Will promote religious tourism, bhajan clubbing: Delhi minister

Kapil Mishra said organised pilgrimage routes connecting religious sites across the city will be developed to enable visitors to undertake darshan through planned pathways with improved connectivity and facilities

The Delhi government plans to promote bhajan clubbing — a growing cultural format that blends devotional music with contemporary presentation styles — as part of its strategy to boost religious and cultural tourism in the capital, tourism minister Kapil Mishra said on Friday.

Addressing a private event during the Tourism Summit 2026 in Chennai, Mishra said the government would encourage the spread of bhajan clubbing across age groups and integrate it into broader tourism initiatives aimed at attracting younger and urban audiences to religious and cultural experiences. (HT Archive)

Addressing a private event during the Tourism Summit 2026 in Chennai, Mishra said the government would encourage the spread of bhajan clubbing across age groups and integrate it into broader tourism initiatives aimed at attracting younger and urban audiences to religious and cultural experiences.

Bhajan clubbing typically involves live or recorded bhajans and kirtans performed in informal social settings with modern sound systems, coordinated lighting and participatory singing. The format has recently gained wider visibility after Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to its popularity among younger audiences, where devotional music is presented in group settings similar to cultural or music gatherings without altering the religious content of the hymns.

Mishra said the initiative would be part of a larger plan to position Delhi as a key destination for religious tourism through structured pilgrimage routes and landmark-based development.

“The tourism strategy will be based on a landmark-focused approach, under which major religious, historical and cultural sites will be developed as focal points. The approach includes enhancing infrastructure, visitor amenities and experience-based tourism around identified landmarks,” he said.

Under the plan, organised pilgrimage routes connecting religious sites across the city will be developed to enable visitors to undertake darshan through planned pathways with improved connectivity and facilities.

Highlighting employment potential, Mishra said tourism offers opportunities in tour operations, hospitality, travel services and aviation. He added that the government would focus on setting up educational institutions, training centres and skill development programmes linked to tourism to improve workforce readiness.

Mishra said Delhi’s cultural diversity and historical heritage make it a distinctive tourism destination, noting that the city has nearly 1,200 protected monuments. He added that the government aims to promote the capital’s history, cuisine and infrastructure more effectively to domestic and international tourists.

He also said a proposal to operate a cruise service on the Yamuna forms part of the government’s tourism vision.

Inviting tour operators from across the country to visit Delhi, Mishra said the capital offers significant potential for tourism development under the leadership of chief minister Rekha Gupta.