Episode 148 - Why are Tirupati, Varanasi, Dwaraka so popular? - Exploring why India travels for faith! - India Explained

Vacations in India aren’t always about beaches, resorts, or shopping malls — more often, they’re about temples, mosques, rivers, and shrines. In this episode, we explore why pilgrimage destinations attract more visitors than leisure tourism spots.We’ll trace the roots of pilgrimage in India, from ancient journeys to the Ganga and Yamuna, to modern circuits like Tirupati, Vaishno Devi, and the Kumbh Mela. We’ll examine how accessibility, affordability, and community make pilgrimages more appealing than “chill” vacations. Along the way, we’ll highlight the emotional and cultural pull of faith — from family rituals to life milestones — and how governments have turned pilgrimage into a tourism industry of its own.We’ll also compare leisure travel’s rise — hill stations, beaches, resorts — and why it remains secondary to spiritual journeys. From global parallels like the Hajj in Saudi Arabia or the Camino de Santiago in Spain, to India’s record‑breaking crowds, this episode uncovers why faith continues to drive travel more than fun.This is the story of how India’s roads more often lead to shrines than to spas, and why pilgrimage refreshes not just the body, but the soul.Instagram: @samarthchittaTwitter: @samarthchittaEmail: [email protected]