Tourists crowd Ayodhya and Varanasi this year, not Goa or Mussoorie

• An estimated turnover of Rs 50,000 crore in Ayodhya around the consecration day of Shriram Idol

• Union Government’s ‘Spiritual Tourism’ receives huge response

New Delhi – Hindus all over India are eager to visit the Shriram temple built at the birthplace of Shriram. They are eager to see the success of the long struggle fought for 550 years. Along with Ayodhya, Hindus are visiting the pilgrimage sites of Varanasi, Ujjain and Mathura in large numbers. The reason behind this, according to some, is India’s cultural renaissance. This is why crores of people are now visiting Ayodhya and Varanasi instead of Goa or Mussoorie. It is estimated that a turnover of Rs 50,000 crore will be generated around the consecration day of the Shriram idol in Ayodhya.

Ayodhya to become the biggest tourist destination of 2024

Ritesh Agarwal, founder of ‘OYO Rooms’, said that on the last day of 2023, more than 80% of people were searching for stay options in Ayodhya. Ayodhya is going to be the biggest tourist destination of 2024. Pilgrimage sites in India have now become the most favourite tourist destinations. At least for the next 5 years, ‘Spiritual Tourism’ will be leading the tourism industry.

On 1st January 2024, 8 lakh Hindus were present in Varanasi to take Baba Vishwanath’s darshan. During the same period, 4 lakh Hindus took baths at various ghats of the river Ganga. The temple administration said that all the earlier records had been broken. 1.57 crore devotees visited Varanasi during the month of Shravan last year. 18 lakh people visited Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, in 3 days. Due to ‘Spiritual Tourism’, poor locals are getting many employment opportunities.

Editorial Perspectives

• Hindu society is religious by nature. Due to various reasons, its inclination towards Dharma had declined. The above report is an indication that their religious nature is increasing again. This is a tight slap to those who say ‘Dharma is an opium pill’ !

• Today, as the winds of ‘Cultural Nationalism’ are blowing, Hindus are eager to visit their pilgrimage sites. At such a time, the Government should try to make Hindus realise the greatness of Hindu Dharma rather than only engage in tourism.