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Riverine Based Religious Tourism Circuit

Last updated on October 3, 2023 by ClearIAS Team

Riverine Based Religious Tourism Circuit is a scheme to connect seven religious places on the Brahmaputra. The idea is aimed at promoting riverine tourism along the river Brahmaputra. Read here to know more about the sites selected for the scheme.

The central government and Assam signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at promoting riverine tourism along the river Brahmaputra.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Guwahati, Assam for the development of a ‘Riverine Based Religious Tourism Circuit’ among Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), Sagarmala Development Corporation Limited (SDCL), Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) and Department of Inland Waterways Transport (DIWT), Government of Assam.

The MoU is set to open a new chapter in riverine tourism in Assam and provide numerous developmental aspects to the state as well.

Table of Contents

The Riverine Based Religious Tourism Circuit proposes to connect seven historic temples Kamakhya, Pandunath, Ashwaklanta, Doul Govinda, Umananda, Chakreshwar, and Auniati Satra on the banks of the Brahmaputra.

• The MoU will facilitate a modern ferry service on a ‘Hop On Hop Off’ among seven historic religious sites around Guwahati.
• The project, executed via a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), is likely to be completed with an investment of ₹45 crores and will be completed within 12 months.
• The immense potential of inland waterways is being unlocked through such an initiative.

The development of the Riverine Based Tourism Circuit is a huge shot in the arm of the tourism sector in Assam.

Riverine Based Religious Tourism Circuit Sites

Circuit proposes to connect seven historic temples Kamakhya, Pandunath, Ashwaklanta, Doul Govinda, Umananda, Chakreshwar, and Auniati Satra on the banks of the Brahmaputra.

Kamakhya Temple

• It is located atop Nilachal Hill in the western section of the Assamese metropolis of Guwahati.
• One of the 51 Shakti Peethas in India, it is also one of the oldest.
• Individual temples devoted to each of the 10 Mahavidyas are located all around the main temple- Kali, Tara, Sodashi, Bhuvaneshwari, Bhairavi, Chhinnamasta, Dhumavati, Bagalamukhi, Matangi, and Kamalatmika are some examples of female deities.
• It serves as the focal point of the Indian Tantrik Shaktism cult.
• The Ambubachi Mela, an annual celebration, draws thousands of tantric worshippers to this temple since it is the epicenter of Tantra worship.
• The Manasha Puja is another yearly event.

Pandunath Temple

• Pandu Nagari is a place in Guwahati named after Maharaja Pandu during the Mahabharata period.
• Maharaj Pandu was the father of the five Pandavas. This place is famous as the Pandunath Temple in the Tila Hills of the city.
• The five Ganesha idols meet here, leading the five Pandavas. The five brothers are believed to have taken refuge here as Ganesha during exile.

Ashwaklanta Temple

• Ashwaklanta temple, which is situated at Majgaon in North Guwahati, has a long history on its own.
• It was constructed during the reign of Ahom king Swargadeo Siva Singha in 1720 CE on the ruins of stone artifacts from the ninth to the twelfth centuries, and as such offers a great window into a lengthy period.
• On the property, there are two temples, both of which are devoted to Lord Vishnu.
• The temple has a distinct personality of its own because of the presence of two Lord Vishnu statues. According to folklore, Lord Krishna’s horses were weary and slept here, giving the location its name.

Doul Govinda Temple

• Doul Govinda Temple is one of the important temples of Kamrup, Assam.
• It is situated on the northern banks, on the foothills of Chandra Bharati hill at Rajaduar, North Guwahati.
• The temple is mainly devoted to Lord Krishna.

Umananda Temple

• The Umananda temple, located on Peacock Island, is one of the important temples of Guwahati.
• Situated in the middle of River Brahmaputra, this temple is dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva. During the festival of Shivratri, every year, a large number of devotees visit this temple.
• On instructions from King Gadadhar Singh of the Tai-Ahom dynasty, the temple was constructed in 1694 CE by Bar Phukan Garhganya Handique.
• There are plenty of engravings and sculptures that adorn the rock walls of this temple. These engravings and sculptures depict the craftsmanship of the local Assamese artisans.

Chakreshwar Temple

• The well-known Lord Vishnu temple Chakreshwar Temple is located in Guwahati city not far from Kamakhya Temple.
• The Lord Vishnu’s Chakra (weapon) imprint naturally incised into a large rock is the temple’s specialty.

Auniati Satra

• Sri Sri Auniati Satra occupied the highest position amongst the various Satras of Assam in the eyes of the Ahom Kings.
• The slightly elevated land of Majuli, where this Satra was established, was full of Auni Paan (a kind of betel creeper plant). Ati means elevated place. There the name Auniati Satra came into being.
• The idol which receives daily worship in the Satra Temple (Manikuta) is the idol of Lord Krishna called Govinda.
• This idol was originally brought from Jagannath Kshetra (Puri, Orissa) and installed there with all the Vedic religious rituals.

Significance of Riverine Tourism

Rivers are a significant source of tourism because they offer breathtaking scenery, recreational opportunities, a mode of transportation, a feeling of history and adventure, and connections to the environment and natural world.

In India, which is the land of many rivers, river tourism holds much potential as a form of sustainable tourism.

• With activities like cruises and rafting vacations, river tourism makes up a sizeable share of global tourism consumption and is therefore an economically significant sector of travel that requires in-depth examination.
• From a variety of angles, including usage, heritage, management, environmental issues, and marketing, river tourism is sought to be profitable for the development of the region.
• The inland waterways have exemplified how transformation can be achieved via transportation.
• The promotion of river tourism can help in the preservation of the natural environment and cultural heritage of the region as well as add to the employment opportunities of the local population.

Way forward

India’s rivers, which are immensely revered by its populace, are one of its most distinguishing features. Indian rivers, which span a wide area of 328 million hectares, have contributed significantly to the development of India’s rural areas.

The various rivers of India are of considerable value in India since they have a greater significance in the development of the country’s culture, economy, geography, and religion. They provide visitors with an excellent understanding of India’s history, culture, and traditions.

Religious tourism will get a boost as the tourists will enjoy the rich spiritual heritage of Guwahati via Riverine Based Religious Tourism Circuit. The Act East policy of the center is being reflected in major developmental projects across the northeast region.

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• Tourism Sector

-Article written by Swathi Satish

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• 7 religious sites to be connected under ‘Riverine Tourism Circuit’ in Guwahati

MoU signing between IWAI, SDCL, ATDC and DIWT will take place today in Guwahati. Developed under the Sagarmala Programme, the project aims to connect seven historic temples in Guwahati, including Kamakhya, Pandunath, Ashwaklanta, Doul Govinda, Umananda, Chakreshwar, and Auniati Satra. The circuit will enhance connectivity between the temples via waterways and also increase religious tourism prospects.

• Gagneet Kaur ,
• ETTravelWorld
• Updated On May 19, 2023 at 01:07 PM IST

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• By Gagneet Kaur ,
• Published On May 19, 2023 at 11:30 AM IST

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MoU signed for ‘Riverine Based Religious Tourism Circuit’ to connect seven Religious places on Brahmaputra

Circuit proposes to connect seven historic temples kamakhya, pandunath, ashwaklanta, doul govinda, umananda, chakreshwar and auniti satra on the banks of the brahmaputra seamless ferry service on hop on hop off mode with frequency of 30 minutes mou signed among iwai, sdcl, atdc and diwt will be executed with an investment of rs 45 crore mou signed in presence of chief minister of assam, dr himanta biswa sarma and union minister of ports, shipping & waterways and ayush, shri sarbananda sonowal.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Guwahati, Assam for the development of ‘Riverine Based Religious Tourism Circuit’ among Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), Sagarmala Development Corporation Limited (SDCL), Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) and Department of Inland Waterways Transport (DIWT), Government of Assam.

Chief Minister of Assam, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal witnessed this historic signing ceremony which is poised to unlock a new chapter in the riverine tourism sector in Assam.

The MoU will facilitate modern ferry service on a ‘Hop On Hop Off’ among seven (07) historic religious sites around Guwahati. The seven religious sites are Kamakhya, Pandunath, Ashwalknata, Doul Govinda, Umananda, Chakreshwar and Auniati Satra to be covered with the help of this agreement. The waiting lounge at the ferry terminal will be a modern facility providing comfortable ambience for the passengers.

The project, executed via a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), is likely to completed with an investment of ₹45 crores and will be completed within 12 months. The circuit will sail from Hanuman Ghat, Uzan Bazar and the ferry service is expected to reduce the overall travel time to less than 2 hours for completing one complete circuit. SDCL and IWAI will jointly contribute 55% of the project cost while the remaining will be provided by ATDC. DIWT has consented to provide the usage of Ghats near the temples free of cost for the project.

Speaking on the occasion Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowa l said, “The development of the Riverine Based Tourism Circuit is a huge shot in the arm for the tourism sector in Assam. I am happy that with support of Government of Assam, the IWAI and SDCL will work in tandem with ATDC and IWT to execute this project swiftly and unveil a new chapter of riverine tourism sector in Assam. Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the Act East policy of India is being reflected with major developmental projects across the region. Today, the inland waterways has exemplified how transformation can be achieved via transportation. From ODC and OWC cargo movement via Brahmaputra to the world’s longest river cruise Ganga Vilas, the huge potential of inland waterways is being unlocked. Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, we remain steadfast in our journey develop the rich potential of inland waterways in Assam and the whole of the Northeast so that it powers the engine of growth of New India.”

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister of Assam Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “Today’s signing ceremony is going to usher a new chapter of tourism in the state. I am happy to be present at this historic event. I convey my deep gratitude to the departments for this initiative. The religious tourism will get a boost as the tourists will enjoy the rich spiritual heritage of Guwahati via this wonderful riverine circuit.”

The event was also attended by Transport Minister, Government of Assam, Parimal Shuklabaidya; Tourism Minister, Government of Assam; Jayanta Mall Baruah; Chairman, IWAI, Sanjay Bandopadhyay; Chairman, ATDC, Rituparna Baruah; Vice Chairman, ATDC, Dilip Das; and Dilip Kumar Gupta, Managing Director, Sagarmala Development Corporation Limited (SDCL) among other officials of state and central government at Assam Administrative Staff College in Guwahati.

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Riverine-Based Religious Tourism Circuit

Facts for prelims (ffp).

Context: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed to develop a ‘Riverine Based Religious Tourism Circuit’ in Northeast India, connecting seven historic temples along the Brahmaputra River.

• Aim : The initiative aims to boost riverine tourism and strengthen the tourism sector in Assam. It also intends to establish a modern ferry service operating on a ‘Hop-On Hop-Off’ mode , allowing passengers to conveniently explore these spiritual landmarks.
• Timeline : To be completed within 12 months
• Finance : Funding will be shared between the Sagarmala Development Corporation Limited (SDCL), Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), and Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC).

Significance of the site selected:

About Brahmaputra River:

  The Brahmaputra River (source: Chemayungdung glacier ) originates in southwestern Tibet and shares its source area with the Indus and Satluj Rivers. It flows through a depression formed by the Indus-Tsangpo Structure Zone , cutting through the Himalayas and entering Arunachal Pradesh as the Dihang River . After merging with the Lohit and Dibang streams, it is known as the Brahmaputra . The river’s left bank is fed by the Dhansiri, Lohit, and Dibang Rivers, while the right bank receives the Subansiri, Kameng, Manas, and Sankosh Rivers.

