Evening prayers at Har-Ki-Pairi Ghat in Haridwar

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

, the

yatra ''Yatra'' (, ), in Indian religion, Indian-origin religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, generally means a pilgrimage to holy places such as confluences of River#Sacred rivers, sacred rivers, Sacred mountains#India, sacred mount ...

(pilgrimage) to the tirthas (sacred places) has special significance for earning the punya (spiritual merit) needed to attain the

moksha ''Moksha'' (; , '), also called ''vimoksha'', ''vimukti'', and ''mukti'', is a term in Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sikhism for various forms of emancipation, liberation, '' nirvana'', or release. In its soteriological and eschatologic ...

(salvation) by performing the

darśana In Indian religions, a ''darshan'' (Sanskrit: दर्शन, ; 'showing, appearance, view, sight') or ''darshanam'' is the auspicious sight of a deity or a holy person. The term also refers to any one of the six traditional schools of Hind ...

(viewing of deity), the

parikrama Parikrama or Pradakshina is clockwise circumambulation of sacred entities, and the path along which this is performed, as practiced in the Indian religions, Indic religions – Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. In Buddhism, it refers only ...

(circumambulation), the

yajna In Hinduism, ''Yajna'' or ''Yagna'' (, Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐd͡ʒɲə ) also known as Hawan, is a ritual done in front of a sacred fire, often with mantras. Yajna has been a Vedas, Vedic tradition, described in a layer of Vedic literature ...

(sacrificial fire offering), the Dhyana (spiritual contemplation), the puja (worship), the prarthana (prayer, which could be in the form of

mantra A mantra ( ; Pali: ''mantra'') or mantram (Devanagari: मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words (most often in an Indo-Iranian language like Sanskrit or Avestan) belie ...

- sacred chants,

bhajan Bhajan is an Indian term for any devotional song with a religious theme or spiritual ideas, specifically among Dharmic religions, in any language. The term bhajanam (Sanskrit: भजनम्) means ''reverence'' and originates from the root w ...

- prayer singing, or

kirtan Sikh ''kirta''n with Indian harmoniums and '' Kenya.html" ;"title="tabla'' drums (a common and popular pairing), in Kenya">tabla'' drums (a common and popular pairing), in Kenya (1960s) ''Kirtana'' (; ), also rendered as ''Kiirtan'', ''Kirt ...

- collective musical prayer performance), the dakshina (alms and donation for worthy cause), the seva (selfless service towards community, devotees or temple), the bhandara (running volunteer community kitchen for pilgrims), etc. These sacred places are usually located on the banks of

sacred waters Sacred waters are sacred natural sites characterized by tangible topographical land formations such as rivers, lakes, spring (hydrosphere), springs, Water reservoir, reservoirs, and oceans, as opposed to holy water which is water elevated with th ...

, such as sacred rivers or their

tributaries A tributary, or an ''affluent'', is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream ('' main stem'' or ''"parent"''), river, or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries, and the main stem river into which the ...

(among the rigvedic rivers of sapta sindhu the trio

ganges The Ganges ( ; in India: Ganga, ; in Bangladesh: Padma, ). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international which goes through India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China." is a trans-boundary rive ...

yamuna The Yamuna (; ) is the second-largest tributary river of the Ganges by discharge and the longest tributary in India. Originating from the Yamunotri Glacier at a height of about on the southwestern slopes of Bandarpunch peaks of the Low ...

saraswati Saraswati (, ), also spelled as Sarasvati, is one of the principal Devi, goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of knowledge, education, learning, arts, speech, poetry, music, purification, language and culture. Together with the godde ...

are considered most sacred), the kundas (pond or lake, among these the

Lake Manasarovar Lake Manasarovar also called Mapam Yumtso (; ) locally, is a high altitude freshwater lake near Mount Kailash in Burang County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. It is located at an elevation of , near the western trijunction ...

is considered most scared), the ghats (water bodies with stairs such as Ghats in Varanasi), or the stepwells (among these the

rani ki vav Rani Ki Vav () is a stepwell situated in the town of Patan, Gujarat, Patan in Gujarat, India. It is located on the banks of the Saraswati River, Gujarat, Saraswati River. Its construction is attributed to Udayamati, the spouse of the 11th-centur ...

