THE new sunday express Voices Anand Neelakantan Debashis Chatterjee S Vaidhyasubramaniam Ravi Shankar Deepali Bhardwaj Swami Sukhabodhananda MAGAZINE Buffet People Wellness Books Food Art & Culture Entertainment december 28 2025 SUNDAY PAGES 12 India’s Luxe Pilgrimages Sanctuaries of mindful luxury are becoming popular, where salvation is curated to suit a new breed of moksha seekers By Nikhil P Merchant A cross India, faith is being reimagined—not through austerity, but through ease and intention. The pilgrimage, once defined by dust, endurance, and deprivation, now unfolds with comfort and care: travellers arrive in chauffeur-driven cars, rest in sensitively restored havelis, and meditate beneath canopies of handwoven cloth. This shift does not dilute spirituality; it reframes it, allowing devotion to coexist with refinement. As India itself has changed—more prosperous, more globally attuned—so too has the idea of pilgrimage. What was once a test of endurance is increasingly an immersive experience, shaped by time, access, and choice, reflecting a country learning to carry its faith forward without leaving its present behind. What was once a test of endurance, marked by crowds, and simplicity, is now an experience of quiet contemplation shaped by comfort and aesthetics. The air in Varanasi at dawn feels suspended—thick with smoke, prayer, and the slow shimmer of the Ganga. A saffron sun begins to rise as temple bells ring from every direction. From the terrace of the Taj Nadesar Palace, the scent of marigold and sandalwood wafts through the corridors. Sacred Shores Pilibhit House, Haridwar The Plus Factor: Its own private ghat hosting an intimate evening aarti, and yoga sessions by the river A woman in a white chikankari kurta sits cross-legged on her balcony , sipping tulsi tea as she watches priests prepare for the morning aarti. She is here on pilgrimage—but not the kind that leaves her blistered and weary Hers is a journey of devotion . wrapped in design, contemplation gilded with comfort. “People want to feel close to something ancient,” says Meera Khatri, founder of the boutique travel company Yatra Luxe, which designs spiritual retreats across India. “But they don’t see why faith has to come with fatigue. For them, luxury pilgrimage isn’t about indulgence—it’s about intimacy .” Indeed, the new pilgrim’s path winds as much through heritage hotels and spa sanctuaries as through temples and ghats. In Rameswaram, guests start their day with sunrise yoga by the sea before a guided dip in the 22 sacred wells—followed by an Ayurvedic lunch prepared with coastal produce. In Amritsar, they join the dawn prayers at the Golden Temple, then return to the colonial calm of Welcomhotel Amritsar for a breakfast inspired by the langar— parathas with white butter, saffron chai, and halwa. And in Ladakh, at The Ultimate Travelling Camp, monks lead meditation under the open sky and guests sleep under , yak-wool blankets as butter lamps flicker beside them. What binds these journeys is not extravagance, but elevation—a desire Royal Reverence Brijrama Palace, Varanasi The Plus Factor: Dine by the ghats and sail the Ganga at sunrise and sunset to merge faith and finesse. “Pilgrimage today is about beauty as a bridge to the divine,” says sociologist and travel writer Shreya Joshi. The trend has found its most enthusiastic following among India’s affluent, educated, and globally exposed travellers. Many are in their 30s and 40s, balancing ambition with a yearning for pause. “After years of chasing deadlines, I wanted a journey that felt deeper,” says Delhi interior designer Ruchika Mahajan, who travelled to Kedarnath via helicopter last summer and stayed at an eco-lodge in Guptkashi. This reimagining of pilgrimage reflects a generational shift. Younger Indians are less interested in the rigidity of ritual and more drawn to experiences that feel meaningful and personal. Faith is being reinterpreted through culture—woven into architecture, art, and food—and increasingly expressed through an aesthetic of calm and authenticity . “My friends and I don’t go for religious reasons,” says Arya Kapoor, a 29-year-old creative strategist from Mumbai. “We go for energy I think . we’re all looking for something real, something still.” For a generation overwhelmed by stimulation, stillness has become the ultimate luxury “I used to think of pilgrimage . as noisy and chaotic,” says Nisha Anand, a 42-year-old fashion consultant who recently took a solo trip to Haridwar. “But staying by the river, waking up to the sound of bells, feeling the air change at sunrise—it was meditative.” I t’s not a rejection of faith, but a rephrasing of it. In Puri, the Mayfair Heritage offers temple tours guided by historians and dinners inspired by the Jagannath Temple kitchen. In Bodh Gaya, minimalist luxury resorts reinterpret Buddhist philosophy through clean architecture and sound healing rituals. Even Madurai’s temple corridors are seeing travellers who linger over the geometry of gopurams. Travellers are rediscovering the spiritual design of their own land. Rishikesh has long been the haunt of seekers and dreamers. “It’s not just a dip,” says Hurlene Kharbanda, a Mumbai PR and marketing strategist turn to page 2 Regal Revival Six Senses Fort Barwara, Ranthambore National Park The Plus Factor: Enjoy heritage walks, and safaris into the wild heart of the park