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Waterways to connect 7 religious sites around Guwahati

Guwahati, May 19 (PTI) The Assam government and the Inland Waterways Authority signed an MoU here on Friday to connect seven religious sites around the city through waterways, officials said. The project will facilitate 'hop on hop off' ferry service, which will connect the seven historic and religious sites of Kamakhya, Pandunath, Aswaklanta, Doul Govinda, Umananda, Chakreshwar and Auniati Satra around Guwahati, an official release said. The project is being developed under Sagarmala Programme. The agreement for development of riverine-based religious tourism circuit on Brahmaputra river was inked by Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), Sagarmala Development Corporation Limited (SDCL), Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) and the department of inland waterways transport (DIWT), Government of Assam, it said. Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal iterated the Centre's resolve to develop the inland waterways potential of Assam and the entire North East for accelerated growth of the region. “The development of the riverine-based tourism circuit is a huge shot in the arm for the tourism sector in Assam. I am happy that with the support of government of Assam, IWAI and SDCL will work in tandem with ATDC and IWT to execute this project swiftly and unveil a new chapter of riverine tourism sector in Assam," he said. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who was present at the programme, said the initiative will usher a new chapter in the tourism of the state. “Religious tourism will get a boost as tourists will enjoy the rich spiritual heritage of Guwahati via this wonderful riverine circuit,” he said. Kamkhya temple atop the Nilachal Hills here is one of the oldest and most revered centers of tantric practice, while Pandunath houses five idols of Lord Ganesha representing the five Pandava brothers of the epic Mahabharata. They are believed to have hid in the place during their 13-year-long exile. Aswaklanta, built in 1720 by Ahom King Shiva Singha, is a well-known Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The Daul Govinda temple is devoted to Lord Krishna and is visited by a large number of devotees during Holi. Umananda Devaloi is a Shiva temple located at the Umananda island, the smallest inhabited one in the world, in the middle of Brahmaputra river opposite the Kachari Ghat in Guwahati. The Auniati Satra, located in north Guwahati, occupies a high position among the satras of Assam. It was built in 1653 AD by Ahom King Sutamla. The ferry service will start from Hanuman Ghat in Uzan Bazar area and is expected to reduce the overall travel time to less than two hours to complete one circuit. The project is likely to be completed within 12 months, the release said. The Rs 45 crore project will be executed by a special purpose vehicle. SDCL and IWAI will jointly contribute 55 per cent of the project cost and the remaining will be borne by ATDC, it said. DIWT has consented to the use of ghats near the temples free of cost for the project, the release added.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)

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MoU signed for ‘Riverine Based Religious Tourism Circuit’ to connect seven Religious places on Brahmaputra

GUWAHATI : A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Guwahati, Assam for the development of ‘Riverine Based Religious Tourism Circuit’ among Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), Sagarmala Development Corporation Limited (SDCL), Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) and Department of Inland Waterways Transport (DIWT), Government of Assam .

Chief Minister of Assam, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal witnessed this historic signing ceremony which is poised to unlock a new chapter in the riverine tourism sector in Assam.

The MoU will facilitate modern ferry service on a ‘Hop On Hop Off’ among seven (07) historic religious sites around Guwahati. The seven religious sites are Kamakhya, Pandunath, Ashwalknata, Doul Govinda, Umananda, Chakreshwar and Auniati Satra to be covered with the help of this agreement. The waiting lounge at the ferry terminal will be a modern facility providing comfortable ambience for the passengers.

The project, executed via a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), is likely to completed with an investment of ₹45 crores and will be completed within 12 months. The circuit will sail from Hanuman Ghat, Uzan Bazar and the ferry service is expected to reduce the overall travel time to less than 2 hours for completing one complete circuit. SDCL and IWAI will jointly contribute 55% of the project cost while the remaining will be provided by ATDC. DIWT has consented to provide the usage of Ghats near the temples free of cost for the project.

Speaking on the occasion Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal  said, “The development of the Riverine Based Tourism Circuit is a huge shot in the arm for the tourism sector in Assam. I am happy that with support of Government of Assam, the IWAI and SDCL will work in tandem with ATDC and IWT to execute this project swiftly and unveil a new chapter of riverine tourism sector in Assam. Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the Act East policy of India is being reflected with major developmental projects across the region. Today, the inland waterways has exemplified how transformation can be achieved via transportation. From ODC and OWC cargo movement via Brahmaputra to the world’s longest river cruise Ganga Vilas, the huge potential of inland waterways is being unlocked. Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, we remain steadfast in our journey develop the rich potential of inland waterways in Assam and the whole of the Northeast so that it powers the engine of growth of New India.”

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister of Assam Dr Himanta Biswa Sarm a said,  “Today’s signing ceremony is going to usher a new chapter of tourism in the state. I am happy to be present at this historic event. I convey my deep gratitude to the departments for this initiative. The religious tourism will get a boost as the tourists will enjoy the rich spiritual heritage of Guwahati via this wonderful riverine circuit.”

The event was also attended by Transport Minister, Government of Assam, Parimal Shuklabaidya; Tourism Minister, Government of Assam; Jayanta Mall Baruah; Chairman, IWAI, Sanjay Bandopadhyay; Chairman, ATDC, Rituparna Baruah; Vice Chairman, ATDC, Dilip Das; and Dilip Kumar Gupta, Managing Director, Sagarmala Development Corporation Limited (SDCL) among other officials of state and central government at Assam Administrative Staff College in Guwahati.

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Number of domestic visitors to monuments across the circles of Dharwad and Hampi in India in financial year 2022 (in 1,000s)

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Number of domestic visitors to monuments across the circles of Bengaluru and Goa in India in financial year 2023 in 1,000s)

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Number of tourist visits in UP Buddhist circuit India 2019-2021, by destination

Number of tourist visits in Uttar Pradesh Buddhist circuit in India from 2019 to 2021, by destination

Number of tourist visits of Rishikesh in India 2016-2021

Number of tourist visits of Rishikesh in India from 2016 to 2021 (in 1,000s)

Number of tourist visits of Kedarnath in India 2016-2021

Number of tourist visits of Kedarnath in India from 2016 to 2021 (in 1,000s)

Number of tourist visits to Varanasi India 2021, by destination

Number of tourist visits to Varanasi in India in 2021, by destination

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Number of tourist visits to Ayodhya in India in 2021, by destination

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Siginificant religious sites

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Estimated daily pilgrims across India in 2022, by select temple (in1,000s)

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Number of tourist visits of Vaishno Devi in India from 2016 to 2021 (in millions)

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Total number of domestic tourists to Guruvayoor in India from 2018 to 2022

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Religious Tourism: an Opportunity to Further Nepal-India Ties

26 July, 2022

• Home / Research-Article / Religious Tourism: an Opportunity to Further Nepal-India Ties

Introduction

Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi recently visited Lord Buddha's birthplace Lumbini in Nepal, on May 16, on the occasion of Buddha Purnima, at the invitation of Prime Minister of Nepal Sher Bahadur Debua. PM Modi's fifth visit to Nepal since becoming the Prime Minister in 2014 and the first to Lumbini saw him use soft power diplomacy. The overtures will improve Indo-Nepal ties when the geopolitical dynamics are rapidly changing and further enhance the Indo-Nepal religious tourism circuit.

The two countries share special closeness and similarities in cultural tradition. Lord Buddha, born in Nepal, left his footprints worldwide, including in India. Sita, the daughter of Nepal, married Ram, the crown prince of Ayodhya in India. Sita has a special place in the heart of Hindus worldwide. The cultural and religious overlaps shape the relations between the two countries, with the religious facet being the predominant role. The religious connection has resulted in many Indian and Nepalese citizens visiting each other's countries for pilgrimage. Nepal sees the highest number of tourist visits from India.

Asia has seen significant growth in international tourist inflows over the years. Buddhism is among the potential avenues for attracting tourists from abroad, and pilgrimage is the second most popular reason for visiting Nepal. In the past few years, India and Nepal have worked closely on developing the transnational Buddhist and Ramayana tourist circuit. The COVID-19 pandemic struck a blow to tourism worldwide, bringing it to a standstill. With things easing to a certain extent, the two countries have made various moves to rejuvenate the religious tourist circuit in both countries. This report examines the religious circuits, steps taken to improve religious tourism, and the road ahead.

Buddhist Circuit

The Buddhist religious tourism circuit is significant since most Buddhists are concentrated in East and Southeast Asia. Buddha, in the Mahaparinirvana sutra, tells his followers that they can attain merit and a noble rebirth by embarking on a pilgrimage covering the places where he was born, gained enlightenment, first taught, and attained Nirvana.

A tourist circuit typically has well-defined entry and exit points along with three major tourist destinations that are distinct and apart. The circuit can be confined into a state, region, or transnational. They usually have one dominant theme with other sub-themes . [ [i] ]

The transnational Buddhist tourism circuit covers Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India and Nepal. It is intended to improve the footfall of tourists and includes Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar, Rajgir, Shravasti, Vaishali, Nalanda, Kaushambi, Sankisa, and Kapilavastu. Bodh Gaya and Sarnath lead the pack among them. These Buddhist sites in India receive 6% of nationwide foreign tourist arrivals.

The holy sites follow Buddha's life cycle. Lumbini (Nepal) is the most important one being Buddha's birthplace. Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath after enlightenment, Kushinagar was chosen for his final departure, Nalanda was an epicentre for learning and one of the world's first residential universities, and he spent several months meditating at Rajgir, Sravasti, where he taught many of his Suttas and Vaishali where he delivered his last sermon.

The connectivity is mainly via air, rail, and roads, although road remains the most popular mode of transportation for tourists on the Buddhist circuit. IRCTC operates Buddhist Circuit Train envisioned to cover the most venerable sites of Buddhism. The train enables all guests to pay respects at Lumbini, Buddha's birthplace, despite it being located across the India-Nepal border in addition to the Mayadevi temple. The train starts from New Delhi and covers Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda, Varanasi, Sarnath, Lumbini, Kushinagar, Sravasti, and Agra in an 8-day journey allowing tourists to sightsee the holy sites. The Buddhist Train runs throughout the year, with trips scheduled from January-March and October-December in 2022.[ [ii] ]

In October 2021, India inaugurated Kushinagar International Airport in Uttar Pradesh, which will help connect key Buddhist pilgrimage cities. The airport has its significance, given that Kushinagar is believed to be the final resting place of Buddha. It is also the centre of the transnational Buddhist circuit, including Lumbini, Sarnath, and Bodh Gaya, among other holy places.

On the Nepalese side, Nepal recently inaugurated the much-delayed Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa. Nepal's second international airport in Bhairahawa is envisaged as the gateway to the pilgrimage site of the Buddha's birthplace in Lumbini. It is expected to increase the number of pilgrim arrivals to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lumbini. The airport project conceived by South Asia Tourism Infrastructure Development to develop and improve tourism infrastructure was approved a decade ago by the board of the Asian Development Bank.

The Buddhist circuit in Uttar Pradesh attracts international tourists from all across the world. Kaushambi, where Buddha stayed and preached during the sixth and ninth years of attaining enlightenment, received the highest number of tourists in the last five years. Sarnath is the second most visited place after Kaushambi. Tourist visits to Uttar Pradesh Buddhist Circuit in 2020-2021 have been severely impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Table 1: Tourist visits to Uttar Pradesh Buddhist Circuit in the Years - 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021

Source: Year-wise Tourist Statistics, UP Tourism

Foreign tourists have preferred to visit Sarnath, where Buddha turned the Wheel of Law, whereas domestic tourists have preferred to visit Kaushambi. Sarnath has received the highest foreign tourist visits in the Uttar Pradesh Buddhist Circuit in the last five years. Shravasti received the second-highest number of tourists in the 2017-2019 period after Sarnath.

Table 2: Foreign tourists visit Uttar Pradesh Buddhist Circuit in the Years - 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021

The inflow of foreign tourists to important tourist places in Uttar Pradesh was severely hit in 2020-2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The foreign tourist visits increased yearly from the 2017-2019 period, with 2019 seeing a 25.5% increase in foreign tourists compared to the last year. The inflow, however, reduced staggeringly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with 2020 seeing an 81.22% decrease and 2021 seeing a 94.97% decrease in foreign tourists compared to the last year.

India banned international flights on March 23, 2020, with only limited international flights allowed to operate between India and select countries under bilateral air bubble agreements. Regular international flights resumed on March 27, 2022, after a COVID-19 pandemic-induced hiatus of two years. [ [iii] ]

Table 3: Foreign tourist visits to important tourist places of Uttar Pradesh in the years 2017 to 2021

Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, is the most visited pilgrimage site in Nepal by foreign tourists excluding Indian tourists in Nepal. The incoming foreign visits, excluding Indian tourists, were battered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, Nepal was open for tourist arrivals only for the first three months leading to a 73.7% reduction in tourist visits to Lumbini.

One million seven hundred seventy-nine thousand eighty-six persons visited Lumbini in 2019, with 78.76% Nepalese, 11.51% Indians, and 9.73% other countries. In 2020, 279,927 persons visited Lumbini, with 70.5% Nepalese, 13.3% Indians, and 16.2% from other countries. In 2021, 508,892 persons visited Lumbini, with 91.1% Nepalese, 8.6% Indians, and 0.23% from other countries.

Bhairahawa and Rupendehi account for most of the tourist arrivals by land entry points in the last three years. In 2019, the land entry point accounted for 161396 or 80% of arrivals out of 201307 in Nepal. In 2020, the land entry point accounted for 43272 or 92.2% of arrivals out of 46955 in Nepal.

Table 4: Foreign tourist visits to Lumbini, Nepal (excluding Indian tourists)

Source: Nepal Tourism Statistics 2021 , Ministry of Culture, Tourism & Civil Aviation

East and South East Asian countries account for many international arrivals to the Buddhist Circuit. The same is reflected in the country-wise visit statistics to Lumbini (excluding Indian citizens) for 2020. Sri Lanka (47507), Myanmar (30791), Thailand (28364), China (21269), Vietnam (8345), South Korea (6145), Germany (3306), Taiwan (2623), Japan (2056), and the USA (2047) were the top 10 countries in terms of country-wise tourist visit (excluding Indian citizens) to Lumbini in 2019.