in the form of inverted

temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...

is considered most spectacular), or the temple tanks. In India there are 7

Sapta Puri The Sapta Puri (Sanskrit language, Sanskrit सप्त-पुरी, , "seven cities") are a group of seven Hinduism, Hindu ''tirtha (Hinduism), tirtha'', or holy pilgrimage sites, located in India. Pilgrimage to these sites is said to bless t ...

holy cities, 4 Dhams ( Char Dham) and 12 Jyotirlings devoted to the Lord

Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...

, 51

Shakti Pitha The Shakta pithas, also called Shakti pithas or Sati pithas (, , ''seats of Shakti''), are significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism, the mother goddess denomination in Hinduism. The shrines are dedicated to various forms of Ad ...

s devoted to the feminine manifestation of the god, the eight swayambhu Vishnu temples (Badrinath, Naimisharanya, Saligram Muktinath, Srimushnam, Tiruchirappalli, Tirupati, Nanguneri, Pushkar) and the important Lord

Rama Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda' ...

circuit (

Ayodhya Ayodhya () is a city situated on the banks of the Sarayu river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ayodhya district as well as the Ayodhya division of Uttar Pradesh, India. Ayodhya became th ...

, Chitrakoot,

Hampi Hampi or Hampe (), also referred to as the Group of Monuments at Hampi, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the town of Hampi in Vijayanagara district, east-central Karnataka, India. Hampi predates the Vijayanagara Empire; it is menti ...

and Rameswaram) and Lord Krishna circuit (

Braj Braj, also known as Vraj, Vraja, Brij or Brijbhumi, is a region in India on both sides of the Yamuna river with its centre at Mathura-Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh state encompassing the area which also includes Palwal, Ballabhgarh and Nuh in ...

Kurukshetra Kurukshetra () is a city and administrative headquarters of Kurukshetra district in the Indian state of Haryana. It is also known as Dharmakshetra ("Realm of duty") and as the "Land of the Bhagavad Gita". Legends According to the Puranas ...

and

Dwarka Dwarka () is a town and municipality of Devbhumi Dwarka district in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Gujarat. It is located on the western shore of the Okhamandal Peninsula on the right bank of the Gomti river at ...

). *Holy Places:

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 Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than 100 pea ...

n Chota Char Dham - Badrinath,

Kedarnath Kedarnath is a town and Nagar Panchayat in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand, India, known primarily for the Kedarnath Temple. It is approximately 86.5 kilometres from Rudraprayag, the district headquarters. Kedarnath is the most remote ...

, Gangotri, and Yamunotri,

Varanasi Varanasi (, also Benares, Banaras ) or 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 tradition of I ...

Prayagraj Prayagraj (, ; ISO 15919, ISO: ), formerly and colloquially known as Allahabad, is a metropolis in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.The other five cities were: Agra, Kanpur, Kanpur (Cawnpore), Lucknow, Meerut, and Varanasi, Varanasi (Benar ...

Haridwar Haridwar (; ; formerly Mayapuri) 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 s ...

Rishikesh Rishikesh, also spelt as Hrishikesh, is a city near Dehradun in the Indian state Uttarakhand. The northern part of Rishikesh is in the Dehradun district while the southern part is in the Tehri Garhwal district. It is situated on the right bank ...

Mathura Mathura () is a city and the administrative headquarters of Mathura district in the states and union territories of India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located south-east of Delhi; and about from the town of Vrindavan. In ancient ti ...

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, Braj Bhoomi region and holds religious importance for Hindus who believe that Krishna, one of ...

, Rameswaram,

Tirupati Tirupati () is a city in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Andhra Pradesh and serves as the administrative headquarters of Tirupati district. It is known for its significant religious and cultural heritage, being home to th ...

