The Journey to the land of Gods – Spiritual India

The quest to the spirituality of India has wooed many a hearts. A melting pot of cultures and religion, India has witnessed travellers who travel to India everyday with the hope of attaining the spiritual enlightenment that everyone talks about.

Travelling to the most divine and historically significant places is not a recent trend. Indians travel or rather go on a pilgrimage to various temples, churches, mosques and monasteries that are spread across India, and have great significance in the respective religions they are part of. However, there is uprising trend of foreigners visiting the religious places of different belief. Some of them visit these places to understand the religious values, whereas large numbers of visitors come to learn these religious practices.

It is fairly impossible to travel to all the religious sites in India, in a short span. Not only is it impossible to physically travel to these places in a short span, but it is also fairly impossible to soak in what each one of these places has to offer.

Hinduism is the most prominent religion in India. Having had its origin in India, religious places are spread across the country. Every street has a Hindu Temple, the significance of these may vary but, Hindu temples in India cannot be counted easily. The most significant Hindu religious places in India are Haridwar, Rishikesh, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Whether you wish to chant your way to peace and solitude or you are a Hindu pilgrim on a pilgrimage to the holy temples of India, these four most important religious sites would quench your soul.

A dip in the holy Ganges is a must for every traveller travelling to India with the hope to achieve nirvana.

The Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh, Akshardham in Delhi, Jagannath Puri in Puri, Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, and the Sun Temple in Konark are some of the numerous temples one should visit to finish the Hindu Temple circuit.

Islam is one of the other prominent religions in India; the Muslim population in India make yearly trips to the Mecca’s of Islam in India like the breathtaking Haji Ali in Mumbai and the Jama Masjid in Delhi.

Standing still in the middle of the sea, the Haji Ali Dargah of Mumbai stands as a testimony to the devout Islam followers some of them who come here every day for the daily Namaaz.

An architectural as well as a religious marvel the Jama Masjid built in the 1600’s by Shah Jahan is located in the capital city of New Delhi. People from all faiths from all over the world visit this Dargah every day. The mesmerizing beauty and the serene atmosphere bring tranquillity to the people who visit here.

The birth of Buddhism first happened in Bihar, India. Today monasteries of various sects of Buddhism are spread across India, from Bodh Gaya in Bihar, to the extreme north in Ladakh, the Tibetan monasteries in South India, and the eastern tip of Sikkim, Buddhism is followed greatly in India. The Buddhist monasteries work magic on your soul, the lugta’s (prayer flags) that flutter away in the wind, the silence of the monasteries followed by the chanting of the monks and nuns, bring peace to your mind and body.

India has been a cradle of Buddhism; some of the most important Buddhist monasteries are located in the most scenic places in India. Sikkim is home to many Buddhist monasteries but you can definitely not miss the Rumtek Monastery. Not so far away from Sikkim is the Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh, another significant Buddhist Monastery. Rewalsar is the seat of Guru Rinpoche or Padmasambhava. Legend has it that Rewalsar is also sacred to adherent of three dharmic religions – Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism.

If you are inspired to go on a spiritual tour to experience Jainism in India you should visit the numerous Jain Temples in Hastinapur, Sarnath and Varanasi. The Dilwara temple in Rajasthan is world famous for being a renowned Jain temple and an architectural wonder. The Palitana temple is considered the most sacred of all Jain temples and it has been a great tourist attraction destination.

Christianity is one of the major religions in India. Christianity in India dates back to the first century after the death of Jesus Christ. Christianity’s presence in felt in various places in India.

Christians could visit religious sites such as the Church of Sacred heart in New Delhi, the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa, the Cathedral church of St Thomas in Mumbai and the Mother Teresa center in Calcutta.

The Tomb of St. Francis Xavier, the patron saint of Goa is one of the most popular destinations in Goa and has both religious and historic significance. At the Mother Teresa Centre in Calcutta one could witness the extraordinary works of the missionaries of Charity.

One of the other prominent religions in India is Sikhism. A Sikh place of worship is called a Gurudwara. Today there are many prominent Gurudwara’s spread across the country. The most prominent of them all is the Harmandir Sahib, the first of the Five ‘Takht’s’ or more commonly known as the ‘Golden Temple’ in located Amritsar. Punjab is also home to the three Takhts (Sri Akal Takhat Sahib, Takht Sri Damdama Sahib and Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib) and of the Sikh religion and the other two being in the state of Maharashtra (Takht Sri Hazoor Sahib) and Patna in Bihar (Takht Sri Patna Sahib). The state of Punjab is the most significant shrines of Sikhism. The Langar or the open kitchen is something that Sikhism is world famous for. There is a great emphasis on community service and helping the needy.

Trips to religious places across India need not be only about spirituality; it could be just as simple as exploring one self and relaxing while being very close to God. Religious trips could be easily turned into a self exploration escapade, while experiencing various forms of Indian Culture like the very popular and westernized concept of Yoga. Yoga while greatly practiced in the west, still has its roots in India, and learning or practising Yoga in the lap of a Holy place makes the experience all the more worthwhile.

A Spiritual journey can be very cleansing and be the much needed break you need from you daily hectic schedules. Get in touch with us today, with what you have in your mind and with our special and customized home stay opportunities we would plan a perfect trip for you which not only enables you to experience the mystic and magical aura of these Holy sites but you also have quality time to do other things you enjoy doing.

If you are looking for a more personal and one on one experience, there is nothing compared to finding a perfect a homestay which would make you feel like home while you are travelling in the quest of spirituality. These homestay properties are easily accessible and give you the authentic Indian experience and the comfort that hotels fail to deliver. Contact us today so that we could guide you with the best homestay options in the most popular spiritual destinations across India.

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