Ramayana Circuit

Recently, the transnational Buddhist circuit has dominated the discourse around Indo-Nepal religious tourism, with both countries looking to rejuvenate tourism in the post-COVID-19 world. The bilateral Joint Working Group for cooperation in the tourism sector had earlier agreed to promote the development of the Ramayana circuit and Buddhist circuit in the two countries. [ [iv] ]

During PM Modi's visit to Janakpur in 2018, the two Prime Ministers launched India-Nepal Ramayana Circuit to connect spiritual places in Nepal linked to Ramayana to the places in the rest of India where Lord Rama and Mother Janaki had set their feet. They had also flagged off the inaugural bus service between Janakpur and Ayodhya. The bus service will allow devotees to experience the pleasure of affordable and attractive pilgrimage and help develop Nepal's tourism by coming in large numbers. Thousands of devotees from India visit Janakpur in Nepal on the occasion of Vivah Panchami. Devotees keep coming to perform Parikrama throughout the year. [ [v] ]

On the Indian side, fifteen destinations have been identified for development under the Ramayana circuit, including Rameshwaram, Hampi, Bhadrachalam, Nagpur, Nashik, Jagdalpur, Buxar, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, Chitrakoot, Mahendragiri, Ayodhya, Nandigram, and Shringverpur. [ [vi] ]

On the Nepalese side, Janakpur is an integral part of the Ramayana circuit, and the Ayodhya-Janakpur bus service made it a part of the Ramayana circuit. In 2018, the two countries agreed to organize yearly fairs in Ayodhya and Janakpur to promote religious ties between the two cities.   

PM Modi in 2018 announced assistance of Rs 100 crores for developing Janakpur and nearby areas in cooperation with the Nepal Government. The two countries, in collaboration, would identify projects along with the provincial government. [ [vii] ]

Although the primary focus till now has been on connecting Ayodhya and Janakpur, the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu is a significant centre of faith for Hindus, among other important places. The Pashupati area in Nepal receives the second highest foreign tourists (excluding Indian tourists) after Lumbini. Pashupati was visited by 163311, 171937, 25400, and 3190 foreign tourists (excluding Indian tourists) in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 respectively. The incoming foreign tourists, excluding Indian tourists, grew year-on-year between 2015-2019 but were affected severely by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Table 5: Foreign tourist visits to Pashupatinath, Nepal (excluding Indian tourists)

The Pashupatinath Mahadev temple in Varanasi also attracts scores of tourists and pilgrims after the development of the Kashi Vishwanath temple. The temple has also emerged as a symbol of India-Nepal unity. [ [viii] ]

Last month, IRCTC started running the Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train connecting India and Nepal for the Ramayana circuit covering prominent places associated with the life of Lord Rama. [ [ix] ] The 18-day train journey covering an 8,000 km long circuit kick-starts from Delhi and covers Ayodhya, Janakpur (Nepal), Sitamarhi, Varanasi, Nashik, and Rameshwaram before returning to the capital. The theme-based Tourist circuit train takes the tourists to Ram Janmbhoomi temple in Ayodhya, Hanuman temple and Bharat Mandir at Nandigram, and Ram-Janaki temple in Janakpur, among other essential holy sites. [ [x] ]

Last year, it ran the Shri Ramayana Yatra Tour package under the 'Dekho Apna Desh' Deluxe Air-Conditioned Tourist train with 16 nights/17 days tour package to help devotees explore various prominent sacred places associated with the life of Lord Rama.

The construction of the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya, expected to be completed next year, will boost the Ramayana circuit. The upcoming Ayodhya International Airport is supposed to become functional by the time the construction of the Ram temple is over will increase the air connectivity in the circuit. [ [xi] ]

Promoting Trans-National Buddhist and Ramayana Circuit

Prime Minister Modi's visit to the Mayadevi temple on May 16 underscores the importance of religious connections in India-Nepal bilateral ties. The birthplace of Lord Buddha lies within the Mayadevi temple. Nepal and India share the civilizational and profound cultural heritage of the people of both countries. The civilizational contact of over two millennia and cultural overlaps between India and Nepal results in the countries sharing complementaries, including religion and culture, among other things. India's soft power has great resonance with Nepal. Over the centuries, the vast tradition of civilization, culture, and knowledge has gained momentum through the pilgrimages from India and Nepal.

PM Modi's visit to Nepal saw the 'shilanyas' ceremony for constructing the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage at a plot in Lumbini owned by the New Delhi-based International Buddhist Confederation (IBC). [ [xii] ] The envisaged Buddhist centre is proposed to house prayer halls, a meditation centre, an exhibition hall, a library, and other amenities. The Buddhist centre will be open to Buddhist pilgrims and centres worldwide. The centre in the Lumbini monastic zone will deepen the cultural and people-to-people linkages between India and Nepal. The centre will help promote the Buddhist philosophy and the teachings of Gautam Buddha.

Tourism is an integral part of Nepal's economy. Religious tourism is one of the most significant contributors to the Nepalese tourism industry. It has helped generate revenue, and jobs, apart from promoting the Nepalese way of life, culture, and traditions, among other things. Every year, lakhs of devotees from all over the world visit the religious shrines in India and Nepal.

Last year, the new Kushinagar International Airport received a proposal from Nepal-based Buddha Airlines to connect Kushinagar with Kathmandu via Lucknow. The airline also has plans to operate flights between Kushinagar and Bhairahawa in Lumbini. [ [xiii] ]

The airport has boosted airline connectivity within the Buddist circuit and pushed the holy places in Uttar Pradesh on the global map. The airport received the first batch of international Buddhist travellers a few months ago. A high-level Buddhist delegation from Thailand and Vietnam arrived via a chartered flight.

Earlier, tourists and pilgrims from Buddhist nations would touch at Kathmandu airport and then travel to Kushinagar by road. Alternatively, international charter flights would land at Bodh Gaya and return via Varanasi. Now, pilgrimage tourists from Vietnam, China, Sri Lanka, Thailand, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Singapore can comfortably fly directly by air to Kushinagar. They will also have a direct flight from Bhairahawa and Kathmandu to Kushinagar as and when operational.

A decade ago, Buddha Airlines had experimented with operating flights from Kathmandu, Lucknow, and Varanasi, but the same fell flat due to less footfall. Uttar Pradesh now has three international airports: Kushinagar, Lucknow, and Varanasi. The airport is part of India's Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), wherein underserved airports connect with key airports through flights.

PM Modi, during his recent visit to Nepal, had first flown to Kushinagar Airport and from there left for Nepal in a chopper in a symbolic move. The airport will likely start international flights soon in the next few months, with airport authorities working on fulfilling the technical requirements. The airport will allow international tourists to visit pilgrimage sites in Kushinagar and Lumbini easily.

Pilgrims prefer travelling through India to Lumbini rather than flying to Kathmandu and then making their way to Lumbini. Most international tourists come from India as part of the Buddhist circuit, including the holy places in Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, and Kushinagar, among others.

The Buddhist circuit already has four international airports and two domestic airports. Another two domestic airports are in the pipeline, apart from plans to develop helicopter services and improve international connectivity. [ [xiv] ]

Bharat Gaurav train is tipped to be the first tourist train from India to cross the international border into Nepal. The previous Ramayana circuit tours covered by tourist trains from India covered Janakpur through Sitamarhi station. Indian Railways, with support from Nepal Railways, has now extended the track from Jainagar station in India to Janakpur in Nepal.

The two countries recently launched a cross-border railway line linking Jainagar in Bihar to Kurtha in Nepal. It is the first broad-gauge passenger rail link between the two countries which will be extended up to Bardibas in Nepal. India is supporting the project with Rs 548 crore grant. [ [xv] ]

Last year, the Ministry of Tourism under the Government of India organized Buddhist Circuit Train FAM Tour and Conference to promote the potential of Buddhist tourism. The conference discussed vital issues around developing and promoting tourism in the circuit. Under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, Tourism Ministry (India) sanctioned five projects worth Rs 325.53 crore to develop a Buddhist circuit in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh. [ [xvi] ]

The Ministry focuses on connectivity, infrastructure and logistics, cultural research, heritage, education, public awareness, communication and outreach as the significant verticals of development under the Buddhist circuit. The four-fold development strategy focus on improving rail, air, and road connectivity, enhancing tourism infrastructure and dependent services, streamlining branding and promotion, and showcasing the heritage and culture. [ [xvii] ]

On the Nepalese side, the country is developing infrastructure on its side of the Ramayana circuit. The Janakpur Cultural and Tourism Infrastructure Development Project has an estimated cost of NRs 2000 million. As part of it, the cultural heritage sites of Janakpur will be conserved and beautified, and the construction of information boards, signage, and parks have been planned. It is working to link local and national infrastructure with the Buddha circuit and Ramayana circuit. It is preparing master plans for implementation for the Buddha and Ramayana circuits, among other religious circuits. [ [xviii] ]

In 2018, Nepal proposed developing a monorail network connecting Buddha's birthplace Lumbini, Tilaurakot, and Ramgram with the Gautam Buddha International Airport. The government had planned a feasibility study, after which the works would start if it got a favourable report from the study. The Lumbini Declaration 2018 established Lumbini as the gateway to the larger tourist circuit of Asian Buddhist pilgrimage sites. The plan envisaged connecting Lumbini with Bodhgaya, Sarnath, and Kushinagar of India and other Buddhist heritage sites in other countries such as Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and other countries. [ [xix] ]

The new Gautam Buddha International Airport's financial and technical viability might not be possible if India does not allow aircraft to enter Nepal from proposed cross-border routes in Nepalgunj, Mahendranagar, or Bhairahawa. International flights headed to the new airport will have to fly an extra 300 km in the aerial distance if not allowed to use the proposed cross-border airspaces.

The grant of additional routes from Janakpur, Nepalgunj, and Mahendranagar to Nepal will be essential to facilitate connectivity and travel between the two countries. Nepal has requested India for more cross-border entry and exit points for a decade. India and Nepal, in a joint communique in 2014, had agreed to resolve the issue of the direct cross-border route to facilitate flights between regional airports in Pokhara and Bhairahawa. In 2016, Kathmandu-Mahendranagar-Delhi (L626) route bi-directional or two-way was agreed upon, but the same remains unimplemented. [ [xx] ]

The India-Nepal Bilateral Motor Vehicle Agreement for passenger traffic envisaged regular bus services between the two countries per agreed routes, trips, and timetables to promote tourism. The bus services initially covered Kathmandu, Bhairahawa, and Varanasi, among other places. [ [xxi] ]

The two countries had earlier signed MoU on twinning arrangments between Lumbini-Bodh Gaya, Ayodhya-Janakpur, and Kathmandu-Varanasi as sister cities in light of their historical and deep cultural linkages. The sister-city relations would help promote cultural exchange and develop stronger people-to-people ties. Recently, the two countries have agreed to establish sister city relations between Lumbini-Kushinagar to enhance ties between the two countries. [ [xxii] ]

Culture helps bring people closer. Religious tourism between India and Nepal has already added value to public life and society. The holy places in India and Nepal symbolize both countries' shared heritage and values. The shared heritage has existed since ancient times, from Lumbini in Nepal to Kushinagar, Bodh Gaya, and Sarnath in India. The two countries need to develop this heritage together and enrich it further.

Even though Nepal can offer a lot to prospective tourists, including the Himalayas, among other tourist places, it has not been able to capitalize on the potential of tourism ultimately. The contribution of tourism to Nepal's GDP is not as significant as it can be. However, it has made a considerable impact on the economy of Nepal by driving the socio-economic development of the country. Nepal can make it big in tourism but will have to change its approach in order to fulfil the potential of tourism it has.

The tourism sector was one of the worst-affected sectors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nepal's revenue from tourism decreased by 70% in 2020 compared to the last year due to the pandemic-induced disruption. In 2021, the income from tourism decreased by 48.2% in comparison to the previous year.

After improving the COVID-19 situation and achieving vaccination targets in India, the Tourism Ministry has started aggressively promoting tourism. The tourism sector has started showing signs of returning to the pre-pandemic normal. The New Year of 2022 saw the tourism sector rejuvenating. Lumbini is reported to have received more Indian tourists after PM Modi's visit in May. [ [xxiii] ] The Governments need to be prudent in formulating policies and take into confidence the stakeholders to ensure that the tourism sector remains resilient while facing new challenges in the future.

The transnational nature of the Buddhist circuit necessitates greater coordination between India and Nepal. [ [xxiv] ] The two countries need to continue making significant investments in infrastructure to implement the Buddhist religious circuit. The investment must improve connectivity, build more hotels to address paucity, maintain the cleanliness of tourist spots, enhance security, and create amenities along the transnational circuit.