Nashik Nashik, formerly Nasik, is a city in the northern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra situated on the banks of the river Godavari, about northeast of the state capital Mumbai. Nashik is one of the Hindu pilgrimage sites of the Kumbh ...

and Shirdi. *Holy Fairs: The

Kumbh Mela Kumbh Mela (, ; ) is an important Hinduism, Hindu pilgrimage, celebrated approximately every 6 or 12 years, correlated with the partial or full orbital period, revolution of Jupiter. It is the largest peaceful gathering of people in the w ...

(the "pitcher festival") is one of the holiest of Hindu pilgrimages that is held four times every twelve years; the location is rotated among the four cities of

, and

Ujjain Ujjain (, , old name Avantika, ) or Ujjayinī 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 as well as religious centre of Ujjain ...

. The

Mahamaham ''Mahamaham'', also known as ''Mahamagham'' or ''Mamangam'', is a Hindu festival celebrated every 12 years in the Mahamaham tank, Kumbakonam, Mahamaham tank located in the city of Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu in the South India, south of India. Thi ...

in temple town of

Kumbakonam Kumbakonam (formerly spelt as Coombaconum or Combaconum), or Kudanthai, is a city municipal corporation in the Thanjavur district in the States of India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located from Thanjavur and from Chennai and is the hea ...

is also celebrated once in 12 years. Annual Gita Mahotsav at

, Shravani Mela at Deoghar, and Pitrapaksha Mela at Gaya are also notable holy fairs. *Holy Temples: the Char Dham of Rameswaram,

Puri Puri, also known as Jagannath Puri, () is a coastal city and a Nagar Palika, 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 ca ...

and Badrinath; the Pancha Bhoota Stalam; the eight Ashta Veeratta Sthalams; the Six Abodes of Murugan; the five Pancha Sabhai; the 108 Divya Desams; Katra, home to the Vaishno Devi temple;

home to

Vaishnava Vaishnavism () ), also called Vishnuism, is one of the major Hindu traditions, that considers Vishnu as the sole supreme being leading all other Hindu deities, that is, '' Mahavishnu''. It is one of the major Hindu denominations along wit ...

Jagannath Jagannath (; formerly ) is a Hindu deity worshipped in regional Hindu traditions in India as part of a triad along with (Krishna's) brother Balabhadra, and sister, Subhadra. Jagannath, within Odia Hinduism, is the supreme god, '' Purushot ...

temple and Rath Yatra celebration;

Tirumala - Tirupati The Venkateswara Temple of Tirumala or Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the hills of Tirumala, Tirupati Urban mandal, Tirupati Urban Mandal in the Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is dedicated t ...

, home to the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple; Shirdi, home to Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi temple; Sabarimala home to Swami Ayyappan; the

Shakti Peethas The Shakta pithas, also called Shakti pithas or Sati pithas (, , ''seats of Shakti''), are significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism, the mother goddess denomination in Hinduism. The shrines are dedicated to various forms of Ad ...

; the twelve Jyotirlingas; the seven

. *Cities Celebrated in Literature: 276 Paadal Petra Sthalams, 108 Shiva Temples established by Paraśurāma. *Holy Deity : Kuladaivat Hindu families have their own family patron deity. This deity is common to a lineage, a clan or a locality. * Samadhis (shrines) of Saints: Alandi, Samadhi of Dnyaneshwar: Mantralayam, Samadhi Mandir of Sri

Sai Baba of Shirdi Sai Baba of Shirdi (), also known as Shirdi Sai Baba, was an Indian spiritual master considered to be a Hindu saints, saint, and revered by both Hindu and Muslim devotees during and after his lifetime. According to accounts from his life, Sai ...

at Shirdi ,samadhi of Raghavendra Tirtha,

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 in Belur, West Bengal, India on the west bank of Hooghly River. Bel ...

which enshrine that Holy remains of

Sri Ramakrishna Ramakrishna (18 February 1836 – 16 August 1886——— —), also called Ramakrishna Paramahansa (; ; ), born Ramakrishna Chattopadhay,M's original Bengali diary page 661, Saturday, 13 February 1886''More About Ramakrishna'' by Swami Prab ...

Sri Sarada Devi Sri Sarada Devi (Bengali language, Bengali: সারদা দেবী; ; 22 December 1853 – 20 July 1920), born Kshemankari / Thakurmani / Saradamani Mukhopadhyay, was the wife and spiritual consort of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, a nineteent ...

