Acharya Prashant critiques the current state of religious tourism in the Himalayas, specifically the Char Dham circuit. He argues that these sacred sites should be strictly regulated with long waiting periods to ensure that only serious and sincere seekers visit them. He observes that many people currently visit these mountains merely for leisure, honeymooning, or to escape the heat, treating the pilgrimage as a casual vacation. This influx of tourists, including those who indulge in meat-eating and corruption, does not lead to their spiritual purification but instead results in the environmental degradation of the mountains. He suggests that roads should not be widened to accommodate excessive traffic; rather, they should remain narrow to test the patience and devotion of the pilgrims. Addressing the economic argument, Acharya Prashant suggests that if the goal is to support the local mountain population financially, the government should provide them with direct subsidies using tax revenue instead of destroying the natural landscape for tourism. He points out the irony where foreign tourists often adopt vegetarianism and simplicity when visiting these regions, while domestic tourists frequently indulge in meat and alcohol, showing a lack of respect for the sanctity of the place. He concludes by emphasizing that true pilgrimage is an internal cleansing of the self. Without spiritual depth and self-reflection, physical travel to holy sites remains superficial, as external bathing cannot remove internal impurities.
