The Most Interesting Religious Places to Explore in India
India is known as the land of many cultures, religions and heritages. People from around the globe visit the country to discover their inner spiritual selves, basking in the rich lifestyle of yoga and meditation. India is said to be the land that cleanses your soul and purifies your mind to make a new start. This land of charms is filled with locations of religious importance. The diversified unity has brought together many religions into one land. Replete with places to visit in India it is a great journey when you sign up for a vacation here.
Let us explore the 10 most interesting religious places to visit in India and unveil the mysticism of the numerous gods and goddesses.
1. Varanasi
One of the most ancient cities in the world, Varanasi or Benaras houses approximately 3000 temples and shrines along with 84 ghats (stream banks). It is the land of salvation and is believed to release the soul to attain ‘moksha’ when one takes the last breath here. Parshvanatha, the 23rd Jain Tirthankara was born in Varanasi. It is a place where you find peace and serenity amidst the cacophony of temple bells, chants and devotional songs being sung around the river banks. Varanasi portrays the soul of India in many ways and calls people to visit the place at least once in a lifetime.
2. Amarnath
Amaranth is one of the most interesting destinations both in terms of religious importance as well as geographical location. It is a route that requires a trek for 3 to 5 days. Devotees and pilgrims walk on foot or hire ponies to reach the destination. Amaranth is situated in the heart of the Himalayan foothills, the snowcapped beauty of India. The Shiva Lingam to which people pray in Amarnath is a frozen stream of water dripping from a narrow cavern inside the cave. It is a great place to visit in India if you’re looking for spiritual fulfillment.
3. Shirdi Temple
Shirdi temple is a place that reflects the prevalence of faith in India. It is a temple built in Maharashtra and is dedicated to Sai Baba, who is believed to be the incarnation of Lord Shiva. This place is visited by approximately 25,000 devotees every day. The devotees of Sai Baba believe in the existence of one God. Sai Baba, a faqir (saint), believed in unity in all religions. If you are planning a trip to visit all the religious places in India, Shirdi Temple needs to be on your list’s priority.
4. Kamakhya Temple
Kamakhya Temple, situated in Assam, is one of the most interesting temples in India. According to the legends, when Lord Shiva started his Tandava dance with the corpse of his wife, Sati, Lord Vishnu had to use his powerful Sudarshana chakra to cut the corpse into pieces and stopped the destruction of the whole world from Shiva’s rage. During this process, different parts of Sati fell in different locations all throughout the country. All these locations are considered holy and are known as ‘peethasthan’. Kamakhya is one such place where the female parts of Sati are believed to have fallen off. Millions of Indians pray to the bleeding Goddess of Kamakhya. When you plan to visit this place in India, consider some time other than the period of Ambubachi. It is a length of 3 days when the Goddess is believed to have her menstrual cycle and the doors of her temples remain closed to all visitors. However, the mysterious part to this even is that during this period of time, the water of the Brahmaputra river turns red.