Swami Vivekananda Swami Vivekananda () (12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902), born Narendranath Datta, was an Indian Hindus, Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna. Vivekananda was a major figu ...

Puri, and other direct Disciples of Sri Ramakrishna, Tulsi Ghat,

where Saint

Tulsidas Rambola Dubey (; 11 August 1511 – 30 July 1623pp. 23–34.), popularly known as Goswami Tulsidas (), was a Vaishnavism, Vaishnava (Ramanandi Sampradaya, Ramanandi) Hinduism, Hindu saint and poet, renowned for his devotion to the deity Rama. H ...

left his mortal coil, Samadhi Mandir of

Meher Baba Meher Baba (born Merwan Sheriar Irani; 25 February 1894 – 31 January 1969) was an Indian spirituality, spiritual master who said he was the Avatar, or God in human form, of the age. A spiritual figure of the 20th century, he had a following o ...

in Meherabad, Samadhi Mandir of Saint

Kabir Kabir ( 15th century) was a well-known Indian devotional mystic poet and sant. His writings influenced Hinduism's Bhakti movement, and his verses are found in Sikhism's scripture Guru Granth Sahib, the Satguru Granth Sahib of Saint Gar ...

Gorakhpur Gorakhpur is a city in the List of state and union territory capitals in India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, along the banks of the West Rapti River, Rapti river in the Purvanchal , Purvanchal region. It is situated 272 kilometres east of ...

, near

, Panchaganga Ghat, Varanasi where Trailanga Swami lived and left his mortal body, Karar Ashram,

where Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri, attained the Mahasamadhi. *All the tirth places which are important in

is mentioned below. Madhva saint Vadiraja Tirtha of sixteenth century has written Tirtha Prabandha a document on travelogue of pilgrimage centres throughout India.

Most visited Pilgrimage Places

Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi

is an ancient holy city in

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...

, which is one of the seven holy

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

Saptapuri cites, and considered the home to Ram Janmabhoomi, the birth place of

. The

Ram Mandir The Ram Mandir (ISO 15919, ISO: , ), also known as Shri Ramlalla Mandir, is a partially constructed Hindu temple, Hindu temple complex in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India. Many Hindus believe that it is located at the site of Ram Janmabhoomi, t ...

, India is a

temple, that was inaugurated on 22 January 2024 after a prana pratishtha (consecration) ceremony. In Hindu tradition, this temple is believed to be located at an ancient pilgrimage site of Ram Janmabhoomi, the birthplace of

, a principal

deity A deity or god is a supernatural being considered to be sacred and worthy of worship due to having authority over some aspect of the universe and/or life. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines ''deity'' as a God (male deity), god or god ...

's Ram temple is projected to have 50 million visitors per year, which will make it the top pilgrimage site in the world.

Kashi Vishwanath (Varanasi)

Kashi Vishwanath Temple is

Hindu temple A Hindu temple, also known as Mandir, Devasthanam, Pura, or Kovil, is a sacred place where Hindus worship and show their devotion to Hindu deities, deities through worship, sacrifice, and prayers. It is considered the house of the god to who ...

dedicated to

located in the ancient holy city of

, India. The temple is a prominent Hindu pilgrimage site, and is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines. The presiding deity is known by the names Vishwanath and Vishweshwara (

IAST The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Brahmic family, Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that ...

: ''Viśvanātha'' and ''Viśveśvara''), literally meaning ''Lord of the Universe''. The temple has been managed by a board of trustees set up by the government of

since 1983. On 1 January 2023, a record 3.35 lakh pilgrims visited the temple. In the month of January 2023, the temple saw an average footfall of above 45,000 per day.

Jagannath Dham (Puri)

Jagannath Temple, Puri is one of the most sacred places for hindus all over India. Located in township of

Odisha Odisha (), formerly Orissa (List of renamed places in India, the official name until 2011), is a States and union territories of India, state located in East India, Eastern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by ar ...

