Tourism is a composite phenomenon which embraces the incidence of a mobile population of travelers, strangers to the places they visit. Though Hermann V. Schullard (1910) defined it as “the sum total of operation mainly of an economic nature, which directly relate to the entry, stay and movement of foreigners inside and outside a certain country, city or region. But because of its limited scope this definition could not become acceptable one. This definition was later on moderated and dimensions of travel by non-residents, stay of temporary nature in the area visited and stay connected with any activity involving earnings are being added. This paper is seeking questions regarding nature and mode of travels in ancient India within frame work of modem definition. What are important constituents of tourism and how it affects local as well as foreign cultures and civilization are also subject of analysis.
