Religious Places in India

Some of the eminent pilgrimage destinations in India include ancient and revered destinations such as Rishikesh, Mathura, Haridwar, Dwarka, Allahabad, Pushkar, Varanasi, Shirdi, Puri, Rameshwaram, Kolhapur, Madurai, Tirupati, Kanchipuram, Nashik, Kanyakumari, Amritsar, Murudeshwar, Tarapith, Ujjain, Varkala, Ganapatipule, Nandi Hills, Somnath, Kedarnath, etc. Most of these destinations also offer you mouth-watering local cuisines and vibrant culture, apart from other significant monuments to explore and an abundant choice of accommodation. Visit these locations during an important festival to make the most out of the trip by immersing yourself in the local culture and rituals.

Top Pilgrimage Destinations for a Spiritual Journey

Many religions evolved in the world with time. Some religions became popular while others were forgotten. The religions like Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism were born thousands of years ago and are still followed all over the world. Hinduism is considered to be the oldest religion in the world. Islam is the second most practiced religion and Christianity is the largest religion with more than 2 billion followers. Some prominent places across the world have sacred legends attached to them and have become famous pilgrimage destinations over the years. Followers visit these holy places to seek solace and experience divine presence. Many non-followers also visit to experience the beauty of these holy places. Let us take a look at a few holy places in the world.

Top Pilgrimage Destinations in the World

Lumbini, Nepal

Lumbini is the birthplace of Lord Buddha. It is one of the main holy places for Buddhists. Buddhists from all over the world visit Lumbini to see the garden where Lord Buddha was born and the pool in which he was bathed. Indian emperor, King Ashoka visited this place and a pillar was erected as a memorial. The attractions of this place are the Ashokan Pillar, the stone slab on which Buddha was born and the Maya Devi Temple. Lumbini is situated at a distance of 250 km from Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. You can take a domestic flight from Kathmandu to reach here.

Golden Temple, India

Located in Amritsar, the Golden Temple is a sacred place for Sikhism. Also known as Harmandir Sahib, the temple is made of marble and overlaid with gold leaf. It is one of the most visited holy places in the world. The Temple is built around a man-made pool known as ‘Amrit Sarovar’. The reflection of the Golden Temple in the pool looks beautiful in the evening. The community kitchen of the temple feeds thousands of people every day. Unlike other holy places in India, this shrine provides shelter and food to people, irrespective of their religion.

Vatican City, Europe

Vatican City is a famous pilgrimage destination. It is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. Roman Catholics consider it to be the most holy place in the world. It is also home to the Pope, the head of the Catholic Church. The Pope’s speech and the mass led by him are the important events that attract many visitors to Vatican City. The other holy places in the country are St. Peter’s Basilica and Sistine Chapel. St. Peter’s Basilica is one of the largest churches in the world and it stands at the place where Saint Peter was buried. Sistine Chapel is known for its wall paintings that cover the walls and ceilings. Vatican City is also the smallest country in the world that comes under the list of most visited holy places in the world.

Varanasi, India

Varanasi is considered one of the holiest pilgrimage places in India. Located on the banks of the holy river Ganga, the city is known for its temples and ‘ghats’. Hindus believe that taking a dip in Ganga can wash away their sins, so a large number of people visit this holy city. Like many other holy places in India, Varanasi finds mention in many ancient scriptures. Evening prayers at the Dashashwamedh Ghat is a soulful experience. Manikarnika Ghat is a cremation ghat and it is believed that people who get cremated here attain salvation.

Mecca, Saudi Arabia

For Muslims, Mecca is the most holy place in the world. It houses Masjid al-Haram, the world’s largest mosque. The mosque is built around the Kaaba, a square building, considered the holiest site in Islam. Muslims all over the world perform their prayers facing the direction where the Kaaba is located. Every year millions of Muslims visit Mecca to perform Hajj - the annual pilgrimage and Umra - pilgrimage that can be done at other times of the year. Performing Hajj is one of the 5 pillars of Islam and compulsory for every able-bodied Muslim at least once in their lifetime. Other holy places in Mecca are Abraj Al-Bait Towers, Jabal al-Nour, Masjid Taneem and Mount Arafat.

Wittenberg, Germany

Wittenberg is known as the birthplace of the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther wrote the controversial ‘Ninety-Five Theses on Power and Efficacy of Indulgences’ in Wittenberg. People come to visit the Castle Church that houses the tomb of Martin Luther. People also visit Luther’s restored house, St. Mary’s Church and the house of Phillip Melanchthon. Wittenberg is not like usual holy places as Protestants are not comfortable with holy objects or pilgrimage places, but it is an important destination for Protestants.

Kedarnath and Badrinath, India

These are the two most revered pilgrimage places in Uttarakhand. Kedarnath temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Located in the Garhwal Himalayan range, this Hindu shrine attracts many worshippers. Due to extreme cold weather, the temple is closed from December to May. Lord Vishnu is the presiding deity of Shree Badrinath Temple. The surroundings are scenic with natural wonders like hot springs. This temple also remains closed during the winter months. Hindus believe that a trip to the four holy places (Char Dham Yatra) opens the gates of salvation. Devotees flock here as these two holy places are a part of “Chota Char Dham Yatra”.

Shravanabelagola, India

Out of all the pilgrimage places in Karnataka, Bahubali Gomateshwara Temple is frequently visited by the followers of Jainism. The 57 feet tall monolithic statue of Bahubali, son of the first Tirthankara of Jainism, is one of the largest free-standing statues in the world. It is situated on top of a hill. Bahubalis’s statue is washed with curd, milk, sugar, saffron and flowers once every 12 years. This festival is called “Mahamastakabhishekam” and it attracts many tourists from all over the world. The marble statue of a Jain Tirthankara enclosed within the same complex is not-to-be-missed. There are other holy places of Jain religion in Shravanabelagola like the Chamundaraya Basadi, Odegal Basadi, Bhandara Basadi etc.

Western Wall, Jerusalem

Also called the Wailing Wall, it is one of the popular holy places of the Jewish people. It is located in the Old City of Jerusalem. The Western Wall is important because of its proximity to the Temple Mount, the holiest place in the Jewish faith. The followers are allowed to pray and recite prayers here. Thousands of Jewish people travel every year to offer their prayers at the Western Wall. These prayers are either recited or written on the wall. One area of the wall is reserved for women whereas the other portion is for men.

Sri Pada, Sri Lanka

This is an interesting pilgrimage place located on a tall, conical mountain in Sri Lanka. Also called Adam’s peak, it is well-known for a rock formation that looks like a giant footprint. Out of all the holy places in the world, Sri Pada is unique as followers of four main religions of the world regard it as a pilgrimage site. Buddhists worship the footprint as they believe that Lord Buddha left this mark when he visited Sri Lanka. Hindu tradition claim that the prints belong to Lord Hanuman or Shiva whereas the Muslims believe that Adam stood on one foot to seek repentance here. The Christians attribute it to Saint Thomas, one of the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ.

Visit these holy places to experience spiritual elevation and peace. Get exposed to age-old stories that made these pilgrimage places popular and get to know various religions and traditions of the world. Enjoy the beautiful locales, contemplate and create life-changing memories.