In today’s busy life, we are so engrossed in our day to day that we may not be able to carve time to visit some of the sacred spiritual sites in India. It’s a constant battle to survive and race against time. But sometimes, calling to our spiritual side is required for wellness of the body, mind and soul. We bring to you a list of holy pilgrimages or famously known as “Yatras” in India that will require a small detour from your daily routine but will definitely rejuvenate your soul.
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Organised by the Ministry of External Affairs, every year between June and September, is this pilgrimage trek to Mount Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva, and Mansarovar, the highest fresh-water lake in the world. This place is sacred for even Buddhists and Jains. All those taking up this yatra need to be above 18 years of age and have to undergo physical tests to be fit enough for the journey. Considered the most difficult yatra in India, this Lord Shiva temple in Himalayas will purify your heart and soul from atop the greatest and holiest mountain peak in India.
One of the toughest pilgrimage trek is the Amarnath Yatra. Organised by the Government of J&K, every year between the months of June and August, this trek is to the cave of Baba Amarnath (Lord Shiva), where an ice-lingam forms only for this specific period of time. The journey to this shrine is definitely a test of endurance.
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In the months of June and July, every year, Varkaris or pilgrims of the god Vithoba from all over Maharashtra take up a 18 to 20 days journey to the deity's temple in Pandharpur. The Varkaris, carry the footprint of two of Maharashtra's noted saints-Saint Tukaram and Saint Dnyaneshwar-in palenquins, to their shrines in Pandharpur.
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The Chariot Festival of Jagannath is held in Puri annually in the months of June or July, commemorating Jagannath's visit to Gundicha Temple. The festival is celebrated most famously by the Rath Yatra in which the deities of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are taken to their aunt's temple on big, heavily decorated chariots and the festival is attended by millions of pilgrims.
This annual pilgrimage is for devotees of Lord Shiva. Thousands of saffron-clad pilgrims collect water from river Ganga at Haridwar, Gangotri and Gaumukh, and carry it to their hometowns, where they then anoint the Shivalingas. This pilgrmage in India, is worth going, the experience is unlike anything you've seen before!
It is said that visiting the Char Dham is considered highly sacred by Hindus and must be done at least once in your lifetime. The pilgrimage sites at Badrinath and Rameshwaram fall on the same longitude, while those at Dwarka and Puri fall on the same latitude. It is said that these four pilgrimage sites represent the four points of India.
A smaller circuit for pilgrimage than Char Dham, is Chota Char Dham in Uttarakhand. Consisting of the pilgrimage sites at Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri and Gangotri. This pilgrimage was started mainly for those who are unable to visit the main Char Dham due to lack of finances.
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Kashi Yatra is a pilgrimage with the purpose of performing Vedic rites for our ancestors. This yatra is meant to be done on foot, starting from a Saikatha Pooja at Rameshwaram, then a visit to Triveni Sangamam at Allahabad where Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati meet. Finally the pilgrims reach Kashi for a Kashi Vishwanath Darshan, and then collect water from river Ganga, which they then take back to Rameshwaram for anointing Lord Shiva.
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Hemkund Sahib is an important pilgrimage site for Sikhs, with the gurudwara dedicated to the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The site is inaccesible from October to April, thus the yatra opens in May, and closes towards the beginning of October, and the journey can only be done on foot.
Jainism has four main kinds of sacred places for pilgrimage, known as Jain Teerth Kshetras. These are Nirvan Kshetra or Siddha Kshetra, a place for salvation for any ascetic saint; Atishaya Kshetra, a place where a miracles took place; Purana Kshetras, places associated with the lives of great men; and Gyana Kshetra, a place associated by learning by these saints.
'Jai Mata Di!' No list of pilgrimages in India can be without a trek to Vaishno Devi's temple in Katra. The 13 kms long trek can either be done on foot, on a horse, on a palanquin or by helicopter. Almost 10 million pilgrims visit this temple each year.
So, for those looking for some salvation, go to one of these Yatras in India and feel the wonder of soul purification.
