The Navratri festival also known as Durga Puja have started in India. It is one of the major festivals in Hinduism. The festival is dedicated to Goddess Durga.
There will be nine nights of festivities where the nine forms of Durga will be worshipped. The tenth day is celebrated as Dussehra (also known as Vijayadashami).
You will find Pandals or stages where decorated statues of the Goddess will be worshipped. Durga Puja celebrates the victory of Goddess Durga (Shakti) over the demon called Mahishasura.
It also signifies the beginning of the autumn season. On day 10, Lord Ram also killed Ravana so his effigy is burnt to celebrate Dussehra.
Durga Puja Celebrations
Here’s a time line of the Navratri celebrations in India
Saturday October 08 Maha Saptami
Sunday October 09 Durgastami
Monday October 10 Navami of Durga Puja
Tuesday October 11 Dussehra
In Gujarat, “Garba” a form of dance are performed around the statue of Durga.
Bihar has some of the most important pilgrim sites not just for Hindus for also for Buddhists. One of the most popular Buddhist sites in the world is the Mahabodhi temple in the town of Bodh Gaya. This place marks where Lord Buddha got enlightenment. It is said that After Siddhartha Gautama left his palace; he wandered aimlessly till he came to Gaya. He decided to sit under the peepal tree (now known as the Bodhi tree) and mediate till he got the answers to the sufferings (dukkha) in the world. The original tree may not exist but an offspring of the original tree marks the exact spot where he sat. You can find people collecting leaves that fall of the tree and many sit there and meditate. In 250 B.C (200 years later) Emperor “Ashoka the Great” visited the spot and founded a temple and a monastery. The temple declined as Buddhism declined in India but Burmese and Sri Lankan rulers restored the complex. The place is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here are some of the pictures of the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya. You can get there by train, coaches or road from Patna, the capital of Bihar and from the Indian capital. You can read more about Buddhism in my book.
We just had India’s most widely celebrated Hindu festival called the Durga Puja. If you were in India then you would have seen the festivities. Devotees install stages for the worship of the Goddess called “pandals” on the streets and market places – an absolute delight. Durga Puja is a festival that marks the victory of the Goddess Durga over the evil buffalo demon Mahishasura. The festival also signifies the coming of autumn. The 10th day is called “Vijayadashami” or “Dussehra”. The festival lasts about 9 nights and 10 days (called Navratri) and is an annual holiday in India. On the 10th day, the idols of Durga are carried out in grand procession and immersed in the river. On this day, Lord Ram also killed the demon “Ravana” who had abducted his wife Sita to his kingdom of Lanka. An effigy of Ravana is burnt on the day of Vijayadashami.
India is one of the most popular pilgrimage destinations not just for Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs but people of all religions. People from all over the world of all faiths come to experience spirituality. You will find that all of your senses are fulfilled by spiritualism in India. If you are considering visiting India for spiritual purposes then here are some facts about the Hindu religion you might find useful on your spiritual journey.
Thousands of people visit India so that they can experience Indian spiritually. But many of them who visit the country do not know that other than Hinduism there are other religions that also exist in India. This means that there are non-Hindu religious places that can also be visited and can provide spiritual upliftment.
If you are planning on going to India’s holy places then I have a surprise for you. I have compiled an ebook (paperback coming soon) especially for children and travellers to India. It’s called, “Hinduism For Kids: Beliefs And Practices”.
Lots of tourists from around the world visit India to seek spirituality at India’s numerous holy places. Even non-religious individuals are visiting these places as sites of cultural importance or just to get an idea about Hinduism and India in general. What Jerusalem is for Jews and Mecca is for Muslims and Rome for Catholics; India is exactly that for Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists.
Unlike Christianity, Islam and Judaism; Hinduism is a unique religion with its strange customs and many Gods and Goddesses – no wonder people from around the world find it attractive. It’s certainly a very complex religion with its rituals, philosophy, customs, and belief in reincarnation and so on. Therefore, this book is a simple introduction to a complex religion.
I come from a very religiously Hindu family and my ancestors were priests hence I thought this book was due. In addition, I am currently teaching my own children about Hinduism. I don’t know anyone who could have done a better job in writing this book than me. I have priced the book cheaply so that visitors to India and children around the world will be able to learn about Hinduism.
