Beyond Pilgrimage: NR TravelBuddyz taps the niche market for Curated Spiritual Journeys
Hyderabad, Oct 23: India's religious and spiritual destinations attract millions of visitors, but for travellers seeking a more personalised experience, the journey can involve more than booking tickets and arranging accommodation. Navigating crowded festivals, identifying meaningful cultural experiences and coordinating group travel can be challenging, particularly for senior citizens and people who prefer organised, small-group experiences.
Identifying this opportunity, Hyderabad-based NR TravelBuddyz is building a specialised travel venture around curated religious, spiritual and cultural journeys for discerning travellers.
Founded in 2024 by Neha Rajgarhia, 46, and Radhika Jalan, 51, the venture has organised around 27 journeys, taking more than 1,000 participants to destinations and events including the Kumbh Mela, Ayodhya, Varanasi and, most recently, the Durga Puja celebrations in Kolkata.
The founders believe that religious tourism has considerable scope to evolve beyond conventional pilgrimage packages into thoughtfully designed experiences that combine faith, heritage, local traditions, food, art and community interaction.
“We identified a gap for well-curated group journeys that allow people to experience India's spiritual destinations comfortably and meaningfully. Many travellers want to visit these places but prefer someone to take care of the planning, arrangements and overall experience. That is the need we set out to address,” say Neha and Radhika.
Religious travel is often associated with visiting temples, attending rituals or undertaking pilgrimages. NR TravelBuddyz seeks to broaden that experience by designing journeys around the character of a destination and the interests of the group.
The company's portfolio spans major religious gatherings such as the Kumbh Mela, destinations including Ayodhya and Varanasi, and cultural celebrations such as Kolkata's Durga Puja.
The distinction lies in treating the journey as an experience in itself rather than simply a means of reaching a place of worship.
For a traveller visiting Varanasi, this could mean experiencing the city's spiritual atmosphere and cultural traditions. In Kolkata, it could involve exploring the elaborate Durga Puja pandals, appreciating Bengali music and dance, enjoying local cuisine and understanding how a religious festival becomes a citywide cultural celebration.
The founders say they have undertaken more than 20 journeys to Varanasi alone, earning them the nickname ‘Banaras Girls’.
From Kashi to Kolkata: Curating experiences, not just itineraries
The venture's latest initiative, AMAARMONI – Shubho Puja 2026: Celebrating the Spirit of Bengal, took 30 participants from Hyderabad and other cities to Kolkata from October 12 to 14.
The programme offered an immersive introduction to Bengal's Durga Puja traditions through visits to decorated pandals, traditional welcomes accompanied by dhol beats, Bengali music and dance performances, and the much-loved ritual of Sindoor Khela. Participants also enjoyed an authentic Bengali sit-down lunch and explored stalls showcasing sarees, fashion, handicrafts and local products.
Kolkata's Durga Puja, inscribed by UNESCO on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021, demonstrates how a religious celebration can bring together artistic innovation, community participation and tourism.
For NR TravelBuddyz, the tour illustrated how cultural festivals can become the centrepiece of a carefully curated travel experience.
The founders say their journeys are designed around the interests and requirements of the participating group. Their clientele includes couples, senior citizens and younger, unmarried travellers who may not ordinarily consider joining a religious tour.
They also emphasise the value of manageable travel durations and organised arrangements, which can make these journeys more accessible to people who prefer not to plan every aspect independently.
The appreciation they receive from elderly participants, including blessings for the care taken in organising the journeys, has been especially encouraging, the founders say.
While the company operates in the broader religious tourism market, its focus on curated group experiences offers a distinct positioning: combining the reassurance of organised travel with opportunities for personal discovery and cultural immersion.
As Indian travellers increasingly seek experiences that connect them with heritage, traditions and local communities, ventures such as NR TravelBuddyz are exploring how spiritual travel can become a more considered and experiential segment of the tourism industry.
For Neha Rajgarhia and Radhika Jalan, the objective is to help travellers discover India's spiritual and cultural wealth through journeys that are thoughtfully planned, personally meaningful and memorable.