Pilgrimage Tour in India

After every 100 miles one can smell the fragrance of burning incense, hear the chanting of mantras and see a small temple devoted to some or the other God. This is India. A land where religion reigns the heart of the people. A land where, before the sun rises and after the sunset, before the start of the year and after its end, before a meal or end of dinner, or to summarize before any good deed, people remember and embrace god.

Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world and this religion believes in peace, complete harmony among conscious mind and the outer self, and compassion. In Hinduism, Brahma is considered as the supreme God, with others being his avatar.

It's not only Hinduism which was born in this pious land. Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism have also nurtured here in close harmony with Islam, Christianity and Zoroastrianism. Along with ancient Hindu temples, India also has some famous Gurudwaras, Mosques and Churches.

There is no place in the world which is so much religiously inclined that it does not only pay respect to its own religion but also the various other religions, blooming together.

A pilgrimage holiday in India is a wonderful way of feeling the divine. How can God never forget existing in such a place where people carry religion in their soul? How can not God bless those people who walk through the rough terrain of Vaishno Devi, Hemkund Sahib and many such places of pilgrimage just to show their love for him?

A holy dip in Ganga can clean your soul and a visit to the char dham can lead you the salvation. The chanting of Om can make you feel powerful and yoga asana can make your body beautiful. This is Indian pilgrimage tour all about.

Hindu Pilgrimage Tour:

Hinduism is considered to be the oldest and the largest religion of the world. It's existed even during the Vedic civilization. Major Hindu pilgrimage destinations and tours in India are:

• Amaranth Yatra:  Situated at a height of 14, 500 ft, the holy cave is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The cave has a natural lingam made of ice- stalagmite. A lot of legends are attached with the cave and is a place of great faith for the pilgrims. The Yatra is organized every year, by Jammu and Kashmir Government during the months of July and August.

• Char Dham: Situated amidst the enduring Garwali Himalayas are the four dhams, the places of extreme faith and spirituality. The four dhams are Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. It is believed the sacred journey to all these four pilgrim destinations leads to the purification of the human soul and helps in achieving salvation.

• Vaishno Devi: A place of deep faith among Hindus, it is believed that Vaishno Devi, the goddesses, fulfills all the wishes of the pilgrims who walk a long distance to reach her. No body returns empty handed from Vaishno Devi. It is situated at an altitude of 5200 feet.

• Shirdi Sai Baba: One of the most famous abode for Sai Baba devotees, this temple is situated at Shirdi, Maharashtra. The temple is an amazing shrine of Sai Baba in white marble, built over the Samadhi of Sai Baba.

• Tirupati Balaji: Dedicated to the Lord Venkateswara, an average of 30,000 devotes visit this pilgrimage daily. This temple is assumed to be the world’s richest temple.

• Haridawar: Earlier known by the name of Mayapur, Haridawar is considered the holiest land of India, blessed by the sacred river Ganga, flowing through it. One of the major attractions at Haridawar is the famous Kumbh mela, which takes place every six years. There are also various temple located at picturesque places, adorned with magnificent idols of god, with classic background adding realism to the temples.

Christian Pilgrimage tour:

India, due to its religion tolerance attitude has grown with many other religions. Christianity touching the Indian grounds is not something which happened on the advent of Britishers. The story goes back to 52 AD, when St. Thomas sailed to India from Eastern Asia. It was then that the concept of building some remarkable churches on the Indian soil started. Some destinations which have become an important part of Christianity are:

• Basilica of Bom Jesus: Declared as a world heritage monument, Basilica of Bom Jesus is dedicated to infant Jesus. The church is situated in old Goa and it is where the sacred relics of St. Francis Xavier are kept. The church is one of the richest churches of Goa made up of white marble and precious stones.

• Little Mount: The Saint Thomas Mount in Chennai was built by Portuguese in 1523. It is believed that St. Thomas died on this hill after being hit by an arrow.

• Church of Sacred Heart:  Designed by Henri Medd, this Roman Catholic Church is a perfect example of Italian architecture. The most important festival which takes place here is The Feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth. 

