India is a country where spirituality is deeply ingrained in the bloodline of every citizen. People obey God in different ways, as the diverse culture of India has many different practices of praying to God. India is a leading country in spirituality and is also known as the birthplace of many religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism. Booking Pilgrimage tour packages will make your journey easy and memorable.
India’s rich culture is filled with festivals; every festival brings people together to witness auspicious times of the year at different pilgrimage sites. Like 9 Devi darshans during Navratri, Dev Deepawali in Varanasi, Ram Navami in Ayodhya, and many more. Behind every festival, there is a reason to celebrate. The birth of Lord Krishna is known as Janmashtami. The return of Shri Ram is celebrated as Diwali.
There are 52 Shaktipeeths and manyfamous Hindu temples like Vaishno Devi, Amarnath, and Tirupati, or the peaceful vibes of the Golden Temple and the holiest Buddhist pilgrimage site, will bring you close to God and teach you about the mythology hidden in these holy pilgrimage sites.
A whole new world is there to witness, from the sacred ghats of Varanasi to the intense energy of Madurai Meenakshi. Even the rivers of India are worshipped as Maa Ganga. In Mahakaleshwar, Ujjain, where Lord Shiva is awakened by adorning him with bhasma (ash). To experience this kind of energy, book Pilgrimage Tour Packages to witness India’s distinct culture, making it a one-of-a-kind and one of the most spiritual places.
Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nasik attract many devotees for the Kumbh Mela held every 12 years rotationally. Spirituality has connected India from North to South and East to West in the holy circuit of the Char Dham yatra, including Badrinath, Dwarkadheesh, Jagannath Puri, and Rameshwaram. Talking about Hindu mythology, it is depicted in epics like Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavat Gita, and historic Puranas.
Top Most Pilgrimage Sites
Chardham Yatra- Chardham Yatra is a set of four holiest Hindu pilgrimage sites. It is believed that one can cleanse their soul and help attain salvation, when someone visits these four places. It is spread all over India – at Badrinath (Uttarakhand), Dwarka (Gujarat), Puri (Odisha), and Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu).
Chota Chardham Yatra (Uttarakhand)- It is located entirely in the Garhwal of the Himalayas, and it takes 10-12 days to complete this yatra. Pilgrims can complete mandatory registration at registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in. Yamunotri - Gangotri - Kedarnath - Badrinath (from west to east).
Jyotirlingas- The 12 Jyotirlingas are the most sacred shrines that are dedicated to Lord Shiva. These 12 sites are spread across India and represent different aspects of Mahadev's forces.
These 12 Jyotirlingas are-
- Somnath in Gir, Gujarat
- Mallikarjuna in Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh
- Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
- Omkareshwar in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh
- Kedarnath in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand
- Bhimashankar in Pune, Maharashtra
- Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
- Trimbakeshwar in Nashik, Maharashtra
- Vaidyanath in Deoghar, Jharkhand
- Nageshwar in Dwarka, Gujarat
- Rameshwar in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu
- Grishneshwar in Ellora, Maharashtra
Shaktipeeths- Shaktipeeths are 51 sacred shrines across the Indian subcontinent that are devoted to Goddess Shakti. These are the locations where parts of Goddess Sati’s body fell, and are spread across India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. These Shaktipeeths are considered powerful and radiate divine energy.
Sapta Puri- The Sapta Puri are the seven most sacred pilgrimage sites in Hinduism. It is believed that these sites grant Moksha to those who visit them. They are located in different cities of India, namely- Ayodhaya, Mathura, Haridwar, Varanasi, Kanchipuram, Ujjain, and Dwarka.
Top Holy Cities Of India
1. Varanasi- Kashi, Banaras or Varanasi is considered India’s most holy city as it is the spiritual heart of Hinduism. It is one of the world’s oldest living cities, and a sacred home to Lord Shiva.
2. Haridwar- It is known as the “Gateway to the Gods” and is the first place where the Ganges leaves the mountains to enter the plains.
3. Ayodhaya- Ayodhaya is the birthplace of Lord Rama (Rama Janambhoomi) and a focal point of Ramayana. It is admired for bringing spiritual salvation and is set to become a major pilgrimage hub.
4. Tirupathi- Tirupati hosts the Sri Venkateswara Temple, for Lord Vishnu on the Tirumala Hills, which is the busiest and wealthiest pilgrimage site in the world, which attracts around 30 million pilgrims annually.
5. Amritsar - It is the spiritual and cultural hub of Sikhism. Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib) is the most important shrine in Sikhism. This city is built around the sacred Amrit Sarovar.
6. Kanchipuram- Kanchipuram is known as the “City of Thousand Temples” and a “Golden City”. This city acts as a major pilgrimage centre for devotees of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu.
Most Sacred Places In India
Hinduism
- Char Dham - Char Dham Yatra refers to visiting the four most sacred Hindu pilgrimage sites in India. These sites are Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram. It was established by Adi Shankaracharya to represent the four corners of the country.
- Panch Kedar- They are the 5 sacred Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, which are located in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand, India. It is believed that they were built by the Pandavas to atone for sins in the Mahabharata war. These Panch Kedar are- Kedarnath, Tungnath, Rudranath, Madhyamaheshwar, and Kalpeshwar
- Meenakshi Temple- The Meenakshi Temple in Madurai is famous for its stunning Dravidian Architecture. It is dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswaram. This temple is characterized by 14 beautifully carved towers and is covered in thousands of colorful sculptures.
- Virupaksha Temple- This temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which has a nine-story-tall gopuram (tower) and detailed architecture. It is a 7th century temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and his wife Pampadevi. It is located in Hampi, Karnataka.
Buddhism
- Bodhgaya- It is a village in the northeast Indian state of Bihar. It is considered one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites. It is built where the Buddha attained enlightenment beneath a sacred Bodhi Tree.
- Sarnath- It is located 10km from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is one of the most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage sites, which is renowned as the place where Gautama Buddha delivered his first religious speech to his five disciples after attaining enlightenment. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for the Dhamekh Stupa, the Ashoka Pillar and the Sarnath Archaeological Museum.
Jainism
- Shravanabelagola- It is located in Karnataka’s Hassan district, which offers a historic pilgrimage site famous for the 58-foot monolithic statue of Lord Bahubali (Gommateshwara), made around 983 AD. It is a major site for Digambara Jainism. It features numerous temples and ancient inscriptions.
- Palitana Temples- They are located on Shatrunjaya Hill in Gujarat, India. It is the world’s largest temple complex on a mountain. It consists of 863 marble-carved Jain temples, which were built over 900 years ago in the 11th century.
Sikhism
- Golden Temple- It is a gurudwara located in Amritsar, Punjab, India. It is the central religious place for Sikhism and is one of the holiest sites. It is a symbol of human brotherhood and equality.
- Hazur Sahib - It is located in Nanded, Maharashtra, on the banks of the Godavari River. It is one of the supreme Takhts (throne) of Sikhism. It is the resting site of the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, where he breathed his last in 1708.