The connectivity between the tourist destinations in the transnational circuit is essential. While various measures have been taken to improve the same, it is pertinent to enhance the connectivity between Lumbini and other destinations in the transnational circuit. Lumbini, Buddha's birthplace, is an indispensable part of the transnational Buddhist circuit. The proposed Lumbini-Kushinagar rail link will help improve the connectivity between the two countries. [ [xxv] ]

Creating more integrated check posts (ICPs) like the upcoming Bhairahawa and Sonauli will help facilitate the movement of people across the border. As and when the under-construction ICPs are completed, this will increase the movement of people across the India-Nepal border. The increase in ICPs will allow international tourists coming to India to come to Nepal more easily.          

The road travellers on the East-West corridor cutting through Kushinagar and the Buddhist circuit routes in Bihar often lacked decent eateries and even toilets. India and Nepal should work on improving amenities on both sides of the borders by opening cafes/food courts with hygienic washrooms. Such moves will also lead to the generation of jobs for the locals residing in and around the Buddhist circuit. Local entrepreneurs must be encouraged to cash in by catering to the pilgrimage tourists whose footfalls are bound to soar. Taxi services and car rentals can also be another avenue for employment generation and help tourists. [ [xxvi] ] 10

The two countries also need greater cooperation to focus on the joint marketing and promotion of the religious circuits. The two countries can develop, share and set common tourism standards, undertake capacity building in the tourism industry, and formulate joint marketing and branding strategies to create a brand around the transitional religious circuit. A dedicated standard website for promoting the international religious circuit can help increase the impressions around the same.

India already showcases the Buddhist sites on its Incredible India website and also developed a dedicated website, 'indiathelandofbuddha,' to promote and showcase the rich Buddhist heritage in India.

The two countries need to give more momentum to their future efforts to take religious tourism to the next level. Religious tourism between India and Nepal will lead to inter-dependence through the religious circuits, driving economic growth and bilateral ties. It will also help strengthen the spirit of friendship between the two countries.

India and Nepal have been working closely and supporting each other's efforts to develop the transnational Buddhist circuit and Lumbini. The two countries strongly realize all the possibilities of development. The two countries' common heritage, culture, and love are significant assets. The stronger the asset becomes, the stronger both countries can leverage the potential and take the message of Lord Buddha across the world. It will also further the ever-strengthening friendship of India and Nepal and the closeness between the two countries.

The two countries need to strengthen their cooperation and leverage the close links to benefit from the tourism sector. COVID-19 sent the tourism industry across the world into a deep slumber, but with things getting back on track, things are looking bright again. There is a need to aggressively market tourism to get it back on track. Hurdles will be there throughout in the form of bureaucratic red tape and political issues. The will of both the counterparts and how they handle the obstacles as they come in the way will dictate the state of religious tourism between the duo. Only time will tell whether India and Nepal can fulfil the potential religious tourism.

[i] Swadesh Darshan. (2018, October 22). National Portal of India. Retrieved July 16, 2022, from https://www.india.gov.in/spotlight/swadesh-darshan

[ii] Buddhist Train Brochure. (n.d.). IRCTC Buddhist Train. Retrieved July 16, 2022, from https://www.irctcbuddhisttrain.com/assets/pdf/BuddhistTrainBrochure.pdf

[iii] Regular international flights resume in India after two years. (2022, March 27). The Economic Times. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/visit/regular-international-flights-resume-in-india-after-two-years/articleshow/90479469.cms

[iv] Indo-Nepal Tourism Forum to be set up for mutual consultation and promotion of tourism: Tourism Minister Ramayana and Budhist circuits to be promoted through common branding by India and Nepal. (2018, July 30). PIB. Retrieved July 16, 2022, from https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1540659

[v] PM Modi flags off the Ayodhya-Janakpur bus service. (n.d.). DD News. https://ddnews.gov.in/national/pm-narendra-modi-leave-2-day-visit-nepal

[vi] The Government has identified fifteen destinations for the development of tourism under the Ramayana Circuit. (n.d.). Press Information Bureau. Retrieved July 16, 2022, from https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=191116

[vii] English rendering of PM’s speech at the Civic Reception at Barahbiga ground in Janakpur, Nepal. (2018, May 11). Press Information Bureau. Retrieved July 16, 2022, from https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1531923

[viii] Varanasi's Pashupatinath Mahadev Mandir: A symbol of India-Nepal unity. (2022, March 27). ThePrint. https://theprint.in/world/varanasis-pashupatinath-mahadev-mandir-a-symbol-of-india-nepal-unity/890826/

[ix] Shri G Kishan Reddy and Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw flag off the Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train operating on the Ramayana Circuit from Delhi Safdarjung Railway Station today. (2022, June 21). PIB. Retrieved July 16, 2022, from https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1836061

[x] Chauhan, A. (2022, May 26). 18 Days, 8k Km; Irctc Introduces Train Covering The Ramayan Circuit. Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/18-days-8k-km-irctc-introduces-train-covering-the-ramayan-circuit/articleshow/91799213.cms

[xi] Seth, M., & Srivastav, V. (2022, April 8). Ayodhya Airport: AAI, UP govt sign lease for land transfer. The Indian Express. https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/lucknow/have-told-officials-ayodhya-airport-should-be-ready-along-with-ram-temple-yogi-adityanath-7858440/

[xii] India International Centre for Buddhist Culture & Heritage: Strengthening Buddhist heritage & legacy |. (2022, May 16). NewsOnAIR. https://newsonair.com/2022/05/16/india-international-centre-for-buddist-culture-heritage-strengthening-buddhist-heritage-legacy/

[xiii] Jha, A. M. (2021, October 20). Kushinagar airport to boost tourism in Uttar Pradesh & Bihar: Secretary | Patna News. Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/kushinagar-airport-to-boost-tourism-in-up-bihar-secy/articleshow/87143266.cms

[xiv] Religious tourism high on agenda during PM Modi's Nepal visit. (2022, May 16). Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/religious-tourism-high-on-agenda-during-pm-modis-nepal-visit/articleshow/91585696.cms

[xv] Laskar, R. H., & Laska, R. H. (2022, April 2). India, Nepal launch cross-border rail link, Deuba urges Modi to resolve border dispute. Hindustan Times. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-nepal-launch-cross-border-rail-link-deuba-urges-modi-to-resolve-border-dispute-101648912450187.html

[xvi] Ministry of Tourism to organise conference on Buddhist circuit to promote potential of Buddhist tourism Under Swadesh Darshan Scheme. (2021, October 5). Ministry Of Tourism. Retrieved July 16, 2022, from https://tourism.gov.in/sites/default/files/2021-10/PIB1761045.pdf

[xvii] Kushinagar International Airport - Boost to tourism in Buddhist circuit. (2021, October 26). PIB. Retrieved July 16, 2022, from https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2021/oct/doc2021102701.pdf

[xviii] The Fifteenth Plan . (n.d.). National Planning Commission. Retrieved July 16, 2022, from https://npc.gov.np/images/category/15th_plan_English_Version.pdf

[xix] Government plans Lumbini monorail feasibility studies. (2018, May 1). The Kathmandu Post. https://kathmandupost.com/miscellaneous/2018/05/01/government-plans-lumbini-monorail-feasibility-studies

[xx] Bhairahawa airport to open on May 16, but Modi won't land there. (2022, May 10). The Kathmandu Post. https://kathmandupost.com/national/2022/05/10/bhairahawa-airport-to-open-on-may-16-but-modi-won-t-land-there

[xxi] Outcomes during the visit of Prime Minister to Nepal (November 25-27, 2014). (n.d.). Press Information Bureau. Retrieved July 16, 2022, from https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=112053

[xxii] Chaubey, A. K. (2022, May 16). India-Nepal agree to establish sister-city ties between Lumbini and Kushinagar. Zee News. https://zeenews.india.com/india/india-nepal-agree-to-establish-sister-city-relations-between-lumbini-and-kushinagar-check-details-of-mous-signed-today-2464090.html

[xxiii] Ghimire, S. (2022, July 6). More Indian tourists flock to Nepal's Lumbini after PM Modi's visit in May. Daijiworld. https://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay?newsID=976429

[xxiv] Thakur, J. (2019, September 20). Religious tourism as soft power: Strengthening India's outreach to Southeast Asia | ORF. Observer Research Foundation. https://www.orfonline.org/research/religious-tourism-as-soft-power-strengthening-indias-outreach-to-southeast-asia-55674/

[xxv] India-Nepal cooperation on a rising trajectory in religious tourism. (2022, May 13). ThePrint. https://theprint.in/world/india-nepal-cooperation-on-rising-trajectory-in-religious-tourism/955114/

[xxvi] Kushinagar-Nepal flight to boost Buddhist circuit. (2021, September 3). Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/kushinagar-nepal-flight-to-boost-buddhist-circuit/articleshow/85883343.cms

Arasu Kannagi Basil

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Uttar Pradesh to promote Prayagraj as global centre for religious tourism

: uttar pradesh government plans to promote prayagraj as a global religious and tourist centre after modelling it on the principles used to develop ancient vedic city, said officials.

: Uttar Pradesh government plans to promote Prayagraj as a global religious and tourist centre after modelling it on the principles used to develop ancient Vedic city, said officials.

As part of the plan, number of infrastructural and developmental projects would be completed before the 2025 Mahakumbh, officials said.

The Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) plans to unveil an ‘integrated infrastructure development plan’ and an ‘integrated tourism master plan’ for the district. It also intends to take up riverfront development, including development of ghats at Sangam area along river Ganga and Yamuna also, an official said.

To develop 769.60 square kilometer area under PDA, the authorities have begun the process of appointing a consultant to prepare the vision plan and PDA officials have already floated a request for proposal (RFP) for this.

PDA superintending engineer, Rohit Khanna said the consultant would present a blueprint of the master plan, identifying projects for augmenting the socio-economic base of the city and generate employment for the local population through tourism, pilgrimage and other activities.

Some important projects include development of 12 Madhav Circuit, upgradation of Sangam area including river cleaning and dredging, developing riverfront and Ghat development on Sangam area, ropeway connecting Quila Ghat, Triveni Pushp and Saccha Baba Ghat, land development along ring road (besides Yamuna), restoration of water bodies of mythological and religious importance etc.

“Development of integrated tourism master plan is aimed at developing Prayagraj as ‘Teertharaj- a global tourist destination,” informed a PDA official associated with the project.

“The plan is to develop Prayagraj as international tourism hub while retaining and embellishing the regional cultural heritage and customs including iconic Kumbh and Magh melas. The mega plan would be prepared in such a way that it would visualise prospects of developing a religious tourism circuit by integrating with Varanasi, Ayodhya, Kaushambi, Gorakhpur, Shringverpuram etc,” the official said.

PDA also wants to prepare a blueprint of the regional transport infrastructure augmentation. “The consultant would suggest the projects that need to be developed for augmenting transportation, road, rail and air linkages for improvement in accessibility perspective,” officials said.

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A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY ON THE POTENTIAL AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT OF RELIGIOUS TOURISM CIRCUIT IN MAHARASHTRA

2024, IAEME PUBLICATION

Tourism plays a pivotal role in contemporary socio-economic development, exerting a significant influence across diverse dimensions. Recognized for its multifaceted impact on economic, social, political, environmental, cultural, and psychological aspects, tourism is considered a crucial driver for overall development. In the last decade, India has been actively engaged in enhancing its tourism sector. This research endeavors to pinpoint various locations and establish tourist circuits that captivate visitors. Employing the TOPSIS tool, priority was accorded to specific circuits. The selected circuit prompted the identification of essential infrastructure development projects, aimed at amplifying tourist interest in the designated area. Tourism, often defined as the "activity of visiting places for pleasure," revolves around the movement of individuals beyond their habitual place of residence. It encompasses journeys within a city, state, country, or across international borders. Most individuals, at some point in their lives, engage in tourism activities, whether it involves visiting grandparents in a nearby city, exploring local monuments, or embarking on international holidays. Throughout these experiences, numerous service providers, such as travel agents, guides, transporters, and souvenir sellers, actively contribute to the overall tourism ecosystem.

