religion Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural, ...

and spirituality, a pilgrimage is a very long

journey Journey or journeying may refer to: * Travel, the movement of people between distant geographical locations ** Day's journey, a measurement of distance ** Road trip, a long-distance journey on the road Animals * Journey (horse), a thoroughbred ra ...

or search of great moral significance. Sometimes, it is a journey to a sacred area or

shrine A shrine ( la, scrinium "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred or holy space dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon, or similar figure of respect, wherein they ...

of importance to innate

faith Faith, derived from Latin ''fides'' and Old French ''feid'', is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or In the context of religion, one can define faith as " belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion". Religious people ofte ...

. Members of every major religion participate in pilgrimages. A person who makes such a journey is called a

pilgrim A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journey (often on foot) to some place of special significance to the adherent of ...

. Unlike some other religions,

Hindus Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

are not required to undertake pilgrimages during their lifetime. However, most Hindus go on such journeys to numerous iconic sites including those below:

India

Char Dham (Famous Four Pilgrimage sites): The four holy sites

Puri Puri () is a coastal city and a municipality in the state of Odisha in eastern India. It is the district headquarters of Puri district and is situated on the Bay of Bengal, south of the state capital of Bhubaneswar. It is also known as '' ...

Rameswaram Rameswaram (; also transliterated as Ramesvaram, Rameshwaram) is a municipality in the Ramanathapuram district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is on Pamban Island separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel and is about 40 kil ...

Dwarka Dwarka () is a city and a municipality of Devbhumi Dwarka district in the state of Gujarat in Western India. It is located on the western shore of the Okhamandal Peninsula on the right bank of the Gomti river at the mouth of the Gulf of Kut ...

, and

Badrinath Badrinath is a town and nagar panchayat in Chamoli district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. A Hindu holy place, it is one of the four sites in India's Char Dham pilgrimage and is also part of India's Chota Char Dham pilgrimage circuit. ...

(or alternatively the

Himalaya The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...

n towns of

Kedarnath Kedarnath is a town and Nagar Panchayat in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand, India, known primarily for the Kedarnath Temple. It is approximately 86 kilometres from Rudraprayag, the district headquarter. Kedarnath is the most remote of t ...

, Gangotri, and

Yamunotri Yamunotri, also Jamnotri, is the source of the Yamuna River and the seat of the Goddess Yamuna in Hinduism. It is situated at an altitude of in the Garhwal Himalayas and located approximately North of Uttarkashi, the headquarters of the Uttark ...

) compose the ''Chota

Char Dham The Char Dham (meaning: ''four abodes'') is a set of four pilgrimage sites in India. It is believed that visiting these sites helps achieve moksha (salvation). The four Dhams are, Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameswaram. It is believed that ev ...

'' (''four small abodes'') pilgrimage circuit. Kumbh Mela: The '' Kumbh Mela'' (the "pitcher festival") is one of the holiest of Hindu pilgrimages that is held every three years; the location is rotated among

Prayagraj Allahabad (), officially known as Prayagraj, also known as Ilahabad, is a metropolis in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.The other five cities were: Agra, Kanpur (Cawnpore), Lucknow, Meerut, and Varanasi (Benares). It is the administrat ...

Haridwar Haridwar (; ) is a city and municipal corporation in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India. With a population of 228,832 in 2011, it is the second-largest city in the state and the largest in the district. The city is situated on the ri ...

Nashik Nashik (, Marathi: aːʃik, also called as Nasik ) is a city in the northern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated on the banks of river Godavari, Nashik is the third largest city in Maharashtra, after Mumbai and Pune. Nashi ...

, and

Ujjain Ujjain (, Hindustani pronunciation: �d͡ːʒɛːn is a city in Ujjain district of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the fifth-largest city in Madhya Pradesh by population and is the administrative centre of Ujjain district and Ujjain ...

. Old Holy cities as per Puranic Texts:

Varanasi Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world. * * * * The city has a syncretic t ...

formerly known as Kashi,

also known as Prayag,

- Rishikesh,

Mathura Mathura () is a city and the administrative headquarters of Mathura district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately north of Agra, and south-east of Delhi; about from the town of Vrindavan, and from Govardhan. ...

