India is famous all across the world as a country that many holy cities, shrines and temples. Its belief in the spirituality and mythology has always been highlighted. Beginning from rivers to tress, a lot of things in India are considered to be holy and pious here. It is no wonder that there are many pilgrimage destinations in India that holds significant importance in the faith and hearts of the people not only in the country but also outside the country. Here are some of holiest pilgrimage destinations of the country.
- Vaishno Devi, Jammu & Kashmir
In the beautiful Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, surrounded by mountains, waterfalls, greenery and in the complete lap of nature is the Hindu temple of Vaishno Devi. Dedicated to a Hindu Goddess by the same name, the temple is located at a top of Trikuta Mountains. The journey to the temple tests the dedication and the spirits of the pilgrims and is not an easy one. But the belief, faith and the devotion of the people can be witnessed in the number of pilgrims who visits the temple every year. 10 million and above devotees visit the temple cave and the shrine yearly. The exact date of establishment of the shrine is not known to any but there are many interesting mythological stories relating to the reasons and worshipping behind the establishment of Vaishno Devi.
- Amarnath Temple, Jammu and Kashmir
Another very pious shrine and one of the holiest shrines that the Hindus believe in with full faith is the Amarnath cave in Jammu and Kashmir. The amaranth cave is dedicated to Hindu god, Lord Shiva and the pilgrimage to this place is considered to be very holy. Located at the height of 3,888 m, the journey is extremely challenging and is something not for a weak heart. Being at such a height, the shrine is usually covered with snow almost the entire year except in summer, making it open for the devotees only for a brief time. Inside the cave, the Shiva Linga is formed of ice and is worshipped by the pilgrims visiting the cave. Like the Vaishno Devi temple, the date of existence of the temple is unknown but over and again it has been mentioned in many Hindu scripts.
- Venkateswara Temple, Tirupati
In the northern India, the Venkateswara Temple holds a major importance and is one of the famous pilgrimage destinations of the country. Located in Andhra Pradesh, the Venkateswara temple in Triputi is built in the dedication of Lord Venkatswara who is also known to be one of the incarnations of Hindu god lord Vishnu. Like the other shrines, the date of establishment is not on records but it somewhere is estimated to be around 300 BC. The temple is built in a amazing Dravidian style of architecture and witnesses thousands of pilgrims visiting it every year. Very interesting Hindu legend is related to the history of temple which speaks about the form of Lord Venkateswara. Over the several centuries the temple has constantly remained a center of believe and devotion.