.The Hindu temple dedicated to the god Jagannath, a form of Vishnu in Hinduism and two of his siblings, Balaram and Subhadra, alongside Sudarshan (the deified form of Vishnu's primary weapon).

Tirupati Balaji (Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala)

Tirumala Venkateswara temple entrance 09062015

Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala, also known as ''Tirupati Balaji Temple'' is a

situated in the hills of Tirumala at

Tirupati district Tirupati district () is one of the eight districts of Rayalaseema region in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.The district headquarters is located at Tirupati city. This district is known for its numerous historic temples, including the Hindu ...

Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...

, India. The temple is dedicated to

Venkateswara Venkateswara (, ), also known as Venkatachalapati, Venkata, Balaji and Srinivasa, is a Hindu deity, described as a form or avatar of the god Vishnu. He is the presiding deity of Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala, Venkateswara Temple, Tirupati. Hi ...

, a form of

Vishnu Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...

, who is believed to have appeared on the earth to save mankind from the trials and troubles of ''

Kali Yuga ''Kali Yuga'' (Devanagari: कलियुग), in Hinduism, is the fourth, shortest, and worst of the four '' yugas'' (world ages) in a '' Yuga cycle'', preceded by '' Dvapara Yuga'' and followed by the next cycle's '' Krita (Satya) Yuga''. I ...

''. Venkateswara is known by many other names: Balaji, Govinda, and Srinivasa. The temple is run by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which is under the Andhra Pradesh Government. The head of TTD is appointed by Andhra Pradesh Government. The temple is one of the Pancha Kshethram where Maha Lakshmi was born as ''Bhargavi'' - the daughter of Maharishi Bhrigu. The other four temples of the Pancha Kshethram are Sarangapani temple, Kumbakonam, Oppiliappan temple, Nachiyar Koil and Sundararaja Perumal Temple, Salem. Tirumala hills are part of Seshachalam Hills range. The hills are above sea level and comprise seven peaks, representing the seven heads of Adisesha. The temple lies on the seventh peak— Venkatadri, on the southern banks of Sri Swami Pushkarini, a holy water tank. Hence the temple is also referred to as "Temple of Seven Hills", and it is one of the top

pilgrimage destinations in India. The temple is visited by 50,000 to 100,000 devotees per day and reaching 30 to 40 million visitors annually who come to pray to Lord Venkateshwara.

Sri Sai Baba Temple (Shirdi)

ri Sai Baba Temple,Shirdi also known as Sri Sai Baba Samadhi Mandir and Sai Baba of Shirdi temple, is a temple which is located in holy city town of Shirdi,

Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...

is among the top pilgrimage sites of the world.

,also known as Shirdi Sai Baba, was an Indian spiritual master and fakir, considered to be a saint, revered by devotees during and after his lifetime.

devotees believed to be an incarnation of the Hindu deity Dattatreya.The temple is a beautiful shrine which was constructed in the year 1922. Shirdi Sai Baba temple is approx. 200 KM from

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

city. Also, this temple is known to be the Second richest temple in India where millions of pilgrims visits daily. .

Vaishno Devi Temple (Jammu)

Vaishno Devi Temple, also known as the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Temple and Vaishno Devi Bhavan, is a Hindu mandir (temple) located in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir, dedicated to Vaishno Devi, a manifestation of

Durga Durga (, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars. Durga's legend centres around combating evils and demonic ...

. It is located on the Trikuta mountain at 5,000 feet elevation. The

Shakti Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; 'energy, ability, strength, effort, power, might, capability') in Hinduism, is the "Universal Power" that underlies and sustains all existence. Conceived as feminine in essence, Shakti refer ...

tradition considers it to be a

. The temple is governed by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) and has been chaired by the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir since August 1986. It is one of the most popular Hindu pilgrimage sites in north-west India, with millions of devotees visiting the hill temple annually. In 2018, the Vaishno Devi shrine reported that it had received 8.5 million pilgrims that year.

List of Important Pilgrimage Places

Haridwar-Rishikesh (Maya Puri) region

The importance of Maya Puri (Haridwar)-

) tirth region is clearly mentioned in

puranas Puranas (Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature
(1995 Editio ...

