Religious tourism has immense potential in J&K: Kavinder

Dire need to bring all religious tourism places onto the tourism map

Participates in 19th Annual Chitto Mata Jyot Yatra

Kavinder Gupta, a senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister, highlighted the immense potential of religious tourism in the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory. He spoke while participating in the 19th annual Chitto Mata, also known as Singhasan Mata, Jyot Yatra.

Chitto Mata, popularly known as Singhasan Mata, is located approximately 310 kilometers away from Jammu city. The holy pilgrimage which commenced from Rani Talab Digiana (Chito Bhawan) in Jammu will culminate at the sacred abode of Goddess nestled in Gulabgarh of Kishtwar district devotees. Amidst traditional religious rituals, the Akhand Jyot will be carried from Jammu towards the holy shrine in Padder by a dedicated Sewak.

On the occasion, Jaipaul Sharma, President of the Singhasan Mata Sewak Sanstha; Maggar Singh, Chairman, Kuldeep Sharma, Dr. Goswami, Surinder Singh (Bunty), Shishu Chib, Satpal, Shishi Mehra and Deepak Gupta were also present.

Speaking on the occasion, Kavinder emphasized that the Jammu region possesses a wide array of tourist attractions and has immense potential for the development of various pilgrimage tourism spots. It offers heritage, leisure, and adventure tourism opportunities to visitors with diverse interests.

Kavinder recommended expanding facilities for pilgrims and promoting infrastructure projects to enhance connectivity within different regions of Jammu and Kashmir. He emphasized the need for a focused strategy and initiatives to fully harness the tourism potential of the Union Territory.

The senior BJP leader appealed to the authorities to compile a comprehensive list of locations that can be developed for religious tourism purposes. He stated that there is a dire need to bring all renowned religious tourism places onto the tourism map, and the Union Territory will position itself as a leading destination for spiritual seekers, history enthusiasts, and cultural explorers from all corners of the world.

Highlighting the immense economic potential of pilgrimage tourism, the former deputy Chief Minister asserted that it plays a significant role in driving growth and employment opportunities in Jammu and Kashmir. He urged the government to make concerted efforts to place the Union Territory on the international tourist pilgrimage map, as the region boasts numerous historically significant religious sites.