The Suspended Pilgrimage

The sociological investigation into the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on religiosity and pilgrimage at Pilgrim Mountain began on April 13, 2020. The research sought to explore three central questions: What happens to the pilgrim during a period of restriction? Does pilgrimage remain a necessity? Can pilgrimage retain its meaning amid a global pandemic? Answers to these questions emerged from a quantitative study conducted online, which revealed a significant pattern: during the period of enforced isolation, individuals expressed an intensified need to rediscover and deepen their spiritual and religious awareness. This study employed a quantitative approach to examine how pandemic restrictions influenced the practice and meaning of pilgrimage. The online administration of a structured questionnaire—accessible through computers, mobile phones, tablets, and smart devices—enabled wide participation and the collection of data across diverse demographic groups. One of the key objectives was to analyze the dynamics of interreligious relations and devotional behavior during the pandemic. The results indicate that the imposition of strict restrictions discouraged many devotees from engaging in the traditional Sunday pilgrimage. The bond each pilgrim cultivates with the path leading to the sanctuary is deeply personal and non-transferable, and its interruption revealed the intimate nature of this relationship. Within this context, the distinctiveness of the Tamil pilgrim became particularly evident: unlike local devotees, Tamil participants are accustomed to ascending the mountain in a steady, rhythmic pace—an embodied act of devotion. During the lockdown, however, such movement was no longer possible. Consequently, prayer assumed a more comprehensive and introspective form, and the physical dimension of the pilgrimage remained—both symbolically and literally—suspended.