Source: https://www.triphobo.com/blog/pilgrimage-yatras-in-india
]]>India is a country with a vast territory and diverse religions, which creates a diverse local festival culture. It is said that there are over a thousand festivals in India throughout the year. Every festival in India is welcomed with big celebrations and sometimes a unison of cultures.
Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is the most important national festival of the year in India, celebrating the victory of good over evil and light over darkness. It tops all other festivals with its lengthy, large-scale, and multi-faith celebrations in India.
The importance of Diwali for Indians is like Christmas's for Westerners. Many Indian companies take Diwali as the beginning of a new financial year. Each year, over 1 billion people — Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists, on the Indian mainland and in oversees communities — celebrate these spiritual and joyous days.
Diwali typically takes place in late October or early November, and the celebrations last for 5 days (November 10th to 14th in 2023), with the third day being the main day (November 12th in 2023) of the festival.
5-Day Celebration Schedule for Diwali 2023:
Read more about Diwali
Like Diwali, Holi also celebrates the triumph of good over evil. Holi is the celebration of the defeat of the demoness Holika and the coming of spring. The holiday takes place over two days (March 7th–8th in 2023). On the night before Holi, under the full moon, effigies of the demoness are burned in large bonfires to celebrate her defeat.
The next day, the entire country heads to the streets for a giant colored-powder-and-water "fight". The color fight is meant to represent the pure joy of victory and the coming together of people of all classes.
You should visit India during Holi if you are interested in a fun and lively atmosphere complete with dancing, laughter, and colorful photos.
You may want to read more about Holi Festival and the differences between Holi and Diwali.
Navaratri is a 9-night festival in honor of three goddesses. Nava means 'nine', ra means 'night', and tri refers to the 'three' levels of ourselves — body, mind, and soul. So, Navratri is a time of prayer and rejuvenation.
The first 3 nights focus on the goddess Durga to remove the barriers and evils on our body, the second 3 nights focus on the goddess Lakshmi (goddess of wealth and good fortune) and the last 3 nights on goddess Sarasvati (goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning).
Navaratri is celebrated across India. During this festival, people worship different forms of maternal divinity by fasting, meditation, and prayers and with traditional dance forms like dandiya.
People also dress in different colored dresses each day of the celebrations:
More about Navaratri.
Dussehra is an important festival in India that comes after Navaratri. The 'tenth-day victory' marks the Lord Rama's victory over Ravana (the 10-headed demon) after 10 days of battles.
In India's northern, central and western states, many performances of the Ramlila story and the burning of large statues of Ravana occur everywhere for 10 days.
During the festival, shows and plays based on the Ramlila are performed at outdoor fairs, along with songs and narrations. During Dussehra in Mysore, you should have a chance to see Mysore Palace with its almost 100,000 lights dazzling at the night show and a torch-light parade at the Bannimantap Parade Grounds.
Learn more about how to celebrate Dussehra and the Ramlila plays.
Durga Puja is the largest festival to take place in Kolkata and West Bengal. It commemorates the victory of the goddess Durga over the buffalo demon Mahishasura. It is a ten-day event, and the last five days involve certain rituals and practices.
During the festival, large statues of the goddess Durga with her ten arms are created and placed in temples or pandals throughout the city.
The creation of the pandals and statues of the goddess begins months in advance.
During the last day of the festival, statues of Durga are paraded through the city then submerged into the Hugli River. This ceremony marks the end of the goddess's annual sojourn to her paternal home and return to her husband Lord Shiva.
You may want to learn more about how to celebrate Durga Puja and the legends behind it.
Onam is a 10-day harvest festival (August 20th – August 31st in 2023) that takes place in Kerala. It is the most revered and celebrated festival in Kerala. Onam is celebrated to mark the beginning of the harvest season and commemorate the return of the mythical King Mahabali.
Onam in Kerala is full of cultural events including traditional dances, sports competitions, boat races, and Kathakali performances. Every household also creates a pookalam, which is a decoration made from flower petals and rice that is placed on the floor at the entrance of homes and buildings.
The most important day of Onam is called Thiru Onam (August 29th, 2023), which directly translates to 'sacred Onam day'. Thiru Onam is when the competitions, boat races, feasts, and temple events all take place.
