Holy Places In India

 

Holy Places In India

In India there are thousands of tirthas visited by millions of people every year. Each is somehow special, often associated with a particular deity or saint, and offering its own particular boon or blessing.

The most famous tirtha is Varanasi, also called Benares or Kashi. It is one of seven ancient holy towns. There are four great dhamas (holy places), which correspond to the four points of the compass and near which the great teacher Shankara established his four main centres. Another key city is Allahabad, established on the site of the ancient city of Prayaga but renamed as “The City of Allah.” It is the one of the four main sites for the twelve-yearly Kumbha Mela. The others are Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik (as shown here).

The map below shows all the major holy places mentioned and also the main sacred rivers and mountains. Further details of most of these sites can be found in this section.

The Four Maha Kumbha Mela Sites

  1. Prayaga ( Allahabad) - The Kumbh Mela Prayagraj is the largest human congregations on the Earth & added to the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage on 8th December 2018. It is believed that according to the position of astrological stars the water of those holy rivers turns into nectar. In this festival, the Hindus wash themselves off in the holy rivers to give away all their sins. In 2019, Prayagraj Kumbh Mela Packages attracted a crowd of 24 Million including 1 Million foreign tourists as per the Government data. The holy dip at Kumbh Mela is perceived one more step closer to salvation. More interestingly, the participants of this Kumbh Mela have not only been restricted to India but people across the globe in this holy gathering.


  1. Haridwar - The Kumbh Mela at Haridwar is a mela held every 12 years at Haridwar, India. The exact date is determined according to Hindu astrology: the Mela is held when Jupitor is in Aquaris and the Sun enters Aries. The event possesses deep religious significance to Hindus as well as other spiritual seekers. Historically, it was an important commercial event and was attended by merchants from as far.
  1. Ujjain - The Ujjain Kumbh Mela is a pompous and colourful event and is a treat for travellers. It is an enriching experience which immerses the attendees of the fair in the colours of spirituality and old world charm. One is never too young or too old to attend the Kumbh Mela.


  1. Nasik - It is one of the four fairs traditionally recognized as Kumbha Melas, and is also known as Nashik-Trimbak Kumbha Mela or Nashik Kumbha Mela. The fair involves ritual bathing on the banks of Godavari river, at the Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple (in Trimbak) and the Ram Kund in Nashik.


Holy Sites for the Four Main Denominations

Vaishnavas

  • Mathura/Vrindavana
  • Dvaraka
  • BadrinathaPuri (Jagannatha Puri)
  • Tirupati
  • Ayodhya
  • Nathdwar
  • Udupi

Shaivites

  • Varanasi
  • Kedarnatha
  • Somnath
  • Rameshvaram
  • Chidambaram
    Note: for more holy places dedicated to Vishnu or Shiva.

Shaktas

  • Kanyakumari
  • Madurai
  • Vaishno Devi
  • Calcutta ( Kali Temple)
    Note: there are 51 principle Shakti sites throughout India

Smartas

  • Puri
  • Rameshvaram
  • Dvaraka
  • Badrinatha
    Note: these correspond to the four dhamas 

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