India is a country with a wide assortment of religions and cultures. Due to the spiritual nature of the people living in India there are several pilgrimage sites that have cropped up in the country. Pilgrimage is an inherent part of a lot of cultures found in India such as Hinduism, Buddhism etc. Spots with ancient temples, holy shrines and pure sacred flowing rivers are marked as pilgrimage spots.
These Spiritual destinations not only attract devotees from all over India but also draw in followers from abroad.
Haridwar
Holy city of Haridwar
The famous Char Dham Yatra pilgrimage tour followed by devotees covers the holiest spot in India known as Haridwar as its starting destination. The Char Dham Yatra consists of four spiritual spots that are completed in a sequence for attaining salvation. These four spots are found on the banks of the holy rivers of India namely Ganga and Yamuna. This place has a rich history that claims that Lord Bhagirath prayed for the salvation of his ancestors near the river. This tradition is now carried forward by the devotees who visit this place and pray for the salvation for their ancestors as well.
Varanasi
Varanasi – Ancient City of India
Varanasi is claimed to be one of the most purest cities in India. This belief comes from the fact that the river ganga flows throughout the state. Hindus believe that cremating people from their religion on the banks of the river Ganga in Varanasi will help cleanse the sins of the person who passed away. It is also one of the oldest cities in India making it rich in spiritual and cultural heritage. The highlight of Varanasi that draws visitors towards it are the bathing ghats. These ghats spread across the banks of Ganga and her distributaries are known to cleanse the sins of the person who bathes in it. It also has numerous temples dedicated to Shivaji situated in the city.
Bodh Gaya
Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya
Bodh gaya is a popular destination for Buddhists as it is the place where Lord Buddha emerged from. It is said he sat that under a certain bodhi tree and gained spiritual enlightenment. This spot has now been converted into a pilgrimage spot by putting a shrine in the very same spot that Lord Buddha once sat upon. This place also has temples of other vedic gods such as indra and surya. Bodh gaya is rich in the Vedic culture and the peepal tree here is claimed to have sprouted from the original bodhi tree that once bloomed in this city.
Rishikesh
Aarti at Rishikesh
Rishikesh is also one of the towns in India that is travelled upon during the famous Char Dham Yatra. It is a town famous for its worship of Lord Shiva. The name Rishikesh itself means lord of the senses which refers to lord Vishnu himself. This spot is famous for its affinity towards meditation as well as yoga and other spiritual practices. People come here to cleanse their mind and soul of impurities and to attain salvation. It has also recently gained the title of the Word Capital of Yoga for its numerous yoga centresand annual international yoga festivals.
Amritsar
Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab
The Sikh community in India is known to regard Amritsar as their most sacred destination due to the presence of the Golden temple. Situated in the centre of Punjab, it is believed to be the most hospitable city in the country. The city derived its name from the water body that surrounds the Golden temple. Amritsar stands for holy water with properties of nectar in it that is deemed fitting for a city where a lot of holy shrines and temples can be found. Amritsar is one of the spiritual destinations that have been able to maintain a balance between the modern and the traditional aspects of its being.
Vaishno Devi
Vaishno Devi Temple at Jammu & Kashmir
Vaishno Devi is a spot famous for a temple named after it called the Vaishno Devi Mandir. This temple houses the goddess of strength and power. Vaishno Devi is a pilgrimage spot that is visited by every devout once in his or her lifetime. Situated in the foothills of the mountains, this is one of the most sacred and challenging pilgrimage tours one can undertake. However the pilgrims are unfazed by the arduous climb as this continues to be the second most visited temple in India. It is located at a high altitude in the pristine state of Jammu and Kashmir which makes connectivity limited but the entire experience of the pilgrimage is unmatched for.
Tirupati Balaji
Tirupati Balaji Temple
Tirupati balaji claims the right of having the most frequented temple in all of India by the followers and devotees. It has the famous Tirumala temple which houses the Lord Tirupati who is believed to be the creator of the world. It gained its popularity for being the first temple in india who had the image or shrine come up in its place spontaneously. Due to this nature of the shrine this place holds a lot of significance in worshipers following different religions. Worshipers are known to donate money, silver, gold or even their own hair as an offering for blessing and peace from the god himself.
Mathura
Mathura Vrindaban Temples
Mathura is said to be the land of Lord Krishna and his followers in India. Revered as a pilgrimage spot by Hindus, it is the most beautiful and vibrant pilgrimage spots in the country. It is a town known for its poets and Indian culture. Mathura is claimed to be the birth place of Lord Krishna thus a lot of his followers from India as well as all over the world visit this place to worship him. This town is located in the state of Uttar Pradesh and is said to have close relations with the epic battle of Mahabharata that was carried out centuries ago.
Shirdi
Shirdi-Temple
Shirdi is a temple dedicated to one of the most influential and famous saints Sai baba. Sai Baba is said to be the child of god himself. Located in the state of Maharashtra,this temple is crowded with devotees at any time of the year. Shirdi also has other historical sites such as the Dwakamani mosque and other temples and ashrams constructed for carrying out prayers. This temple also boasts one of the largest trust funds in India, making it one among the list of richest temples in India. It is a pilgrimage site for worshipers believing in the teachings of Sai Baba that were along the lines of brotherhood and togetherness.
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