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Himachal beckons the pilgrim tourist
Shimla, Dec 08: With an aim to cash in on the tourism potential of famous shrines dotting the hill state, Himachal Pradesh government has drawn up an elaborate plan to boost `religious tourism` by offering better services to pilgrims thronging the state for spiritual bliss.
Shimla, Dec 08: With an aim to cash in on the tourism potential of famous shrines dotting the hill state, Himachal Pradesh government has drawn up an elaborate plan to boost "religious tourism" by offering better services to pilgrims thronging the state for spiritual bliss.
Also known as 'dev bhumi' or God's abode, Himachal is home to famous temples like Chamunda, Naina Devi, Brajeshwari, Jwalamukhi and Chintpurni which attract lakhs of devotees every year, especially during the festivals.
The state government has submitted a Rs 8-crore project to the Union government for a religious circuit covering all the important shrines from Chandigarh to Vaishno Devi via Anandpur Sahib-Naina Devi-Deotsidh-Chintpurni-Jwalaji-Baijnath-Kangra and Chamunda.
The government has decided to provide basic facilities like cheap accommodation, parking, toilet facilities, air, rail and hotel bookings and tourist information centres at famous temples, gurudwaras, monasteries and churches frequented by lakhs of pilgrims every year, official sources said here.
There are also many pagoda temples like Bhimakali Temple at Sarahan and Hadimba Temple in Manali, with unique architecture and heritage value and famous gurdwaras of Paonta Sahib, Rewalsar and Manikaran which are very sacred to the Sikh community.
Buddhist Monasteries like Kye and Tabo, which were more than 1000 years old and a pagoda style monastery at Rewalsar from where Buddhist Guru Padmasambhav left for Tibet to spread the message of Buddhism are among the most sought after destinations by scholars and tourists alike.
The Kye Monastry, in cold deserts of tribal Kaza located at an altitude of 4116 mt, was built in 10th century. It is the oldest and biggest monastery where training is imparted to monks while the Tabo Monastery which celebrated its millennium in 1996 was second only to Tholing Monastery (Gompa) in Tibet in fame and importance with its vast collection of sculptures, wall paintings and murals.
A large number of churches built during the Raj have also proved to be major tourist attractions over the years.
The Christ Church and St Michael Church in Shimla, the summer capital of India during the British rule and the Anglican church at Kasauli and St John's Church in McLeod Ganj near Dharamsala are architectural landmarks in their own right.
The inflow of Buddhists from various parts of the world is attributed to the presence of the Dalai Lama who is permanently residing in McLeod Ganj, which is also the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile.
The union government has already sanctioned a Rs 7.23 crore Buddhist circuit in which wayside amenities are being provided to tourists at remote places like Sarchu, Rohtang and Jispa in tribal areas and at Manali, Kullu and Rewalsar where large number of people are Buddhists, they said. Bureau Report
The state government has submitted a Rs 8-crore project to the Union government for a religious circuit covering all the important shrines from Chandigarh to Vaishno Devi via Anandpur Sahib-Naina Devi-Deotsidh-Chintpurni-Jwalaji-Baijnath-Kangra and Chamunda.
The government has decided to provide basic facilities like cheap accommodation, parking, toilet facilities, air, rail and hotel bookings and tourist information centres at famous temples, gurudwaras, monasteries and churches frequented by lakhs of pilgrims every year, official sources said here.
There are also many pagoda temples like Bhimakali Temple at Sarahan and Hadimba Temple in Manali, with unique architecture and heritage value and famous gurdwaras of Paonta Sahib, Rewalsar and Manikaran which are very sacred to the Sikh community.
Buddhist Monasteries like Kye and Tabo, which were more than 1000 years old and a pagoda style monastery at Rewalsar from where Buddhist Guru Padmasambhav left for Tibet to spread the message of Buddhism are among the most sought after destinations by scholars and tourists alike.
The Kye Monastry, in cold deserts of tribal Kaza located at an altitude of 4116 mt, was built in 10th century. It is the oldest and biggest monastery where training is imparted to monks while the Tabo Monastery which celebrated its millennium in 1996 was second only to Tholing Monastery (Gompa) in Tibet in fame and importance with its vast collection of sculptures, wall paintings and murals.
A large number of churches built during the Raj have also proved to be major tourist attractions over the years.
The Christ Church and St Michael Church in Shimla, the summer capital of India during the British rule and the Anglican church at Kasauli and St John's Church in McLeod Ganj near Dharamsala are architectural landmarks in their own right.
The inflow of Buddhists from various parts of the world is attributed to the presence of the Dalai Lama who is permanently residing in McLeod Ganj, which is also the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile.
The union government has already sanctioned a Rs 7.23 crore Buddhist circuit in which wayside amenities are being provided to tourists at remote places like Sarchu, Rohtang and Jispa in tribal areas and at Manali, Kullu and Rewalsar where large number of people are Buddhists, they said. Bureau Report