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International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Kiran Shinde

Religious tourism constitutes the dominant form of tourism in India and yet little is known about how it is governed and managed. This paper aims to contribute to a better understanding of governance and management of religious tourism. It first provides an overview of policy framework and governance mechanisms that are relevant for religious tourism. Then a market profile is presented to examine how the religious tourism economy intersects with the state-apparatus of policies and institutions. To better explain the complexities of religious tourism, the paper employs the axis of formal-informal economy: the informal end is where the religious tourism economy is based on the traditional practice of pilgrimage, that relies on the informal networks built around social patronage relationships between visitors and religious actors; while at the formal end, it is often the state-sponsored and/or public charitable trusts that act as corporate religious bodies for providing and organising a range of services in religious tourism. Detailed studies of two sites - Vrindavan and Shirdi - provide the empirical data. The pilgrimage-town of Vrindavan in the state of Uttar Pradesh in north India represents the former; the pilgrimage town of Shirdi in the western state of Maharashtra is an example of the latter. Vrindavan is associated with traditional religious practice and sacred geography pertaining to the Hindu god Krishna while Shirdi is dedicated to a 20th century saint, Sai Baba. Consequently, the former involves elaborate rituals and performances while the latter is fairly limited in terms of visitors’ engagement, and exhibits more mass-tourism-like features. The analytical triad of religious geography - specialists - performances is used to explore the range of management systems involved in the religious tourism of the two sites. It is found that the transformations of the religious tourism economy from a traditional pilgrimage practice bring in uneasy tensions: while religious actors actively participate in promotion and management of the religious tourism economy at local levels, they hardly shoulder responsibilities of addressing the negative environmental impacts. Thus, there is often an ‘institutional vacuum’ in dealing with both direct and indirect impacts of religious tourism. The paper shows how the reality of religious tourism is at odds with the state’s envisioned role since it largely operates beyond the state-policy framework. The paper argues that identifying the formal and informal systems in management can help to better address the multi-faceted impacts of religious tourism and contribute in developing measures for its sustainability.

Buddhist heritage in India is receiving reasonable attention for tourism development with a particular emphasis on promoting Buddhist circuits. One Buddhist pilgrimage circuit covering eight locations including four most sacred places, namely, Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar, and Lumbini, is popular for spiritual and religious reasons. Fieldwork conducted in these four sites reveals complex patterns of visitation that question the idea of a circuit as a tourism product. The primary circuit-goers are foreign Buddhist followers, but the magnitude of their visitation is very low. They constitute less than 10 percent of visitors and are far outnumbered by domestic visitors. Domestic visitors driven by recreational purposes hardly complete the entire circuit; their visits are directed to two popular sites while other sites are used as “middle-of-the-trip centers” or places for daytrips. The interviews with various stakeholders including religious institutions, private tour operators, and r...

Religious tourism and the environment

The purpose of this chapter is to do a comparative analysis of the environmental issues in six religious tourism destinations and then use this analysis as a basis to propose a conceptual model for explaining environmental management in religious tourism destinations. All the destinations selected for this analysis are from the state of Maharashtra in western India. This was done so that at least one governing parameter - legislative and institutional frameworks - was common to all sites. This commonality allowed for exploring the influence of other factors, such as the size of the town, the nature of the pilgrimage economy, the scale of pilgrim- or catchment-field, landscape attributes, and land uses, among others, in articulating and responding to environmental problems. Using indicators commonly used in environmental assessments, a comparative discussion of the environmental scenarios in these places is presented. The different institutions and their responses to the environmenta...

South Asian Affairs (ISSN 1349-8851; The Center for South Asian Studies, Gifu Women’s University, Gifu, Japan), Vol. 18

Rana P.B. SINGH

This study identifies the varying components of cultural heritage and analyses the scenario within the perspectives of notable sites, different issues, potentials, and prospects for tourism development, and finally the scope and strategy of holistic development in the Purvanchal region of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Uttar Pradesh, consists of 75 districts, out of these, 28 districts fall in the eastern part, named popularly as Purvanchal Region. The five major pilgrimage nexuses in the region metaphorically denote the Golden Pentagon “Pañchatatva: Pañchāyatana”; representing the holy cities with the specific deity and ‘sacred image’, like Gorakhpur (Nath—Yogis), Ayodhya (Rama—Ramaite), Prayagraj [Allahabad] (sage Bhardvaja and Kumbha Mela), Vindhyachal (Tri-Devis, i.e., Lakshmi, Sarasvati. and Kali), and Varanasi (Shiva–Shaivite, and Buddhism). Under the umbrella of pilgrimage tourism, and the mission of ‘reconnecting with your culture’ (RWYC), it would be more feasible to promote sustainable development together with inclusive heritage development. Keywords: pilgrimage tourism, sacredscapes, sacred routes, Gorakhpur, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Vindhyachal, Varanasi, sacred territory, holy-heritage city.

Atna Journal of Tourism Studies

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Tourism is an ever evolving and a dynamic industry which can play a crucial role in increasing income and in providing employment opportunities in an economy. India especially with its rich heritage, culture and geographical landscapes has always had immense potential to become a leading tourist destination. Presently the major types of tourism prevalent in India are Medical Tourism, Rural/ Natural Tourism, Religious Tourism and Historical& Educational Tourism. In 2018-19, the tourism sector contributed around 5% to India’s GDP. However with the health shock of Covid-19, the tourism sector has taken a major hit since early 2020, with several people losing their jobs in the tourism and hospitality sector when different states imposed lockdowns and took various measures to curb the pandemic. As restrictions in each state eased during the first wave of the pandemic, different states in India adopted various policies to revive the tourism industry. But to understand the effectiveness of...

Priyakrushna Mohanty

Presented the paper titled, <strong><em>"Religion, National Identity, and Heritage Tourism: Illustrating the Indian Experiences"</em></strong> in the <strong>International Conference</strong> on "Convergence and Divergence: Indian Literature in a Global Context—Canadian and Indian Perspectives", organized by Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, New Delhi & Department of English, School of Humanities, Pondicherry University, India, held on 30<sup>th</sup> Aug – 31<sup>st</sup> Aug 2018.

This paper examines the urbanization process in religious tourism destinations using the example of Shirdi in India. Shirdi, a town dedicated to worship of a twentieth-century Saint Sai Baba, attracts more than eight million visitors every year. The paper explains how religious tourism economy drives rapid urbanization including demographic change and land-use conversion owing to the infrastructure needs of visitors. It is found that planning mechanisms including the conventional master plan approach have been ineffective in adequately responding to issues such as the proliferation of unauthorized commercial establishments, hotels, lodging and boarding houses; strained infrastructure; and environmental pollution that characterize urbanization in religious tourism destinations.

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Potential of Tourism as one of the most effective drivers for the development of regional economies has been acknowledged by government of Maharashtra. It is one of the key sectors of the economy which makes a positive contribution to government revenues, generation of employment and contribution to regional development. At Travel and Tourism Summit-2005 in New Delhi, Shri. Lalit Suri, Chairman of World Travel and Tourism Council India Initiative stated, “Synergy in India should mean central state and private sector working together to maximize tourism promotion and experience, with greater involvement of state authorities”.

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Unesco social media, kremlin and red square, moscow.

• Description

Inextricably linked to all the most important historical and political events in Russia since the 13th century, the Kremlin (built between the 14th and 17th centuries by outstanding Russian and foreign architects) was the residence of the Great Prince and also a religious centre. At the foot of its ramparts, on Red Square, St Basil's Basilica is one of the most beautiful Russian Orthodox monuments.

Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0

Le Kremlin et la place Rouge, Moscou

Indissolublement lié à tous les événements historiques et politiques les plus importants survenus en Russie depuis le XIII e siècle, le Kremlin a été construit entre le XIV e et le XVII e siècle par des architectes russes et étrangers exceptionnels. C'était la résidence du grand-prince ainsi qu'un centre religieux. Au pied de ses remparts, sur la place Rouge, s'élève la basilique Basile-le-Bienheureux, l'un des plus beaux monuments de l'art orthodoxe.

الكرملين والساحة الحمراء، موسكو

يرتبط الكرملين ارتباطاً وثيقاً بجميع الأحداث التاريخيّة والسياسيّة المهمّة التي توالت على روسيا منذ القرن الثالث عشر ولقد جرى تشييده بين القرنين الرابع والسابع عشر على يد مهندسين روس وأجانب استثنائيين. وكان الكرملين مقرّ الأمير الكبير كما كان مركزاً دينيّاً. عند أسفل أسواره في الساحة الحمراء شيدت بازيليك القديس بازيل وهي من أروع تحف الفنّ الأرثوذكسي.

source: UNESCO/CPE Description is available under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0

莫斯科克里姆林宫和红场

由俄罗斯和外国建筑家于14世纪至17世纪共同修建的克里姆林宫，作为沙皇的住宅和宗教中心，与13世纪以来俄罗斯所有最重要的历史事件和政治事件密不可分。在红场上防御城墙的脚下坐落的圣瓦西里教堂是俄罗斯传统艺术最漂亮的代表作之一。

El kremlin y la Plaza Roja de Moscú

Indisolublemente vinculado a los más trascendentales acontecimientos históricos y políticos de Rusia desde el siglo XIII, el kremlin de Moscú fue construido entre los siglos XIV y XVII por toda una serie de excelentes arquitectos rusos y extranjeros. Además de ser la residencia del Gran Príncipe, fue un importante centro religioso. Al pie de sus murallas, en la Plaza Roja, se alza la basílica de San Basilio el Bienaventurado, uno de los más hermosos monumentos de arte ortodoxo.

モスクワのクレムリンと赤の広場

source: NFUAJ

Kremlin en Rode Plein, Moskou

Het Kremlin is onlosmakelijk verbonden met alle belangrijke historische en politieke gebeurtenissen in Rusland sinds de 13e eeuw. Het werd door de Grote Prins Yuri van Kiev gesticht als residentie en religieus centrum. De bouw vond plaats tussen de 14e en 17e eeuw en het ontwerp was in handen van uitstekende Russische en buitenlandse architecten. Binnen de muren van het Kremlin vindt men een reeks meesterwerken qua architectuur, maar ook beeldende kunst en religieuze monumenten van uitzonderlijke schoonheid. Aan de voet van de stadsmuren, op het Rode Plein, bevindt zich een van de mooiste Russisch-orthodoxe monumenten, de Pokrovkathedraal ook wel Basiliuskathedraal genoemd.

Source: unesco.nl

Outstanding Universal Value

Brief synthesis

At the geographic and historic centre of Moscow, the Moscow Kremlin is the oldest part of the city. First mentioned in the Hypatian Chronicle in 1147 as a fortification erected on the left bank of the Moskva river by Yuri Dolgoruki, Prince of Suzdal, the Kremlin developed and grew with settlements and suburbs which were further surrounded by new fortifications - Kitaigorodsky Wall, Bely Gorod, Zemlyanoy Gorod and others. This determined a radial and circular plan of the centre of Moscow typical of many other Old Russian cities.

In 13th century the Kremlin was the official residence of supreme power - the center of temporal and spiritual life of the state. The Kremlin of the late 15th – early 16th century is one of the major fortifications of Europe (the stone walls and towers of present day were erected in 1485–1516). It contains an ensemble of monuments of outstanding quality.

The most significant churches of the Moscow Kremlin are situated on the Cathedral Square; they are the Cathedral of the Dormition, Church of the Archangel, Church of the Annunciation and the bell tower of Ivan Veliki. Almost all of them were designed by invited Italian architects which is clearly seen in their architectural style. The five-domed Assumption Cathedral (1475–1479) was built by an Italian architect Aristotele Fiorvanti. Its interior is decorated with frescos and a five-tier iconostasis (15th–17th century). The cathedral became the major Russian Orthodox church; a wedding and coronation place for great princes, tsars and emperors as well as the shrine for metropolitans and patriarchs.

In the same square another Italian architect, Alevisio Novi, erected the five-domed Church of the Archangel in 1505-1508. From the 17th to 19th century, its interior was decorated by wonderful frescos and an iconostasis. In this church many great princes and tsars of Moscow are buried. Among them are Ivan I Kalita, Dmitri Donskoi, Ivan III, Ivan IV the Terrible, Mikhail Fedorovich and Alexei Mikhailovich Romanovs.

The Cathedral of the Dormition was built by Pskov architects in 1484–1489. Inside the cathedral some mural paintings of 16th–19th century have been preserved and the icons of Andrei Rublev and Theophanes the Greek are part of the iconostasis.

In 1505-1508 the bell tower of Ivan Veliki was built. Being 82 metres high it was the highest building in Russia which became the focal point of the Kremlin ensemble.

Among the oldest civil buildings of the Moscow Kremlin, the Palace of the Facets (1487–1491) is the most remarkable. Italian architects Marco Fryazin and Pietro Antonio Solario built it as a great hall for holding state ceremonies, celebrations and for receiving foreign ambassadors. The most noteworthy civil construction of the 17th century built by Russian masters is the Teremnoi Palace.

From the early 18th century, when the capital of Russia moved to St. Petersburg, the Kremlin mainly played a ceremonial role with religious functions. By the end of the century the architectural complex of the Kremlin expanded with the Arsenal reconstructed after the Fire of 1797 by Matvei Kazakov. The Senate was built in 1776–1787 according to the plans of the same architect as the home of the highest agency of State power of the Russian Empire - the Ruling Senate. Today it is the residence of the President of Russia.