Vrindavan Vrindavan (; ), also spelt Vrindaban and Brindaban, is a historical city in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located in the Braj Bhoomi region and holds religious importance in Hinduism as Krishna spent most of his childho ...

, Kurukshetra, the Land of Bhagavad Gita in

Haryana Haryana (; ) is an Indian state located in the northern part of the country. It was carved out of the former state of East Punjab on 1 Nov 1966 on a linguistic basis. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with less than 1.4% () of India's land a ...

and

Ayodhya Ayodhya (; ) is a city situated on the banks of holy river Saryu in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Ayodhya, also known as Saketa, is an ancient city of India, the birthplace of Rama and setting of the great epic Ramayana. Ayodhya wa ...

. Old Temple cities:

, which hosts a major

Vaishnava Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as the ...

Jagannath Jagannath ( or, ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ, lit=Lord of the Universe, Jagannātha; formerly en, Juggernaut) is a deity worshipped in regional Hindu traditions in India and Bangladesh as part of a triad along with his brother Balabhadra, and sister ...

temple and

Rath Yatra Ratha Yatra (), or Chariot festival, is any public procession in a chariot. The term particularly refers to the annual Ratha Yatra in Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and other East Indian states, particularly the Odia festival that involve a ...

celebration; Katra, home to the

Vaishno Devi Vaishno Devi (also known as Mata Rani, Trikuta, Ambe and Vaishnavi) is a manifestation of the Hindu Mother Goddess, Durga or Adi Shakti. The words "''Maa''" and "''Mata''" are commonly used in India for ''mother'', and thus are often heavily ...

temple;

Tirumala - Tirupati Sri Venkateswara Swami Vaari Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the hill town of Tirumala at Tirupati in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The Temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu, who is believed to have appeared ...

, home to the

Tirumala Venkateswara Temple Sri Venkateswara Swami Vaari Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the hill town of Tirumala at Tirupati in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The Temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu, who is believed to have appeared ...

;

Madurai Meenakshi Madurai Meenakshi may refer to: * Madurai Meenakshi temple Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundaraswarar Temple is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to ...

and Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Sri Rangam;

Dwarkadhish Temple The Dwarkadhish temple, also known as the Jagat Mandir and occasionally spelled Dwarakadheesh, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Krishna, who is worshiped here by the name ''Dwarkadhish'', or 'King of Dwarka'. The temple is located at Dwarka ci ...

, home to Dwarkadhish form of Sri Krishna; Radharani Temple - Barsana, dedicated to Sri Radha, Sabarimala, where Swami Ayyappan is worshipped; Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple at

Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

;

Guruvayur temple Guruvayur Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Guruvayurappan, a form of Vishnu, located in the town of Guruvayur in Kerala, India. It is one of the most important places of worship for Hindus in Kerala and Tamil Nadu and is often referred ...

Guruvayur Guruvayur () is a municipal temple town in Thrissur District, of Kerala State in India. It is a suburban town of Thrissur city, located from Thrissur towards the north-west. It houses the Guruvayur Shri Krishna Temple. It is located at ...

. The oldest of these temple pilgrimage is the

Pandharpur Wari Pandharpur Wari or Wari is a ''yatra'' to Pandharpur, Maharashtra, to honor Vithoba. It involves carrying the ''paduka'' of a saint in a '' palkhi'', most notably of Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram, from their respective shrines to Pandharpur. Ma ...

which is said to be in tradition from the past 800 years. New Pilgrimage Centres: Three comparatively recent temples of fame and huge pilgrimage are

Belur Math Belur Math () is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, founded by Swami Vivekananda, the chief disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. It is located on the west bank of Hooghly River, Belur, West Bengal, India. The t ...

, the hub of the worldwide Ramakrishna Movement in West Bengal,

Dakshineswar Kali Temple Dakshineswar Kali Temple is a Hindu navaratna temple in Dakshineswar, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Situated on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, the presiding deity of the temple is Bhavatarini, a form of Parashakti Adya Kali, otherw ...

Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...

