THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON PILGRIMAGE TOURISM IN AURANGABAD REGION: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY DURING THE PANDEMIC PERIOD.

In the midst of the Corona virus pandemic, pilgrims cannot perform their pilgrimage. Places with multiple temples remain without pilgrims. Three different temples, such as the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple, Bhadra Maruti Mandir and Kachner Chintamani Parashwanath Jain Temple, have been studied empirically. Data on tourism and pilgrimages were also collected. During the first six months of the pandemic, religious tourism and temple pilgrimages fell by 85.95 percent. Temples in the Aurangabad area were closed for a few months around the time of the pandemic. The pandemic is affecting pilgrimage, so the number of pilgrims has decreased over the past ten years. There were other changes in the motives for expeditions to selected temples. Temple guardians and pilgrimage organizers ensure the safety of the pilgrims and the temple itself. The temples of Aurangabad have encouraged pilgrims through online prayer services, spiritual pilgrimages and virtual pilgrimages to strengthen their ties with temples, which shows how pilgrimages and religious tourism have developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]