From 1839 to 1849 a Russian architect K.A. Thon erected the Great Kremlin Palace as a residence of the imperial family which combined ancient Kremlin buildings such as the Palace of the Facets, the Tsarina’s Golden Chamber, Master Chambers, the Teremnoi Palace and the Teremnoi churches. In the Armory Chamber built by K.A. Thon within the complex of the Great Kremlin Palace, there is a 16th century museum officially established by the order of Alexander I in 1806.

Red Square, closely associated with the Kremlin, lies beneath its east wall. At its south end is the famous Pokrovski Cathedral (Cathedral of St Basil the Blessed), one of the most beautiful monuments of Old Russian church architecture, erected in 1555–1560 to commemorate the victory of Ivan the Terrible over the Kazan Khanate. In the 17th century the cathedral gained its up-to-date appearance thanks to the decorative finishing of the domes and painting both inside and outside the cathedral. The construction of Red Square was finished by the late 19th century together with the erection of the Imperial Historic Museum (today the State Historical Museum), the Upper Trading Rows (GUM) and the Middle Trading Rows. In 1929, , Lenin’s Mausoleum, designed by A.V. Shchusev and an outstanding example of the Soviet monumental architecture, was finished.

Criterion (i) : The Kremlin contains within its walls a unique series of masterpieces of architecture and the plastic arts. There are religious monuments of exceptional beauty such as the Church of the Annunciation, the Cathedral of the Dormition, the Church of the Archangel and the bell tower of Ivan Veliki; there are palaces such as the Great Palace of the Kremlin, which comprises within its walls the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin and the Teremnoi Palace. On Red Square is Saint Basil the Blessed, still a major edifice of Russian Orthodox art.

Criterion (ii) : Throughout its history, Russian architecture has clearly been affected many times by influences emanating from the Kremlin. A particular example was the Italian Renaissance. The influence of the style was clearly felt when Rudolfo Aristotele Fioravanti built the Cathedral of the Dormition (1475-79) and grew stronger with the construction of the Granovitaya Palace (Hall of the Facets, 1487-91) by Marco Fryazin and Pietro Antonio Solario. Italian Renaissance also influenced the towers of the fortified enceinte, built during the same period by Solario, using principles established by Milanese engineers (the Nikolskaya and the Spasskaya Towers both date from 1491). The Renaissance expression was even more present in the classic capitals and shells of the Church of the Archangel, reconstructed from 1505 to 1509 by Alevisio Novi.

Criterion (iv) : With its triangular enceinte pierced by four gates and reinforced with 20 towers, the Moscow Kremlin preserves the memory of the wooden fortifications erected by Yuri Dolgoruki around 1156 on the hill at the confluence of the Moskova and Neglinnaya rivers (the Alexander Garden now covers the latter). By its layout and its history of transformations (in the 14th century Dimitri Donskoi had an enceinte of logs built, then the first stone wall), the Moscow Kremlin is the prototype of a Kremlin - the citadel at the centre of Old Russian towns such as Pskov, Tula, Kazan or Smolensk.

Criterion (vi) : From the 13th century to the founding of St Petersburg, the Moscow Kremlin was directly and tangibly associated with every major event in Russian history. A 200-year period of obscurity ended in 1918 when it became the seat of government again. The Mausoleum of Lenin on Red Square is the Soviet Union’s prime example of symbolic monumental architecture. To proclaim the universal significance of the Russian revolution, the funerary urns of heroes of the revolution were incorporated into the Kremlin’s walls between the Nikolskaya and Spasskaya towers. The site thus combines in an exceptional manner the preserved vestiges of bygone days with present-day signs of one of the greatest events in modern history.

From the date of including the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square on the World Heritage List all the components representing the Outstanding Universal Value of the property are within its boundaries. The territory and the integrity of the World Heritage property have also remained unchanged. Within its boundaries the property still comprises all the elements that it contained at the date of nomination. The biggest threat, however, is unregulated commercial development of the adjacent areas.

Authenticity

The history of the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square is reflected in the archival documents of 12th–19th century, for example in medieval chronicles, cadastral surveys, estimated construction books, painted lists, inventories, foreign notes and in graphic matters such as manuscripts, chronicles, plans, drafts, engravings, lithographs, sketches of foreign travelers, paintings and photographs. These documents are exceptionally valuable information sources. Comparison of the data received from archival documents and those obtained in the process of field study gives the idea of authenticity of  the property and its different elements. This comparison also serves as the basis for project development and for the choice of the appropriate methods of restoration that may preserve the monuments’ authenticity.

On the border of the ensemble a number of monuments destroyed in the 1930s were reconstructed according to measured plans.

Protection and management requirements

The statutory and institutional framework of an effective protection, management and improvement of the World Heritage property “Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow” has been established by laws and regulations of the Russian Federation and the city of Moscow.

According to the decree of the President of RSFSR of 18 December 1991 № 294, the Moscow Kremlin was included among especially protected cultural properties of nations of Russia - the highest conservation status for cultural and historical monuments in Russian legislation.

“Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow” is a Cultural Heritage Site of federal importance. State protection and management of federal sites is provided by Federal Law of 25.06.2002 № 73-FZ “On cultural heritage sites (historical and cultural monuments) of nations of the Russian Federation”. The federal executive body responsible for protection of the cultural property is the Department for Control, Supervision and Licensing in the Cultural Heritage Sphere of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.It is in charge of all methodological and control functions concerning restoration, usage and support of cultural heritage sites and the territories connected.

The World Heritage property is situated in the urban environment of Moscow. The city policy regarding cultural heritage protection and town-planning regulation is the responsibility of Moscow City Government, represented by the Department of Cultural Heritage, the Department of Urban Development and the Committee for Urban Development and Architecture of Moscow. In 1997 the boundaries of the protective (buffer) zone were approved in order to preserve the property, and to maintain and restore the historical architectural environment as well as the integral visual perception of the property.. There is a need to ensure the creation of an appropriate buffer zone and to develop close liaison between all stakeholders, including the Moscow City authorities, to ensure that constructions around the property do not impact adversely on its Outstanding Universal Value.

The World Heritage property is used by the following organizations: FGBUK (Federal Government Budgetary Institution of Culture), the State Historical and Cultural Museum-preserve “The Moscow Kremlin”, the Administrative Department of the President of the Russian Federation, the Federal Guard Service of the Russian Federation and OJSC “GUM Department Store”.

• Official site of 'The Moscow Kremlin' State Historical and Cultural Museum and Heritage Site
• Moscow Kremlin Museums Telegram Group (in Russian only)
• Moscow Kremlin Museums VKontakte Page (in Russian only)
• Moscow Kremlin Museums Dzen Page (in Russian only)
• State Historical Museum VKontakte Group (in Russian only)
• Msk Guide Page (in Russian only)
• Official site of the State Department Store
• State Historical Museum (in Russian only)

State of Conservation (SOC)

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By Nikhil Dedha

New Delhi [India], April 26 (ANI): Recent data shows that post COVID religious inclinations of Indians have become stronger resulting in an accelerated momentum towards religious tourism.

According to the Ministry of Tourism data, last year 8.5 crores of tourists visited Varanasi(Kashi), around 4.5 crore people visited Prayagraj and more than 1.5 crores of people have visited Ayodhya Ram temple since the consecration ceremony. Many experts feel Varanasi will outdo Goa, Agra, and Shimla.

“During the COVID period when the temples were closed down, our Prime Minister thought let’s make the temples a place where everybody would like to visit. So we came up with the idea of having the Kashi Vishwanath corridor. It has changed the entire tourism scenario of the state and in year 2023 we had more than 10 crore tourists” said Preeti Srivastava, Deputy Director, Department of Tourism, Government of Uttar Pradesh to ANI.

Government of Uttar Pradesh is promoting the new golden triangle of Prayagraj, Kashi and Ayodhaya as a golden triangle of religious tourism.

“Now everybody is benefiting. Even the small washerman, he’s also getting business because he’s washing the linen of the hotels. The vegetable seller, everybody is benefiting. The rickshaw pullers, the flower sellers and local Prasad shops. Now the new golden triangle is coming up that is Ayodhya, Prayagraj and Varanasi” said Preeti.

The transformative impact of projects like the Kashi Vishwanath corridor, has revitalized Varanasi’s tourism sector, leading to a substantial increase in tourist footfall and allied economic activities. The surge in tourism has not only boosted local businesses but also generated substantial revenue for the state.

As per the data by the Ministry of Tourism 1,439 million people participated in religious tourism in India during 2022, it is more than double from 677 million in 2021. In 2022, religious tourism destinations earned Rs1.34 lakh crore in revenue, up from Rs65,070 crore in 2021.

In 2022, Varanasi had 82 million visitors, which is almost four times the number of visitors in 2019. This number accounted for almost 26% of all arrivals in 2022, compared to less than 4 per cent in 2019. Varanasi’s tourist footfall has surpassed Agra, which is home to the Taj Mahal, and has made it the most visited city in Uttar Pradesh.

PM Narendra Modi also mentioned in his address on the 103rd episode of radio program ‘Mann Ki Baat’ that “Now more than 10 crore tourists are reaching Kashi every year. The number of devotees visiting pilgrimages like Ayodhya, Mathura, Ujjain is also increasing rapidly. Due to this lakhs of poor are getting employment”.

According to the industry experts the religious tourism sector is expected to generate a revenue of Rs 59 billion by 2028 and create 140 million temporary and permanent jobs by 2030.

Under central government’s Swadesh Darshan Scheme, an outlay of Rs 5294 crore has been allocated for the development of theme-based tourist circuits. A total of 76 projects have been sanctioned under the project which covers popular religious destinations across different states of India. These includes Buddhist circuit, Ramayana circuit and Krishna circuit.

The Ministry of tourism has also started the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) scheme to improve the religious tourism experience by identifying and developing pilgrimage sites across India.(ANI)

This report is auto-generated from ANI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.

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Ayodhya taking India’s spiritual tourism to next level

Ayodhya, a city steeped in ancient history and revered as the birthplace of Lord Rama, is rapidly emerging as the next big spiritual tourism destination in India. With its rich cultural heritage, historic significance, and on-going developmental initiatives, Ayodhya is attracting pilgrims and tourists alike, positioning itself as a must-visit destination for those seeking a spiritual and cultural experience.

Diving back in history

Ayodhya holds a special place in Hindu mythology as the birthplace of Lord Rama. The city is mentioned in ancient texts like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, adding to its historical and religious importance. The Ram Janmabhoomi, believed to be the birthplace of Lord Rama, has been a focal point of religious and cultural debates for decades and has recently witnessed significant developments, contributing to Ayodhya’s prominence.

The glory of Ram Mandir

The construction of the Ram Mandir, a grand temple dedicated to Lord Rama, has been a historic moment for Ayodhya. The temple complex is set to become a major pilgrimage site, attracting millions of devotees from across the country and the world. The intricate architecture and the spiritual ambience of the temple are expected to contribute to Ayodhya’s appeal as a spiritual tourism destination.

The city is also undergoing a cultural renaissance with the promotion of traditional arts, crafts, and music. Initiatives to showcase Ayodhya’s cultural heritage are being undertaken, including festivals, exhibitions, and cultural events that provide visitors with a deeper understanding of the city’s rich history and traditions.

Development in full swing

Recognising the potential of Ayodhya as a spiritual tourism hub, the government has undertaken various developmental initiatives to enhance infrastructure and amenities. Improved transportation facilities, modern hotels, and other tourist-friendly services are being introduced to ensure a comfortable and enriching experience for visitors.

Ayodhya is also being developed as a smart city, incorporating technology to enhance connectivity and accessibility. These efforts aim to make Ayodhya not only a spiritual destination but also a model city for sustainable tourism.

Cultural and religious tourism circuit

Ayodhya’s strategic location makes it an integral part of the cultural and religious tourism circuit in India. Pilgrims and tourists visiting Varanasi, Prayagraj, and other nearby religious destinations can easily include Ayodhya in their itinerary, creating a comprehensive spiritual journey through the heart of India.

Ayodhya’s journey from a city of historical and religious importance to a vibrant spiritual tourism destination is marked by significant developments. The construction of the Ram Mandir, cultural renaissance, and focused developmental initiatives are transforming Ayodhya into a must-visit destination for those seeking a profound spiritual and cultural experience. As the city continues to evolve, Ayodhya is poised to play a pivotal role in India’s spiritual tourism landscape, inviting visitors to connect with its rich heritage and embrace the spiritual essence embedded in its ancient streets.

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9 Things to See in Moscow's Red Square

 Sir Francis Canker/Getty Images

In most cases, you'll be entering Red Square from the north, passing landmarks such as the Bolshoi Theatre and Duma parliament building as you make your way southward. Although you don't necessarily have to pass through the Voskresensky (or Resurrection in English) Gates in order to gain access to the square these days, they definitely provide a sense of arrival, to say nothing of the way their left arch frame's St. Basil's Cathedral if you look from just the right angle.

