Page 58 - Mann ki Baat June 2022 - English
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development including themes
“The age-old tradition where
covering religious/spiritual
the path of the Rath Yatra
sites in the country: Spiritual
is cleaned with a golden
Circuit, Ramayana Circuit,
broom is carried out by the
Krishna Circuit, Buddhist Circuit,
Puri Gajapati in Puri, and by
Tirthankar Circuit, Sufi Circuit and the Chief Minister of Gujarat
Rural Circuit. Development of in Ahmedabad. One of the
integrated tourism infrastructure members of the Jagannath
at religious and heritage sites has family, Narendra Modi ji, the
also been undertaken under the Prime Minister of India, carried
National Mission on Pilgrimage out the traditions here for 13
Rejuvenation and Spiritual, years.”
Heritage Augmentation Drive or
– Mahendra Jha
the PRASHAD Scheme. It focuses
Trustee, Jagannath Temple,
on developing and identifying
Ahmedabad
pilgrimage sites across India
to enrich the religious tourism
experience. COVID restrictions, the travel and
hotel industry witnessed a 35-40
In this sacred land, where faith per cent increase in business at
and spirituality are omnipresent, spiritual tourist locations such as
pilgrimages are extremely popular temple towns including Rishikesh,
and are one of the most important Haridwar, Varanasi and Char
tourism explorations that one Dham. Not just the elderly, but
undertakes. In present times, the younger generations are also
these journeys have become heading towards the spiritual
extremely popular, especially after destinations of the country, thanks
the increased connectivity and to the impetus-led development
much-improved transportation. by the Government in the country’s
tourism sector.
As of June 2022, with the ease in
India has tremendous potential
to become the spiritual capital
of the world. Pilgrimage should
be viewed as the sacred path
where the inner self becomes
inseparable from the Almighty.
This march of awakening helps to
recognise the innate qualities of
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