Founder of Temple Connect & ITCX (International Temples Convention & EXPO), Giresh Vasudev Kulkarni, gives GT Digital a deeper understanding and his perspective on Goa Tourism’s engagement with temple committees to strengthen the Ekadasha Teertha Yatra, including the impact on temple economies, pilgrim experience and sustainable tourism models.
How do you see the role of temples evolving in the 21st century, beyond just places of worship, in terms of their cultural, social and economic impact?
When we look at the temples, they are not only places of worship, but also meeting points of culture, traditions, economy, trade, transaction and beyond anything else, the heritage that we have been living.
Temples have become more of a spiritual awakening, knowledge, devotion, ritual and the belief of going to temples has multiplied thanks to the social media.
How will the Ekadasha Teertha Yatra translate into economic opportunities for the local communities surrounding these temples?
When we talk about any temple economy, footfalls, awareness and revenue collection is the key. So, when these yatras are organised, festivals, temple trails are organised, the economy around the temples, like local food to takeaways sold by women self-help groups, will benefit.
The sale of devotional products, flowers included, will be done through locals. I am sure the economy will get a boost. When these yatras are held, everyone locally will make the most of it and I am sure it will help the temple economy in Goa grow.
The temples featured in the circuit include prominent sites such as Shri Manguesh Temple (Mangeshi), Sri Mahalasa Narayani Temple (Mardol), Mahadev Temple (Tambdi Surla), Sri Shantadurga Temple (Fatorpa), and others like Brahma, Hari Mandir, Damodar, Parashuram, Mahaganapati, and Dattatreya.
Are there any sustainable tourism practices being advocated?
Every temple across the country, and Goa, works closely on the sustainability pattern, from solar to water conservation to plastic-free temple economy to EVs and other initiatives to help not only the sustainability point of view, but also the environment.
Goa is no less in this aspect. The local temple committees are doing their best to put all this together. They are taking their own baby steps to formulate this, but yes, sustainability is the key topic of temples across the country and the globe where plastic-free temple economy, as well as recycled aspects of such nirmangas, is a larger way.
The Ekadasha Teertha Yatra is a spiritual tourism initiative in Goa that focuses on connecting 11 major temples across the State.
Tell us about the Ekadasha Teertha Yatra, and about how crucial the collaboration between Goa Tourism and temple committees is.
The Ekadasha Teertha Yatra is a spiritual tourism initiative in Goa that focuses on connecting 11 major temples across the State. This yatra aims to provide visitors with a holistic cultural and religious experience, allowing them to explore Goa's rich heritage while immersing themselves in its spiritual traditions.
The Ekadasha Teertha Yatra is a unique spiritual tourism initiative in Goa that includes visits to eleven temples, carefully selected to showcase the State's religious and cultural diversity.
Designed to be completed in two to three days, tourists typically visit four temples daily, ensuring a fulfilling and manageable itinerary. The yatra goes beyond traditional sightseeing by offering a holistic experience by integrating nearby tourist attractions and cultural landmarks, while fostering a deep spiritual connection with Goa’s rich religious heritage.
What are some key challenges you've identified in the current temple tourism infrastructure in Goa?
Goa has a very strong devotion and spirituality. For long, people across the world thought Goa was limited to more churches and less temples, but the GSB community and various communities, whose family deity, or kula devata, is in Goa have been diligent and particular about visiting the family god or goddess at least once a year and performing the traditional rituals and formalities.
When we talk about the Goa government and spirituality, there is a strong initiative by the government on creating a spiritual Goa, where it is also the land of gods and temples, with spirituality and rituals which are extremely well managed by the community.
And yes, Goa has been mistaken as the land of sun, sea and sands, but it is also the land of spirituality and greater temples in count than churches and other places of worship. Through the media, I see a large amount of exposure to this sector, where people will relate to Goa as a land of temples also.