An interesting fact is that while a gate of some kind has stood here since the mid-16th century, the one you currently see wasn't built until 1994, having been destroyed in 1931 so that tanks could enter and exit Red Square during military parades.

St. Basil's Cathedral

TripSavvy / Christopher Larson 

Few sights are as iconic not only of Moscow and Red Square but indeed of Russia than St. Basil's Cathedral, whose colorful, onion-shaped domes are a symbol of the country around the world. Officially known as the Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed, this church has stood since 1561, which is quite miraculous when you consider all the turbulent history that has transpired since then.

Among other things, religion was severely prohibited during the Soviet period , which led some to believe that this emblem of the Russian Orthodox church might not withstand the tenure of the USSR. 

An interesting fact is that St. Basil's is the so-called "Kilometer Zero" of Russia; all of Moscow's main roads (which can take you anywhere in Russia) begin at the exits to Red Square. In this way, St. Basil's iconic status also has an extremely tangible element.

The Kremlin

TripSavvy / Christopher Larson

When you think of The Kremlin, it's unlikely that positive images enter your mind. The fact that simply saying the word "Kremlin" is too vague a descriptor (most Russian cities have their own Kremlin complexes; you should say "Moscow Kremlin") notwithstanding, this misunderstood place is incredibly beautiful, even if you don't like the policy that comes out of it.

Senate Square

In spite of its name, which refers to the role the building that rises above the square played during Imperial Russia, Senate Square is actually home to Russia's presidential administration, currently helmed by Vladimir Putin. In order to see where Russia's legislature operates from, walk just outside Red Square to the Duma parliament building.

Dormition Cathedral

Dating back to the year 1479, the gold-domed Dormition Cathedral pays homage to an Orthodox religious feast that commemorates the death of the Virgin Mary . As is the case with St. Basil's, it is curious that such a conspicuously religious structure was able to survive through the Soviet period.

Armoury Chamber

Though it takes its name from the fact that it housed Russia's royal arsenal when it was built in the 16th century, the most notable resident of the Kremlin's Armoury Chamber today is the Russian Diamond Fund.

Notable Kremlin Towers

Robert Schrader

The interior of the Moscow Kremlin is more beautiful and inviting than you'd expect, but the walls and towers that rise around it better live up to the intimidation with which the complex is associated. 

Borovitskaya Tower

Named to commemorate the dense forest that once stood atop the mount where it's built, this tower is extremely picturesque. Built in the late 15th century, it's visible from most places in the square, and also as you walk along the Moskva River.

Nikolskaya Tower

Also built in the year 1491, this tower currently suffered destruction at the hands of Napoleon's army in the 19th century. What you see now is the result of an 1816 re-design and renovation, though artillery fire during the Russian Revolution also caused superficial damage to the tower, named to honor St. Nikolas of Mozhaysk , so it's difficult to know which elements of it are original.

Spasskaya Tower

Known in English as the "Savior's Tower," this iconic, star-topped tower is perhaps the best-known of all the Kremlin's towers. Built in 1491 like the other two towers on this list, it's certainly the most photographed. As a result of its proximity to St. Basil's, it often makes its way into tourists' pictures.

Mausoleum of Lenin

Just as it's strange to learn how many religious monuments survived through the Soviet period, it's a bit odd to think that Lenin's preserved body still sits in a mausoleum just beneath the walls of the Kremlin on Red Square, given the lack of consensus about the ultimate impact of his Revolution, even in Russia.

It's not guaranteed that you'll be able to see the body (which, believe it or not, seems to be improving with age ) when you go, and if you do you will likely have to wait in line, but even strolling past the outside of the Lenin Mausoleum, flanked by stone-faced guards that almost look like statues, illuminates the gravity of his body still being here.

GUM Shopping Center

You might cringe, at least initially, when you realize that one of the most iconic stops on a tour of Red Square is a department store—until you see said department store, that is. Built in 1893 and known during Soviet times as the State Department Store, GUM  ( Glávnyj Universáľnyj Magazín​ or Main Universal Store in English) hearkens back to the grandeur of the late 19th century, both seen from the outside (especially, when lit up at night) and the interior, which might have you feeling like you're further west in Europe.

A trip inside GUM is a particularly good idea during winter, when frigid temperatures outside will have you savoring the heat, the quality of souvenirs, confections and other goods sold inside notwithstanding. Also, make sure not to confuse GUM with CDM, which sits near the Bolshoi Theatre, even though both are stunning and iconic in their own right.

State Historical Museum

The Russian State Historical Museum is located near Voskresensky Gates, though you should wait until after you've seen the first few attractions of Red Square and the Kremlin to head back there and go inside. To be sure, as you pass by its facade (whose late-19th century grandeur somewhat obscures that fact that it's currently a museum accessible to the public) you might not even think to try and gain entry.

Once inside the museum, you can plan to spend at least a couple of hours, given that artifacts here date back to the very beginning of the Russian state in the ninth century. As is the case with GUM, this will be a particularly alluring prospect if you visit in winter, when Moscow is arguably at its most beautiful, but certainly at its least tolerable. 

Minin-Pozharsky Monument

It's somewhat easy to disregard this monument, which pays homage to the two Russian princes who ended the so-called "Time of Troubles" in the mid-16th century, during which Polish-Lithuanian forces occupied Russia, among other awful things including a famine. That's because the statue currently sits just at the base of St. Basil's Cathedral, which makes it very difficult to photograph or even see without being overwhelmed by that much more famous edifice.

Though the statue originally sat at the very center of Red Square, it came to be an obstacle to the movement of tanks during the Soviet period, much like the Voskresensky Gates. As a result, authorities moved it during that time, and it's stayed where you currently find it ever since.

Kazan Cathedral

Taken by itself, the smokey-pink Kazan Cathedral is an architectural marvel; originally built in the 17th century, the church you find here today, located just north of the GUM department store, dates back only to 1993.

Unfortunately, since it sits not only in the shadow of GUM, but also in the shadow St. Basil's and the Towers of the Kremlin, it's easy to miss entirely if you aren't looking. As a result, you might wait until you've seen just about everything else in Red Square before coming here to take photos, and to appreciate the understated beauty of this oft-overlooked cathedral.

Moskva River

As you head south from St. Basil's Cathedral to exit Red Square, make sure to walk onto Bolshoy Moskvoretskiy Bridge, which crosses the Moskva River. If you look due north, you can get an excellent shot of the church framed, on the left, by the towers of the Kremlin. Directing your gaze a bit to the west allows you to see the skyscrapers of Moscow City as they rise above the Kremlin's walls.

Walking westward along the riverbank is also a worthwhile excursion, for the views it provides of Red Square and the Kremlin, as well as the fact that doing so takes you to other iconic Moscow attractions, including Gorky Park and the Pushkin Museum. The views you enjoy from the river and the bridge are particularly stunning at night, though you should make sure you bring a tripod if you want to get a clear picture, given how strong winds over and near the river can be.

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Things to do in Moscow: how to visit Moscow | Unmissable, cool & unusual

• September 2, 2023

What are the best things to do in Moscow? What to do in Moscow? First, I will list the main places to visit by theme, passing by the must-sees, but also more unusual places in Moscow. Then, I will describe what to see in Moscow in one day and how to visit Moscow in 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 days. Let’s go!

Good to know. For more information, click on the places to open the dedicated blog posts.

Main places to visit in Moscow & best things to do in Moscow

I worked in Moscow and I loved this city for its dynamism and energy. We find there from time to time to see friends, remember good memories and enjoy this giant city! Then the time has come for us to share with you our practical guide.

TOP 5 must-see places in Moscow

• Moscow Red Square
• St. Basil’s Cathedral
• Cathedral of Christ the Savior
• Bolshoi Theatre

Places of cultural, historical and religious interest in Moscow

• Novodevichy Convent and cemetery
• Tretyakov Gallery
• Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts
• Kremlin Izmaïlovo (pseudo-historic place, recently built in the image of the old, one of the best things to do in Moscow for your Instagram account 😉 )
• Park and ancient village of Kolomenskoye

Visit Moscow of the Soviet era

• Moscow State University and Sparrows Hill
• VDNKh and the Museum of Astronautics, one of the key landmarks of the Soviet era in Moscow
• GULAG Museum
• Metro stations
• The Stalinist skyscrapers, scattered all over the city

Less touristy places in Moscow

• Gorky Park and the GARAGE museum
• The old Krasny Oktyabr factory
• Zaryadye Park
• Center for Contemporary Art, WINZAVOD
• Business center, Moscow City

Main districts of Moscow to visit

• Patriarch Ponds
• Tchistye Prudy
• Kuznetsky most
• Arbat Street

However, regardless of the length of your stay, whether you are going to visit Moscow in 4 days or in 2, you need a visa. The article Obtaining a tourist visa for Russia could then be useful in any case.

What to do and see in Moscow in one day?

List of things to see and do in Moscow in one day:

• Go to Red Square
• Visit St. Basil’s Cathedral
• See Kremlin walls (but not to visit)
• Visit Cathedral of Christ the Savior
• Discover Kuznetsky most districts and see Bolshoi Theatre building
• And if you have time at the end of the day: go to the Sparrows Hill or to the Moscow City for a beautiful view

Things to do in Moscow in 2 days

If you want to visit Moscow in 2 days, there are 2 purposes: do not miss the essential places of Moscow and optimize travel.

• First day: Red Square , Saint Basil’s Cathedral , Zariadye Park, Bolshoi Theatre , Kremlin
• Day 2: Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the former Krasny Oktyabr factory on Balchug Island, Gorky Park, Moscow State University (one of the Seven Sisters buildings ) and Sparrow Hill

As 2 days os really short, be sure to choose an accommodation in the best districts where to stay in Moscow .

Walking on Red Square in Moscow: one of the unmissable things to do in Moscow

Iconic place and one of the must-see places in Moscow and even in Russia! Besides, if there was only one place to visit in Moscow in 2 days, this place would then be Red Square, without hesitation. Therefore, starting the city tour with Red Square is ideal . Several buildings are on the square, but not all of them have to be visited. Check out my blog post about Moscow’s Red Square in detail to learn more and not miss anything.

Visiting Saint-Basil’s Cathedral inside

Even more emblematic than Moscow’s Red Square! Built in the middle of the 16th century under the orders of Tsar Ivan Le Terrible, this cathedral is one of the most beautiful monuments of Orthodox art, and definitely one of the unmissable places in Moscow. Visiting Saint-Basil’s Cathedral inside is one of the most beautiful things to do in Moscow!

• Visit estimate time : 1h30
• Entry ticket : 700 RUB. Tickets can be purchased on the cathedral’s official website 45 days before the tour.
• Audio guide (recommended): 500 RUB
• Opening hours : June to August 10 am-6pm; from November to April: 11 am-5pm; May, September, October 11 am-5pm. Cathedral closed on Wednesdays. Entrance is closed 45 minutes before closing.
• Find out more in the dedicated article: Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow

Take a walk in Zariadye park: one of the coolest things to do in Moscow after visiting Red Square

Zaryadie Park is just a 10-minute walk from St. Basil’s Cathedral, so it’s easy to include in your itinerary if you’re going to visit Moscow in 2 days. From its heights, you can see the red walls of the Kremlin. But, the most impressive point of view is the platform which overlooks the Moskva river. A must see! And clearly one of the coolest things to do in Moscow!

• Open 24 hours a day
• Good to know! Park Zaryadye is also a place to visit in Moscow in winter. Find out more here: What to do in Moscow in winter?

See the Bolshoi Theatre and discover the Kuznetsky Most district

The Bolshoi Theatre is the most famous Russian theater in the world. The most economical way to see a presentation at the Bolshoi Theater is to take the tickets on the theater’s official website in advance, so here is our tutorial to help you: How to buy entrance tickets to the Bolshoi? In addition, several pedestrian or one-way streets

The Bolshoi Theater is the most famous Russian theater in the world. The most economical way to see a presentation at the Bolshoi Theater is to take the tickets on the theater’s official website in advance, so here is our tutorial to help you: How to buy tickets to the Bolshoi? In addition, several pedestrian or one-way streets are located north of the theater. It is therefore very pleasant to find them to leave the main axes of the megalopolis.

Visit the Moscow Kremlin

Visit Kremlin is on top of things to do in Moscow. A place of power for centuries, the Kremlin then shows us a whole different image when viewed from the inside. If you want to visit Moscow in 2 days, the Kremlin is certainly one of the must-see places in Moscow.

• Opening hours : Daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Thursday.
• See our blog post about visiting the Moscow Kremlin

Visit the Cathedral of Christ the Savior

This impressive Moscow Cathedral is the seat of the Russian Orthodox Church. It is a must see if you visit Moscow in 2 days and clearly one of the things to do in Moscow. The Cathedral of Christ the Savior was first built in 1883 in memory of Russia’s victory over Napoleon’s Grand Army. Then in 1931 Stalin ordered its destruction. It was then rebuilt again (identically) only in 2000.

