TEHRAN — Isfahan Municipality is set to officially unveil the spiritual tourism routes of Isfahan, highlighting saqqakhanehs (traditional places providing water to the passersby), seminaries, and mosques located within the city’s ancient bazaar, said Alireza Massah, who presides over the municipality’s tourism office.

Speaking at a press conference of a cultural event themed “Isfahan, a Narrative of Love and Art” with focus on spiritual tourism, handicrafts and Muharram rituals, he said all the facilities of Cultural Complex of Isfahan Municipality’s District Four have been made available to the “Narrative of Love and Art” exhibition, Mehr news agency reported.

He said, “Our cultural colleagues have done their best to prepare the space in Chahar Bagh Boulevard in recent days.”

Since the exhibition will continue until 22 at nights, the coordination has been made with Isfahan and Suburbs Bus Company for transferring the artisans and citizens until that time, he added.

Pointing to the special potentials of ritual tourism in Isfahan, he said Takht-e Foulad site is one of the important centers of Isfahan’s spiritual and religious tourism.

This site is not only valuable in terms of architecture and history, the carvings on tombstones, the calligraphy lines, and the mystical concepts engraved on the tombstones are themselves a living museum of the religious beliefs of the people of this land, he mentioned.

He gave news of the role of Specialized Office of National and Ritual Arts of Isfahan Municipality in this event, saying: “This office with cooperation of other cultural bodies, will launch stands in Chahar Bagh and also perform special artistic programs in public space. The event is an opportunity to showcase the artistic potentials associated with religious and spiritual rituals.”

Massah also gave news of planning for revival of spiritual tourism in Isfahan’s historical Bazaar, adding that Isfahan Bazar is full of religious spaces, which includes traditional saqqakhanehs, mosques, seminaries and Hosseinieh which are rooted in Muharram history and culture. 

All of them are proper grounds for planning new tourism routes with spiritual approach, he pointed out.

He expressed the hope that these new routes can familiarize domestic and foreign tourists with rarely-seen manifestation of Isfahan cultural heritage, a heritage which has deep ties with Muharram rituals and public beliefs. 

KD 

Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) reported a profitable first quarter Thursday, with stable margins despite headwinds from international flight disruptions and the fallout from the terror attack in Pahalgam and subsequent conflict with Pakistan.

What stood out, however, was the pace of expansion: IHCL is expanding its footprint through new hotel signings, acquisitions, and deeper bets on spiritual and event-driven tourism.

IHCL signed 12 new hotels and opened six during the quarter. It now operates 249 hotels, with another 143 more in its pipeline.

“We are nearing the milestone of a 400-plus hotels portfolio. We remain confident of achieving this milestone during this month itself,” CEO Puneet Chhatwal

The Divine Puri Conclave marks the beginning of a collective journey, Together, we can shape Puri into a global spiritual beacon and an economic powerhouse

OdishaPlus Bureau

The “Divine Puri” conclave, an initiative by the Odisha-based digital news platform Newsroom, brought together key stakeholders to explore and strategize the enhancement of Odisha’s economy by leveraging the immense potential of Puri, the land of Lord Jagannath, as one of India’s foremost centers for spiritual tourism.

The event, held in Bhubaneswar on July 16, 2025, and was steered by Manoranjan Mishra, Founder Editor, and Priyadarsi Bal, Founder & CEO of Newsroom, with OdishaLIVE as the communication partner.

The conclave served as a platform to present actionable recommendations derived from a comprehensive survey, “Understanding Tourist, Local People & Service Providers’ Experience in Puri Rath Yatra-2025.” This pivotal research was conducted by the Centre for Marketing in Emerging Economies (CMEE), IIM Lucknow, in collaboration with Newsroom.

Presenting the groundbreaking findings, Prof. Satyabhusan Dash of IIM Lucknow highlighted the profound spiritual and psychological impact of the Rath Yatra on its visitors.

The survey revealed that the primary motivation for an overwhelming 76.5% of attendees is to seek the “Blessings of Lord Jagannath.” Other significant motivators included finding “mental peace” (14.3%) and “leisure activity” (8.3%), underscoring the deep spiritual connection visitors feel with the event.

Perhaps the most striking revelation from the study was the quantifiable increase in happiness and life satisfaction among the attendees. Using a “happiness ladder” where participants rated their well-being on a scale of 0 to 10, the study found a good surge in happiness. The average happiness score of visitors jumped from 6.87 before attending the Rath Yatra to an impressive 9.10 during or after the experience.

This statistically significant increase of 2.23 points provides concrete evidence of the festival’s transformative power. This data strongly suggests that the Rath Yatra is not just a religious gathering but a deeply impactful event that significantly enhances personal well-being.

The conclave emphasized that this immense spiritual capital holds the key to unlocking significant economic opportunities for Odisha.

The discussions, led by policymakers and industry experts, revolved around creating a sustainable tourism model that respects the sanctity of Puri while developing world-class infrastructure and services. The actionable recommendations presented focused on enhancing the overall visitor experience, from accommodation and transport to sanitation and information access, ensuring that the spiritual journey is complemented by comfort and convenience.

In his address, Manoranjan Mishra stated, “The ‘Divine Puri’ initiative is a journey from spiritualism to a thriving economy. Our goal is to create a roadmap that honors our rich heritage while building a prosperous future for the people of Odisha.”

The event concluded with a consensus on the need for a collaborative approach, bringing together the government, private sector, academic institutions, and local communities to realize the vision of establishing Puri as a global beacon of spiritual tourism.

The data-driven insights from such surveys may serve as foundational guide for policy-making, ensuring that the development of Puri is both sustainable and deeply rooted in its unique cultural and spiritual identity.

Various sessions of the event were graced by eminent personalities from diverse fields, adding depth and perspective to the Divine Puri Conclave. The second panel, moderated by Manoranjan Mishra, featured a dynamic discussion on Odisha’s development with Manmohan Samal (President, BJP Odisha), Bhakta Das (Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee), and Debi Prasad Mishra (Vice-President, BJD). In the third session, Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi offered valuable insights on Odisha’s positioning in the national landscape. A spiritually uplifting musical performance by Rupak Kumar, dedicated to Sri Jagannath and Geeta Govinda, followed. The fourth panel, moderated by Senior Journalist Rajaram Satpathy, delved into Puri’s spiritual essence with reflections from Swami Sudhananda Satpathy (Spiritual Guru), Mrunalini Padhi (Advocate & OSCC Member), and Sidhant Mohapatra (Actor & MLA). These moments, filled with knowledge, devotion, and dialogue, not only honored Puri’s heritage but also pointed toward its promising future as a global spiritual and cultural hub.