;

Vivekananda Rock Memorial Vivekananda Rock Memorial is a monument and popular tourist attraction in Kanyakumari, India's southernmost tip. The memorial stands on one of the two rocks located about 500 meters off mainland of Vavathurai. It was built in 1970 in honour of ...

at Kanyakumari;

Sri Ramana Ashram Sri Ramana Ashram, also known as Sri Ramanasramam, is the ashram which was home to modern sage and Advaita Vedanta master Ramana Maharshi from 1922 until his death in 1950. It is situated at the foot of the Arunachala hill, to the west of Tiruva ...

Tiruvannamalai Tiruvannamalai ( Tamil: ''Tiruvaṇṇāmalai'' IPA: , otherwise spelt ''Thiruvannamalai''; ''Trinomali'' or ''Trinomalee'' on British records) is a city, a spiritual, cultural, economic hub and also the administrative headquarters of Tiruva ...

; and ISKCON temples in

Bangalore Bangalore (), List of renamed places in India, officially Bengaluru (), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan area, metropolitan population of a ...

Patna Patna ( ), historically known as Pataliputra, is the capital and largest city of the state of Bihar in India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Patna had a population of 2.35 million, making it the 19th largest city in India. ...

Tirumala Tirumala is a spiritual town in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the suburbs of the Tirupati urban agglomeration. The town is a part of Tirupati Urban Development Authority and located in Tirupati (rura ...

Vishakapatnam , image_alt = , image_caption = From top, left to right: Visakhapatnam aerial view, Vizag seaport, Simhachalam Temple, Aerial view of Rushikonda Beach, Beach road, Novotel Visakhapatnam, INS Kursura submarine museu ...

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders ...

Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

, and

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...

. Ramakrishna Mission Swami Vivekananda's Ancestral House and Cultural Centre, the birthplace of Swami Vivekananda is also another popular destination. Shakti Pitha: An important set of pilgrimages are the ''

Shakti Pitha The Shakti Pitha or the Shakti Peethas ( sa, शक्ति पीठ, , ''seat of Shakti'') are significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism, the goddess-centric denomination in Hinduism. The shrines are dedicated to various for ...

'', where the Mother Goddess is worshipped, the two principal ones being ''

Kalighat Kalighat is a locality of Kolkata, in Kolkata district, West Bengal, India. One of the oldest neighbourhoods in South Kolkata, Kalighat is also densely populated — with a history of cultural intermingling with the various foreign incursions i ...

'' and '' Kamakhya''. The original

are * Mahamaya, Amarnath, Jammu and Kashmir * Phullara, in Attahasa, West Bengal * Shri Shakambhari Devi, Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh * Bahula, Bardhaman, West Bengal * Mahishmardini, Bakreshwar, Siuri town * Avanti, Bairavparvat Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh * Aparna, Bhavanipur, Bangladesh * Gandaki Chandi, Chandi River * Bhamari, Janasthaan * Kottari, Hinglaj, Karachi * Jayanti, Bourbhag Village, Bangladesh * Yogeshwari, Khulna district * Jwala or Shakti Siddhida, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh * Kalika, Kalighat, West Bengal * Kali in Kalmadhav, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh * Khamakya, Guwahati, Assam * Devgarbha/Kankleshwari, Birbhum, West Bengal * Sravani, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu * Chamudeshwari/Jaya Durga, Chamundi Hills, Mysore * Vimla, Murshidabad, West Bengal * Kumara Shakti at Anandamayee Temple of West Bengal * Shakti Bhraamari, Ratnavali, West Bengal * Shakti Dakshayani, Manasarovar * Gayatri Manibandh, Pushkar, Rajasthan * Uma at Mithila, border of Nepal and India * Indraksh, Nainativu, Manipallavam * Mahashira, Guhyeshwari near Pashupatinath Temple * Bhawani at Chandranath Hills, Bangladesh * Varahi, Panch Sagar, Uttar Pradesh * Chandrabhaga, Junagarh, Gujarat * Lalita of Prayag * Savitri/Bhadra Kali, Kurukshetra, Haryana * Maihar/Shivani, Satna, Madhya Pradesh * Nandini or Nandikeshwari, Birbhum, West Bengal * Sarvashail/Rakini on Godavari river banks at Kotilingeswar Temple * Mahish Mardini at Shivaharkaray near Karachi of Pakistan * The Narmada Shondesh, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh * Sundari at Sri Sailam (currently in Bangladesh) * Maha Lakshmi at Sri Shail (currently in Bangladesh) * Devi Narayani, Suchindram, Tamil Nadu * Suganda of Shikarpur (currently in Bangladesh) * Tripura Sundari, Udaipur in Tripura * Mangal Chandika at Ujjain * Vishalakshi, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh * Kapalini of Vibash, Medinipur, West Bengal * Ambika, Bharatpur, Rajasthan * Uma at Vrindavan/Bhooteswar Temple of Uttar Pradesh * Tripurmalini, Jalandhar, Punjab * Amba at Ambaji, Gujarat * Jai Durga, Deogarh, Jharkhand * Danteshwari, Chhattisgarh * Nabi Gaya, Biraj, Jaipur. According to later texts there are altogether 51 or 108 shakti peethas, though many in the lists cannot be confirmed to exist and may have been added in order to list a religiously significant number. Jyotirlingas: Other set of important pilgrimages are the '' Jyotirlingas'', where lord

