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INDIA : SPIRITUALLY YOURS

Home to rich culture and legacy, India celebrates its wide diversity and embraces plurality wholeheartedly. A secular country under whose shelter dwells multiple religions in utmost peace and harmony, India can rightly be called the “Land of Faith”. For over 4000 years, India-one of the most spirituality enriched places on earth has been  the cradle of spirituality. No wonder, every major religion in the world, as well many of their off-shoots and facets, get support and nourishment in India. Indian Safaris present the Spiritual Tour of India.

As the country is dotted  with many spiritual  destinations, one needs to visit  them for peaceful self-discovery. Many of these religious such as Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism were conceived in India, and others sought refuge in India after being persecuted in their own countries.  Apart from religion, numerous  sages, philosophers and founders of religions also sought  and received  sanctuary and enlightenment  in India’s soil and spirit.  The trend  continues even today after so many years, the reason being as the people across the world veer towards the capitalistic way of life., the quest for their travel for spirituality becomes more urgent. As a result. Along with  a large number of pilgrims that visit these religious destinations once a year, many travel enthusiasts have  started to throng these hubs. The presence of a large number of temples, mosques, churches, gurudwaras and monasteries in India beckons a traveller to visit India that is spiritual and most all diverse yet united.  Let us take a look at some of the fascinating tourism places in India combined by Indian Safaris and holidays.

VARANASI & VRINDAVAN (UTTAR PRADESH)

Vrindavan Ghgats, Spiritual Tour of India

The Name Vrindavan comes from the word “Vrinda”, one of many names of the sacred tulsi (basil) plant, considered to be one of the purest devotees of Krishna. The city of Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh is located 90 miles from Delhi in Mathura district and is one of the most important Hindu Pilgrim points. Standing one the banks of River Yamuna. The Pilgrimage town today is home to hundreds of temples and ashrams, both ancient and new, bringing alive and glorifying the playful pastimes of Lord Krishna in their own distinctive ways.

The many temple sin Vrindavan are seen at their best  during Janmashthami , Radhasthami or Holi which are celebrated with great pomp and show ad draw unexceptionally  huge crowds from all around the world.  One of the most revered and a notable shire of Vrindavan is the Banke Bihari Temple dedicated to the Supreme Lord Krishnabent ( Banke) in three places.  Located immediately on the outskirts of Vrindavan is the impressive  temple of Krishna Balram ISKCON temple enveloped in rarified   air of stillness that seems to radiate off its beatific  white marble structure.  It is indeed one of the most sought-after  places by the devotees of Lord Krishna.  Ever wondered which temple has the characteristic  distinction  of being the oldest  in the temple town of Vrindavan? That is Madan Mohan Temple, located near the Kali Ghat and overlooking  the burbling   Yamuna River.  It is not just a holy place of reverence  but a  historically important  edifice that transcends  you back to the 15th century to the times when the  reverential saint Sanatan Goswami had initially  enshrined the much-loved deity of Madan Mohan.

Other spiritual  marvels like Rangaji Temple, Radha Mohan Temple, Prem Mandir, Nidhivan are worth a visit. While  in Vrindavan  you can avail the different  Dharamshalas and guest house that offer you good accommodation at a reasonable rate.

Varanasi Ganga Aarti, Spiritual Tour of India

It goes without saying that for the spiritual seeker, there is no better destination that Varanasi to help explore the higher planes of belief and faith in the country. Regarded as a holy city by Buddhists, Hindus and Jains alike, Varanasi is one of the oldest cities in the world. One of the most distinctive features of Varanasi is the bathing ghats along the Ganges River. While the ghats along the river’s edge are the main spiritual  draw to the city, like  most Indian cities, Varanasi is home to number of temples honouring  various gods and goddesses and serving  those of all religions.  Many of the temples date back  prior to the eighteenth century, such as Kashi Vishwanath Temple, also known as  the Golden  Temple. The Druga Temple is also notable, as the local legend is that the image of the goddess Durga was not added  by the  builders, but appeared on the façade in its own. Even those who do not practice Buddhism or Hinduism are entranced by the spirituality of Varanasi and are sure to seek the spiritual enlightenment within them.

BODH GAYA & PATNA (BIHAR)

Mahabodjhi Tree, Bodhgaya, Spiritual Tour of India

The place has an inherent quality of divinity which simply dispels any commotion in the real world. One immediately begins to  sense  a very different  vibe  here  and settle  into a very  tranquil state of being.  Myth and mythology  apart, Bodh Gaya is a wonderful  tiny temple  town where  one begins to sense a trail  of wisdom in the teachings of the great  Buddha.  Bodh Gaya  is a wonderful spot where one can  study these teachings and gain a sense of the wisdom entailed in the intricate understandings of the functioning of the universe.

