Religious Tourism and Its Spiritual Values in the context of Nepalese Tourism Industry

Travel for religious purposes assumed a significant importance. The practice for travelling for religious reasons, going on a pilgrimage for instance, became a well established custom in many parts of the world. By the end of the Middle Ages a large number of pilgrims were travelling to the main shrines in Europe and travel again assumed an interesting character. However, it was still dominated by religious motivations. Very little actual pleasure travel was undertaken. The adoption and spread of Christianity subsequently led to numerous pilgrims making their way to the holy land. So deep and strong was the hold of faith that the ritual of pilgrimage flourished over the centuries. Religion was a great unifying force. Pilgrimages strengthened religious bonds. It served as a powerful means of forging unity and understanding between peoples from widely different regions. In India, pilgrim travel assumed a great importance. The powerful influences of a crusading religion that slowly penetrated a foreign land, such as Christianity in Europe and later in America and Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism in Asia took place to permit an assimilation and perpetuation of very distinctive languages, literature, art, architecture, philosophy and forms of government. Religion thus played and continues to play a crucial part in travel. By about the fourteen century, pilgrimage was a mass phenomenon as a very large number of people were participating in pilgrimages. Subsequently, the religious nature of travel gave way to education, learning and sightseeing. People began to appreciate the importance of education, art, science and culture. This period was called the Renaissance. The growth and development of travel has been closely linked with growth and development of society as a whole. Divine service as a travel-motivating force subsists in journeys to sacred religious places and in pilgrimages cited in respect of modern tourism. Travels for spiritual reasons have been taking place since a long time. Visiting religious places has been one of the earliest motivations of travel. A large number of people have been making pilgrimages to sacred religious places or holy places. This practice is widespread in many parts of the world. In the Christian world, for instance, a visit to Jerusalem or the Vatican is considered to be very auspicious. In the Arab – Muslim world, a pilgrimage to Macca or some other holy centres is considered to be a great act of faith. In India and Nepal there are many pilgrimage centres and holy places belonging to all the major religions of the world where every year a large number of pilgrims from all over the world come.