Pongal is a festival in Tamil Nadu that celebrates thanksgiving to the Sun God for harvests with large feasts and family get-togethers. Pongal also marks the return of the sun into the Northern Hemisphere and the return of warmer weather.
Pongal takes place over 4 days (January 15th–18th in 2024) and the main day is the second day. During the festival, farmers harvest crops they have been growing all year such as rice, sugarcane, and turmeric. They also clean their homes and make offerings to the Sun God for luck and prosperity. During Pongal in Tamil Nadu, you can also enjoy cattle races, traditional dances, and a special holiday dish called Venpongal.
Learn more about Pongal and how best to experience this harvest holiday.
On Makar Sankranti, Indians celebrate the sun passing back into the Northern Hemisphere, signaling the return of warmth to the country and marking the beginning of the harvest season. So, people worship Surya, the Hindu sun god.
This festival is celebrated in many different forms across India. In Tamil Nadu, it is celebrated as Pongal. Makar Sankranti is celebrated in North India with large kite festivals, the most famous of which is the Jaipur Kite Festival.
The Jaipur Kite Festival is one of the most attended festivals in Rajasthan. The festival includes kite competitions where competitors try to cut the kite strings of their opponents. The last kite flying gets a prize! The city of Jaipur also arranges a friendly kite-flying zone for anyone who doesn't want their kite string cut.
All You Need to Know about Makar Sankranti
Eid al-Fitr is celebrated all over the world, but it is an important holiday in India because of the country's large Muslim community. Islam has contributed a lot to Indian culture especially in North India, which has had a long history of Islamic rulers, including the Mughals who built incredible structures such as the Taj Mahal and Red Fort.
Eid is a day of celebration that marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting. Because Eid marks the breaking of the fast, this holiday is celebrated with large meals and incredible street food.
Learn more about how to experience Eid in India.
Ganesh is an elephant-headed Hindu god that is the most well-known and most admired god of wisdom and wealth in Indian mythology and folklore. Although Ganesh is a beloved deity all across India, the city of Mumbai holds a particular love for him and throws a huge festival in his honor every year.
Ganesh Chaturthi is a 10-day festival that celebrates the birth of Ganesh. During the festival, huge handcrafted statues of Ganesh are displayed in pandals or temples throughout Mumbai. Every neighborhood in the city competes to make the best and most beautiful statue of Ganesh.
Throughout the festival, each statue is given offerings and is celebrated with religious rituals until the final day when all the statues are carried to the ocean and submerged. Placing the statues in the sea symbolizes Lord Ganesh leaving Earth and returning to the heavens.
Learn more about how and where to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi.
Janmashtami, popularly known as the Krishna Janmashtami festival, is celebrated across India to honor the birth of Krishna (eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu). Hindus believe that Lord Vishnu was reincarnated as Krishna to bring hope to the earth and free it from the despair caused by the tyranny of evil rulers.
It is celebrated on the eighth day of the Hindu month of Bhadrava (the fifth month), and usually falls in August or September and it will last for 2 days. The celebration consists of keeping a vigil and fasting until midnight at Krishna temples, praying, and enjoying performances of the life of Krishna.
The highlight of the festival is Dahi Handi, which takes place on the second day. People form a human pyramid to reach the clay pots of yogurt strung up from tall buildings. If you wish to witness this fun activity then Mumbai is the place to go because Dahi Handi competitions take place at hundreds of locations across the city.
Learn more about Janmashtami and supreme Lord Krishna.
Mahashivratri, 'Great Night of Shiva', is a festival dedicated to Shiva. In Hinduism, Shiva is worshipped as a supreme being who creates, protects, and transforms the universe. A Shivaratri is celebrated on the 13th night and 14th day of every lunar month, among the 12 Shivaratris, the Shivaratri occuring in February/March is the most spiritual one, so it is celebrated as Mahashivratri.
Mahashivratri is not a joyous festival. It is a time for self-reflection and introspection, celebrated at night and during the day after with chanting, fasting, and meditating. Some devotees stay awake all night, singing hymns and devotional songs in praise of Lord Shiva.