Enlightenment  sits at the heart of the identity  of Bodh Gaya, as  this is the place  where Prince Siddhartha became Buddha, `the enlightened  one.` The Bodhi tree has been the  most revered  spot amongst  people all over the world,  ever since Buddha has attained  his sense  of divine  wisdom  and enlightenment here.  The tree is  surrounded  by a magnificent  landscape quite reminiscent of the picture of divine paradise that one might  have in their head. Study or meditate  here, you will  sense a definite feeling of being shrouded in an aura of harmony.

Patna the capital city,  is special  in more ways that one. As a unique  synthesis of the old  and the new, the  city goes on to define an age-old legacy of civilization  in its own manner. Located   in central Bihar, the city has been torchbearer as the seat of several important  empires in the past an was called by several names during varying times of history – Patliputra, Pushapura, Azimabad.

Hanuman Mandir, popular for being one of the most revered  temples lies in front of the Patna Junction. One can  witness amass of devotees  offering prayers. Yet another  place is Taksht Shri Harmandir Saheb, one of the most important  places of Sikhs. It is constructed by Guru Gobind Singh Ji which was also know as  Taksht  Shri Patna Sahib.  An important  historic  center, a significant   seat for amassing  important skills, a picturesque  hubbub if a well learned crowd, an abode for key historic  centers and gateway to the sea make Patna the perfect conglomerate capital city  in India to head to right away!

HARIDWAR & RISHIKESH (UTTARKHAND)

Haridwar Ganga Aarti, Spiritual Tour of India

Offering vibrant  and fascinating blend of culture and piety.  Haridwar is one of the  seven holiest cities in India. Often bustled with devotees, the propitious location of the city near the holy River Ganga has made it gain more popularity. With the passage of time, it has become more than just a  religious city, where people thronged to perform immersion of the ashes  or took a dip in the water to wash away their sins.

According  to the Samudra Manthan Haridwar along with Ujjain and Allahabad is one of four sites where drops of Amrit, the elixir of  immorality, accidently  spilled over from the pitcher while being  carried by the celestial bird Garuda. This is manifested in the Kumbha Mela is celebrated every 3  year in one of the 4 places, and thus every 12 years in Haridwar.  Amidst  the Kumbha Mela, millions of pilgrims, devotees, and tourists congregate in Haridwar  to perform  rutulistic bathing on the banks of the river Ganges to wash away  their sins to attain Moksha. Brahma Kund, the spot where the Amrit Fell, is located at Har ki Pauri (literally, “footsteps of the Lord”) and is considered  to be the  most sacred ghat of Haridwar. The vening prayer (Aarti) at dusk offered to Goddess Ganga at Hari-ki-Pauri ( Steps of God Hara or Shiva) is an enchanting experience  for any visitor. A spectacle of sound and clour is seen when,a fter the ceremony, pilgrims float diyas (floral float with lamps)  and incense on the river,  commemorating their deceased  ancestors.  Thousands of people from all around the world do make a point  to attend this prayer on their visit to Haridwar.

Considered sure shot to enlightening  salvation devotees embark on holy journeys –Pilgrimage, eager to measure those  footprints with theirs.  One such  place of the  eternal charm is in the state of Uttarakhand, festooned with the mighty Himalayas, the holy Ganges and other eloquent welcoming  attributes of Mother Nature   is – Rishikesh. Travelling to Rishikesh is considered to the important because it is the beginning point of Yatra of Char Dham of Uttarakhand – Badarinath,Kedarnath, Gangoti and Yamunotri.

Several pilgrims  undertake the journey to Rishikesh to experience the serenity and the spiritual connection  in its air.  The temples situated  on the banks of the holy river make the view  even more auspicious ,as the  pilgrim get a chance to worship  their deity along with being close to Goddess Ganga.  And  as if the fame of it is of the  holiest place was not enough, Rishikesh has also emerged as an international destination for Yoga, rightly assuming the tile of “World Capital of Yoga” and hence thriving the population of foreign tourists to the city.

THE KONARK SUN TEMPLE & JAGANNATH PURI TEMPLE (ODISHA)

Odisha is a surprise, like  a long forgotten book in the  corner book of a library, which  page by page takes you on a journey through centuries; carved in the ancient temples as estimated 80,000 in the states, the majority dedicated to Shiva and some of the most renowned Vishnu shrines.

