Spiritual Places In India Sacred Sites And Holy Places To Visit In India Read more: http://india-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/spiritual_places_in_

Holy Cities Haridwar And Varanasi

The city of Haridwar in the foothills of the Himalayas, in the state of Uttaranchal, is where the river Ganges emerges from the mountains and flows to the North Indian plains. Haridwar attracts crowds of Hindu pilgrims, and is the venue for the famous Kumbh Mela festival in 2010.

Further down the Ganges, in the sacred city of Varanasi (Benares), crowds of pilgrims bathe on the ghats by the river every day, while crowds of tourists take photos of them from a river boat. But even though it is a major tourist attraction, Varanasi remains one of Hinduism’s holiest cities. There are several fascinating temples here as well as places to learn about Hinduism, yoga and meditation. Varanasi is also an auspicious place to die, and cremations are performed daily at the burning ghats.

Bodhgaya And Buddha’s Enlightenment

Bodhgaya in Bihar, one of the poorest states in India, is where Gautama Buddha reached enlightenment while sitting under the Bodhi tree. For Buddhists, Bodhgaya is one of the most important pilgrimage sites. The Mahabodhi Temple now stands at the site where the Buddha was sitting in meditation when becoming enlightened. The tree that grows inside the temple complex is said to originate from the Bodhi tree the Buddha was sitting under at the time.

TheGoldenTempleInAmritsar

The Golden Temple in Amritsar, in the state of Punjab, is the holiest place for Sikhs, who form the world's fifth largest religion. Most Sikhs visit the temple, called Harimandir Sahib, at least once in their lives. Here is also kept Sikhism's holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib. Verses are continuously sung from the book in thegurudwara(temple). Unlike some religious sites in India, the Golden Temple is open to visitors of all religions, men and women alike. The atmosphere inside the temple is incredibly peaceful, especially when compared to the city of Amritsar outside.

Temples, Ashrams And Gurus

South India is filled with important Hindu temples, from the enormous Shri Meenakshi temple in the city of Madurai to the Shiva and Vishnu temples in Kanchipuram and Hindu pilgrim destinations such as Rameshwaram. Read more about South India’s famous templeshere. Those wanting to meet gurus and spend time in India's many ashrams should readthisfirst, andhereis some practical advice for visiting India’s holy places.

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