Thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several heritage and cultural sites have been rejuvenated in the last 10 years. These places are now a centre of attraction not just for Hindus but even for those belonging to other religions. Be it Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, Kartarpur Corridor or the Mahabodhi Temple (Bodh Gaya, Bihar), all the places are seeing a heavy tourist flow, from across the country as well as globally.
Ram Temple & Kashi Vishwanath Corridor
As per the data released by the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department, over 11 crore people visited Ayodhya during the first half of 2024, which is a big boost to the Indian religious tourism. Going by the sheer numbers, this surge in footfall has cemented Ayodhya’s position as a central tourism hub, surpassing Varanasi, the other key religious destination.
Ayodhya accounted for roughly one-third of the 33 crore tourists who travelled across Uttar Pradesh between January and June 2024, as compared to Varanasi, which had just 4.61 crore visitors during the same period.
The work on Kashi Vishwanath Corridor began in 2019, when the government acquired around 400 buildings and houses to reconstruct the Kashi Vishwanath Temple with an eye to boost tourism in this ancient city. It took three years to complete this work – the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor was inaugurated in 2021. As per reports, more than 2.86 crore pilgrims visited the Kashi Vishwanath temple during the first five months of this year.
“Ayodhya has left behind Varanasi, which recorded a footfall of 4.61 crore,” remarks Uttar Pradesh Tourism Minister Jaiveer Singh. The minister credits this remarkable increase to the ongoing construction of the Ram Temple, which, he says, is a significant draw for domestic and international visitors. The long-awaited temple, set to be completed soon, has turned Ayodhya into a magnet for devotees and tourists alike.
Prayagraj and Mathura have also emerged as major tourist destinations, attracting 4.53 crore and 3.07 crore visitors respectively, which has strengthened Uttar Pradesh’s position as a critical player in religious tourism. As against this, Agra and Lucknow, the two cities known for their historical significance, recorded a mere 69.8 lakh and 35 lakh visitors respectively, though these too contributed to the State’s overall tourism appeal.
“These numbers speak volumes about the rising popularity of Uttar Pradesh as a global tourism destination,” says Singh. He informs that in 2022, the State had seen a total tourist footfall of 31.86 crore, nearly matching the number of visitors already recorded in the first six months of 2024. “This impressive growth underscores the state’s efforts to promote tourism and enhance infrastructure around its key cultural and religious sites,” he adds.
As part of the ongoing efforts to promote religious tourism, the State Government is also focusing on developing Shringverpur, a key site in the Ramayana Circuit. Known for its association with Bhagwan Ram’s encounter with Nishadraj, the site is slated for significant upgrades ahead of the 2025 Maha Kumbh. Plans include the construction of parking facilities, improved civic amenities, and the establishment of eateries to cater to the expected influx of pilgrims.
Char Dham project
The Char Dham project is a road widening project to ensure all-weather connectivity among the four shrines viz Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath in the hill state of Uttarakhand. The project worth Rs 12,000 crore, was inaugurated by the Prime Minister in 2016. Char Dham project will ease the travel of thousands of pilgrims who travel to Uttarakhand every year. It will also improve the tourism in the State which is a major contributor to its economy. The Char Dham Yatra has seen a record-breaking influx of pilgrims, with Kedarnath Dham surpassing the number of pilgrims than the other sites – this year the temple portals of Kedarnath Dham were opened on May 10, and by June 6, over seven lakh had already visited it.
Temple revamp in Kashmir
Soon after abrogating Article 370, the Central Government began the renovation works at several temple complexes in the Valley, including Srinagar. One of the ancient temples in the Anantnag district of South Kashmir was reopened recently, after a gap of 34 years. This temple, dedicated to Uma Bhagwati Devi, was vandalised as terrorism peaked in the Valley in 1980s, leading to its closure in 1990.
Mahakal Lok Corridor
With the aim to boost tourism in Madhya Pradesh, the Prime Minister inaugurated the Mahakal Lok Corridor at Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain in 2022. This corridor is a part of the first phase of the Rs 850 crore Mahakaleshwar Temple Corridor Development Project. Tourist footfall in Ujjain has jumped three times (to nearly one lakh a day) with the opening of Mahakal Lok, prompting locals to convert their houses as homestays for tourists. According to the Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple Management Committee, while the daily footfall of devotees in the temple is around one lakh on week days, between 1.5-2 lakh people visit it on weekends and holidays.
Kartarpur Sahib Corridor
As per Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, around 1.92 lakh devotees from India have visited Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan through the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor in the last three years.
Buddhist Circuit
To tap the full potential of religious and heritage tourism, Uttar Pradesh has plans to market ‘Buddhist Circuit’ sites in South-East Asian countries. The ‘Buddhist Circuit’, spread across Eastern UP, Nepal and Western Bihar regions, attracts people from several Asian countries, including Japan, China, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam, Sri Lanka etc.
Some of these hot-spots in UP are Varanasi, Sarnath, Shravasti, Kapilvastu, Kaushambi, Siddharthnagar and Sankisa, while places like Bodh Gaya, Vaishali, Rajgir, Kesariya are in Bihar. Lumbini is located in neighbouring Nepal.
According to Singh, a big chunk of tourists from countries like Thailand, Laos, Vietnam etc. visit the Buddhist sites in the state since UP Buddhist Circuit holds a special appeal to the Buddhist devotees worldwide.
