Patna: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) will run a special 12-day “Bharat Gaurav Train” from May 11, offering a packaged pilgrimage covering six Jyotirlingas and the Shirdi shrine, in an initiative aimed at promoting religious tourism.
The journey, which will depart from multiple points in eastern India, is designed to take passengers across several major Hindu pilgrimage sites in western and central India. It includes stops at the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga in Ujjain, the Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga in Omkareshwar, the Somnath Temple in Somnath Temple, the Dwarkadhish Temple in Dwarkadhish Temple, and the Nageshwar Jyotirlinga in Gujarat.
It will also cover the Sai Baba temple in Shirdi, the Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga in Nashik, and the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga near Aurangabad.
Officials said the package is fully inclusive, covering train travel, accommodation, meals, local transport and guided assistance throughout the itinerary. The scheme is being positioned as particularly suitable for elderly passengers and families, offering an organised alternative to independently planned pilgrimages.
Boarding points have been planned across Bihar and neighbouring Jharkhand, including stations such as Patna, Gaya, Buxar and Rajgir, along with select locations in Jharkhand including Ranchi, Bokaro and Hazaribagh.
The initiative falls under the government’s broader tourism promotion schemes, including “Dekho Apna Desh” and “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat”, which aim to encourage domestic travel and cultural exchange through structured tourism circuits.
