Top 5 Less common Pilgrimage Destinations in India

India is a land of spirituality and religions. Spirituality holds huge importance in the lives of Indians. The reverent culture of this land attracts thousands of tourists of various religions to take up a complete pilgrimage trip in India.

Here are the top 5 pilgrimage tourism destinations of India.

1. Rameshwaram

Located at the extreme end of the country, this temple town has a very close link with mythologies of India. This city is considered as the place where people wash off their sins.

Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy temple (Temple of Lord Shiva) is the iconic pilgrimage & religious spot here. Besides, Kothandaramaswamy temple, Gandhamathana Parvatham and many other temples are also there. Four Shiva temples are located on four corners of India, which are important religious spots. The Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy temple is the southernmost one of those.

Budget Hotels in Rameshwaram

2. Varanasi

Formerly known as Banaras- Varanasi is the Hinduism capital of the country. The city is full of many ancient as well as new temples including New Vishwanath temple, Dhanvantari temple, Durga temple, Sankat Mochan Hanuman temple, Kashi Vishwanath temple, Tulsi Manas temple and many more. The city is also popular for having 88 ghats(banks) which lead to the holy river, Ganges.

Ganga Ghats hold great importance in the lives of Hindus. Many rituals are performed on the banks of holy river Ganga including the famous Ganga Aarti. In addition to a large number of temples, the city also holds 15 unique and ancient mosques.

Varanasi is considered as one of the most sacred places in India

Budget Hotels in Varanasi

3. Sarnath

Located at 10 kilometers north-east of Varanasi, Sarnath holds several Buddhist monuments and temples. It is said that, after attaining enlightenment, Buddha reached Sarnath and gave his first discourse to fellow saints. The historic lion-headed Ashoka Pillar is also hosted in Sarnath.

Besides, it is also the birthplace of the religious leaders of Jainism. So, In Sarnath, it holds importance for the followers of Buddhism as well as Jainism.

Being in close proximity most people plan they are itinerary to visit both the places together

4. Amritsar

Amritsar is the pilgrimage destination of the Sikh followers. Although, it is not limited to any particular religion. Devotees from all across the world come to famous, The Golden Temple of Amritsar. The place experiences more footfall than the Taj Mahal. In the closed proximity of Golden Temple, there are few more temples including Durgiana temple, Model town temple, Shivala Mandir and others. Golden Temple is simply magnificent and it serves food for thousands of people every day. If you plan to visit there, don’t miss the opportunity to have langar from the Kitchen of Golden Temple.

Budget Hotels Near Golden Temple

5. Rishikesh

Another land that nest's holy river Ganga – Rishikesh is famous as the Yoga Capital of the country. It is a pilgrimage town, which is visited by sages from ancient times for meditation and yoga. Top temples in Rishikesh are Nilkanth Mahadev temple, Kunjapuri temple, Parmarth Niketan temple, Geeta Bhawan Temple, Bharat temple, Tera Manzil temple and others. Triveni Ghat of Rishikesh is a spot where three mountain streams join. This is a holy spot where you can find many rituals and other activities. Rishikesh is very close Haridwar, which is another important Hindu pilgrimage & religious spot.

Budget Hotels in Rishikesh

Bottom Line

In order to discover the best about these places, do visit during the festivals. That is the best time to see, learn and enjoy the divinity of these places.