the Travel Enthusiast
- 16 Mar
evike14 in Travel Planning | NO COMMENTSVisit sacred sites in India
Varanasi, India
Four of the major religions in the world were born in India, so is it any surprise that you can stumble upon a sacred or religious site anywhere you look? Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism have played a huge role in India’s culture and history, and the many religious sites scattered all over the country are more than just pretty attractions, they are part of people’s lives.
Travelers looking to discover the culture of India will have their work cut out for them, because this country has more interesting sacred site than probably any other place in the world. Visit sacred sites in India for an unforgettable trip.
Ajanta and Ellora Caves, Aurangabad, Maharashtra
These stunning caves near Aurangabad have been in use by Buddhist monks since before the first millennium, and are known for their elaborate paintings and carvings that document the history of Buddhism in India. The around thirty caves that make up the Ajanta complex have been abandoned around the 5th century, and have been ‘rediscovered’ by Europeans by accident in 1819 during a tiger hunt. Ellora is not actually a series of caves, but excavated Buddhist, Hindu and Jain rock-cut temples that represent the cream of Indian rock architecture.
Dwarka, Gujarat
Varanasi, photo by ruffin_ready on Flickr
The small town of Dwarka is the legendary home of Lord Krishna, and the original town is thought to have sunken into the sea. The town is one of the seven most holy Hindu sites in India, and there are several important temples in and around Dwarka, close enough to be explores in a couple of days. Nageshwar Temple, Hanuman Mandirm Rukmini Mandir all have interesting tales surrounding them, and they are a real feast for the eyes.
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Varanasi is the single most important city in Hinduism, as well as one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world.
Few people can visit Varanasi without being overwhelmed by its contradictions – it is one of the poorest, dirties, most beautiful and most lively places in India, where you have equal chances of being horrified and completely delighted. You can watch the daily going about of pilgrims, as well as visit dozens of important religious sites in the city.
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travel search by Travelgrove (get this widget)Dargah Sharif, Ajmer, Rajahstan
Dargah Sharif, photo by AjmerDargah on Flickr
Dargah Sharif is a Sufi shrine dedicated to famous saint Moinuddin Chishti, and his burial site as well. Although the shrine is Muslim site, it is very popular with Hindus and some Christians as well.
There’s not a day when the shrine isn’t packed full with people from all over the world, especially during the Urs festival when Qalandars walk all the way from Delhi to Ajmer.
Shravana Belgola, Karnataka
Shravana Belgola is an incredibly important pilgrimage destination for Jains from all over India, and a very popular tourist attraction too. The main draws of the town are two hills, Chandragiri and Vindhyagiri, which are traditionally climbed barefoot (and it’s not an easy climb at all), but there are staircases for tourists – which doesn’t mean that there’s no effort involved in getting to the top. Vindhyagiri has an impressive statue at the top, the Gomateshwara colossus, and Chandragiri has dozens of amazing monuments around.
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