India is a country that’s known for its historical and spiritual significance. The country is home to people from all the religions in the world.
Further, the country is also the birthplace of several countries of the world, such as Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism, Sikhism and more.
While exploring India, you’ll discover numerous spiritual sites like temples, mosques, gurudwaras and more. Some of them would be hundreds of years old and could be a pilgrimage site with hundreds of devotees around.
In this blog, I will take you through pilgrimage sites that are sacred places and are visited by thousands of visitors every year. We will also discuss the spiritual significance of each one of them.
Sacred Hindu Temples and Pilgrimages in India
Mathura & Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh –
Known to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna, Mathura & Vrindavan are two holy sites in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Devotees from all over India visit the holy towns to visit the temples here –
Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple
The Krishna Janmabhoomi temple is one of the most visited temples in the region. This temple is believed to be the exact place where lord Krishna was born.
Banke Bihari Temple
The Banke Bihari temple is another temple in Vrindavan where it is said that Lord Krishna spent his childhood days. At all times, you’ll see a large number of devotees visiting the holy site.
Dwarkadhish Temple
The Dwarkadhish temple is one of the grand temples in Mathura. Its alluring architecture and grand facade will amaze you in many ways. The iconic temple is built in Rajasthani architecture with paintings and carvings depicting the life of Lord Krishna.
Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh –
Ayodhya is said to be the birthplace of Lord Rama, one of the most followed gods for the Hindus. The city had a history of conflict and dispute because of the Ram Janam Bhoomi and Babri Masjid case.
The case was whether the land of the Babri Masjid originally belonged to the Hindus or the Muslims. The Supreme Court of India, in a decisive ruling, ruled that the land belonged to the Hindus and there should be a Rama Temple.
The case lasted for 70 long years and ultimately led to the construction of Ram Mandir.
Ram Mandir
The Ram Mandir is a Hindu temple and is the birthplace of Lord Ram. It is newly constructed and is becoming one of the fastest-growing holy cities in India.
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh –
Varanasi, Benaras, or Kashi are the three names of a holy city in Uttar Pradesh. Historically, the city is known to be one of the oldest habited cities in the world and its architecture, cultures and rituals are deeply rooted in Indian cultures and history.
Varanasi is one of the biggest pilgrimages in India and attracts devotees from all around the country. The city also hosts mega gatherings of devotees during Kumbh Mela and Maha Kumbh Mela. The city itself is enthralling and has its unique vibes that cannot be matched with any other thing in the world.
Kashi Vishwanath Temple
The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the most followed temples of Lord Shiva and is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas (12 holy shrines of Lord Shiva) in the country. The beautiful temple is hundreds of years old and has had a history of being demolished by external invaders and rulers.
Sankat Mochan Mandir
The Sankat Mochan mandir is a Hindu temple of Lord Hanuman, admired for his strength, courage and power. It is a popular temple for the devotees of both Lord Rama and Lord Hanuman. Devotees also tie a sacred thread to the tail of the idol and seek blessings.
Kal Bhairav Mandir
The Kal Bhairav mandir is dedicated to the Hindu deity Bhairav, a form of Lord Shiva. It is one of the most visited temples in the city. Further Kal Bhairav is believed to be the guardian of the city.
The temple is so iconic and believed that even the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi did a Puja (prayer) in this temple and seeked blessings.
Buddhist Monasteries and Spiritual Centres in India
Dharamshala & McLeodganj, Himachal Pradesh
India is the birthplace of Buddhism and the residence of the 14th Dalai Lama. It is one of the major pilgrimages where hundreds of Buddhist monks live here while thousands visit the holy site. Further, the nearby town of McLeod Ganj is also an iconic spiritual Buddhist centre.
Namgyal Monastery
The Namgyal Monastery is the home to the 14th Dalai Lama and holds significance in Buddhist culture. Buddhist monks perform daily prayers, rituals and meditation sessions in the MonasteryMonastery.
Tsuglagkhang Complex
For Tibetan Buddhist activities, the Tsuglagkhang Complex is the main Tibetan temple. One can find a large statue of Sakyamuni Buddha in the temple along with Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig) and Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) statues.
Bodh Gaya, Bihar
Bodh Gaya in Bihar is one of the holy sites for Buddhists as well as Hindus. It is believed that Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, attained salvation in Bodh Gaya. There are numerous significant places in Bodh Gaya that are important culturally.
Mahabodhi Temple
The Mahabodhi Temple is the main Buddhist temple in Gaya. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a pilgrimage for the Buddhists. The temple is over 2000 years old and was the first temple made of bricks.
It is one of the four sacred sites that are related to the life of Buddha. The vast complex houses several prayer houses, meditation centres and more.
Bodhi Tree
The Bodhi tree is one of the holy places in the Mahabodhi Temple complex. It is the exact place under which Siddhartha (Buddha) attained enlightenment.
Animesh Lochana Chaitya
This place is near the Mahabodhi Temple. It is said to be the place where Gautam Buddha spent his post-enlightenment 7 days and continuously gazed at the Bodhi Tree.
Nalanda, Bihar
Nalanda was once the biggest learning centre and monastery for the Buddhists. Today, there are the ruins of the complex as Muhammad Bakhtiyar Khalji destroyed the magnificent learning centre.
Nalanda site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Nalanda University is officially accredited with the title ‘Institute of National Importance’.
Hemis Monastery, Ladakh
Hemis Monastery is one of the most scenic monasteries located in the Hemis village of Leh, Ladakh. The Monastery is one of the prime centres for the Drukpa Lineage.
Mystic Mosques of India
Delhi
The Indian capital city, New Delhi, has long been a centre of power for different rulers, including the Mughal rulers who ruled the longest. Hence, there are plenty of mosques and places of worship for Muslims in Delhi. Let’s see them –
Jama Masjid
Built by the Mughal ruler Akbar between 1644 and 1656, the Jama Masjid is one of the oldest and one of the biggest mosques in India. During the rulings of the Mughals, this grand mosque was the imperial mosque and was used by the Empire.
The grand mosque is built in authentic Mughal Architecture and is one of the popular tourist destinations in Old Delhi.
Haji Ali Dargah, Mumbai
The Haji Ali Dargah is a shrine of famous Sufi saint Haji Ali Shah Bukhari. The Dargah was constructed in the 1400s in remembrance of Haji Ali Shah Bukhari. He was wealthy but left all his material possessions before making a pilgrimage to Mecca. The iconic Dargah is built in Indo-Islamic architecture and is visited by lots of devotees.
