Indian Pilgrimage Travel Guide
India has always been considered the land of spirituality. Though
Hinduism continues to be the oldest religion in the country, India has
been the birthplace of various religions like Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism
and Sufism, and has always embraced new religions that other cultures
brought into the country.
The pilgrim tour in India is quite renowned on account of the deep
faith of Indians in God. The travel packages for Indian pilgrimage are
perennial especially in Char Dham and Twelve Jyotirlingas all over
India. The pilgrim traffic reaches its peak in summer turning minimum in
winters. The India pilgrimage tour is famous for its inherent adventure
due to gargantuan heights and trekking tracks. The most important
pilgrims in India include: Golden Temple (Amritsar), Hardwar, Rishikesh,
Vaishno Devi (Jammu), Amarnath (Pahalgaon, Kashmir), Dharamshala et al.
The pilgrim tour in India satiates the tourist in every manner as
Indians have the belief that visiting a pilgrim especially Char Dham
implies the union with god and surety of true salvation.
Amarnath Caves
One
of the holy Trinity, Shiva is a living God. the most sacred and the most
ancient book of India, the Rigveda evokes his presence in its hymns.
Vedic myths, rituals and even astronomy testify to his existence from
the dawn of time. But Shiva, Destroyer, the mendicant, is undefinable :
He is a great yogi. Legend has it that Shiva recounted to Parvati the
secret of creation in a Cave in Amarnath. Unkown to them a pair of
mating doves eavesdropped on this conversation and having learned the
secret, are reborn again and again, and have made the cave their eternal
abode. Many pilgrims report seeing the doves pair when they trek the
ardous route to pay obeisance before the ice-lingam.
One of the most important event during July/ August, is Amarnath Yatra
to the Holy Pilgrimage. This is an annual event when thousands of Hindus
from different corners of the Globe visit Amarnath caves. The pilgrims
trek from Pahalgam to these caves and worship the great ice Lingam.
Legend has it that Shiva recounted to Parvati the secret of creation in
a cave in Amarnath. Unknown to them, a pair of mating doves eavesdropped
on this conversation and having learned the secret, are reborn again and
again, and have made the cave their eternal abode. Many pilgrims report
seeing the doves-pair when they trek the ardous route to pay obeisance
before the ice-lingam (the phallic symbol of Shiva). This is an event
you certainly will talk about for the rest of your life.
Char Dham Yatra
In the folds of the snow-covered reaches of the lofty Garhwal Himalayas
in Uttarakhand are located the sacred Hindu shrines of Badrinath,
Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. They together form the Char Dham or
the Four Holy Shrines. The region is referred as the land of the gods in
the ancient Puranas. Scores of pilgrims visit the shrines by trekking
arduously along the mountain paths, all for a communion with the divine.
Over the centuries, these sites have been described in sacred
scriptures as the very places where devotees could earn the merits of
all the pilgrimages put together. Subsequently, temples were built at
these sanctified sties for all and sundry.
Vaishno Devi
The
Vaishno Devi temple, which is also recognized as one of the “Shakti
Peeths” of goddess ‘ Durga’, is situated at a distance of
61 Kms from Jammu, nestled in the mighty Trikuta mountains at a height
of 5,200 feet above the sea level. The devotees traverse part of the
distance i.e. 13 Km. on foot from the base town of Katra, which is at a
height of 1700 ft. from the sea level.
Out of the millions of devotees who throng the place, a large number of
yatri are repeaters who visit this place every year. The Shrine of
goddess ‘Vaishno Devi’ is reached by an arduous climb. The
efforts a pilgrim puts in to traverse this distance kindles in him a
sense of mission. The scenic beauty, the landscape around and the
constant chanting of ‘Jai Mata Di’, leaves a mystic effect on
the yatries, making complete transformation of one’s body and soul.
The devotee's mind is freed from all kinds of pride and ego, and he is
completely lost in a reverie of gratitude to the divine.
Golden Temple
The globally renown Golden Temple, Harmandir Sahib, which enshrines the
Holy Book of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahib, is located in Amritsar.
Amritsar, literally 'a pool of nectar', was founded by the fourth Guru
of Sikhs, Guru Ram Das, who had initially constructed a pool here. The
vital nucleus of Sikhism, Amritsar is also believed to be the site,
where Sage Valmiki wrote the epic, Ramayana. According to popular
belief, Rama and Sita had spent a brief period of their 14 year exile
here.