• Christ Church and St. Michael’s Cathedral, H.P:  The second oldest Church in North India, this yellow colored church is situated on the mall road, Shimla. The church has stained glasses and a clock donated by colonel Dumbleton in 1860.

• Santa Cruz Basilica: Built by Portuguese some 500 years ago, Santa Cruz Basilica is of great historical importance. Situated in Kerela, this majestic Roman Cathedral Church is the capital church of diocese of Cochin.

• Cathedral Church of St. Thomas: This church is the first Anglican Church in Mumbai and is one of the oldest English buildings in India. The Church, though very simple, has a marvelous architecture and attracts a large number of tourists every day.

Sikh Pilgrimage tour:

The origin of Sikhism lies in the teachings of Guru Nanak which has made it the fifth largest religion of the world. Punjab and Chandigarh home a major Sikh population of India and thus some Major Gurudwaras. Here are some major Sikh pilgrimage destinations:

• Golden Temple: The holiest place for Sikh pilgrims, the Golden Temple, also known as Harmandir Sahib, has a long set of history involved with it. This Gurudwara is a fine example of architectural grandeur. Located in Amritsar, this pious temple had been attacked many a time by Afghans and other invaders. People belonging to Sikh religion have a lot of attachment with this temple and never feel shy performing seva within the temple premises.

• Sri Guru Nanak Devji Gurudwara:  This majestic Gurudwara serves as a memorial to the visit of Guru Nank Dev. The place is served by alluring scenery and also has hot water springs. The spring is known to have uranium and other radio active materials; it is believed that who so ever takes bath in this water tends to go to heaven.

• Gurudwara Sri Hemkund Sahib: Surrounded by seven huge snow covered mountains, Hemkund Sahib is a pious land capable of calming any tired soul. The temple is surrounded by seven snow capped mountains and a beautiful lake.  The temple is an ardent place of spirituality along with scenic beauty.

• Anandpur Sahib: Known as ‘the holy city of bliss,’ Anandpur Sahib is the one of the most sacred places for people belonging to Sikhism. Founded in 1665, this city is located on the lower spur of Himalayas. The place has various Gurudwaras and holds many festivals ever year. Hola Mohalla is one of the major festivals celebrated here.

• Bangla Sahib: Earlier an enormous bungalow of Raja Jai Singh Amber, this spacious bungalow was later converted to a Gurudwara. The eight guru of Sikhs Sri Harikishan stayed here for some months, which made it famous amongst his followers. Now days, this Gurudwara serves as a major hub of religious activities.

Muslim pilgrimage tour:

As known to us, India is a land which gives equal respect to every religion. Because of this it has some brilliantly constructed temples and mosques. Not only has religious like Hinduism and Islam prevailed here but also prospered in this pious land. Some major attractions for Muslim pilgrims are:

• Ajmer Sharif: Ajmer Sharif is where the tomb of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, also known as Gharib Nawaz, is placed. Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti was the founder of Chisti Sufi order. It is said if someone here makes a wish from pure heart, his wish definitely gets fulfilled. It is visited by a large number of Muslim as well as Hindu devotees every year.

• Jama Masjid: This mosque is the largest mosque in India. Built by Shahjahan in 1656, in the crowded suburbs of Delhi, it is the last testimony of the architectural skills of the great Mughal Dynasty. The mosque can accommodate as many as 25,000 devotees at a time. It is a place of great religious importance for Muslims in India and abroad.

• Fathepur Sikri: Established by Mughal Emperor, Akbar, Fathepur Sikri has not one but many grand example of architectural fineness. It had remained the capital of Mughal dynasty for just ten years, but during that period it had witnessed the construction of some great Mughal style monuments. The whole city is made up of red sand stone; some major buildings present here are Naubat Khana, Diwan-i-Am and so on.