So if you are planning a religious and cultural travel of India then let me take you though some of the best places for your religious tourism in India?
Here are the most famous sacred destinations of India:
Varanasi (Banaras)
Although I was born in Patna, this is where I spent large parts of my childhood. The city of Varanasi in the state of Uttar Pradesh, also known as Kashi and Banaras is considered one of the oldest inhabited cities of the world and the cultural capital of India. If you want to learn about Hinduism then this is where you must go. Mark Twain once said, ‘Older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, And looks twice as old as all of them put together‘. It is said that if a Hindu is cremated in Varanasi, the person is liberated from the recycle of birth.
The holy River Ganges at Banaras (Varanasi)
By the way, if you fancy trying marijuana called bhang in these parts then there are government-approved bhang shops where you can try “bhang lassi”. You will find bhang being sold on the streets; I suggest you stay from it and if you must try it then go to these government-approved ones.
Some of the best places to visit include Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Bharat Mata Temple and the Tulsi Manas Temple along with the numerous ghats.
Ajmer
Although this is an Islamic pilgrimage centre, it’s very popular amongst Hindus too. Ajmer is located in southwest of Jaipur in state of Rajasthan. The most popular destination in Ajmer includes the Sufi shrine the Dargah Sharif also known as the Ajmer Sharif.
The shrine welcomes people of faiths. Some of the other destinations of Ajmer include Nasiyan Jain Temple, Adhai-Din-Ka-Jhonpra (two and a half day mosque), the Taragarh Fort, the Ana Sagar Lake, Daulat Khana and Daulat Bagh.
Despite coming from a devout Hindu family, I have amulets from this place.
Dargah Shareef of Khwaza Moinuddin Chishti, Ajmer (Image from Wikipedia Commons)
Golden Temple
The Golden Temple commonly known as Harmandir Sahib is the most important Gurudwara of the Sikhs. The temple is located in city of Amritsar in the state of Punjab. Again the temple is open to people of all faiths. Here are some pictures of the Golden Temple (sent by a friend of mine). You can read about the Golden Temple in detail from my friend Manuela.
Manuela at the Golden Temple in Amritsar
Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai
The Haji Ali Dargah is not a very popular destination amongst foreign tourists but for Indians it certainly is one. Those visiting Mumbai in the state of Maharashtra make it a point to the Dargah (tomb). The tomb is of Sayyed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari, a rich Muslim businessman who gave away all his wealth away to the poor before leaving for Mecca. About 30 to 40 thousand pilgrims visit the tomb on Thursdays and Fridays alone, so you can see how popular this place is. You might consider taking a trip to the Haji Ali Dargah if you are in Mumbai. It is situated on an islet off the coast of Worli in the South of Mumbai. Even Hindus visit this shine in large numbers.
Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai
Rishikesh
Rishikesh is dubbed as the capital of yoga. Foreign tourists and yoga fans visit this place in large numbers. Rishikesh is situated 26km from Haridwar on the foothills of the Himalayas in the northern state of Uttarakhand – it is said to be the gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas. Some of the major attractions include Laxman Jhula (450 feet hanging bridge on the River Ganges), Bharat Mandir (oldest temple in Rishikesh), Triveni Ghat (ghat to wash your sins away) and the Rishikund (a pond of great religious significance). There’s a Beatles Ashram if you like the Beatles.
Unfortunately, the tourist boom and lack of planning along with sheer greed to make money from the tourists, led to a flood in 2013.
The Laxman Jhula
Bodh Gaya
Bodh Gaya of Bihar is one of the most visited places for Buddhists. It is so popular that an international airport has been built but flights are operational only to and from Sri Lanka. Bodh Gaya is where Lord Buddha used to meditate under a tree which is now called the Bodhi Tree. As a child, I remember sitting under the tree and collecting the leaves that fell of the tree. The main attraction is obviously the Mahabodhi Temple Complex which is very place where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. Basically, this is where he realised why humans suffer and found out how to get rid of these sorrows by following the eight-fold path.
It’s a very spiritual place and a must visit for those inclined towards Buddhist philosophy. If you do happen to visiting Bodh Gaya do email me – I can meet up as I don’t live very far away from this place. You can read more about the Bodhi Temple here.