• Where? Ulitsa Volkhonka 15. At the foot of the Kropotkinskaya metro station.
• Opening hours . Daily: 10: 00-17: 00, except Monday: 13: 00-17: 00
• Free entry (some closing restrictions, for example a short)

Good to know! In orthodox religious places, one must avoid excessively uncovered clothing. Women should cover their heads. After visiting the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, you can explore Bolotny Island and Gorky Park. This is one of the routes our guide to Moscow.

The old Krasny Oktyabr factory: one of the coolest things to do in Moscow

If you cross the Moskva River by a pedestrian bridge which is located just in front of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, you will enjoy a beautiful view of the city and at the same time you can discover Balchug Island. Furthermore, if you want to visit Moscow in 2 days, you can include this island in your itinerary between the cathedral and Gorky park. Here is the old confectionery factory Krasny Oktyabr, which has gradually turned into a fashionable micro-district. There are then some elements of street art, cafes and restaurants and some Moscow bohemian side. At the end of the island you can see a gigantic 98-meter-high monument dedicated to the Russian reforming tsar Pierre The Great.

Good to know! You can find on this island are the trendiest nightclubs in Moscow. On weekends, there are taxi caps after midnight so there are so many people. On the other hand, if you go there in winter and during the day, the island is quite empty and less interesting to see.

Gorky Park is one of the TOP places to visit in Moscow, because it allows you to better understand the life of the locals and their rhythm. In fact, it’s a huge entertainment park. For example, in winter there is a giant ice rink and in summer – free dance or yoga lessons, sandy beaches for playing volleyball, an outdoor cinema. So, like the locals, have a Stakantchik (ice cream or cooked corn), and enjoy the atmosphere of the place: that’s one of the interesting things to do in Moscow to discover the city.

• Where? Krymsky Val 9. 20 minutes’ walk from Krasny Oktyabr, along the quays.

Sparrow Hill and Moscow State University

The Sparrow Hill, Vorobiovy Gori in Russian, is the highest point in Moscow. It is rather known to Russians, but less to travelers. A nice view on Moscow opens from the hill, and in particular on the Luzhniki Stadium. In addition, on the hill itself is the Moscow State University: an impressive skyscraper from the Soviet era.

• How to get there? By bus T7 (35 min) from Oktyaborskaya station, near Gorki Park. By metro (Vorobiovy Gorki station) + climb the hill on foot. On foot along the Moskva along the Gorky Park (1h30) + climb in funiculars.

Good to know! It is possible to cross the Moskva river by funicular. We actually tested it and it was pretty cool! That is one of our favorite things to do in Moscow!

What to do in Moscow in 3 days?

If you are going to visit Moscow in 3 days, it would be interesting to dive into the Soviet era which strongly marked the country and the city. After the Bolshevik Revolution, the capital was transferred from Saint Petersburg to Moscow, in order to mark the change of power. Moscow then became the world showcase for communist ideology. Here are the best things to do in Moscow for 3-day-trip!

VDNKh, visit Moscow of the Soviet era

VDNKh is a large exhibition center in the north of Moscow, where there are still several striking witnesses of the USSR. The most interesting are the Museum of Cosmonauts and the Statue of the Worker and the Kolkhozian , which will certainly impress you with its size!

GULAG History Museum

The explanations of the museum are very well done. We really have the feeling of going back in time. If you are going to visit Moscow in 3 days and you are interested in history and this subject in particular, I recommend this museum. Visit the GULAG History Museum is one of the most interesting things to do in Moscow.

Discover the Patriarche Pounds district

It’s a nice neighborhood in Moscow where you can come across rather affluent locals, but not necessarily very bling-bling. Take a walk in this area is really a cool thing to do in Moscow! In addition, the Ponds of Patriarch is one of the places of Bulgakov’s novel “Master and Margarita”. As this is an interesting area to see, we have included it in a walking tour of Moscow. The route ends at the Moscow Kremlin, which is very convenient, because you will be able to visit Moscow in 3 days by optimizing your trips.

What to visit in Moscow in 4 days: TOP things to do in Moscow in 4 days

If you want to visit Moscow in 3 days, you will already see a lot of things. On the other hand, if you stay one more day, you have plenty to do! The Novodevichy Convent, the Tchistie Proudy district and the Izmaylovo Kremlin are very good candidates for you, if you are going to visit Moscow in 4 days.

Visiting Novodevichy Convent in Moscow

The Novodevichy Convent is one of the most brilliant examples of Russian architecture, according to UNESCO. This beautiful complex was built in 1524 and today consists of the convent, but also of a cemetery whose status could be compared to that of Père-Lachaise in Paris. Visiting Novodevichy Convent is one of the great things to do in Moscow, if you want to go a little bit outside of the center!

Discovering Tchistye Proudy district

It’s one of the most popular areas of Moscow, with many cafes, restaurants and bars nearby. It is therefore a place to discover if you want to visit Moscow in 4 days. It is just as pleasant for a stroll as for the discovery of local life. For example, in winter the pond turns into an ice rink.

Visiting the Izmaylovo Kremlin, one of the coolest things to do in Moscow!

The Izmaylovo Kremlin is more of a tourist than a historic place. On the other hand, it is a pretty impressive place to discover, especially on weekends. Inside the Kremlin, there is a flea market where you can find a little bit of everything, but mostly good souvenirs to bring from Moscow. For example, chapka, traditional Russian scarves or matryoshka (Russian dolls). Add the Kremlin and the Izmaïlovo market to your itinerary if you are going to visit Moscow in 4 days, because it is a nice and very colorful place! Visiting the Izmailovo Kremlin is one of the things to do in Moscow, if you want to put colors in your Instagram account! 😉

In 4 days, we will have the opportunity to see several Moscow: Classic Moscow, Moscow of old Russia, Soviet Moscow and a little bit of the new Moscow. So what to visit in Moscow on the 5th day of travel?

What to visit in Moscow in 5 days?

Art lovers will be delighted to discover the Tretyakov Gallery and the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, while others will prefer to stroll along Arbat Street, see the buildings of Moskva-City or visit Bunker 42.

Admiring Russian art at Tretyakov Gallery

Founded in 1856 by an industrialist and great lover of art, the gallery has grown over the decades, and then bequeathed to the state. Today the collection includes more than 140,000 pieces, 15,000 of which are paintings. Visiting the Tretyakov Gallery is one of the things to do in Moscow if you want to discover Russian art!

• Where? Pereoulok Lavrouchinski 10. A 5-minute walk from Tretiakovskaya station
• Opening hours. Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Closed on Mondays.
• Entry tickets. 500 RUB.

Visiting the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts

The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts presents the treasures of ancient Egypt, the paintings of Rembrandt and Cézanne, a fine collection of Impressionism.

• Where? Ulitsa Volkhonka 12
• Opening hours. Daily: 10: 00-20: 00, except Thursday: 11: 00-21: 00. Closed on Mondays. The boxes close an hour before closing.
• Entry tickets. The prices vary according to the collections from 300 to 750 RUB.

Walking on Arbat Street

All Russians know Rue Arbat. So, walking on Arbat street is one of the things to do in Moscow. However, after the years, little by little it became very touristy. This is a pedestrian street only. There are souvenir shops, restaurants and cafes there, but it is no longer the most authentic neighborhood in the city.

Seeing the buildings of Moskva-City (Moscow City)

Moskva-City is Moscow’s business center, much like Paris’s Defense district. The skyscrapers of Moskva-City are among the tallest in Europe: 373 meters high! Very nice place to see at dusk.

Good to know! You can admire a nice view of Moscow City from the docks of Tarasa Shevchenko. It’s especially beautiful in the evening with all the lights on.

Bunker 42, one of the most unusual things to do in Moscow

Bunker 42 is a secret military complex which was to be used by the Soviets in the event of a nuclear attack: a space of 7000 m² 65 meters underground!

• Where? 5 Kotelnitcheski Lane, 11.
• Prices. 2200 RUB per person
• Opening hours. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Restaurant inside. Original, but rather a tourist trap.

What to visit in Moscow in 6 days or more?

There are still so many places to see, because Moscow is a big megalopolis and there is always something exciting to do there. For example: the ancient Kolomenskoye village or the WINZAVOD contemporary art center .

If you are interested in history and want to see Russian cities on a rather “human scale”, it would certainly be interesting for you to discover the cities of the Golden Ring . For example, it is very easy to get to Sergey Posad from Moscow (less than 2 hours in train). Visiting the Golden Ring is one of the best things to do in Moscow if you are staying more than a 5-6 days.

There are still plenty of places to see in Moscow, however I did my best to list here the best things to do in Moscow, what to see in Moscow in one day, but also in 2, 3, 4 or 5 days in Moscow!

Moscow travel tips:

• Airport transfer: how to go to Moscow?
• Where to stay in Moscow (hotels, districts)?
• Tourist voucher for Russian visa
• Christmas and New Year in Moscow
• What is the best time to visit Moscow?

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Moscow city tourism committee organizes conference for indian mice market stakeholders.

New Delhi [India], April 24 (ANI): Recognising market demand, the Moscow City Tourism Committee organized a conference for representatives of the Indian MICE industry, to introduce them to the tourism strengths of the Russian capital.

MICE stands for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions, and is a type of tourism in which large groups, usually plan things well in advance.

The event took place on April 19 in Delhi and brought together over 100 participants from MICE agencies of both countries, corporate customers, representatives of the travel industry in Moscow, Aeroflot and the Indian branches of Sberbank.

Business tourism is one of the most promising directions for Moscow.

In 2023, the capital was visited by 3.7 million business tourists - 7 per cent more than in 2022. And India remains one of the leaders among visitors from non-CIS countries in terms of the number of business travellers.

"The Russian capital as a centre of business tourism and corporate events is already an established and a strong brand in the international arena," commented Anastasia Popova, Deputy General Director for International and Industry Cooperation of Project Office for the Development of Tourism and Hospitality in Moscow.

"Now our task is to demonstrate to our Indian partners all the possibilities of organizing high-value MICE events in Moscow in combination with already proven tourist programs," said Popova.

At the Shaping MICE Future Conference, industry experts from Russia and India pronounced statements and speeches on the future of MICE events in these two countries, a presentation of the MICE potential of Moscow was showcased, and an analytical report on the state of the outbound MICE market in India was presented to the visitors.

During the panel discussion, participants assessed the current status and interaction peculiarities with the MICE market in India and developed recommendations for the MICE industry in Moscow during the general brainstorming session.

Representatives of the Indian MICE industry participated in B2B negotiations to find new cross-partners in the Moscow business environment and among representatives of the hospitality industry.

Representatives of the MICE industry took part in the event from Moscow.

Among them were DMC (Grand Rus, Academservice, Headed Goose, Satguru Travel, Isba Rus, Hug the Bear, Mellenium Group) as well as representatives of other partners interested in the development of MICE cooperation between Russia and India: Global transfers provider i'way and hotels Edge Seligerskaya and Edge Vinogradovo Moscow by Rotana.

"In 2024, we have witnessed a significant surge (more than quadruple) in the demand for transfers by Russians visiting India, both for business and leisure purposes. Muscovites are leading the trend, with 80 per cent of transfer bookings originating from the capital since the beginning of the year. Additionally, we observe a growing interest from Indian tourism agencies in exploring Russia, resulting in a substantial increase in our collaboration," commented Dmitriy Saraykin, co-founder of Global Transfer Provider i'way.

The Shaping MICE Future conference allowed the Moscow City Tourism Committee to form a pool of MICE industry representatives in Moscow to prioritize incoming requests for events and clarify India's requirements for business and corporate events to build mutually effective work. Indian colleagues received up-to-date information about Moscow as a safe and attractive MICE destination and were able to find potential partners among representatives of the MICE industry of the Russian capital and were able to present the MICE market in India.

"The event served as a remarkable platform for fostering meaningful dialogue and collaboration within the tourism industry. The event provided us with invaluable opportunities to engage with key stakeholders from the tourism department, as well as tour operators and service providers. The insights gained during the event underscored the Moscow City Tourism Committee's keen interest in the Indian outbound market, and we are optimistic about the promising prospects for Moscow as a destination, particularly in the post-pandemic landscape. We firmly believe that with concerted efforts and strategic initiatives, Moscow has the potential to emerge as a top-choice destination for Indian tourists," said Mudit Mathur, director of Tours Delite India, representing Academ Service - Russia in India.

The conference also assessed the solutions to foreign demand for non-standard venues and elements in MICE programs, such as museums, parks, theaters and others. Holding MICE events at offbeat locations, such as the State Historical Museum, the Moscow Planetarium and Khudozhestvenny Cinema, is becoming popular.

ANI 25th April 2024, 03:27 GMT+10

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