Top 10 India’s Best Pilgrimage Destinations

Posted on January 21, 2023 by Ghoomophiro

India has sometimes been called the spiritual capital of the world, the land of religions, and the land of gods and goddesses. As such, it is hardly surprising that our country is also home to some of the biggest spiritual places on the planet. Here, we discuss some of the biggest pilgrimage sites in the country.

1. Varanasi

The first and perhaps the most obvious candidate for this list of the top ten pilgrimage sites of India is Varanasi. Also known as Kashi and Banaras, it is often considered the religious capital of India. The chief attractions include the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and the 88 ghats. The Dhanvantari Temple, some other temples, and over a dozen ancient mosques are other chief attractions of the city.

2. Amarnath

Amarnath in Jammu and Kashmir is considered the most important and also the hardest pilgrimage site for Hindus. A yatra is organized every year in which thousands of devotees visit the incredible temple where linga is naturally created by ice.

3. Rameshwaram

The first and one of the most important places in this list of top ten pilgrimage sites of India is Rameshwaram of Tamil Nadu. The temple town is named after Ramanathaswamy Temple, which is home to one of the twelve and Southernmost Jyotirlingas. Gandhamathana Parvatham is another prominent temple and there are several others. Badrinath, Rameshwaram, Dwarka, and Puri are the Char Dham or four pilgrimage centers that every Hindu devotee aspires to visit.

4. Rishikesh

This Yoga and spiritual wellness capital of the country, Rishikesh in Uttarakhand takes remains one of the most important pilgrimage sites of India. The most important pilgrimage site is Triveni Ghat where (as its name suggests) three different streams meet. Nestled in ancient Himalayan Mountain, Rishikesh offers sights of breathtaking beauty to visitors though it is also visited by thousands of tourists every day for spiritual Wellness and yoga centers.

5. Sarnath

Sarnath is an important pilgrimage place for Buddhism and Jainism. It is the birthplace of Shreyansanatha, the 11th Jain Tirinthkar, and the place where Lord Budha gave his first sermon.

6. Bodhgaya

Bodhgaya of Bihar is the place where Lord Buddha is believed to have gained enlightenment. It is home to several Buddhist and Hindu worship places including the Mahabodhi temple and is visited by Buddhist pilgrims from all over the world.

7. Shirdi

The great saint Sai Baba of Shirdi (the city is also now known as Sainagar) of Maharashtra is a true representative of the secularism of India and his temple is visited by devotees of many religions as a pilgrimage site.

8. Amritsar

The Golden Temple in Amritsar of Punjab is the most important pilgrimage center for the Sikh community and attracts thousands of devotees every day. Apart from that, the city is also home to some Hindu temples. The Jallianwalla Massacre site is a crucial historical site in the city.

9. Delhi

The center of Mughal reign, the capital of Pandavas (as Indraprastha), and five dynasties of Delhi Sultanate; Delhi remains an important pilgrimage site. The national capital of India is hoke to the biggest mosque of the country- Jama Masjid as well as several important dargahs, including Qutub Shahib Dargah.

10. Goa

The last but not the least place to make it to this list of top pilgrimage sites of India may surprise you – Goa, the tourism capital of India is mostly known for its pristine sea beaches, but it is also an important pilgrimage center for Christians because of its churches. The basilica named Bon Jesus is the chief pilgrimage attraction as it has the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier. Saint Cathedral here is the biggest church in India.

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.s)

There are several questions about various pilgrimage sites in India. The following are some of the most Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.s) :

Question: Are there any other pilgrimage sites in India?

Answer: The above list is hardly exhaustive and there are several other pilgrimage sites in India including:

• Mata Naina Devi Temple, Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh
• Puri for Jagannath Temple – One of four dhams, often combined with Bhubneshwar and Konark to form the golden pilgrimage triangle of Odisha
• Jammu – for Vaishno Devi temple
• Dwarka – Dhawarkadhish temple is one of the char dhams
• Somnath – Somnath Jyotirlinga is the first Dwadash Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva and has survived many attacks by invaders.
• Triputi- for Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, the most visited temple in India
• Ajmer – dargah of Ajmer Sharif, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti,
• Madurai, Arunachal Pradesh – for Meenakshi Amman Temple
• Mathura – the birthplace of Lord Krishna where Krishna Janmbhoomi Temple is located.
• Ayudhya – the birthplace of Lord Rama
• Badrinath – the last of Char Dhams.
• Omkareshwar – the temple island dedicated to Lord Shiva.

If the reader has any other questions, they should feel free to ask them here.

The Bottom Line

One can easily wrap up the above discussion by concluding that India has several pilgrimage sites worth seeing.