Our motherland, India is a melting pot of cultures, ethnicity, and religion. It is the root of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. The spiritual fame of India has made it a popular destination for religious-minded travelers and seekers for decades. A pilgrimage India tour shows the different religious facets of the nation. Numerous spiritual people visit India to witness the religious harmony and peace of this country. Through the pilgrimage India tour one visits the Hindu pilgrimage sites, Islamic Scared Sites, Sacred Christian sites, Sacred Buddhist sites, Jain Sacred sites, Sikh Sacred sites (Gurudwaras), Zoroastrianism, Judaism, and the Bahai faith which co-exist happily in the multicultural diversity of India. Let me give a brief idea of the different Pilgrimage Tour.
Hindu Pilgrimage:
There are a large number of Hindu holy places in India, these are in fact thousands and multiplying. Some of the famous pilgrimage destinations are - Varanasi, Prayag (today Allahabad), Kedarnath, and Badrinath in the Himalayas, the Jagannath temple at Puri, Rishikesh, and Haridwar in the foothills of the Himalayas, Rameshwaram in the South and Gaya in the east, 51 "Shakti Peethas," where the Mother Goddess is worshipped, two principal ones being Kalighat and Kamakhya, Vaishno Devi, Tirupati Balaji Mandir and many more. Since the inception of civilization people go on pilgrimage in search of salvation and the destination could be any place with a story or history or legend attached. The multiplying pilgrimage in India is scattered all over the country, starting from the hills of the Himalayas to the tip of Kanyakumari or from the dry plains of North India to the Southern Peninsula.
Muslim Pilgrimage:
The Muslim pilgrimage sites in India are equally famous. The most important places are - Ajmer Sharif, Jama Masjid, Delhi, Fatehpur Sikri, Haji Ali near Mumbai, The Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, Qutub Minar, Charminar in Hyderabad. The mosques are the main place for worship and prayer for the Muslims. The famous mosque in India are Jama Masjid Delhi, Begumpuri Masjid Delhi, Taj Mahal Ujjain Jama Masjid, Jama Masjid Bhopal, and Moti Masjid Bhopal. A tour of the Muslim pilgrimage in India helps us to explore the history also.
Buddhist Pilgrimage:
India is an extremely popular Buddhist pilgrimage destination. Buddhist devotees from any parts of the world visit India to pay their homage to the Buddhist holy places. Some of the most well-known Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites in India include - Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Shravasti, Nalanda, Rajgir, Sanchi, Bharhut, Amravati, Cave Temples, Ajanta, Ellora, Kanheri and Karli, etc. Among these pilgrimage centers, the most sought-after places are the places of birth and enlightenment which are Lumbini and Bodhgaya.
Christian Pilgrimage:
The different styles of churches in India are the Christian Pilgrimage sites in India. Noticeable among them are Goa Churches like The Holy Basilica of Bom Jesus, which houses the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier. This place is a famous pilgrimage destination among all the Roman Catholics of India. Convent and Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Church of St. Cajetan, Church of St. Augustine Ruins, Church and Convent of St. Monica, Church of Our Lady of Rosary, Chapel of St. Anthony and Chapel of St. Catherine, Churches in Himachal Pradesh, Delhi Churches, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu Churches.
Jain Pilgrimage:
Dilwada Temples in Mount Abu and Ranakpur Temples in Ranakpur are the main Jain temples in India. Besides these, there is, Shikharji, located in Giridih district in Jharkhand state and there are temples in Madhya Pradesh and in Gujarat too.
Sikh Pilgrimage:
Founded in the 16th century by Guru Nanak, the main pilgrimage site of the Sikhs is Gurudwara. Apart from the various Gurudwara, the notable Sikh pilgrimage centers in India are Hemkund Sahib, a beautiful place in Uttarakhand, Golden Temple Amritsar, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, New Delhi, Manikaran, Takht Sri Patna Sahib and some more.
Kedarnath is the abode of lord Shiva. During the period of Mahabharata, the Pandavas came here in search of Shiva who had donned the appearance of a bull. They wanted to cleanse themselves of the sins committed during the battle of Mahabharata. Today people from far off come to worship Kedarnath or Shiva.
Gangotri is the place where the sacred river Ganges descended due to the efforts of King Bhagirathi. Devotees worship the holy river here by taking a dip in its pure water. Similar to the river Ganges, the river Yamuna is also considered extremely sacred, and hence Goddess Yamuna is worshipped at Yamunotri.
Chardham Yatra
One of the most sacred of Hindu pilgrimages, the Chardham Yatra comprises a visit to Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri. Badrinath, the most sacred of all the four is the abode of Lord Badrinath. Badrinath is a part of Panch Badri that include Yogadhyan Badri, Bhavishya Badri, and Adi Badri.Kedarnath is the abode of lord Shiva. During the period of Mahabharata, the Pandavas came here in search of Shiva who had donned the appearance of a bull. They wanted to cleanse themselves of the sins committed during the battle of Mahabharata. Today people from far off come to worship Kedarnath or Shiva.
Gangotri is the place where the sacred river Ganges descended due to the efforts of King Bhagirathi. Devotees worship the holy river here by taking a dip in its pure water. Similar to the river Ganges, the river Yamuna is also considered extremely sacred, and hence Goddess Yamuna is worshipped at Yamunotri.
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