Religious tourism has featured prominently in the Union Budget unveiled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, with funds allocated for the development and rejuvenation of the Vishnupad temple and the Mahabodhi temple corridor in Bihar.
While delivering the budget in the Parliament on Tuesday, Sitharaman said the development of the temples would be “modelled on the success of Uttarkashi Vishwanath temple corridor to transform them into world class pilgrim and tourist destinations”.
The Finance Minister said funds will also be allocated for development of the city of Rajgir which she said holds immense religious significance for Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. Additionally, she mentioned that Odisha, renowned for its temples, beaches, and craftsmanship, will also receive government assistance for development.
In an exclusive interview to Outlook in the lead up to the Lok Sabha elections, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) supremo Jitan Ram Manjhi spoke of his commitment to developing the Vishnupad temple if elected. "I will develop the Vishnupad temple in Gaya and create a corridor for the land of Buddha. If Banaras and the Taj can have corridors, then why not Vishnupad and the land of Lord Buddha? These sites are already internationally renowned and just need to be emphasised. When I become a parliamentarian, I will raise this issue in the House," he had said. The Union Minister and incumbent Gaya MP has been to able to achieve what he had promised for his region.
The promotion of religious tourism through temple redevelopment projects has been a common feature of the Modi government in the past decade, which they have on multiple occasions, described as their "era of cultural rejuvenation”.
The Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, consecrated on January 22 after an estimated cost of Rs 1800 crore was spent on the project, was celebrated as one of Modi's most significant achievements, with claims that he had brought Ram back to Ayodhya.
The Ram Mandir narrative was heavily used during the Lok Sabha election speeches. However, on June 4, when the results were announced, it was revealed that the BJP had lost the constituency of the Ram Mandir to Awadhesh Prasad, a Pasi Dalit candidate from the Samajwadi Party.
The BJP government also allocated approximately Rs 900 crore for the Kashi Vishwanath temple corridor development in PM Modi’s constituency. This project, intended to connect the ancient temple to the ghats of the Ganga, saw its foundation stone laid in March 2019, just before the general elections. The first phase was unveiled in December 2021.
Originally covering 3,000 square feet, the temple area was expanded to 5 lakh square feet through the acquisition of surrounding properties, with residents being relocated. While the project was celebrated as a significant achievement, it led to the demolition of several hundred structures, including temples, shops, and homes, causing resentment among the locals. A 2022 report by the Scroll noted that the project had "destroyed the sacred geography of old Varanasi."
“The winding lanes around the Kashi Vishwanath temple were once lined with shops and houses that stood cheek by jowl. Many of these buildings had small shrines on the ground floor that opened out onto the road, fusing the public and the private. The people who lived here took care of them as household shrines. Tourists and pilgrims would also stop and pray there,” the report read.
Recently, in May 2024, residents of Assi colony in Varanasi expressed their distress to The Wire about the proposed demolition of their homes for the Kashi Vishwanath corridor development, affecting as many as 300 residents.
“The truth is that these are Hindus, the residents of Kashi, who understand what the holy city was meant to be, and they feel that in the name of ‘dharma’, Kashi is being slowly destroyed and sold off,” the report stated, reflecting the sentiments of the locals.
The Prime Minister’s performance in Varanasi in the 2024 Lok Sabha election saw his win margin significantly come down to 1,52,513 votes as compared to 4,79,505 in 2019 and 3,71,784 in 2014.
In the past decade, temple redevelopment projects have been on the rise. Under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) scheme, several other projects like the Somnath temple project was allocated Rs 47 crore, the Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain at about 850 crore, a Rs 5,300 crore Amarnath shrine roadway project.
