TOURISM MEETS TRADITION: THE SOCIO-CULTURAL IMPACT OF SATYA MAHIMĀ YOGA SĀDHANĀ

Authors: Akhil Chandra Rana , Prof. Bibhuti Bhusan Pradhan & Prof. Radhamadhab Dash

ABSTRACT

Mahimā yoga sadhana, a profound spiritual tradition deeply intertwined with ascetic practices, has experienced a significant convergence with tourism, facilitating cultural exchange and socio-economic development. The spiritual practices in mahimā yoga are comparable to the seven traditional types of yoga. The yoga performed by mahimā saints is carried out in open and public areas that are conveniently located for the general public, tourists, and pilgrims when they visit. The accessibility and inclusive environment of mahimā yoga practices draw individuals from diverse backgrounds. This atmosphere raises the easy exchange and acceptance of spiritual teachings and learning.

Mahimā cult yoga serves as an instrument for social transformation by reversing rigid hierarchical ideology and promoting universalism. It provides a path towards self-cultivation and illumination, calling on believers to embrace non-materialistic ideals and a virtuous life. The teaching focuses on sunya brahman, the theory of an impossible absolute, that leads followers inward toward realization and away from distractions of the material world. The study also identifies four mahimā yoga in tourism and pilgrimage: saints, through sādhanā, being conducted in general places inviting a voluntary participation of the general population, teachings and instructions delivered at places like cult dānda and gādi, on occasions like māgha melā, practices at tungi that invite blessings, and guru-śiṣyā paramparā. As a result, these practices create the idea of yoga tourism and pilgrimage in mahimā cult, where people can learn yoga directly from saints during their travel. This connects between yoga, spiritual exchange, and cultural exploration.

Keywords: Yoga, Tourism, Pilgrimage, Concept of Transmission, Learning, Initiation

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