Varanasi's Spiritual Tourism Boom To Transform City

EE News Desk Apr 15, 2024

Varanasi, also affectionately known as Kashi or Banaras, is celebrated for its holy Ganga river, historic ghats, flavourful cuisine, exquisite silk sarees, venerable universities, and numerous temples. This city, revered for its rich blend of spirituality, culture, art, food, and heritage, has been a central pilgrimage site for Hindu devotees from across the world for many years.

As per media reports, in 2023, the city saw an extraordinary number of tourists, with over 53.8 million visitors, including 13,700 international guests, according to data from the UP tourism department. This was a significant increase from the 5.48 million visitors in 2014, which aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assumption of power and his victory in the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat, a region dominated by the BJP since 1991.

This boost in tourism has sparked considerable economic growth in Varanasi, dubbed the 'Spiritual Capital of India.' The sector saw a remarkable 65 per cent increase in income, especially after the opening of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor. This economic uplift is largely due to major infrastructure enhancements, including better airports, interconnected roads, and high-end accommodations, achieved while diligently preserving the city's profound cultural legacy.

Dalmia Bhawan, an ancient structure with a 200-year history, is set to be transformed into 'Sabo Boutique Hotel,' a luxury establishment poised to enhance Kashi's tourism sector.

Kunal Dalmia explains that the building, characterised by its Danish architecture, has been a witness to India's history, hosting iconic figures such as Annie Besant, Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, and Sarojini Naidu. It has observed India's evolution from colonial rule to independence and now to a global tourism hub, all from the vantage point of Varanasi.

Dalmia, owner of Dalmia Bhawan, situated between two popular Ghats of Banaras, Assi Ghat and Dashaswhamedh Ghat stated, “With the increasing influx of travellers to the city, Banaras will continue to shine on, our Boutique Heritage Hotel is going to make a lasting impression on the city and for this quantum jump, the city needed great infrastructure to create an experience for discerning tourists.”

He credited the growth of luxury and spiritual tourism in India to enhanced connectivity, improved infrastructure, and the modernisation of pilgrimage cities through government initiatives, including the PRASAD scheme.

In response to the increasing demand for spiritual tourism in Varanasi, the Dalmia family aims to leave a significant mark on the city by transforming a 19th-century garden home into the modern Sabo Boutique Hotel. This renovation is a tribute to Dalmia's mother, Savitri Devi – these details were revealed in a media report by tourism expert Nitin Kumar Singh, who specialises in Varanasi's historical buildings and Hindu civilisation.

“We are soon going to transform our family treasure Dalmia Bhawan into Sabo Boutique Hotel to cater to the rising demand of spiritual tourism creating unique experiences for knowledgeable travellers. Our family has had a close bond with this city over ages and our philanthropic gestures in preserving the culture of the city run in the family," Dalmia pointed out.

Beyond their investments in hospitality, the Dalmia family has also made significant contributions to the arts, culture, and education in Banaras. The late LN Dalmia donated a 275-room hostel to honour his father, Duli Chandji Dalmia, aptly named ‘Dalmia Hostel’. Additionally, he provided a Home Science block to Banaras Hindu University (BHU), dedicated to his wife, Savitri Devi Dalmia (Sabo), which is called ‘Savitri Devi Dalmia Vigyan Bhawan’.