The Gaze Journal of Tourism and Hospitality (2021) 12:1, 126-170 THE GAZE JOURNAL OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY A Preliminary Study of Pilgrimage Tourism in Barahachhetra, Nepal Ramesh Raj Kunwar
[email protected] Nabin Th apaliya
[email protected] ‘a tourist is half a pilgrim, if a pilgrim is half a tourist’ (Turner & Turner, 1978, p.20; in Kunwar, 2017, p. 323) Article History Abstract Received 1 February 2021 Accepted 10 February 2021 Pilgrimage is an age-old phenomenon for people of all religions. Pilgrimage is oft en been defi ned as a journey resulting from religious causes, externally to a holy site, and internally for spiritual purposes and internal understanding. For the Hindus, Pilgrimage is associated with Moksha (liberation), one of the four Purusharthas (virtues), the other three being Artha (material value) Dharma (righteousness), Keywords and Kama (pleasure). Th e concept of pilgrimage tourism in Pilgrimage, the Hindu tradition is a recent one. In Nepal, where tourism pilgrimage tourism, has largely remained a seasonal business, pilgrimage tourism Barahachhetra, can be a perennial source of income especially because Nepal myths and legends, is home to some of the world’s most important sacred Hindu authenticity and Buddhist pilgrimage destinations. It is also noteworthy that according to 2011 offi cial census in Nepal, more than 80 percent of the residents follow Hinduism (Central Bureau of Statistics, 2012, p.4) and Nepal shares a free border with India, the country with the largest number of Hindu residents, in absolute terms, in the entire world. Barahachhetra in Corresponding Editor Ramesh Raj Kunwar Nepal is as important as other pilgrimage destinations in
[email protected] Nepal, however, no studies have been carried out so far on Copyright © 2021 Authors Published by: International School of Tourism and Hotel Management, Kathmandu, Nepal ISSN 2467-933X Kunwar/ Thapaliya: A Preliminary Study of Pilgrimage Tourism in Barahachhetra, Nepal 127 the status and potential of pilgrimage tourism in Barahachhetra.