In this follow-up to our episode on violence during the Kanwar Yatra, Unraveled with Marvi Sirmed takes a wider lens on how India’s temples and pilgrimages are being politicized for ideological gain. From the demolition of Babri Masjid to the grand spectacle of the Ram Mandir inauguration… from the saffron-tinged Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj to the increasingly militarized Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir… sacred journeys across India are being co-opted for political messaging, majoritarian identity-building, and regional posturing. This episode examines the role of the BJP, the RSS, and state machinery in reshaping these religious events into instruments of political control. It also explores the regional consequences of this politicization—at a time when India’s ties with neighbors like Pakistan and China are already strained. Topics covered: • Babri Masjid demolition and Ram Mandir politics • Yogi Adityanath and the political messaging at Maha Kumbh 2024 • Anti-Muslim profiling during the Kanwar Yatra in 2024 & 2025 • Amarnath Yatra post-Pahalgam attack and its symbolic unity • Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and India-China pilgrimage diplomacy