India Pilgrimage Tour

How do pilgrimages rejuvenate?
India is home to a multitude of religions, castes and creeds. Here one can observe the oldest continuously operating pilgrimage tradition. Religious rites and rituals have always been a part and parcel of the day-to-day life of the Indians. These religious practices have been a source of spiritual peace for the people here. An unfortunate sudden turn of events is regarded as a form of punishment from the gods and goddesses. The large pantheon of Indian gods clearly represents the huge spiritual sphere of the country. There are rituals to be observed even at the beginning of a new venture. A pilgrimage tour to some of the many sacred destinations of the country is a must for the Indians to attain peace of body and mind and to gain happiness throughout their lives.

Which are the chief pilgrimage sites?
There are a number of pilgrimage sites in India, attracting both visitors and worshippers from far and wide. A pilgrimage tour to Amarnath, Jammu and Kashmir is held in high esteem by the Hindus. There is an ice Linga here that changes size depending upon the seasons. Bodhgaya is the place where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. The Chardham Travel, constituting of combined tour to Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath, is a must for every Hindu, at least once in a lifetime. Haridwar, a timeless source of Ayurvedic medicines and herbal remedies, is known for its rich religious and cultural heritage. It is one's gateway to the Four Pilgrimages in the Uttarakhand region. The holy city of Mathura, being the birthplace of Lord Krishna, holds astounding religious significance. The Meenakshi Temple at Madurai is counted among a handful of the most ancient temples in the country. Lumbini, Mahabalipuram, Rameshwaram, Rishikesh, Tirupati, Golden Temple, Vaishno Devi and Varanasi are the other chief pilgrimage sites.


What's on the list?

	Amarnath Yatra
	Amarnath is located at a distance of 145 km east Srinagar in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It stands in a glacial valley at an elevation of 4,175 m.

	Bodhgaya
	Bodhgaya is located at a distance of 7 miles south of Gaya in the state of Bihar. It is one of the most visited pilgrimage centres of the Indian subcontinent.

	Chardham Travel
	Char Dham refers to the four sacred pilgrimage centres of the Hindus. Nestled wonderfully in the lofty peaks of the Garhwal Himalayas in the state of Uttaranchal are the four sacred places of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Each of the four Dhams is endowed with phenomenal scenic beauty and numerous ancient temples.

	Haridwar
	Haridwar, a timeless source of Ayurvedic medicines and herbal remedies, is located in the foothills of the Himalayas in the north Indian state of Uttaranchal. It is known for its rich religious and cultural heritage. It is one's gateway to the Four Pilgrimages in the Uttarakhand region.

	Lumbini
	Lumbini, a famous Buddhist pilgrimage site, is located in Rupandehi District in southern Nepal near the Indian border. Lumbini lies 25 km east of Kapilvastu.

	Mahabalipuram
	Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram is located 60 km off Chennai on the Bay of Bengal coast in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It was a prospering port town during the rule of the Pallava Kings.

	Mathura - Vrindavan
	The city of Mathura, 145 km southeast of Delhi, is located in the western part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, forming a part of the Great Northern Plains. The city lies on the west bank of the river Yamuna.

	Meenakshi Temple - Madurai
	The Meenakshi Temple is located at Madurai in the state of Tamil Nadu in southern India. The temple lies in the heart of the city and attracts a huge number of both tourists and pilgrims from all across the globe.

	Rameshwaram
	The religious island of Rameshwaram is located in the state of Tamil Nadu in southern India. It occupies a position at the very tip of the India peninsula.

	Rishikesh
	The holy town of Rishikesh (24 km from Haridwar) is located in the state of Uttaranchal in northern India. Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, Rishikesh is profoundly significant to the Hindus.

	Golden Temple - Amritsar
	The Golden Temple or the Darbar Sahab is located at Amritsar in the north Indian state of Panjab. It symbolises the magnificence and the strength of the Sikhs. Widely popular as the Golden Temple, Harmandir Sahib Temple is the most sacred Gurudwara of the Sikhs.

	Tirupati
	Tirupati or Tirumala is located in the Chittoor district of the southern Andhra Pradesh. The picturesque town of Tirupati attracts a huge number of devotees from all across the world. People come here to attain peace of mind, body and soul.

	Vaishno Devi
	Vaishno Devi Cave shrine is nestled in the Trikuta mountains, 61 km north of Jammu at an elevation of 5200 ft above sea-level in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

	Varanasi
	The holy city of Varanasi lies on the banks of the Ganges in the sate of Uttar Pradesh in North India. The city has its reference in the ancient scriptures of the Upnishads and the Puranas. The history of this eternal city dates back 3500 years.