Скачать или смотреть Pilgrimage, Wellness, and Development: Role of Global Buddhist Networks in Bodhgaya’s Transformation

Speaker:
Mr. Siddharth Kumar, Research Scholar, Centre for Jawaharlal Nehru Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi

About the talk
Bodhgaya, a key pilgrimage site for Buddhists worldwide, has long faced challenges in addressing its infrastructure and connectivity to accommodate the increasing influx of tourists and pilgrims. Despite its religious significance, the region has suffered from inadequate state-led development, which has limited its potential as a major spiritual hub. However, in recent years, Bodhgaya has witnessed a transformation driven by global religious networks, particularly through the establishment of world-class meditation centres, yoga retreats, wellness centres, spiritual training institutions, and monasteries.

This talk explores the role of international Buddhist networks in shaping Bodhgaya’s emergence as a global spiritual capital. By examining the inadequacies of state-driven infrastructure projects and the rise of privately funded religious initiatives, the speaker will analyse how the convergence of local spiritual traditions with the global wellness trends has contributed to the region’s development. The research highlights the dynamic intersection of religious networks, spiritual tourism, and infrastructural growth, offering insights into the evolving relationship between global Buddhism and regional development.

This is the hundred and eighty-ninth in a series of Urban Workshops planned by the Centre de Sciences Humaines (CSH), New Delhi and Centre for Policy Research (CPR).