Varanasi is home to one of the most important Shiva temples in the country: the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. This temple sees over a million Hindus from around the country who come to perform rituals.
Haridwar is famous for its temples and ghats, steps leading down to a river where pilgrims bathe to rid themselves of their sins. Devotees often first take a dip in the holy Ganges at Har Ki Pauri Ghat, then head to Neelkanth Mahadev Temple to make offerings. By watching the rituals, you will understand more about Hinduism and their belief of the soul's journey to liberation.
Mahashivratri is also considered to be the day when Shiva and Parvati got married, so it is also an extremely significant festival for women to get marital bliss and prosperous marriages.
Learn more about Mahashivratri and supreme Lord Shiva.
The Pushkar Camel Fair takes place over a multi-day period in November every year. The Pushkar Fair began as an event to buy and sell livestock, but in recent years has been developed by the Rajasthan Tourism Board into a beautiful display of Rajasthani culture.
During the fair, thousands of colorfully decorated camels along with their owners arrive for a large carnival. The great array of activities include street performances by snake charmers, musicians, and folk dancers as well as camel races and camel beauty contests. You can also check out the Best Mustache and Turban Tying competitions.
The fair itself is often quite crowded and full of people trying to enjoy the carnival activities. If you'd like to avoid the crowds, consider getting a bird's eye view of the festivities from a hot air balloon.
See more on Pushkar on item 7 of Best Places to Go in Rajastan.
Hanuman Jayanti is a significant Hindu festival that marks the birth of Lord Hanuman. Hanuman is one of the biggest devotees of Lord Rama (the seventh avatar of Vishnu). He is described as someone who always successfully tackled odds and difficult circumstances.
During the festival, people fast from sunrise on the day of Hanuman's birth, decorate Hanuman statues with flowers and garlands, visit local temples, and attend special religious discourses, read and recite poetic shlokas (Sanskrit couplets), and sing bhajans (devotional songs).
Buddha Jayanti is one of the holiest Buddhist festivals in India. Gautama Buddha was a spiritual teacher in India and introduced the philosophy of Buddhism to the world. He is considered to be the supreme Buddha by many Buddhists.
The Buddha's birthday celebration is based on an Asian lunisolar calendar. So, the Gregorian date varies from year to year, falling in April or May, sometimes June. During the festival, people go to visit Buddhist temples or monasteries, listen to monks giving talks and reciting ancient verses, and follow Buddhist traditions like eating vegetarian food and making donations.
Guru Nanak Jayanti (Gurpurab) is one of the most auspicious and significant festivals in Sikhism, celebrate the birth of its founder, Guru Nanak. Guru Nanak was born on Puranmashi of Khattak (the full moon in the eighth month of the Nanakshahi calendar, usually in November) in 1469.
Usually, the celebrations of Guru Nanak Jayanti begin a few days prior to the guru's birthday. People start with continuous scripture reading (Akhand Path). Guru Granth Sahib reading at the Golden Temple in Amritsar start 3 days in advance. Then on Gurpurab (the Guru's birthday), people do their morning players and Langars (grand feasts) are organized for everyone.
Gandhi Jayanti is one of the three national holidays of India. It celebrates the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, who led India's freedom movement against British rule in India.
The day is celebrated with tributes, prayers, commemorative ceremonies, and visiting Ghandi's memorial at New Delhi's Raj Ghat. Statues of Mahatma Gandhi are decorated with garlands on the day.
Eid al-Adha, the 'Festival of Sacrifice', is known as Bakrid in India. It's a Muslim festival to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim (father of the Arab people) to sacrifice his son Ismael (according to the Qur'an) as an act of obedience to God's command and God's provision of a ram as a substitute sacrifice.
Eid al-Adha falls on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah (the 12th and final month in the Islamic lunar calendar) and lasts for 2 days (June 28th-29th in 2023). During the festival, Muslims will wear new clothes and attend Eid prayers, sacrifice a sheep or goat, and share the meat with family members, neighbors, and the poor.
