Chennai, Nov 2026 : The Tamil Nadu government has invited applications from members of the Buddhist, Jain and Sikh communities for a subsidised pilgrimage scheme under which 120 beneficiaries will receive financial assistance of Rs 10,000 each to visit religiously significant pilgrimage centres in India and other designated locations.
Under the scheme, 50 Buddhist pilgrims, 50 Jain pilgrims and 20 Sikh pilgrims from Tamil Nadu will be provided financial assistance amounting to a total of Rs 12 lakh. Eligible applicants wishing to undertake pilgrimages to important religious sites associated with their respective faiths during the current financial year can apply for the benefit.
Pilgrimage Destinations for Buddhist Community
The Buddhist pilgrimage destinations listed under the scheme include:
Bodh Gaya in Bihar.
Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh.
Sarnath Temple in Varanasi.
Rajgir and Vaishali in Bihar.
Lumbini in Nepal.
These destinations are among the important religious sites associated with Buddhism and are included in the pilgrimage programme.
Pilgrimage Destinations for Jain Community
Members of the Jain community can undertake pilgrimages to the following religious centres:
Dilwara Jain Temple, Ranakpur Jain Temple and Jaisalmer Jain Temple in Rajasthan.
Shikharji in Jharkhand.
Palitana in Gujarat.
Pawapuri Jain Temple in Bihar.
Shravanabelagola in Karnataka.
The scheme covers several prominent Jain pilgrimage centres located across different states.
Pilgrimage Destinations for Sikh Community
The Sikh pilgrimage destinations include important religious shrines in India and Pakistan.
In India, the listed destinations are:
Amritsar, Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib and Takht Sri Damdama Sahib in Punjab.
Takht Sri Harmandir Sahib, associated with Guru Gobind Singh, in Bihar.
Takht Sri Hazur Sahib in Maharashtra.
The destinations in Pakistan include:
Gurdwara Sri Nankana Sahib.
Gurdwara Sri Sachcha Sauda, Mandi Sukhara.
Gurdwara Sri Panja Sahib, Hassan Abdal.
Gurdwara Sri Dera Sahib.
Application Process and Deadline
Members of the Buddhist, Jain and Sikh communities who wish to undertake pilgrimages during the current financial year can obtain application forms free of cost from the District Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare Offices or the District Minorities Welfare Offices functioning in the respective District Collectorates.
Applicants can also download the forms from the Tamil Nadu government's official website: www.bcmbcmw.tn.gov.in.
Duly completed applications, along with the required supporting documents, must be submitted to:
The Commissioner, Department of Minorities Welfare,
Khalas Mahal Heritage Building, First Floor,
Chepauk, Chennai – 600 005.
The last date for submission of applications is January 31, 2027.
The announcement was issued by the Director of the Department of Information and Public Relations, Chennai-9, on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government.
The initiative aims to extend financial support to members of minority religious communities in Tamil Nadu and facilitate their visits to important pilgrimage centres associated with their faiths.
