Senior Citizen Pilgrimage Scheme 2026 opens in Rajasthan. Check details
Applications are open until June 10 for Rajasthan's Senior Citizen Pilgrimage Scheme 2026. The programme offers free air and train journeys, accommodation and meals for 56,000 eligible senior citizens.
The Rajasthan government has started accepting applications for the Senior Citizen Pilgrimage Scheme 2026, giving eligible residents an opportunity to visit major religious destinations free of cost. Under the scheme, 56,000 senior citizens will travel by air or AC train to pilgrimage sites across India and Nepal.
The Rajasthan Senior Citizen Pilgrimage Scheme 2026 covers travel, accommodation and meals, with all expenses borne by the state government.
Managed by the Devsthan Department, the programme was announced in the state budget and aims to make religious travel more accessible for elderly residents.
56,000 PILGRIMS TO BENEFIT
Under the free pilgrimage scheme, 56,000 senior citizens will be selected through a lottery system after submitting online applications.
Of the total beneficiaries, 6,000 pilgrims will travel by air to the famous Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal. The remaining 50,000 pilgrims will undertake journeys by AC train to various pilgrimage circuits across India.
Applications are open until June 10, 2026.
WHO CAN APPLY?
Residents aged 60 years or above as of April 1, 2026, are eligible to apply for the senior citizen pilgrimage programme.
Husband and wife can apply together through a single application form and travel as a couple if selected.
The scheme also provides special support for older travellers. Applicants aged 70 years and above can bring one attendant, with the cost covered by the government.
PILGRIMAGE DESTINATIONS COVERED
The air travel category includes visits to the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage sites.
For those travelling by train, the scheme covers 13 pilgrimage circuits:
Haridwar–Rishikesh–Ayodhya–Varanasi–Sarnath; Sammed Shikhar–Pawapuri–Varanasi–Sarnath; Mathura–Vrindavan–Barsana–Agra–Ayodhya; Dwarkapuri–Nageswar–Somnath; Tirupati–Padmavati; Kamakhya–Guwahati; Ganga Sagar–Kolkata; Jagannath Puri–Konark; Rameshwaram–Madurai; Vaishno Devi–Amritsar–Wagah Border; Goa temples and churches; Ujjain–Omkareshwar–Trayambakeshwar–Ghrishneshwar–Ellora; and Bihar Sharif–Patna Sahib–Patna along with Sri Hazur Sahib Nanded.
The Somnath Swabhiman Parv Yatra on this route is scheduled to depart from Jaipur on June 5.
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HOW THE SELECTION PROCESS WORKS
Interested applicants must submit their forms through the official portal of the Devsthan Department.
Once applications close, beneficiaries will be selected through a lottery draw. Those whose names are chosen will receive the opportunity to undertake the pilgrimage free of charge.
With free flights to Nepal, AC train journeys across India and complete government support for travel expenses, the Rajasthan Senior Citizen Pilgrimage Scheme 2026 is one of the state's biggest initiatives for elderly citizens seeking spiritual travel opportunities.