Beyond Vaishno Devi shrine: Jammu’s untapped religious tourism potential

Religious tourism remains one of the strongest economic and cultural pillars of the Jammu region, even as the potential of many sites continues to remain unexplored.

Jammu, with its mixed population of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians, is home to numerous religious sites associated with these communities. At present, the Vaishno Devi shrine remains the primary driver of tourism in the region.

Several shrines associated with the Muslim community in Rajouri and Poonch, Sikh shrines in Reasi, and Christian sites in Jammu have so far not received the attention required to firmly place the region on the religious tourism map. The region offers a unique blend of cultures living peacefully alongside one another, a feature found in only a few parts of the country.

Most devotees visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine later travel to adjoining areas and often proceed to the Kashmir valley.

Many religious sites across the Jammu division remain underdeveloped and insufficiently promoted at the national level, despite their potential to attract large numbers of visitors.

Interestingly, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has partnered with the National Highways Logistics Management Ltd. (NHLML) to implement an ambitious programme under which 18 ropeway projects have been proposed across the Union Territory. A pre-feasibility study has been completed for eight projects, while studies for the remaining 10 are underway through NHLML.

“These ropeway projects are intended to improve connectivity to difficult and inaccessible areas, provide convenient access to tourist destinations and offer a sustainable mode of transportation suited to the region’s mountainous terrain. The implementation of the programme is expected to significantly boost tourism by enhancing access to religious sites, trekking routes and scenic locations, while simultaneously benefiting local communities through improved mobility and the creation of employment opportunities,” the Economic Survey report released recently stated.

While the government has upgraded several religious sites across the Union Territory, many revered by people of different faiths are still awaiting attention. Sites upgraded to improve visitor experience include Dargah Hazratbal in Srinagar under PRASAD, Aishmuqam, Baba Reshi at Tangmarg, Khankah-e-Moula in Srinagar, temples such as Shankaracharya and Mata Kheer Bhawani at Tulmulla in Ganderbal under the Sufi circuit, as well as Raghunath Temple and Saint Luke’s Church under the Smart City initiative.

According to official figures, the total number of tourists visiting the Jammu region in 2023 stood at 1.80 crore, while Kashmir recorded 31.55 lakh visitors during the same period. The number rose to two crore in the Jammu region in 2024, compared with 34.98 lakh in Kashmir. In another period, tourist arrivals in Jammu stood at 1.62 crore, while Kashmir recorded 11.16 lakh visitors.

The high tourist footfall in the Jammu region is largely attributed to devotees visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine. Experts believe that bringing more shrines from different communities onto the tourism circuit could become a powerful economic driver for the entire Union Territory.