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

is worshipped in the form of Shiva Lingas. There are twelve Jyotirlingas in India. The twelve Jyotirlingas are: * Bhimashankar Temple, near

Pune Pune (; ; also known as Poona, ( the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial and educational hubs of India, with an estimated population of 7.4 million As of 2021, Pune Metropolitan Region is the largest i ...

* Somnath in

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Temple or Srisailam Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deities Shiva and Parvati, located at Srisailam in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is significant to the Hindu sects of both Shaivism and Shakt ...

Srisailam Srisailam is a census town in Nandyal district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the mandal headquarters of Srisailam mandal in Atmakur revenue division. It is located about from the district headquarters Nandyal, from Kurnool, and ...

in Andhra Pradesh * Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga at

in Madhya Pradesh * Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh *

Uttarakhand Uttarakhand ( , or ; , ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (literally 'Land of the Gods') due to its religious significance and ...

* Vishwanath Temple at

in Uttar Pradesh *

Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple Tryambakeshwar Shiva Temple (श्री त्र्यंबकेश्वर ज्योतिर्लिंग मंदिर) is an ancient Hindu temple in the town of Trimbak, in the Trimbakeshwar tehsil in the Nashik District of ...

in Maharashtra * Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga * Aundha Nagnath in

Hingoli Hingoli is a city and a municipal council in Hingoli district in the Indian state of Maharashtra with the population of 184,443. Description Hingoli is a city and a municipal council in Hingoli district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. H ...

, Maharashtra or

Nageshvara Jyotirlinga Nageshvara is one of the legendary temples mentioned in the Shiva Purana and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. It is located in Dwarka, Gujarat, India. Jyotirlinga According to Shiv Mahapuraan, Brahma (The Creator) and Vishnu (The Preserver ...

* Rameshwar at

Rameshwaram Rameswaram (; also transliterated as Ramesvaram, Rameshwaram) is a municipality in the Ramanathapuram district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is on Pamban Island separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel and is about 40 kil ...

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil language ...

Grishneshwar Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple, sometimes referred to as the Ghrneshwar or Ghushmeshwar Temple, is one of the shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva that is referenced in the Shiva Purana. The word ''Ghrneshwara'' means "lord of compassion". The tem ...

at Verul near Ellora

Aurangabad Aurangabad ( is a city in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the administrative headquarters of Aurangabad district and is the largest city in the Marathwada region. Located on a hilly upland terrain in the Deccan Traps, Aurangabad is the ...

Sri Lanka

Pancha Ishwarams The Pancha Ishwarams (five abodes of Shiva) ( ta, பஞ்ச ஈஸ்வரங்கள், translit=Pancha Eeswarankal) are five coastal ancient kovils (temples) built in dedication to the Hindu supreme being Ishwara in the form of the god S ...

- the 5 ancient Shiva temples of the island from classical antiquity. * The Arunagirinathar-traversed ancient

Murugan Kartikeya ( sa, कार्त्तिकेय, Kārttikeya), also known as Skanda, Subrahmanya, Shanmukha (), and Murugan ( ta, முருகன்), is the Hindu god of war. He is the son of Parvati and Shiva, the brother of Ganesha ...

pilgrimage route of Sri Lanka including **

Maviddapuram Kandaswamy Temple Maviddapuram Kandaswamy Temple ( ta, மாவிட்டபுரம் கந்தசாமி கோவில்) is a Hindu temple in Maviddapuram in northern Sri Lanka. History According to legend Maviddapuram has had a Hindu shrine for ...

