A remarkable journey spanning over 1,200 sacred sites has been completed by a team of three spiritual pilgrims from Nepal and India. Coordinated by Nepal’s Pradeep Khanal and joined by Vinita Lepcha and Mangesh Bhagwat from India, the group embarked on an extraordinary religious pilgrimage across South Asia, including regions of China and Tibet, covering approximately 450 temples and shrines in just one year. This accomplishment not only honors religious traditions but also sets the stage for spiritual tourism promotion on a global scale.
The journey echoes the legendary travels of revered spiritual leaders such as Adi Shankaracharya, who, over 1,235 years ago, founded four key Shankaracharya monasteries after walking across India. Similarly, Guru Nanak Dev, around 524 years ago, traveled for 21 years across South Asia, including Nepal, visiting several sacred places that have since become renowned across the world.
Inspired by these spiritual figures, Khanal, Lepcha, and Bhagwat visited temples and monasteries across multiple religions, including Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and Jain pilgrimage sites. Their mission aimed at fostering religious harmony while enhancing the visibility of these places as spiritual tourism destinations.
Among the sacred sites visited by the group were the four Adi Shakti Peethas, the Chardham (Badrinath, Dwarka, Jagannath Puri, and Rameshwaram), and the 12 Jyotirlingas. Additionally, they visited various holy rivers, lakes, and springs, with Khanal even performing religious rites, including ritual dips in 23 sacred water bodies. Sites included historic places like Nalanda University in India and Taxila University in Pakistan, both ancient centers of learning in Eastern philosophy.
During the pilgrimage, the team interacted with religious leaders and administrators from the temples and monasteries they visited, discussing promoting and preserving these sacred spaces. They also invited religious figures to attend upcoming spiritual events in Varanasi, India. The journey covered temples in Nepal, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and China’s Tibet, fostering cultural and religious ties.
Khanal, who initiated the pilgrimage after performing rituals at Nepal’s national deity, Pashupatinath, emphasized the significance of their mission in promoting Nepal’s religious sites on an international platform. He believes that 80% of the sites they visit have the potential to be developed into global religious tourism destinations.
Khanal attributed the inspiration for this pilgrimage to spiritual icons Adi Shankaracharya and Guru Nanak Dev, whose teachings and footsteps he followed closely. During the pilgrimage, the group was supported by religious and administrative figures at the various sites, and they never faced challenges related to food, health, or accommodations, something Khanal described as divine blessings.
Since returning to Nepal, Khanal has been sharing his experiences with prominent figures, including Nepal’s Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav, former Presidents Bidya Devi Bhandari and Parmananda Jha, and various political and spiritual leaders from India. Additionally, Khanal has been distributing sacred water collected from the numerous pilgrimage sites as a gesture of goodwill.
The group’s endeavor is a journey of faith and a step towards promoting spiritual tourism across South Asia. Through their pilgrimage, they hope to bridge cultural and religious divides, creating a network of spiritual connections that extend beyond borders. This extraordinary accomplishment is poised to leave a lasting legacy in the realm of religious tourism.