Milad Un-Nabi, also known as Eid-e-Milad, is a big day for Muslims. It is a time to celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad and honor his life and teachings. Muhammad was the founder of Islam and was born on the 12th of Rabi' al-Awwal (the 3rd month of the Islamic calendar).
During the festival, Muslims take part in night-long prayer and attend lectures about the Prophet's life and teaching. On Milad Un-Nabi, people carry green flags or wear green ribbons or items of clothing, as green represents Islam and paradise for Muslims.
Good Friday celebrates the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ and the victory of God over evil. It is observed by Christians around the world. In India, Christianity is the third largest religion, so Good Friday is also a public holiday in India.
Many Christians in India attend special church services or pray on Good Friday. They hold parades or open-air plays to portray the last days and hours of Jesus' life in some areas of India.
The best city to spend Good Friday in is Goa, which has a very rich Christian culture with many churches.
Christianity is the third largest religion of India and there are 24 million Christians in India. Many Christians in India celebrate Jesus Christ's birth on Christmas Day, and it is a public holiday.
During Christmas, Christians in India attend special church services, spend time with family members, wear new clothes, and eat a festive meal.
Republic Day is a national public holiday with great honor and joy in India. It celebrates the Constitution of India coming into force and the spirit of an independent and individual India. The main Republic Day celebrations — ceremonial parades — are held in the national capital New Delhi on January 26th each year.
Independence Day is celebrated on August 15th every year to commemorate India's freedom from British rule in 1947. It is a national holiday celebrated across India in the spirit of India's freedom, with a hoisting of India's flag, parades, and cultural events.
Baisakhi is New Year's Day for the Sikh community. It commemorates the harvest season.
During the joyful festival, Sikhs bathe in lakes or rivers before visiting local gurdwaras. There are many community fairs, processions and local folk dances, such as Giddha and Bhangra. Then, people gather and share festive foods.
Lohri is celebrated in the Punjab region to mark the ending of mid-winter and a harvest of crops. It is also seen as New Year's Day for Punjabi farmers. Lohri night falls in the month following the longest night of the year, usually on January 13th or January 14th.
People celebrate Lohri by lighting bonfires, eating festive food, dancing, and giving gifts.
Ugadi is the Hindu New Year mainly celebrated in Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. Ugadi consists of the Sanskrit words yuga ('age') and adi ('starting'), meaning 'the beginning of a new age'.
The month of Chaitra is considered to be the first month of the year in the Hindu calendar. It is a harvest festival and an auspicious time to start new work. What's more, it is believed that the supreme god Brahma created the universe on this day, according to Hindu mythology.
People celebrate this festival with joy and splendor by taking traditional oil baths, wearing fancy clothes, decorating homes with rangoli, and performing puja (obeisance rituals).
Ugadi is celebrated as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra (West of India). Padwa means crop and it marks the end of the rabi ('winter') crop and time for a new vasant ('spring') season.
Bihu is one of the biggest festivals in the northeastern state of Assam and is considered to be the start of the Assamese New Year.
Bihu is also a harvest festival, which the Assamese people celebrate with community feasts, music, and dancing.
Mewar is celebrated to mark the arrival of the spring season, and the famous Mewar Festival of Rajasthan is the best way to experience Rajasthan's culture and celebrations.
The festival will last for three days of celebrations (March 22nd–24th in 2023) by the locals with a large number of cultural events, such as dances and songs. The festival coincides with the famous Gangaur Festival of Udaipur (devoted to Goddess Gauri, wife of Lord Shiva), so it holds a special significance for womenfolk and offers them an opportunity to dress in their finest clothes and join in the celebrations.
Losar is the greatest Indian festival and celebration for its Tibetan people, especially in Himachal Pradesh, Leh, and Ladakh. The Ladakh region is also called 'Little Tibet'. Losar means New Year (lo — 'year', sar — 'new') in Tibetan. It is celebrated by Tibetan Buddhists to mark the end of an old year and the beginning of a new year.