Maviddapuram Maviddapuram ( ta, மாவிட்டபுரம்) is a holy village in the Sri Lankan district of Jaffna under the Tellippalai divisional secretariat. It is near the Palali airport, Kankesanthurai harbour and Keerimalai coast which is ...

Kankesanthurai Kankesanthurai (, , lit. ''Port Kankesan''), colloquially known as KKS, is a port suburb, fishing division and resort hub of the Jaffna District, Northern Province, Sri Lanka. Formerly an electoral district, Kankesanthurai is home to the Kankesan ...

Nallur Kandaswamy temple Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil ( ta, நல்லூர் கந்தசுவாமி கோவில் si, නල්ලුරුව ස්කන්ධ කුමාර කෝවිල) is a significant Hindu temple, located in Nallur, Northe ...

Jaffna Jaffna (, ) is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna District located on a peninsula of the same name. With a population of 88,138 in 2012, Jaffna is Sri Lanka's 12th mo ...

, ** Koneswaram temple,

Trincomalee Trincomalee (; ta, திருகோணமலை, translit=Tirukōṇamalai; si, ත්‍රිකුණාමළය, translit= Trikuṇāmaḷaya), also known as Gokanna and Gokarna, is the administrative headquarters of the Trincomalee Dis ...

, ** Verugal Murugan Kovil,

Verugal Aru The Verugal Aru (Verugal River) ( ta, Verugal Aru), literally "flood" or "that which overflows"; is a river in Sri Lanka that separates the Trincomalee and Batticaloa Districts. The famous Verugal Kandaswamy Temple lies on its banks. It flows th ...

, Verugal, Trincomalee District **

Thirukkovil Sithira Velayutha Swami Kovil Thirukkovil Temple (officially Thirukkovil Citra Velayudha Swami Kovil, ta, திருக்கோவில் சித்திரவேலாயுத சுவாமி ஆலயம்) is the most significant Hindu temple in Thirukkovil ...

, in Thirukkovil, Batticaloa, **

Arugam Bay Arugam Bay ( ta, அறுகம் குடா), known locally as "Arugam Kudah", is situated on the Indian Ocean in the dry zone of Sri Lanka's southeast coast, and a historic settlement of the ancient Batticaloa Territory (Mattakallappu D ...

, Amparai ** Panamai, Amparai **

Ukanthamalai Murugan Kovil Ukanthamalai Murugan Kovil (also known as Ukanthai Murugan Kovil, Okanda Devalaya) ( ta, உகந்தமலை முருகன் ஆலயம், si, ඕකන්ද කතරගම දේවාලය) is the well known ancient Hindu ...

, in

Okanda Okanda ( ta, உகந்தை) is a small hamlet in the eastern coast of Sri Lanka within the Ampara District. It is known for its shrine dedicated to Hindu deity Murugan known as Ukanthamalai Murugan Kovil and for surfing. Pilgrims from the Eas ...

Kumana National Park Kumana National Park in Sri Lanka is renowned for its avifauna, particularly its large flocks of migratory waterfowl and wading birds. The park is southeast of Colombo on Sri Lanka's southeastern coast. Kumana is contiguous with Yala National P ...

Kataragama temple Kataragama temple (, ) in Kataragama, Sri Lanka, is a temple complex dedicated to Buddhist guardian deity Kataragama deviyo and Hindu War God Murugan. It is one of the few religious sites in Sri Lanka that is venerated by the Buddhists, Hindus, ...

Katirkamam Kataragama temple (, ) in Kataragama, Sri Lanka, is a temple complex dedicated to Buddhist guardian deity Kataragama deviyo and Hindu War God Murugan. It is one of the few religious sites in Sri Lanka that is venerated by the Buddhists, Hindus, ...

in the South.

Mauritius

Ganga Talao Ganga Talao (commonly known as Grand Bassin) is a crater lake situated in a secluded mountain area in the district of Savanne, deep in the heart of Mauritius. It is about above sea level. The first group of pilgrims who went to Ganga Talao were ...

