days. NB. Consumption of alcoholic beverages and non-vegetarian food is strictly prohibited in the Dhams. Badrinath. Badrinath temple, abode of Lord Vishnu, is the pride of this temple town (pop. 3,000). Sited at a breathtaking altitude of 11,268 ft on the banks of the River Alaknanda and ensconced between the snowcapped Nar and Narayan peaks of the Himalayas, heaven is surely within reach here! Badrinath derives its name from the wild…