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Religious tourism and religious tolerance: insights from pilgrimage sites in India
Purpose – This paper aims to explore the ways in which religious tourism in India fosters religious tolerance. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses a conceptual apparatus derived from the basic structure of religious tourism comprising motivation, journey and destination, to understand vario...
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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TOURISM REVIEW
2015
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| Online Access: | http://10.26.1.76/ks/005524.pdf |
| Summary: | Purpose – This paper aims to explore the ways in which religious tourism in India fosters religious
tolerance.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses a conceptual apparatus derived from the basic
structure of religious tourism comprising motivation, journey and destination, to understand various
aspects of tolerance. Tolerance, with the implicit meaning of diversity and pluralism, is examined at two
levels – intra-religion and inter-religion – using field investigations from three Hindu pilgrimage sites,
namely, Vrindavan, Tuljapur, Shegaon and review of one Muslim site called Ajmer Sharif. These sites
exhibit a range of combinations, sectarian traditions within Hindu and their interactions with others,
including Muslims and foreigners.
Findings – Each of the sites provides different sets of opportunities for the “others” to get exposed to
religious and cultural aspects. It is found that tolerance within the Hindu sects and with non-Hindus from
other religious faiths is a function of their engagement with cultural performances and participation in the
religious tourism economy in a pilgrimage site.
Originality/value – On a broader level, this paper argues that conceptualising tolerance within a social
and cultural sphere helps in a better understanding of tolerance and identifying areas within religious
tourism where it can be promoted. A conscious effort to promote tolerance through religious tourism will
add value to religious tourism and help it thrive. |
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| Physical Description: | pp. 179-196 VOL. 70 NO. 3 2015, |