* Sagar Shiv Mandir

Trinidad and Tobago

Temple in the Sea The Temple in the Sea, also known as the Siewdass Sadhu mandir, is a Hindu mandir in Waterloo, Carapichaima, Trinidad and Tobago. Sewdass Sadhu constructed the original temple in the Gulf of Paria in 1952. The temple was reconstructed by Randal ...

, Waterloo Road, Waterloo,

Carapichaima Carapichaima is a town in central Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago. Communities and villages in Carapichaima include Orangefield, Waterloo, Brickfield, and Korea Village. Name The name Carapichaima is said to be derived from the native Amerindian ...

Couva–Tabaquite–Talparo Couva–Tabaquite–Talparo is one of the nine regions of Trinidad and Tobago, and one of the five regions which form the Gulf of Paria coastline on Trinidad's West Coast. Its regional capital and commercial center is Couva. Couva–Tabaquite–Tal ...

Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated south of ...

*Dattatreya Mandir and 85-foot Karyasiddhi Hanuman Murti, Datta Drive, Orangefield,

*Shiva Lingam Mandir, Patiram Trace,

Penal Penal is a town in south Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago. It lies south of San Fernando, Princes Town, and Debe, and north of Moruga, Morne Diablo and Siparia. It was originally a rice- and cocoa-producing area but is now a rapidly expanding and ...

, Penal-Debe,

* Ganga Dhara festival at the Trinnaadeeshwar Mahadeo Ghat, Kailash Ghat, Hanuman Ghat, Tulsidas Ghat, Ardha Naareshvar Ghat, and Mundan Sanskaar Ghat at Marianne River

Blanchisseuse Blanchisseuse (pronounced, in the local English dialect, "blan-chee-shears") is a village in Trinidad and Tobago. It is located about midway along the north coast of Trinidad on the northern slope of the Northern Range, about 24 km north ...

, Tunapuna-Piarco,

* Siapria Mai (La Divina Pastora) Church, La Pastora Street,

Siparia Siparia is a town in southern Trinidad, in Trinidad and Tobago, south of San Fernando, southwest of Penal and Debe and southeast of Fyzabad. Also called "The Sand City", it was originally a non- Mission Amerindian settlement. Siparia grew to be ...

Siparia region Siparia is a region of Trinidad and Tobago in the southwestern portion of the island. The Region of Siparia is a Regional Corporation, which handles local government functions. The Siparia Regional Corporation is headquartered in Siparia. Other ...

*Exchange Village Shiv Mandir, Brickfield Road Exchange Village,

Couva Couva is an urban town (48,858 in 2011 census) in west-central Trinidad, south of Port of Spain and Chaguanas and north of San Fernando and Point Fortin. It is the capital and main urban centre of Couva–Tabaquite–Talparo, and the Greate ...

*Moose Bhagat Mandir, Naparima Mayaro Road Mairad Village, Tableland,

Princes Town Princes Town is a town within the Princes Town Regional Corporation, located on southern Trinidad island in Trinidad and Tobago. The population of the town is 28,335. History Founded as the Amerindian '' Mission of Savana Grande'', the town ...

*Shiva Mandir, 1 Railway Road Reform Village, Gasparillo,

*Balka Devi Mandir (Mud Volcano Temple), St. Marie Road,

Cedros Cedros, Portuguese and Spanish for ''cedars'', may refer to the following places: Honduras * Cedros, Francisco Morazán, a municipality in the Department of Francisco Morazán Mexico *Cedros Island, an island in the State of Baja California Portu ...

*Shree Pavan Putra Hanuman Shiv Shakti Mandir Cunjal Road, Cunjal,

*Triveni Mandir, Sisters Road, Hardbargain Village, Williamsville,

Suriname

* Arya Dewaker Mandir

Pakistan

Hinglaj Mata Hinglaj Mata ( Hindi: हिंगलाज माता, bal, هنگلاج ماتا, ), also known as Hinglaj Devi, Hingula Devi and Nani Mandir, is a Hindu temple in Hinglaj, a town on the Makran coast in the Lasbela district of Balochistan, ...

