Faithcation trend: 5 temple routes in South India for weekend gateways, local food and spiritual reset

If you are planning a spiritual getaway, then you can align with the new faithcation trend and turn your visit into a weekend trip.

India has plenty of pilgrimage sites, which usually see high footfall during festivals, certain seasons, special occasions, or once-a-year family visits. But this is slowly changing as pilgrimage trips evolve.

What exactly does this change suggest? Weighing in with industry insights. Sudhakar Chirra, founder and CEO of Fresh Bus, said that this points to the rise of the faithcation trend. “What we're seeing today is a significant shift in behaviour. More travellers are choosing short spiritual getaways throughout the year,” he said. This means they are becoming more frequent, shorter and weekend-friendly.

Chirra also outlined some of the routes seeing strong traveller interest, especially those linked to major pilgrimage sites, which offer both local food and an immersive cultural experience. He recommended these routes:

1. Bengaluru – Tirupati

• The route takes one through Kanaka Durga Temple, offers sunset views from Prakasam Barrage, and includes a leisurely outing to Bhavani Island on the Krishna River.
• Try authentic Andhra meals, spicy Gongura Pachadi, Mirchi Bajji and the region’s famous Pesarattu.

3. Chennai – Tirupati

• Do visit Tiruttani Murugan Temple, Chandragiri Fort, Sri Padmavathi Ammavari Temple, and Tirupati’s bustling markets.
• Try Tirupati Laddu, Sweet Pongal, traditional Tamil tiffin dishes, and Andhra vegetarian feasts.

4. Hyderabad – Srisailam

• A few must-visit places include Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple, viewpoints at Srisailam Dam, the ropeway to Pathala Ganga, and scenic drives through the Nallamala Tiger Reserve.
• Make sure to try the traditional Andhra thalis, local sweets, and regional delicacies served around temple precincts.

5. Bengaluru – Tiruvannamalai

• Don’t miss Arunachaleswarar Temple, the Girivalam trail around Arunachala Hill, Ramana Maharshi Ashram, and sunset views from the hill's foothills.
• Try temple prasadam, authentic Tamil vegetarian meals, filter coffee, and traditional South Indian snacks.

Beyond the routes, the larger trend demonstrates that spiritual travel is taking a new shape. Chirra believed that pilgrimage travel is now becoming a part of people's lifestyle, moving away from being a ‘once-a-year ritual.’ And as it becomes more common, it is also becoming more spontaneous, with travellers planning shorter trips around the weekend.

To further understand what is driving the growing interest in frequent spiritual travel, it is essential to look at booking patterns.

He added, “Based on an analysis of active ticket bookings between April 2024 and May 2026 across its user base of over 6 lakh passengers, Fresh Bus recorded a 40% increase in first-time travellers on its Tirupati-linked routes, with new customer additions rising from 58,079 in 2024 to 81,576 in 2025.”

This suggests that spiritual travel is actually attracting a wider base of travellers. Chirra also shared that repeat visits are becoming common, further supporting the idea that temple travel is not part of regular travel habits. And what gives away that faithcations are weekend-centric? Chirra mentioned that most bookings are seen between Friday and Sunday.

“As connectivity improves and travel becomes more accessible, temples are increasingly emerging as year-round destinations rather than places visited only on special occasions. We believe this trend will continue to shape the future of spiritual tourism in India,” he concluded.