India is a secular country that dwells in all religions like Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Islam, Buddhism, and Christianity in the utmost peace, harmony, and flourishing way. This is why it encourages unity in diversity. Here, people indulge in pilgrimage destinations to seek peace and salvation. The spiritual air and the pious soil are vital sides of the country where erects temples, mosques, shrines, churches, and monasteries, that has propelled devotees to throng in large numbers at these hubs. Let us get acquainted with the Top Pilgrimage Destinations to Visit in India and learn about the fascinating facts.
India Rightly Called As the “Land Of Faith”
To greet your spiritually thirsty souls, India humbly carries the positive vibration and the fragrance of the supreme power in almost all directions for divine blessings. You get a plethora of temples and shrines from north to south and west to east. Char Dham Yatra is a set of four religious’ destinations in India, comprising Badrinath in the north, Rameshwaram in the south, Dwarka, in the west, and Jagannath Puri in the east. These destinations have been defined by Adi Shankaracharya as one should visit during one’s lifetime to attain Moksha (salvation).
India has always been a cynosure of the world’s eye for its pilgrimage sites. North India lures many travelers all across the world to get an insight into Vedic history.
Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, also known as the ‘City of Temples’, is one of the oldest and most sacred cities in India. The holy city is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is popular for its spectacular Ghats. Tours in Varanasi can be enchanting and breathtaking. Amarnath cave, the abode of Lord Shiva, is one of the most popular destinations in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The cave gets accessible for a very short period in summer. Another revered pilgrimage destination in Jammu and Kashmir is Vaishno Devi. Goddess Durga is worshipped in the form of three rock formations known as Pindies. Yamunotri and Gangotri in Uttarakhand, are the holy abode and origin of Goddess Yamuna and Ganga respectively. According to mythology, one who takes a dip in these rivers gets a peaceful death and attains salvation.
Kedarnath in Uttarakhand is home to one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. An uncountable number of pilgrims flocks from all over the world to attain salvation and spiritual bliss. Badrinath in Uttarakhand is the holy abode of Lord Vishnu where he is believed to perform a great penance and Goddess Laxmi got transformed into a berry tree to provide him protection from the scorching sun. Mathura Vrindavan holiday of the twin cities gives you an overwhelming experience listening to the never-ending folktales of Radha and Krishna. Other pilgrim sites include Haridwar, Rishikesh, Bodhgaya, and Baba Baidyanath Dham.
Let us now discuss the South India Temple Tour which acts as a magnet for thousands of devotees throughout the year. The most frequently visited destinations include:
- Tirupati, in Andhra Pradesh, is claimed to be the most popular temple with a huge number of devotees.
- Rameshwaram, in Tamil Nadu, is one of the famous circuits’ of Char Dham Yatra. This holy place is counted among the 12 Jyotirlinga.
- Madurai, in Tamil Nadu, is also known as the Athens of the East. Meenakshi temple is one of the most sought-after visits.
- Other pilgrimage sites include Nagapattinam, Thiruvannamalai, Thanjavur, Kanchipuram, and Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, Mysore in Karnataka, and Pondicherry, the most peaceful one.
The eastern part of India is equally rich in the treasure trove of spiritual sites. This piece of land is sure to surprise you with its wealth of pilgrimage sites to cater to the cravings of religious enthusiasts.
- Kamakhya Devi temple in Guwahati, Assam, is dedicated to Goddess Sati where her womb is supposed to have fallen when her body parts had been dispersed by Lord Shiva.
- Jagannath Dham Yatra in Puri, Odisha, serves as the most attractive tourist destination and is one of the circuits of Chardham.
- Kalighat temple in Kolkata is a renowned site and observes thousands of devotees from all over the country. Other destinations include the Asvakranta temple in Guwahati, Brahmeswara temple and Sun temple in Bhubaneshwar, Dakhineswar Mandir in West Bengal, and Lord Chaitanya temple in Mayapur.
Western India showcases some magnificent pilgrimage destinations that can take one to sublime heights. They are more than enough to shake the aesthetic sense of an individual.
- Dwarkadhish temple in Gujrat is the home of Lord Krishna and is a part of Char Dham. The place is filled with spiritual holiness.
- Somnath, in Gujrat, is the town of the Lord of the Moon and one of the 12 Jyotirlinga.
- Shirdi in Maharashtra is a very popular religious site near Nasik, where Sai Baba is the presiding deity.
- Nathdwara in the heart of Rajasthan, also famous for “Pichwai Paintings”, is considered the hub of arts and artifacts.
- Pushkar in Rajasthan is the only temple where Lord Brahma is worshipped and is also famous for its cattle fair. This is a perfect place to experience the glitter of spirituality.
- Others are Gandhinagar and Patan in Gujrat, Bhimashankar in Maharashtra, Jhunjhunu, KhatuShyam, and Salasar in Rajasthan, and Harihareshwar in Maharashtra is also known as the Dakshin Kashi, which attracts a huge number of devotees. Several Religious Tour Holiday Packages grant you a fascinating and blissful experience.
Experience to Etch In Your Memories Forever You get a chance to avail yourself of a holistic retreat by stepping on any of these pious souls. India Pilgrimage Holiday Packages help you witness the various legends found in every nook and corner of the country. You can plan a pilgrimage tour to any of the Indian states amidst dense woods, lively deserts, splendid hill stations, magnanimous beaches, or at the confluence of sacred rivers. As the temperature of India is always a matter of concern to all the citizens, they prefer to intermingle their adventurous trip with some dash of spirituality. This makes them migrate to the cooler regions. North India Holiday Packages cover states like Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh. These pilgrimage destinations help you to get immersed in myriad hues and ensure your complete happiness.
Traveller Bhaiya 