- A ''Shakthi Peeth'' in Pakistan's

Balochistan Balochistan ( ; bal, بلۏچستان; also romanised as Baluchistan and Baluchestan) is a historical region in Western and South Asia, located in the Iranian plateau's far southeast and bordering the Indian Plate and the Arabian Sea coastline. ...

province *

Katasraj temple The Shri Katas Raj Temples (Punjabi, ur, ) (Sanskrit: कटासराज) also known as Qila Katas (), is a complex of several Hindu temples connected to one another by walkways. The temple complex surrounds a pond named ''Katas'' which is r ...

- Site of a famous temple which has a lake that is said to have been created from the tear drops of

. Also known for being home of the

Pandava The Pandavas (Sanskrit: पाण्डव, IAST: Pāṇḍava) refers to the five legendary brothers— Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva—who are the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. They are acknowledge ...

brothers during part of their exile. *

Sharada Peeth Sharada Peeth is a ruined Hindu temple and ancient centre of learning located in the Neelum Valley of Pakistani-administered Kashmir. Between the 6th and 12th centuries CE, it was among the most prominent temple universities in the Indian ...

-An abandoned ''Shakti Peeth'' *

Shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar The Shrine of Lal Shabaz Qalandar ( ur, ; sd, لال شهباز قلندر جي مزار) is a shrine and mausoleum dedicated to the 13th century Muslim and Sufi saint, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. The shrine is located in Sehwan Sharif, in the Pakist ...

- Sufi shrine that is important to Sindhi Hindus *

Tilla Jogian Tilla Jogian (Punjabi and ur, ) is an abandoned Hindu temple and monastic complex located on the summit of the ''Tilla Jogian'' mountain in the Salt Range of Pakistan's Punjab province. The complex was the most important centre for Hindu '' jo ...

- ancient shrine reportedly over 2,000 years old. *

Shakti Peetha The Shakti Pitha or the Shakti Peethas ( sa, शक्ति पीठ, , ''seat of Shakti'') are significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism, the goddess-centric denomination in Hinduism. The shrines are dedicated to various fo ...

Chandragup The Hingol mud volcanoes () are located in Lasbela District, Balochistan, Pakistan at a distance of around 100 km from Uthal, which is the headquarter of District Lasbela. The mud volcanoes are located in Hingol National Park which is the lar ...

* Panj Tirath *

Amb Temples The Amb Temples ( ur, ), locally known as Amb Sharif ( ur, ; ''"Noble Amb"''), are part of an abandoned Hindu temple complex on the Sakesar mountain, located at the western edge of the Salt Range in Pakistan's Punjab province. Although foundat ...

Umarkot Shiv Mandir Umarkot Shiv Mandir (), also known as Amarkot Shiv Mandir, is a Hindu temple situated in Umerkot District, near Rana Jaageer Goth, in Sindh Province of Pakistan. This temple is perhaps the oldest in Sindh. The temple is one of the most sacred H ...

Churrio Jabal Durga Mata Temple Churrio Jabal Durga Mata Temple (چوڙيو جبل, pronunciation: choo-ryo ja-bal) is situated on a hill named Churrio, located in Nangarparkar in the Tharparkar District in the Sindh province of Pakistan. This is a historic temple and is visit ...

Kalat Kali Temple Kalāt or Qalāt ( Brahui/ Balochi: قلات), historically known as Qīqān, is a historic town located in Kalat District, Balochistan, Pakistan. Kalat is the capital of Kalat District and is known locally as Kalat-e-Brahui and Kalat-e-Sewa. Q ...

Goraknath Temple Goraknath Temple () is a Hindu temple located in the Gorkhatri area of Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The temple is dedicated to Guru Gorakhnath who founded the ''kanphata'' Jogi order at Tilla Jogian in the first century BC. The temp ...

* Kalibari Mandir, Peshawar

Nepal

Barahachhetra Barahachhetra (also Barahakshetra or Varahakshrata; ne, वराहक्षेत्र) is a Hindu and Kirat piligram site which remains between the confluence of Koka and Koshi rivers in Barahakshetra, Sunsari of Province No. 1, Nepal. ...

