In religion and spirituality, a pilgrimage is a long journey
or search of great moral significance. Sometimes, it is a journey to a sacred
place or shrine of importance to a faith. Members of every major religion
participate in pilgrimages. A person who makes such a journey is called a
pilgrim. India is known for its ancient monuments which date back over
thousands of year ago and gives a brief description about the daily life of
ancient people and their devotion to god and goddess. India is a country where
different religions live upon together in peace and harmony. Let us discuss the
top 7 holy places in India that also double up as a nice holiday destination.
Tirupati - Andhra Pradesh
Tirupati, situated at the Eastern Ghats’ foothills, is an
important pilgrimage centre of the state of Andhra Pradesh. It lies close to
the Tirupati Temple, which is located in the hills of Tirumala. The temple
attracts millions of devotees every year and is one of the most visited
pilgrimage centres of the world. The hills of Tirumala, which lie close to the
city centre, are the second oldest rock mountains in the world. In Tirupati,
visitors can shop for locally made unique handicrafts which include
woodcarvings, whitewood toys, Tanjore gold leaf paintings and kalamkari art,
among other things. Another speciality of the place is the Chandana Dolls which
are black carved wooden idols of Lord Venkateshwara and his consort Padmavati.
Golden Temple - Amritsar
The Aureate Temple, accepted as Sri Harmandir Sahib or Sri
Darbar Sahib, is the angelic epicenter of Sikhism. Bathed in a quintessential
aureate hue that dazzles in the serene amnion of the Amrit Sarovar that cord
around it, the swarn mandir (Golden temple) is one that internalizes in the
apperception aspect of its visitors, no amount what adoration or creed. On a
jewel-studded belvedere is the Adi Grantha or the angelic scripture of Sikhs
wherein are anointed angelic inscriptions by the ten Sikh gurus and assorted
Hindu and Muslim saints.
Char Dham
Char Dham (sacred Hindu shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath,
Gangotri and Yamunotri) are situated in the snow-covered reaches of the lofty
Garhwal Himalayas, Uttaranchal. This part of the Himalayas is referred as the
land of the gods in the ancient Hindu mythology. The Char Dham Yatra
(pilgrimage) is popular among the Hindus that thousands of pilgrims visit these
four holy shrines every year. With the
passage of time these four Dhams have become home to numerous temples. All the
four holy shrines (Char Dham) are located at a height of more than 3,000 m
above sea level. Since the shrines are covered with snow in winters. Gangotri is located at 3,048 m above sea
level. The Gangotri glacier is the original source of river Ganga.
Ajmer Sharif
The Lake city of Ajmer is well known for the Dargah of Sufi
saint Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chishti. The 'Dargah Sharif' in Ajmer is held in great
esteem by devotees of all communities. The Dargah Bazaar leads to the inner
courtyard of the Dargah Sharif. The high gateway of the Dargah has beautifully
carved silver doors. In the courtyard there are two huge cauldrons. The grave
of Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chishti is surrounded by a silver railing and is
partially covered with a marble screen. The annual Urs festival commemorates
the death anniversary during the first six days of the Rajab (falls between
March and July). It is considered "shirk" according to Ahle Hadeeth.
Varanasi
Varanasi is a historical city in the state of Uttar Pradesh
and historically known as Kashi. Situated on the banks of the holy River Ganges,
it is commonly known as Benares or Banaras. The city has many titles like
"The City of Temples", "The City of Learning", and “The
Holy City of India “,” The Religious Capital of India and The City of Lights.
Varanasi has always attracted thousands of visitors not only because of its
religious significance, but also for it historic heritage. Jantar Mantar is an
observatory which was built along with those of Jaipur, Delhi, Ujjain and
Mathura.
These are most prominent holy places in India. These places
are highly regarded as the pinnacle of pilgrim tourism in the country. Kuoni
together with SOTC provides special tailor made holiday packages to these
destinations. Holiday packages from Kuoni together with SOTC provide you
packages that would promise you ultimate serenity and tranquility.
For more details you can visit our site Holiday Travel tips
No comments:
Post a Comment