Inside the Mahabodhi Temple
Tirupati
The Lord Venkateswara temple of Tirupati in the Southern state of Andhra Pradesh is perhaps India’s most popular temple. The first page of my book, “Hinduism For Kids: Beliefs And Practices” has a picture of the replica of Lord Venkateswara of Tirupati. Believe it or not, more than 60,000 visitors come to the temple every single day.
However, to see the actual shrine is extremely difficult. There are long queues and can get very hot. When I first saw Lord Venkateswara, I could not help crying. I must have cried about half an hour for no reason what so ever. Do make a wish here, it is said that if you make a wish here, it will be fulfilled.
I hope I have pointed out some of the most important religious destinations of India. Mind you, there are more destinations which I hope to cover and these are some of the places I think are important and have been. I cannot guarantee that you will find God but you will certainly discover yourself in these holy places of India.
[button variation=”orange” link=”” size=”small” rating=”norating”] What do you think about taking a pilgrimage? Do you think it’s worth it or should we just stay where we are and pray as God is all around us? [/button]
If you have any questions relating to Hinduism or religious tourism in India, feel free to shoot me a message or contact me using the contact me page.
Namaste Beautiful people!! Looking for spirituality or answers to the secret of immortality? You are at the right place, at the right time!
Welcome to the second part of our Journey to Maha Kumbha Mela 2013 – Where Chaos Meets Peace. If you guys remember the first part you know what we bunch of nomads are up to, but if you don’t or haven’t even read about Kumbha mela ever before please visit us here.
My friend Manuela shares her experience of her visit to the Golden Temple Amritsar (also known as Swarn Mandir) in the Punjab.
Golden Temple: More than guys with turbans and a temple covered with shiny gold By Manuela Osorio Pineda
I’ve always considered myself as an ‘off-the-beat-traveler’ who craves visiting the remote little spots of a country to find its essence in the unknown and not so popular places; one that always preferred to stay in hostels or with locals through CouchSurfing instead of booking hotel rooms, and definitely the type who ‘hates’ scheduled tours and ‘you-have-20-minutes-to-go-get-a-profile-picture-and-come-back-to-the-bus’ orders … Although I have to say I’ve been there and done that. After all, you’ve gotta try things to know you don’t like them, right? 😉
I took these photos of the Maha Bodh Temple in the town Gaya town in Bihar. Bodh Gaya is an extremely historical place in Bihar. This is where Lord Buddha got his enlightenment. It is here that he sat under the banyan tree now called the “Bodhi Tree” for 40 days and used to think about life. The photograph below shows the exact spot where he used to medicate. Although the tree may not be exact tree but it certainly seems to have been derived from it.
Warning: Heavy floods in Uttarakhand on the 13 till 17 June have caused flooding in these areas. Thousands have died and many are still trapped. Please cancel your trip if you have been planning to make the Char Dham pilgrimage.
Dhams are religious places revered by Hindus of India. The word “char” denotes four seats or abodes of shrines of great spiritual significance. The concept of visiting these religious places is to remove all sins from one’s life. The central dogma of the Hindu religion is to attain “moksha” or “nirvana” which is to become free from the recycle of birth. Hindus believe that the ultimate religious goal of an individual is to attain moksha and become closer or part the ultimate being (God). One such way to attain moksha other than doing good deeds is to visit the “Char Dhams” or “four abodes” and become one with God. The pilgrimage to these four important sites not only washes away all the sins but frees one from the recycle of birth.
Four cities on the banks of the holy river you should visit
Even if you have never before ventured to go on a trip to the magnificent country of India, the chances of you never having heard about the river Ganges are pretty slim. It is one of the world’s longest rivers and, according to Hindu mythology, is the daughter of the mountain God – the Himalaya. The river is of great cultural and religious significance for the whole Indian peoples. Not only do they believe that bathing in the river’s waters purifies one’s soul and heals the body, but the religious importance of the Ganges is so big that its banks are also used as cremation grounds. Those cremated there and their ashes immersed in the holy waters are believed to be granted instant salvation. All of this makes the Ganges a must for all tourists who wish to encounter all of India’s diverse beauty in terms of both culture and nature. However, this leads to an important question: Which city to visit in order to admire the holy river? Even though there are more than a dozen cities along the banks of the Ganges, following is a suggestion list of four cities that if you feel adventurous, you can even try and visit all.
