Pilgrimage over the ages has been an important part of every religion. It expresses the commitment and desire of a person to be transformed into the vibes of a holy place. It is an act of our belief in God and a sense of our dependence on the powers of the almighty. India is known as the land of dharma. It is a country of diverse religions reflected by the profusion of temples present here. India is a country where spirituality is not restricted to the temples, mosques and churches, in fact it’s the life blood of the nation.
As a conflux of different religions, India has attracted pilgrims from all over the world. Though Hinduism is the oldest religion in India, it has been the birthplace of various religions like Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and Sufism, and has always welcomed other religions brought in by different cultures into the country. India is home to many shrines of the world’s major religions. There is probably more diversity of religions and sects in India then anywhere else on the planet. Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism all have places of worship and holy sites in India.
Hindu Pilgrimage
Some of the holiest places of north India are the snow capped mountains of Badrinath, Kedarnath and Amarnath. In the central part lie Varanasi, Prayag, where the Kumbh Mela is held and Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna. In the east lies Puri, famous for the Jagganath temple. In the south are Rameswaram and Kanyakumari lies in the west.
Sikh Pilgrimages
The Sikh community is known for its sense of brotherhood and fellowship, a fact that is reflected in its pilgrimage sites. The Golden temple, situated in Amritsar is the holiest shrine of the sikhs in India. Another sacred site is the Anandpur Sahib, where Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa panth or the ‘pure sect’ in the year 1699.
Buddhist Pilgrimages
Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India can be found in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh anh Laddakh. Bodh Gaya is a place where Gautam Buddha attained supreme enlightenment and is a must visit for every person of devotion. The Mahabodhi temple situated here is an architectural marvel. Vaishali is another place of importance for the Buddhists.
Jain Pilgrimages
The Jain temples in India are a fine example of the Jain art and culture. The monumental statue of Bahubali at Sravanabelagola in the southern Indian state of Karnataka is one of the most important Jain pilgrimage sites. The Dilwara temple at Mount Abu in Rajasthan is another important site which is a fine example of the Jain architecture.
Pilgrimage Tours
Vaishno Devi Tour
Vaishno Devi Tour is the most sought-after Hindu pilgrimage for the north Indians. It is a prime destination in a religious India tour. Thousands of devotees, from far and wide reach Jammu and Kashmir to catch a glimpse of Mata Vaishno Devi and seek their blessings. Such, is the holiness Vaishno Devi has that the numbers keeps increasing every year.
Shirdi Sai Baba Tour
Shirdi, around 296 km (around 6 hours drive) from Mumbai is a small town in the state of Maharashtra in western India. With a population of 26,169, Shirdi is basically a religious tourist center. Thousands of pilgrims flock to Shirdi. There are several centres of tourist attractions in Shirdi, a revered place of Hindu Pilgrimage in India.
Amarnath Yatra Tour
Amarnath is 145kms east of Srinagar in Kashmir. In Amarnath, there is an ice Shiva-linga that changes size as per the season and as the moon waxes and wanes, it becomes bigger and smaller. On the full moon day the linga is about 6ft high. On the full moon day of July-August (Sravana) the Siva linga is of maximum height. Every year, on this day there is a festival.
Char Dham Tour
Situated in the high and mighty peaks of the Himalayas, are the four most holy pilgrimage sites in India-Gangotri, Yamunotri, Sri Badrinathji and Sri Kedarnathji. Together, they are referred to as the Char Dham or the four Hindu pilgrimage sites. Known as “Kedarkhand” in ancient Hindu scriptures, for centuries.
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