Holy Place in India, Indian Temples

Holy Places in India

No land creates impressive impact for possessing myriad of languages, gurus and religions like India. It's probably one, if not the only country in the world that has drawn a number of pilgrimages for several religious practices.

Just naming the Indian gods and goddesses, including the different personas they take would seem endless and could be an understatement of the rich stories behind them. Many Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs and Jains have their own holy places in the country that also capture the interest of visitors from all over the world.

Mathura & Vrindavan
A city in the state of Uttar Pradesh, Mathura, specifically Vrindayan, has long been a center for Hinduism since it is said to be the birthplace of an important deity in the Hindu religious pantheon, Krishna. As a significant pilgrim site, it is one of India's seven sacred cities.

The Mathura Buddha can also be found here, a figure carved out of sandstone and is shown seated on a lion throne with a large halo on his head and attendants at his side. The Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple is the primary pilgrimage center though about 1,000 shrines and temples are also visited by pilgrims. Woth mentioning is the Govind Deva, a red sandstone structure constructed in the 1590s.

Temples in Goa - Places of Worship -

Varanasi
The ultimate pilgrimage for the Hindus and one of the oldest cities in the world, Varanasi, also known as Banaras or Benares, is the tract of Holy Land between the Varuna and Assi Rivers. Hindus believe that dying in the city would lead to salvation.

A great cultural center in the field of music and seat of learning especially for the study of Sanskrit, the city is also home to around 1,500 religious buildings. Among the best known are Kashi Vishvanath Temple that is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva; the Durga Temple, the mosque of Aurangzeb and Raja Jai Singh's observatory.

Ajmer Sharif
The most important of all Muslim pilgrimage centers in India, the dargah of Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chisti at Ajmer Sharif is revered by people of all faiths.Apart from the devout Muslims, people of other religions throng the holy dargah and pray for the fulfillment of their desires.Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chisti lived in Ajmer from 1190 until his death in 1232, and the reverence in which he was held after his death can be seen in the patronage his tomb attracted.

The "crown" on the tomb's summit is made of solid gold, and the open space in the foreground is a mosque built by the Moghul emperor Shah Jahan. The pilgrims in the foreground are taking an opportunity for private prayer.

Bodh Gaya
Bodh Gaya is one of the places that top the list as the most visited sites among Buddha devotees. Developed as an international pilgrimage site in 1953, the place is where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment. The most prominent edifice here is the Maha Bodhi Temple.

It is believed that the Buddha visited the place again after the enlightenment and 250 years later, Ashoka constructed a diamond throne shrine at this spot with a canopy supported by four pillars over a stone representation of the Seat of Enlightenment or the Vajrasana. A colossal image of the Buddha can be found inside the temple and is said to 1,700 years old. The image faces east, pointing to the exact place where the enlightenment occurred.

Vaishali
Vaishali, though small, is an important historical site and is spiritually supreme. Stories say that the Buddha often visited the place and preached his last sermon at Kolhua, a town near the center of the village. One of Emperoro Ashoka's famous lion pillars is erected here to commemorate the last sermon.

The lion faces north, the path taken by the Buddha upon approaching Nirvana. Remains of the monastery where he stayed during one of his visits can be found nearby. Jainism as well traces its histotory to Vaishali. Lord Mahavir was born on the outskirts and resided here until he was 22 years old.

Golden Temple

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Also referred to as Harimandri or Harimandir Sahib, the Golden Temple was built in the lat 16th century and is the principal shrine of the Sikhs in Punjab. Constructed by gurus Arian Dev and Ram Das, the gold leaf covered temple lies in the lake and has a defensive walkway secured by an equipped gate. The temple also houses the Sikh Holy Book or the Guru Granth Sahib. The Golden Temple is also designated the Akal Takht or the seat of Sikh religious authority.

Hemkund Sahib
The Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara is one of the most revered shrines among the Sikhs. Situated 3,329 meters above sea level at the bank of Lake Hemkund, the world's highest Gurudwara is believed to be the place where Guru Gonbind Singh unified with God after his prolonged meditation.

An imposing star shaped structure and encircled by seven snow-capped peaks, the glaciers from Hathi Parvat and Saptrishi peaks nourish the lake and the small Himganga lake also flows out from the lake.

It is also said that the Khalsa was organized here as well as the universally accepted features of Sikhism such as the Five K's. Stories of miracles also originated from this place such as that of  Lakshman, Ram's younger brother who, after being severely wounded during his battle with the demon Rayan's son, regained his health after meditating by the lake.

Sarnath
Formerly called isipathana, Sarnath is the Buddh’as next stop-over after his enlightenment and delivered his first sermons here. This is also where he reunited with his five disciples, and laid-out the Four Noble Truths and the Eight-fold path. The most eye-catching structure here is the Dhamekha Stupa, considered a sacred place where the voice of Buddhism was first heard.
It is said that a stone tablet with the word Dhamekha inscribed in it was found. The word is apparently a distorted form of the Dharma Chakra, which means turning the wheel of the Dharma.

This was one of the Buddha's first discourses that tackle the eternal round of existence and ceaseless cravings and desires. Tibetan Buddhists gather at the temple and chant the mantra “Om mani padme hum”. Other temples can also be seen in Sarnath such as Tibetan and Burmese.