The state hosts Jagannath Puri temple, one of the four  dhams of the Hindu religion. The historic  Jagannath temple ( Shrimandira) at Puri was built in the year 1078. It is believed  that the Krita Yuga, the actual image of the lord had the power of granting  `moksha` to anyone who witnessed it. Yamaraja didn’t  find this justice. So, he  decided to keep the image n some distant  and unknown  corner of the  earth.  However, Dvapar Yuga arrived, the idol that is worshiped  today inJagannath  Puri was constructed by Lord Vishnu with the help of wooden logs.  And it doesn’t  make difference in the Lord’s  power in spite of having the hands lacking.  Jagannath temple consists of four entrance gates namely Sighadwara, Ashwadwara, Hathidwara and Vyaghradwara and these names are refer to lion, horse, elephant and tiger.  Each day, the Lord at the Jagannath Temple is  offered `bhoga` six times and is dispensed  among the worshippers close to Ratnavedi.

Konark Sun Temple, Puri, Spiritual Tour of India

The Konark Puri temple which  is world heritage site, the 64 yogini temple dedicated to Durga in the form of 64 demi-goddesses – one of the very few in the country. This sun temple is indeed  a masterpiece of Odisha’s  medieval  architecture. Around  the base of the temple there are  images of animals, foliage, warriors on horses and other interesting  structures. On the walls  and roof of the temple, beautiful erotic  figures are carved. To glorify the magnanimity  of the temple of Konark and to make it more popular among  the culture and tour loving people across the world, the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation  and Odissi Research Centre jointly  organise the world famous Konark dance festival every year which is a great attraction for tourists.  It is a common platform to witness various forms of Indian classical dances.  For five days, this world Heritage site echoes with the rhythmic beats of flute and the rhythmic clinging of ghungroos combine a transcend one into a fantasy ad its surely, a sight to behold.

GOLDEN TEMPLE & ANANDPUR SAHIB (AMRITSAR, PUNJAB)

Punjab represents a culture that is as progressive as it is deeply rooted in tradition and a society that is as modern as its representative of its rich history.  Worth a mention is the iconic Golden Temple  that is world’s one of the most renowned  architectural wonders.  Also known as Harmandir Sahib, this magnificently  beautiful temple has an environment  of tranquillity quite unlike  the temple you’d  ever visit in  India. Pilgrims take dips within the Sarovar ( the sacred pool water around the golden temple) , as verses in the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikhism’s holy book), are sung within the temple through out the day. 

Golden Temple, Amritsar, Spiritual Tour of India

Volunteers prepare free vegetarian meals, better know as langar for pilgrims and the temple feeds as much as 100,000 people each day from the free kitchen. An incredible feat in its own right, but what’s even more amazing as that his continues to be going for 450 year without missing a single day. The moody by-lanes of the Golden Temple have now been converted into beautiful heritage corridor with the construction of “ The Golden Temple entrance  Plaza”  which is not unlike the famous La Grand Place – Brussels famous square. Packed  with history and clean, paved streets flanked by famous statues and some of the most famous sites like the Jallianwala Bagh, Town Hall and the entrance to the Golden Temple.

It is believed that many thousand of years ago, the zone of Anandpur was inhabited by wild animals as the place where there was nothing but miles of bushes and forests. It is only by the late 15th century  that the animals disappeared  and people started make home here. Anandpur  town was established by the ninth guru of Sikhs, Guru Tegh Bahadur, in 16665. The efforts of the Guru and his followers helped turn the no-man’s  land into a place ideal for  human habitation. Today, Anandpur Sahib is a popular city in Punjab. 

Hola Mohalla Festival, Spiritual Tour of India

Anandpur Sahib is flanked by a 17th century fortress and framed between a towering mountain range and river. It was the place where the Khalsa sect was born under the leadership of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Gurudwara Sri Sis Ganj, the place where  severed head of Guru Teg Bahadur was cremated, and Gurudwara Kesgarh Sahib where five brave followers of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib ji offered their heads. Visit during Baisaki to catch the carnival like celebrations that take place there. However, the most impressive display of Sikh fearlessness can be seen during Hola Mohalla, held during the Holi Festival.

Are you feeling inspired and ready to get started? We’d love to assist with the planning of your spiritual tour of India. At Indian Safaris, all our tours are private and tailor-made to suit your taste, budget and requirement. To get started, please get in touch. . Or, for inspiration, you might like to browse our sample itineraries by clicking here.

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