रूहMantic in Ujjain: Charting the Future of India’s Spiritual Tourism
Ujjain, August 27, 2025 - Ujjain hosted रूहMantic, the 2nd Global Spiritual Tourism Conclave by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), conducted on 27 August 2025 at Hotel Anjushree, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board. The conclave brought together spiritual leaders, policymakers, tourism experts, technologists, and industry innovators to shape a pilgrim-first, sustainable future for India’s spiritual tourism.
At a Glance
Date: 27 August 2025
Host City: Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
Theme: Faith × Wellness × Technology × Sustainability
Highlight: Release of PHDCCI–KPMG report, Faith & Flow: Navigating crowds in India’s sacred spaces
Inaugural Session & Dignitaries
The Inaugural Session convened distinguished guests:
Dr. Mohan Yadav, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh - Chief Guest
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism & Culture, Government of India - Guest of Honour
Gauranga Das Prabhu, Spiritual Leader - Keynote Address
Suman Billa (IAS), Additional Secretary & Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India
Sheo Shekhar Shukla (IAS), Principal Secretary – Tourism & Culture, Government of Madhya Pradesh
A marquee moment of the session was the release of the PHDCCI–KPMG report Faith & Flow, offering data-driven frameworks for crowd management, last-mile connectivity, safety, and inclusive access at India’s sacred destinations.
Leadership Messages: Ujjain’s Spiritual Gravity & India’s Cultural Renaissance
Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav affirmed Ujjain as the center of India’s religious, cultural, and spiritual energy, with Baba Mahakal as its living source. He credited transformative infrastructure - especially Shri Mahakal MahaLok - for elevating Ujjain’s global profile and deepening pride in civilizational heritage.
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat positioned Ujjain as a global reference point for spiritual heritage, noting how India’s tourism policy integrates religious and spiritual circuits to strengthen cultural foundations while enabling sustainable growth. He underscored India’s enduring civilizational resilience and the timeless ethos of pilgrimage.
Government–Industry Roundtable: From Vision to Delivery
Chaired by the Chief Minister, the roundtable gathered leading corporates, aviation and hospitality leaders, temple trusts, and PHDCCI members to accelerate:
Pilgrim-first infrastructure: wayfinding, sanitation, accessible design, and emergency readiness
Cultural promotion: authentic experiences curated with local custodians
Responsible hospitality: waste-lite operations, green energy, livelihood linkages
Data-informed flow management: predictive crowd analytics and coordinated response
Investments discussed included Medicity projects in Bhopal and Indore, new hospitality assets in Ujjain and Omkareshwar, and enhanced flight frequency in the run-up to Simhastha 2028.
Key Sessions & Discussions
Temple Economies: Where Faith Meets Livelihood
Hosted by Samit Garg, with Pratham Kaushik (IAS), Vishwa Bhushan Mishra, and Prashant Mukund Das.
Focus: How temple circuits power MSMEs, crafts, homestays, and service ecosystems - ensuring prosperity flows into local communities.
Mahakal’s Mandala: Ujjain’s Spiritual Power & Urban Future
With Dr. Ilayaraja T (IAS), Raushan K Singh (IAS), and Atul Singh.
Focus: Balancing heritage conservation with mobility upgrades, riverfront development, smart utilities, and climate resilience.
Mind, Body & Soul: Wellness as the New Spiritual Frontier
Moderated by Shalini S Sharma, with Dr. Rekha Chaudhari, Chef Manjit Gill, and Dr. Manoj Kutteri.
Focus: Integrating Ayurveda, yoga, sattvic cuisine, and retreats to extend stays and elevate well-being.
Divine in the Digital – Spirituality 2.0
Moderated by Aalap Bansal, featuring Prashant Kumar Mishra, Prashant Sachan, and Aacharya Dev.
Focus: VR/AR darshan, AI-enabled guidance, multilingual platforms, and inclusive digital tools - especially for seniors, differently-abled pilgrims, and the diaspora.
Guardians of the Sacred Axis – The Jyotirlinga Circuit
A case study by Dr. Dinesh Soni on the spiritual, cultural, and ecological significance of India’s 12 Jyotirlingas, urging standards for heritage-sensitive development.
Ujjain’s Momentum & The Road to Simhastha 2028
Officials highlighted strong growth in Madhya Pradesh’s tourism, with Ujjain leading the state’s religious tourism surge - propelled by the Mahakal Lok corridors. Preparations for Simhastha 2028 span bridges, roads, ghats, mobility planning, and digital readiness, with an emphasis on safety, dignity, and seamless sacred experiences.
Dharmikvibes at रूहMantic: Pilgrim-First, Tech-Enabled, Culture-True
As a participating organization, Dharmikvibes contributed a practitioner’s perspective centered on sacred, safe, simple, and sustainable pilgrim journeys. Our stance complements the conclave’s themes while proposing executable frameworks:
1) Pilgrim-First by Design
Universal access: step-free routes, shaded rest points, clean drinking water, lactation and child-care zones, and senior-friendly amenities.
Wayfinding that works: standardized icons, QR-linked micro-guides, and multilingual audio designed for low-network conditions.
2) Divine × Digital (Done Right)
Assist, don’t replace: tech should support - not overshadow - the sacred.
Digital darshan & smart queues: lightweight apps + SMS/IVR flows to distribute demand and reduce wait times without digital exclusion.
Contextual storytelling: verified, byte-sized content in regional languages; trained volunteers to complement devices.
3) Wellness Woven In
Ayurveda & yoga integrations: retreat calendars aligned to temple almanacs; sattvic food trails curated with self-help groups and verified kitchens.
Mindful commerce: transparent pricing, verified practitioners, and safety protocols.
4) Local Livelihoods & Green Hospitality
Temple economy linkages: provenance-tagged crafts, quality-assured homestays, and women-/youth-led micro-enterprises.
Green ops playbook: refill stations, composting, greywater reuse, and vendor incentives for plastic-lite service.
5) Trust, Data & Dignity
Privacy-forward flow management: aggregate, anonymized patterns to predict surges - no surveillance creep.
Open coordination: interoperable APIs and common dashboards for city control rooms, trusts, and emergency services.
What we’re ready to co-create with Ujjain
Pilgrim Operations Playbook (Ujjain-first): SOPs for volunteers, priests, vendors, and security - covering queue etiquette, last-mile guidance, and emergency drills.
Low-Tech Access Pack: printable maps, kiosk assistance, and SMS/IVR sloting for pilgrims without smartphones.
Living Content Library: verified, multilingual micro-lessons on rituals, timings, seva options, and local history - maintained with temple trusts and universities.
Impact Dashboard: simple, public metrics on wait time, water access, sanitation uptime, medical response, and waste recovered.
Why This Conclave Matters
रूहMantic moved the discourse from event logistics to place stewardship - where faith, well-being, livelihoods, and ecology reinforce one another. With major investments on the horizon and Simhastha 2028 approaching, Ujjain can demonstrate how a living heritage city welcomes millions without compromising sanctity or sustainability.
Dharmikvibes stands ready to partner with temple trusts, local administration, tourism boards, and community groups to pilot and scale what works - so that every journey to Ujjain feels authentically sacred and effortlessly humane.
For collaborations or to learn more about dhamrikvibes’ pilgrim-first toolkits for Ujjain and the Jyotirlinga circuit, get in touch - we’re ready to build together.