The construction of the temple was completed by Guru Arjun Dev, the son
and successor of Guru Ramdas, in late sixteenth century. It was rebuilt
by the Sikh ruler, Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1803. The Golden Temple is a
two storey marble structure, with an imposing dome of pure gold. The
architecture of the Golden Temple, is a blend of Hindu and Muslim
styles. The golden dome is meant to represent an inverted lotus flower.
The interior of the temple is decorated with semi precious stones,
frescoes and glass work.
Haridwar
Haridwar
is situated on the right side of the bank of the holy Ganga, and is the
point where the river spreads over the northern plains. Associated with
both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu, Haridwar is among the seven sacred
cities of India. It is also one of the four venues for the Kumbh Mela,
held in its magnitude every twelve years. Essentially a religious centre
which holds promise of salvation for devotees, Haridwar is also a centre
of herbal medicine, and traditional studies at Gurukul Kangri. There are
many places of scenic beauty on the outskirts of the town.
It is here that the famous Kumbha Mela is held, once in every twelve
years, at the time when Jupiter transits to the zodiac sign of Aquarius.
The five main bathing spots that are considered sacred in Haridwar are
Gangadwara, Kankhal, Nila Parvata, Bilwa Theertha and Kusavarta.
Hari-ki-Pairi, twisted to Har ki Pauri, is the main ghat at Haridwar,
which is so named because it is believed that it sports a footprint of
Vishnu on a stone in a wall. The best sight at Haridwara is the aarti of
River Ganges in the evening at 7 pm performed simultaneously at all
temples in Haridwar. Thousands of lit lamps being swayed in circular
motions in a rhythmic manner and crowd of devotees singing aarti are
quite a spectacle just like the floating lamps and flowers that create a
majestic sight in the river just after 'aarti'.
Rishikesh
Rishikesh, also known as the 'place of sages' is Haridwar, at the
confluence of the Chandrabhaga and Ganga. It is believed that God by the
name of 'Hrishikesh' had appeared as an answer to the hard penances by
Rabhiya Rishi and henceforth the place derived its name.
1160
feet above sea level, Rishikesh is 25 kms from Haridwar. According to
the ancient holy books, its earlier name was Kubjamrak. The four famous
pilgrim centers of Garhwal-Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamnotri
all share Rishikesh as their common gateway. In the old days, these
pilgrim centers were very difficult to cover. But now there are roads
from Rishikesh to these points making traveling easy. So, not only do
the pilgrims go to these places but also tourists.
It is the starting point for the Char dham pilgrims but also for the
people who are interested in meditation, yoga and other aspects of
Hinduism. For the adventure seekers, rishikesh is the suggested place
for starting their trekking expeditions to the Himalayan peaks and for
rafting. Also, International Yoga Week which attracts participation from
across the world, is held here, every year, in February on the banks of
the Ganga.
Today, this town is a combination of the ancient tradition and modern
progress. This has enhanced its glory. Despite of progress its natural
beauty is still untouched. That is why Rishikesh is very popular among
tourists. Close by water sports like river rafting, etc are conducted.
Boating has its own charm.
Buddhist Temples
Since
ancient time India has had an unbroken tradition of being the
fountainhead of spiritual knowledge in the world. Great seers, masters
and incarnations have been born here to spread the true knowledge from
time to time. The Sanskrit word "Bodh" literally means
knowledge. Buddha thus means "The one who has attained all
knowledge". The cessation of conflicts at both the internal the
external levels is possible only when one is armed with the right
knowledge. Once the conflicts recede, peace blooms and one attains
bliss. There are four principal Buddhist pilgrimage sites where most of
the buddhist temples and shrines are located. The most important of
these are located primarily in the Ganges Valley of India. The major
buddhist pilgrimage sites are Bodhgaya, Kaushambhi, Kushinagar, Lumbini
and Nalanda.
Rameshwaram
The sacred island town of Rameswaram at the extreme south-eastern limit
of the Indian Peninsula. Rameswaram is the Varanasi of the south and a
major pilgrimage centre for both Shaivaites and Vaishnavaites as it was
here that Rama offered thanks to Shiva. At the town's core is the
Ramanathaswamy Temple, one of the most important temples in southern
India. A fine example of South Indian architecture, the temple is
renowed for its many pillared (and often painted) corridors, about 1220
metres in length.
Rameswaram is on an island in the Gulf of Mannar, connected to the
mainland at Mandapam by rail, and by one of India's engineering wonders,
the Indira Gandhi Bridge. It took 14 years to build it and was opened by Rajiv
Gandhi late in 1988. The temples here showcase the finest of
the Dravidian architecture. The massive sculptured pillars and magnificent
corridors of the temples, among the longest in India (197 meters), are
known for their beauty.