• Haji Ali: A mosque and a Dargah both, Haji Ali is a fine example of Indo- Islamic architectural structure. Situated in midst of Mumbai and surrounded by sea, this place is as divine as it is seen. The amount of faith people have for it can be seen from the fact that around 40,000 pilgrims visit this shrine on Thursdays and Fridays.

Jain Pilgrimage Tour:

It is believed that Buddhism and Jainism sprouted approximately at the same time in India. Lord Mahavira, just like Buddha walked around India, teaching philosophy of Jainism. Jainism believes in complete renunciation of the worldly desires and adheres to self conquest. Today there are about 3.2 million Jain devotees living in India. The three principles of Jainism are right conduct, right faith and right knowledge.

 The major pilgrimage destination of Jainism are stated below

Varansi:     This 3000 years old city is known to be the birth place of four Tirthankars of Jainism, namely, Suparshav, Chandraprabhu, Shreas and Parshva. With the holy river Ganga flowing through Varanasi, it is amongst the most pious land of India. The major area of interest here are, Bhadani Jain Pilgrimage, Bhelupura and Chandrapuri.

Shravasti:   This place is the birth place of the third Tirthankar, Lord Sambhavanath. The relevance of this place can be known from the fact that Chinese traveler Fa- Hein and Hiuen Tsang have discussed about this place in their travelogues. Thousands of Jains every year come to this place to celebrate the birth day of Lord Sambhavanath.

Kaushambi:  This place has a lot of historical significance. Earlier being the capital of Chandravansdi kings, this town got importance due to the birth of 6th Tirthankara, Padmaprabhu.

Mahavirjee:  Shri Mahaveerji Atishaya Kshetra, is a sacred place with an interesting history. Around 400 years back, a coral color idol of Lord Mahaveera was founded here. Since then this place as become famous around the world as a major pilgrimage destination for Jains. This magnificent temple is situated in Rajasthan.

Varanasi Tour:

Being one of the oldest Indian cities, Varanasi has been successfully able to preserve the Hindu religion within the thoughts and minds of people. The land is as pious as it was thousands of years ago. It can be rightly said that the air of Varanasi is so much mixed in religion that the world may change but Varanasi will not. Hindus from around the world never forget bathing in the ghats of Varanasi, an epitome of ancient old faith. According to historians the city was founded some ten centuries before the birth of Christianity.
The Major attractions in Varanasi are:

Ghats: Varanasi is what the holy ghats of Ganga have made it. The ghats at Varanasi are main religious center with sights of hundreds of people deeply engrossed in prayers and meditation. Some taking holy dip in chill water of Ganga, some enjoying the boat ride, the scene at the ghats of Varanasi are majestic. Some important ghats here are     Dasashwamedha, Manikarnika, Assi, Panch Ganga and Harishchandra Ghats.

Vishwanath Temple: This Hindu temple was built in 1777. Destroyed by Aurangzeb this temple was rebuilt again, thus adding a lot of historical significance to this place. This temple is also known as Golden temple as 800 kgs of gold adorns the shikharas of the temple.

Bharat Mata Temple: The Bharat Mata temple was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1936. The specialty of this temple is that it is the only temple dedicated to Mother India. Another amazing thing about the temple is that in place of the idols of Gods and Goddess, the temple adorns a map of India carved out of white marble.

Ramnagar Fort and Museum: This 17th century fort was built by Maharaja Balwant Singh. This fort has a temple and a museum, the temple being dedicated to Rishi Ved Vyasa, the author of Mahabharata.

Sankat Mochan Temple: This temple, dedicated to Lord Hanuman, was founded by Tulsi Das, author of Ram Charitra Manas. Every Tuesday and Saturday one can find thousands of devotees at the temple premises to pay homage to the powerful God.

• Buddhism pilgrimage tour:  Buddhism, a religion started and propagated by Lord Buddha, was again born in India. It was later that it spread to nearby countries of Bhutan, Tibet and Bangladesh. Buddhist teachings can be best described through the Four Noble Truths and the Eight Fold Path. India has many prominent Buddhist monasteries and pilgrimage destination.