The Pilgrim's Progress

Over the last eleven years, India has experienced a remarkable transformation in how it presents, preserves, and promotes its cultural and religious identity, with tourism emerging as a powerful medium through which this civilizational revival finds expression.

- HIMANSHU RAI

At the heart of this journey is the Modi government's conscious and consistent effort to elevate India's spiritual and cultural wealth to both national prominence and global admiration, blending the timeless with the modern in ways never seen before.

What was once considered niche, fragmented, or even under-prioritized has today become a foundation of the country's development and diplomatic vision.

According to the Ministry of Tourism, there were 250.96 crore domestic tourist visits in 2023. This represents a 44.98 per cent increase from 2022.

In 2024, India's religious tourism market was valued at approximately Rs. 17.6 lakh crores and is projected to reach Rs. 38.27 lakh crores by 2032, according to India Business & Trade.

Through targeted infrastructure projects, massive beautification campaigns, digital enablement, and international outreach, the government has catalyzed a spiritual awakening not only in practice but also in policy.

One of the most iconic symbols of this shift is the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, whose grand inauguration in January 2024 injected new life into the economy of eastern Uttar Pradesh and positioned Ayodhya as a future global spiritual tourism hub.

The transformation of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi is another defining example of the cultural revitalization, which now welcomes over 80,000 pilgrims daily.

Similarly, the Mahakal Lok Corridor in Ujjain has resurrected the sanctity and scale of the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga precinct.

These projects are part of a deliberate pattern that recognizes the spiritual geography of India as a living, breathing entity that deserves both preservation and world-class presentation.