Victor Turner’s theory of communitas, with its emphasis on solidarity, equality, and collective unity, has exerted a profound influence on anthropological studies of pilgrimage. Nevertheless, contemporary research demonstrates that the broad and uncritical application of this theoretical framework lacks sufficient explanatory power to account for the full range of dynamics and complexities observed in actual pilgrimage settings. Adopting a critical review of the literature, this article re-examines the concept of communitas within pilgrimage studies and argues that Turner’s classical formulation privileges an egalitarian and cohesive experience while paying comparatively limited attention to conflict, social differentiation, and the persistence of hierarchical structures.The analysis is organized around three interrelated axes: (1) the tension between structure and anti-structure in the pilgrimage experience; (2) the simultaneity of solidarity and conflict in pilgrim interactions; and (3) the role of power relations, institutional control, and ritual management in shaping experiences of communitas. Drawing on critiques by scholars such as Alan Morinis, Michael Sallnow, John Eade, and Simon Coleman, the article demonstrates that pilgrimage cannot be understood merely as a homogeneous arena of social solidarity, but rather as a multilayered and context-dependent field in which communitas emerges alongside tension, competition, and the reproduction of social inequalities.