Uttarakhand's 'Nakshatra Sabha' Is Bringing Astro-Tourism To Rural India

The success of Uttarakhand’s flagship astro-tourism movement, the “Nakshatra Sabha,” is lighting the path for India's next tourism revolution. In a landmark initiative by the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board in partnership with Starscapes, the “Nakshatra Sabha” campaign has drawn astrophiles across the length and breadth of India, including some from as far as Norway, France, the United States of America and the Middle East.Tourists, schoolchildren, scientists, influencers and even locals who had never seen Saturn’s rings or the craters on the Moon have led a groundswell of interest in stargazing, citizen science and rural discovery. This inclusive tourism experience has been centred around seven destinations: Mussoorie, Jageshwar, Takula at Nainital, the Kartikswamy temple at Rudraprayag, Benital in Chamoli, Corbett and Pithoragarh, with each edition of the “Nakshatra Sabha” blending the magic of stargazing with storytelling, science and local heritage.For Shivani Ahlawat, an amateur astronomer who travelled from Delhi to attend the Jageshwar session, astro-tourism is the future. “It’s clean, educational and transformational,” she said.Dr Dorje Angchuk, an engineer at the Indian Astronomical Observatory, agrees. “The ‘Nakshatra Sabha’ has ignited public imagination. It’s rare to find an initiative that combines science communication, heritage and eco-tourism so effectively,” he said.What Is The ‘Nakshatra Sabha’?A typical “Nakshatra Sabha” event is an immersive experience packed with telescope viewings, mythological sky tours, astrophotography workshops, solar observations and discussions on the importance of dark sky conservation.The events also feature interactive storytelling sessions on celestial myths and local cosmology, tying ancient narratives to modern science. Night photography sessions, planetarium simulations and sunspot viewing through hydrogen-alpha filters adds layers of experience for tourists.The end result is that photos of long queues behind telescopes, children pointing skyward and constellations captured in real-time have flooded Instagram, with content from @starscapes.experiences reaching over three million impressions across events.The company also runs curated workshops with school groups, providing basic astronomy education and telescope-handling skills to students and teachers alike.Beyond A Tourism EventSeen as a proof of concept, the “Nakshatra Sabha” positions Uttarakhand not just as a destination of rivers and treks, but of dark skies and deep experiences.At every location, the Sabhas have collaborated with local homestays, artisans and eco-guides—generating income and awareness in communities often left out of mainstream tourism circuits. The events have also drawn support from district officials, forest departments and citizen science communities.The initiative even led to an uptick in Google searches for “stargazing in India” and “dark sky tourism”—a term that saw a 70 per cent rise in search interest over six months, with Uttarakhand featuring in the top results.“It’s time India leads in experiential, purpose-driven tourism. ‘Nakshatra Sabha’ isn’t just a campaign—it’s a movement,” said Sachin Kurve, the Secretary for Tourism.More Upcoming EventsThe “Nakshatra Sabha” campaign is taking an even more ambitious turn with a fresh focus on “ghost villages”—abandoned or near-abandoned rural settlements in Uttarakhand that are often empty due to migration, lack of livelihood or fading connectivity. These villages, however, share a rare gift: pristine, light-pollution-free skies.Thus, the state government is preparing to identify and designate some of these as official “Dark Sky Villages,” blending astro-tourism with rural revival.“We see this as a double-impact opportunity—preserving the night sky while breathing life back into our forgotten villages,” said Ramashish Ray, the founder of Starscapes. “It’s not about just looking at stars—it’s about building futures around them.”In these locations, infrastructure will remain minimal by design with a focus on dark-sky compliance, small-scale observatories and the skilling of local youth as astro-guides and storytellers. The pilot designations for “Dark Sky Villages” are expected to launch by late 2025, with support from astrophysical institutions and tourism researchers.The Dark Sky Conservation Report released earlier this year at the “Nakshatra Sabha Dark Sky Conclave” showed not only participation metrics but also a roadmap for preserving India’s skies before they are lost to light pollution. From developing dark-sky policies to engaging with international bodies like the International Dark Sky Association (IDA), Uttarakhand is poised to become India’s dark sky capital—with “Nakshatra Sabha” as its glowing beacon.“This is rural tourism reimagined,” said Kamakshi Mahale, an expert with the Rural Tourism Council. “The night sky becomes both a canvas and a livelihood.”(With inputs from a press release)6 Best Hotels For Stargazing In India