Losar falls on the first day of the 1st month of the Tibetan lunisolar calendar, usually in the period February 5th to March 5th. The main celebrations in India will last for 3 days (February 19th-21st, 2023). People celebrate this joyous festival with great feasts, dances, music, metho ('fire') processions, and reenacted battles between the king and his ministers.
The Hemis festival is a celebration of the birthday of Lord Padmasambhava, who was the founder of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism. It is one of the most tourist-friendly and famous religious festivals in India.
Hemis is celebrated on the 9th and 10th day of the 5th month of the Tibetan calendar (in June or July). The festival lasts 2 days (June 28th–29th, 2023). During the festival, monks wear colorful robes and perform frightful Cham dances (sacred mask dances) to honor the Padmasambhava at Hemis monastery.
Mahavir Jayanti is the most important religious holiday in Jainism, as it commemorates the birth of Lord Mahavira. Mahavir is a contemporary of the Buddha and the 24th and last Tirthankara (great sages) of Jainism.
During the festival, local people visit Jain temples, pray and fast, and a procession is carried out with an idol of Lord Mahavira.
Chhath Puja is a popular Hindu festival to thank sun god Surya for bestowing the bounties of life on earth and to extend good wishes for life. Chhath means 'six' in Hindi, and this festival is celebrated on the 6th day of the month of Karthika (the 8th month of the Hindu calendar).
The festival lasts for 4 days (November 17th to 20th, 2023) with different customs and activities on each day. Local people bathe in the holy rivers or lakes and perform prayer rituals to Surya (puja) around the holy rivers.
Basant Panchami, also called Saraswati Puja, is a festival dedicated to the goddess Saraswati. She is the wife of the creation god Brahma, and she is the goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning, according to Hindu scriptures. Saraswati Puja will be celebrated on the fifth day of Magha (11th month of the Hindu calendar) and occurring in January or February.
During the festival, students and artists visit her temples to pray for wisdom and academic growth. Newborns' families also encourage their babies to write their first sentence with their fingers. On this day, all devotees wear yellow attire to do their puja (shrine rituals), as it is believed to be Saraswati's favorite color, and yellow signifies knowledge, learning, and happiness for Hindus.
Ratha Yatra is a festival devoted to Lord Jagannath at the famous Jagannatha Temple in Puri, Odisha. Rath Yatra is observed on the 15th or 16th day of Ashadha (4th month of the Hindu calendar). On the Gregorian calendar, it falls in June or July.
On this day, idols of Lord Jagannath and his siblings (Goddess Subhadra — half-sister of Krishna and Lord Balabhadra — elder brother of Krishna) are decorated and placed in chariots to cover a 3-km (2-mile) journey from Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple.
Raksha Bandhan, also called Rakhi, is a traditional festival that celebrates the bond between siblings. Raksha Bandhan means 'to tie a knot of protection' in Sanskrit and comes from the festival's main ceremony in which a sister ties a bracelet on the wrist of her brother for his safety and prosperity.
The bracelets used during the festival are called rakhis and are made from colorful woven threads and decorated with beads and stones.
Once a sister has tied the rakhi around the wrist of the brother, he will give her sweets and gifts. The sister will also offer prayers for her brother and place a red mark on his forehead.
Today, Raksha Bandhan is not only practiced between brothers and sisters, but also between friends, cousins, and anyone else who has a sibling-like relationship.
Learn more about Raksha Bandhan and how to tie a special bracelet around a wrist.
Karwa Chauth is a festival for Hindu women, especially married women, who observe a fast from sunrise to moonrise for the safety and longevity of their husbands. During Karwa Chauth, Women wear new clothes and solah shringar (the 16 Bridal Adornments) and perform Karwa Chauth puja for a happy and blissful marriage.
The festival is mainly observed by married women, but unmarried girls and boys can also observe this festival while seeking a blessed life partner.
Like many other Hindu festivals, Karwa Chauth dates change every year as it is based on the Hindu lunisolar calendar. It falls on the fourth day after the full moon, in the month of Kartik (the 8th lunar month in the Hindu calendar), in October or November.
