From Celluloid to Pilgrimage: Hindi Cinema and Religious Tourism

Abstract

Hindi cinema has a long history of films based on religious and devotional themes, ranging from Raja Harishchandra (1913) to Bhakta Prahlad (1932), Sant Tukaram (1936), Meera (1945), Jai Santoshi Maa (1975), Bajrangbali (1976), Gopal Krishna (1979), Ganga Dham (1980), Meera Ke Girdhar (1993), OMG: Oh My God (2012), Kedarnath (2018) and Kalki 2898 AD (2024). Dadasaheb Phalke's Raja Harishchandra marked the beginning of Indian cinema, which became an influential medium not only for entertainment but also for propagating Indian religious and cultural values. Phalke brought Indian religious traditions alive through cinema, creating a deep connection with Indian audiences. A huge number of Indians have visited pilgrimage sites at various times in their lives. In this context, religious tourism has been a significant cultural and economic activity in India for centuries, and became more popular through cinema. Religious films attractively present pilgrimage sites, motivating audiences to visit these sites. Hindi films were not only based on religious themes, but also depicted religious sites in non-religious cinema, such as in Nastik (1954), where the main character visits religious sites to achieve self-realization. Cinema provided a new dimension to religious tourism and has helped create a global identity for India's religious sites. It has helped in tempting pilgrims from India and abroad, which has also benefited the tourism industry.