Delhi

Although, often overlooked, Delhi as a Buddhist pilgrimage site reveals how urban space, transitory sacredness, diverse communities, political memory, and contemporary practice converge. Sasanka Perera and Pooja Kalita’s fieldwork in Delhi, challenges traditional models of pilgrimage focused only on ancient or canonical sacred sites, and instead highlight how new sacred geographies are produced in globalized, urban contexts.

Studying Delhi ethnographically as an important site for Buddhist pilgrims may not initially seem intuitive—Delhi is not one of the canonical Buddhist pilgrimage sites like Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, or Kushinagar. However, there are important ethnographic, cultural, and political reasons why Delhi is a meaningful site to study Buddhist pilgrimage practices.

Many pilgrims, especially international and diasporic Buddhists, pass through Delhi as a gateway to major Buddhist sites in India. Airports, railways, and roads make Delhi a transit space. Some pilgrims spend time in Delhi visiting Buddhist temples, missions, or communities while en route, giving the city a liminal sacred quality. As India's capital, Delhi is a site where Buddhism intersects with statecraft, identity politics, and diplomacy. National and international Buddhist events (e.g., Katina ceremony) are often held in Delhi.

Pilgrimage here can be a performance of visibility, citizenship, and belonging in the Indian nation-state.