Bikaner Camel Festival is an annual cultural celebration in Bikaner. It is dedicated to camels. The festival lasts for 2 days and it is one of the best ways to witness the culture of Rajasthan. It is the one of the most colorful and energetic festivals in Rajasthan and attracts thousands of locals and travelers.
During the festivals, local people decorate their camels and lead them through Bikaner. They celebrate this joyous festival with dances, music, parades of beautifully decorated camels, fun competitions, and camel racing.
See more on Bikaner on item 6 of Best Places to Visit in Rajasthan.
]]>The incredible land of India, one of the oldest civilizations in the world, is home to numerous exquisite temples. These places of worship act as an important gateway to understanding the profound historical, cultural, architectural, and spiritual aspects of this diverse country. Devotees from all across the world long to experience the divinity at these places because of which India is becoming the primary hotspot for religious tourism. In addition to the religious tourists, a lot of history and architecture enthusiasts are being drawn to these famous temples in India.
Situated on the western bank of the river Ganga, Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the holiest temples in India. One of the 12 jyotirlingas (representation of Lord Shiva) can be found here. The stunning feature of this temple is its three gold-covered domes and a 15.5-meter-high golden spire. Many Hindus believe that paying obeisance to Shivalinga at this temple after taking a dip in the sacred Ganga river helps one to attain moksha (salvation). This ancient temple is also mentioned in Hindi scriptures and religious texts like Skanda Purana.
Maa Vaishno Devi Temple nestled in a mountain called Trikuta at an altitude of 5200 ft is a popular pilgrim site, where Goddess Vaishnavi is worshipped in the form of Pindies (rock formations). This cave temple in India is one of the 108 Shakti Peethas, and the three pindies represent Maha Saraswati, Maha Lakshmi, and Maha Kali. Devotees prefer walking a 12 km path to reach this temple, which is surrounded by dense forests with the grand Himalayas in the backdrop. Horseback rides and helicopters are also available to take pilgrims to the temple.
One of the most famous temples in India is the Tirupathi Balaji (Sri Venkateshwara Swamy) Temple, located in Andhra Pradesh. As much as 40 million people visit this temple every year to revere Lord Venkateshwara, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. This temple perched on the seventh peak of the Thirumala Hills is also referred to as the ”Temple of Seven Hills.” The Dravidian-style architecture of the temple looks impressive against the green background of trees. Tonsure is a ritual embraced by many devotees. Tirupati laddu, the prasadam offered at this temple, is distinctive and also bears the Geographical indication tag.
Golden Temple, originally called Sri Harmandir Sahib or Darbar Sahib, is the most sacred shrine in Sikhism. The gilded facade and domes of the temple made it popularly known as ‘The Golden Temple.’ Constructed in the heart of a man-made lake called Amrit Sarovar, the idea of this famous temple in India is to propagate brotherhood and equality. The holy scripture of Sikhs, Guru Granth Sahib, was first placed in this temple. Food cooked in Langar, a communal kitchen in the temple complex, is served to the thousands of visitors daily.
The first thing about this temple in India that absolutely dumbfounds you is its architectural brilliance! Situated on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in Madurai, this temple of immense mythological and historical significance is brightly colored and intricately carved. Dedicated to Goddess Parvati in the form of Meenakshi and Lord Shiva in the form of Sundareswarar, the temple complex has 14 gopurams (gateway towers), 33,000 sculptures, an auspicious Golden Lotus tank, and many wide halls of which one hall features 985 finely carved pillars.
Credits: https://www.indianeagle.com/traveldiary/famous-temples-in-india/
]]>I recently moved into my new home and was in need of a new mandir. I was very apprehensive about being able to find a good mandir. I found a couple of mandirs in the nearby stores which were quite dated and the stores did not offer home delivery.
Finally I came across The Mandir Store and I immediately called them. They were very patient with my questions and helped me get the Mandir delivered to my home in Vancouver, BC.
This mandir is ideal for my home. Most of the furniture in my home has a white gloss finish and floating design. I did not have the space for a dedicated pooja room and the wall brackets made it easy for me to wall mount this mandir in my living room.