Janakpurdham Janakpurdham or Janakpur ( ne, जनकपुर, ) is a sub-metropolitan city in Dhanusha District, Madhesh Province, Nepal. The city is a hub for religious and cultural tourism. A headquarter of Dhanusha district, ''Janakpur'' is also the ...

Muktinath Muktinath is a Vishnu temple, sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists. It is located in Muktinath Valley at the foot of the Thorong La mountain pass in Mustang, Nepal. It is one of the world's highest temples (altitude 3,800 m). Within Hinduism, it ...

Pashupatinath Temple Pashupatinath Temple ( ne, श्री पशुपतिनाथ मन्दिर) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, and is located in Kathmandu, Nepal. This temple was classified as a World Heritage Site in 1979. This "extensi ...

Changu Narayan Temple Changu Narayan is an ancient Hindu temple, located on a high hilltop that is also known as Changu or Dolagiri in Changunarayan Municipality of Bhaktapur District, Nepal. This hill is about 7 miles (or 12km) east of Kathmandu and a few miles n ...

* Buddhanilkantha * Krishna Temple of

Patan Durbar Square Patan Durbar Square is situated at the centre of the city of Lalitpur in Nepal. It is one of the three Durbar Squares in the Kathmandu Valley, all of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. One of its attractions is the ancient royal palace w ...

Rishikesh Complex of Ruru Kshetra The Rishikesh Complex of Ruru Kshetra (Rishikesh Temple) is located in southwestern Nepal in the Palpa District, Lumbini Zone. It is an important Hindu pilgrimage as well as cremation site referred to in the Hindu epics.

* Vyas cave * Doleshwor Mahadev (considered the head part of

Kedarnath temple Kedarnath Temple (Sanskrit: केदारनाथ मंदिर, IAST: ''Kēdāranātha Mandira'', ) is a Hindu temple roughly 1200 years old dedicated to Shiva. The temple is located on the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

) * Dolakha Bhimsen temple * Pathibhara Devi temple * Halesi Mahadev Temple and Halesi-Maratika Caves

China

Mount Kailash Mount Kailash (also Kailasa; ''Kangrinboqê'' or ''Gang Rinpoche''; Tibetan: གངས་རིན་པོ་ཆེ; ; sa, कैलास, ), is a mountain in the Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It has an altitude of ...

Lake Manasarovar Lake Manasarovar (Sanskrit: मानसरोवर), also called Mapam Yutso (;) locally, is a high altitude freshwater lake fed by the Kailash Glaciers near Mount Kailash in Burang County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. The ...

Indonesia

* Mother Temple of Besakih *

Prambanan Prambanan ( id, Candi Prambanan, jv, ꦫꦫꦗꦺꦴꦁꦒꦿꦁ, Rara Jonggrang) is a 9th-century Hindu temple compound in Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, dedicated to the Trimūrti, the expression of God as the Creator (Brahma), the P ...

Mount Bromo The Bromo ( jv, ꦧꦿꦩ), or Mount Bromo ( jv, ꦒꦸꦤꦸꦁꦧꦿꦩ Pegon: , Gunung Bromo) is an active somma volcano and part of the Tengger mountains, in East Java, Indonesia. At it is not the highest peak of the massif, but th ...

Cambodia

Preah Vihear Temple Preah Vihear Temple ( Khmer: ប្រាសាទព្រះវិហារ ''Prasat Preah Vihear'') is an ancient Khmer temple built during the period of the Khmer Empire, that is situated on the top of a cliff in the Dângrêk Mountains, ...

* Angkor Wat

Malaysia

* Batu Caves *

Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple, Penang The Balathandayuthapani Temple, officially the ''Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Kovil'', better known as the Waterfall Hill Temple or "Thaneer Malai" ( ta, அருள்மிகு பாலதண்டாயுதபாணி கோயில் ...

United States

* Vivekananda Cottage, Thousand Island Park,

Jefferson County, New York Jefferson County is a county on the northern border of the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 116,721. Its county seat is Watertown. The county is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United St ...

References

{{Worship in Hinduism https://www.iskconbangalore.org/ Hinduism-related lists Lists of pilgrimage sites

India

Sri Lanka

Mauritius

Trinidad and Tobago

Suriname

Pakistan

Nepal

China

Indonesia

Cambodia

Malaysia

United States

See also

References