For the longest time in India, Spiritual and Religious tourism was only restricted to senior citizens but the times are changing. In historical times, Indians were seen travelling hundreds of kilometres to their sacred pilgrimage barefooted. It is believed by Indians since the beginning of time that there is no better teacher than nature and travelling gives you the most extraordinary knowledge. In recent years, specifically post-COVID-19 times, there has been an extraordinary upsurge in the number of visitors to spiritual places and increasingly, the travel patterns are being shifted in the Gen-Z population as spiritual tourism takes charge.
Why is Religious and Spiritual Tourism trending?
Over 60% of people are now opting to travel to a religious destination rather than to a commercial luxury location. People are focusing on having experiences more than luxury and ease. After the pandemic, people have grown more conscious about their lifestyle and their outlook towards materialistic life. Spiritual tourism offers people a sense of calmness and detoxifies them from their daily hustle and bustle of life and schedules. Famous actresses like Sara Ali Khan and Janhvi Kapoor have fueled this fire. More and more young people have been interested in spiritualism lately and want to know more about their history and culture which drives this recent change in their travel behaviour.
Why is there a shift in travel priorities?
Lifestyle choices like yoga and meditation have been boosted in the pandemic, and this is one of the prime reasons for the shift of the young population in their travel destinations. Millennials and Gen-Z are seen to focus on their mental well-being, and it has been seen that being spiritual and having beliefs makes them feel grounded and instils them with a sense of belonging, which is chased by every young person these days.
A lot of spiritual places in India are located at destinations that require hiking, which is a plus for all adventure seekers. Places like Vaisho Devi and Kedarnath have been tourist hotspots in recent years. Travelling to these places is safe, and this also connects the soul closer to God with positivity and serenity.
Places that are popular searched and travelled by solo and groups of young travellers are Varanasi, Rishikesh, Kedarnath and Tirupathi.
Varanasi
Varanasi has emerged as the top religious destination because of its vibrant culture and its age-old history. It is popularly referred to as the spiritual capital and is arguably the oldest city in the world, on the banks of River Ganga. It is the most visited spiritual destination, with people from all demographics visiting at all times of the year. Varanasi hosts travellers from all around the world for its Ghats, namely Dashashwamedh and Assi hats, along with the world-famous Ganga Aarti.
Tirupathi
Following Varanasi, Tirupathi is the second most searched spiritual destination in India. Located in the South of India in Andhra Pradesh, it is home to the Tirumala Venkateshwara Tempe, which is considered to be one of the most sacred spiritual places in the world. The temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara, who is a form of Hindu God, Lord Vishnu. The daughter of legendary actress Shri Devi, Janhvi Kapoor is a frequent worshipper here. It is beloved that worshipping here brings good fortune and wealth and offers spiritual liberation. The temple hosts around 1 lakh visitors a day, which makes it one of the most visited sites in the world.
Kedarnath
Kedarnath is the favourite travel destination for the Bollywood Diva Sara Ali Khan. Located in Uttrakhand in the lap of the mighty Himalayas, Kedarnath is one of the four pilgrimage sites of Hindus. The temple is dedicated to lord Shiva, the destroyer God in the Hindu Trinity. A visit to this temple brings individuals one step closer to attaining moksha. The temperature in the temple is very low, and the demanding climatic conditions make it challenging for adventure seekers to trek up to the temple. The temple is only open for six months, from May to June and September to November.