Now, fast forward to the present. As the holy glaciers become accessible to the crowds after a long winter hibernation, there’s a totally different spin to a pilgrim’s progress. The hike is still arduous, but there are Char Dham (Gangotri-Yamunotri-Badrinath-Kedarnath) excursion packages to deliver your piece of salvation in comfort and leisure. Air-conditioned cars and jeeps to whiz you closer to your destination on the motorable parts of the route. Luxury camps with spacious, weather-proof tents, attached baths and hot and cold water, multi-cuisine dining facilities, special aarti services, guided visits to the shrines and even religious discourses, yoga lessons and bonfires on demand.
What’s more, the Union ministry of tourism is in aggressive promotion mode. As part of its Incredible India campaign, it has roped in spiritual guru Deepak Chopra to pitch India in the West as a route to God, peace and tranquility. The catchphrase is—India: Holy, Whole, Healing. "Our aim is to present spirituality in a contemporary manner to include aspects of wellness of the mind and soul," says Amitabh Kant, joint secretary, ministry of tourism.
Spiritual tourism in India has largely been a spartan activity, the domain of the old and retired, and of devout middle-class families. It has also been favoured by backpacking foreigners seeking moksha and some hash—on a budget—in places like Pushkar, Rishikesh and Varanasi. But slowly and subtly, spiritual tourism is shedding its shabby image to reveal a snazzy and glamorous face.
It’s a chicken-and-egg situation. This segment of tourism is getting classier because of growing patronage by an upscale clientele, among them yuppie executives, rich nris and well-heeled foreigners. However, it’s also happening the other way around: the improvement in facilities and infrastructure is drawing the young and the affluent. "It’s not about cheap stay in some small-time ashram but about luxury camps and resorts," says Sanjay Basu of the travel company Far Horizon Tours Pvt Ltd.
"At one time, Sai Baba’s home, Shirdi, had nothing. Now there are five-star hotels. As the affluent class is drawn in greater numbers, better hotels will come up," says Vishwas Dhonde, publicity and PR manager for the Maharastra Tourism Development Corporation. "Big players are getting into the market, a certain sophistication is being introduced into the experience," says Kant.