Somapura Mahavihara, a monumental 7th-century Buddhist monastery in Bangladesh, stands as a testament to Bengal’s historic stature as an intellectual and spiritual hub of the Pala period. Despite being inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, its profound sacred value remains underappreciated, as evidenced by limited international tourism and restrained pilgrimage activity. This paper repositions Somapura Mahavihara within the contemporary discourse of sacred heritage management, proposing a New Contextualist framework to restore its spiritual aura and amplify its global appeal. Drawing on lessons from renowned Buddhist pilgrimage centres, including Bodh Gaya, Lumbini, and Bagan, the study advocates for an integrated management strategy that harmonizes conservation of tangible and intangible heritage, community participation, and sustainable tourism innovation. Sacred tourism is treated as both an economic engine and a vital means for cultural and spiritual renewal, emphasizing interpretive interventions, revived rituals, and inclusive stakeholder engagement. By re-establishing monastic traditions and spiritual narratives in dialogue with local and global contexts, the proposed plan charts a pathway for Somapura Mahavihara to become a dynamic locus for reflection, learning, and intercultural exchange in South Asia’s sacred geographies.
Keywords: Sacred tourism, heritage management, Somapura Mahavihara, strategic management plan, Buddhist archaeological site, New Contextualism