New Delhi: The ruins of Nalanda will soon become the backdrop for newlyweds, with the Bihar government allowing people to indulge in photoshoots at the historical site. ‘Begin your forever in the land of knowledge,’ said the Bihar tourism department in a post on X.
“Exchange vows amid the ancient ruins of Nalanda University, where centuries of wisdom and grandeur meet timeless love,” one of the posts by the department reads on X.
With forts, temples, and waterfalls, places like Nalanda, Aurangabad, and Bodh Gaya are picturesque pitches for the tourism department that wants people to see the state as the next destination wedding spot. In the past one year, Bihar has done work on multiple fronts—from building infrastructure to promoting unknown locations in Kaimur and Rohtas to attract tourists. It has chosen tourism as a way of building revenue. The government’s efforts are visible in numbers, with the state recording 8.2 crore tourist footfall in 2023.
Bodh Gaya, Madhubani, and Aurangabad are among the places Bihar is aiming to turn into unique destination wedding hotspots. With slogans like “Tie the knot in Bihar”, the state tourism department is tapping into Bihar’s rich cultural and historical landscape to rival popular wedding destinations like Goa, Rajasthan, and Kerala. According to the tourism department, the initiative aims to boost revenue and reshape perceptions of Bihar as not just a land of knowledge, but also of love and celebration.
‘A blend of heritage, history and religion’
The tourism department officials studied the model of MP, Goa, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra. On 5 May, Bihar tourism minister Raju Singh met Goa CM Pramod Sawant and discussed the Goa tourism schemes to be implemented in Bihar.
“We have built good infrastructure at many places. Now we have reached the point where we can offer new things and our new offering is a destination wedding,” said Ravishankar Upadhyay, public relations officer of Bihar’s tourism department.
Upadhyay said earlier people of Bihar would go to other states for destination weddings due to lack of infrastructure. But now, he added, in a place of knowledge like Nalanda, love can bloom forever.
“In terms of location, the destination wedding landscape is becoming monotonous with the same sites of Goa, Rajasthan. People want new places to explore and that’s where we came and offered a blend of heritage, history and religion,” said Upadhyay, adding that the state is at a point where it can aim for maximum utilisation of its heritage and infrastructure.
However, the state government has not officially announced the detailed plan for this. The tourism department first floated the idea on social media this month.
“We receive good responses on social media,” said Upadhyay, adding that the state’s primary focus is to make sure that all facilities are available at world heritage sites—Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya and Nalanda archaeological ruins.
On Facebook, X, and Instagram, a post by the tourism department is doing rounds urging people to “tie the knot where peace meets grandeur – discover love, heritage, and timeless beauty in Bodh Gaya”.
“This is a very commendable initiative. At least now you feel that we also have something and it can be promoted. There is a lot in Bihar, respect it,” said one of the Facebook users, Saurav Mishra.
Also read: Nalanda University tradition of debate could end wars. It shaped the modern world
Madhubani, Bodh Gaya to Aurangabad
It’s not just the ancient structures that are receiving the state’s attention, Bihar is also promoting its culturally rich areas as wedding destinations.
“Tie the knot where art meets heart — Madhubani isn’t just a place, it’s a celebration of love, culture, and timeless beauty. Begin your forever in the soulfully artistic land of Madhubani,” reads one of the posts on X. It also has photos showing a couple posing in front of a wall adorned with Madhubani art.
“Swarg se sundar Mithila Dham (Mithila Dham is more beautiful than heaven),” one of the users commented on Instagram.
The locations selected by the government for promotion are temples and forts of Aurangabad, Bodh Gaya’s Mahabodhi temple, the famous Gurpa Hill in Gaya, and the Dungeshwari cave temples where Gautam Buddha is believed to have meditated before reaching Bodh Gaya for enlightenment.
The major attraction point will be Sitamarhi’s Sita temple which is considered to be the birthplace of Sita. The site is currently being renovated and Rs 100 crore has been allocated for its upkeep.
“This is our grand plan where we want people to come and marry at the sacred place of Sita,” said Upadhyay.
The initiative by the tourism department is the latest attempt by Bihar to shed its badlands image.
“Most people have formed a negative perception about the state without even visiting. Those who are coming now say that the state is not what they used to hear about,” Nitish Mishra, former tourism minister, had told ThePrint.
The wedding ceremonies will not be allowed inside these heritage complexes but nearby hotels and resorts which have come up in the last few years.
“After the wedding couples move to these heritage sites for a photoshoot, which is completely a new idea. The tourism department felicitated the process and packages for the wedding near these locations which are under consideration now,” said Upadhyay.
There is excitement among hoteliers.
“Promoting our heritage and cultural places for destination weddings is a great idea. Rajgir, Nalanda are picturesque places. Till now destination weddings business is totally negligible,” said Arun Kumar Ojha, general manager of Hotel Gautam Vihar in Nalanda.
Ojha said before coming up with the idea, the tourism department met with hoteliers last year.
“The department was very clear that we have to make the state ready for destination weddings and for that our role is very important. Now it is to be seen how many people from outside Bihar come here for marriage,” he said.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)