. This tirth is located in Uttarakhand, India.

tirth region is mainly dedicated to

shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...

and

Parvati Parvati (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, pɑɾʋət̪iː/), also known as Uma (, , IPA: Sanskrit phonology, /ʊmɑː/) and Gauri (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, gə͡ʊɾiː/), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the Devi, ...

, whereas

is primarily worshipped in

tirth region. Temples in

Tirth region:- 1.Daksheshwar Mahadev Temple 2.Shitla mata Temple ( Sati mata janmsthan) 3.Narayani shila Temple 4. Mansa Devi Temple 5. Maya Devi Temple 6. Chandi Devi Temple 7.Bilkeshwar Mahadev Temple 8.Paradeshwar Mahadev Temple 9.Nileshwar Mahadev Temple 10. Har ki Paudi Ganga Ghat(Ganesh ji Temple) 11.Dakshin Kali Temple 12.Aanand Bhairav Temple Temples in

Tirth Region:- 1.Shri Hrishikesh Narayan Temple (Bharat Mandir) 2.Veerabhadra Temple 3.Neelkanth Mahadev Temple 4.Laxman temple 5.Shatrughna Temple 6.Chandreshwar Mahadev temple

Naimisharanya

Naimisa-Forest or Naimisharanya (Misrikh- Neemasar) is a Vaishnav tirth region located in Uttar Pradesh, India.

is mainly worshipped in this tirth. Temples in Misrikh tirth region:- 1.Rishi Dhadichi Temple 2.Dhadichi Kund Temples in Neemsar(Naimisharanya) tirth region:- 1. Naimishnath Vishnu Temple 2.Chakra Tirth Temple 3.Bhooteshwar Mahadev Temple 4. Vyas Gaddi 5.Sut Gaddi 6.Chakranarayan Temple 7.Hanuman Garhi Temple 8.Lalita Devi Temple 9.Devdeveshwar Mahadev Temple 10. Gomti river (Dashasumedh ghat) 11.Hatya-Haran Tirth (Hatya-Haraneshwar Mahadev Temple)

Tirths of Uttarakhand

''kedar Tirth Region:-'' In kedar Tirth mainly

and

is worshipped. 1.

Kedarnath Temple Kēdāranātha Temple (Sanskrit: केदारनाथ मंदिर, IAST: ''Kēdāranātha Mandira'', ) is a Hindu temple, one of the twelve ''jyotirlinga'' of Śiva. The temple is located on the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Manda ...

2. Gaurikund Temple 3. Triyuginarayan Temple 4. Guptkashi Temple 5. Ukhimath Omkareshwar Temple 6. Kalimath Temple 7. Tungnath Temple 8. Rudranath Temple 9. Madhyamaheshwar Temple 10.Bhairav Temple, kedarnath 11. Gopinath Temple, Gopeshwar 12.Munkatia Ganesh Temple 13.Anasuya Devi Temple, Gopeshwar Badrinath temple - Uttarakhand 2

''Badri tirth Region:-'' In Badri Tirth mainly

and

Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, , ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, beauty, fertility, sovereignty, and abundance. She along with Parvat ...

is worshipped. 1. Badrinath Temple 2. Kalpeshwar Temple 3. Bhavishya Badri Temple 4. Vishnuprayag Temple 5.Kuber Temple, Pandukeshwar 6. Yog dhyan Badri Temple, Pandukeshwar 7. Dhyan Badri Temple 8. Vyas Gufa, Mana 9. Vriddha Badri Temple 10. Joshimath Narsingh Mandir ''Panch Prayag Tirth Region:-'' 1. Uma devi Temple, Karnaprayag 2. Umra Narayan Temple 3. Rudranath Temple, Rudraprayag 4. Nandprayag Temple 5. Adi Badri Temple, Karnaprayag 6. Augustmuni Temple 7. Neelmegha Vishnu Temple, Devaprayag 8. Dhari Devi Temple 9. Koteshwar Mahadev Temple 10 .Chamunda devi Temple, Rudraprayag 11. Tungeshwar Mahadev Temple 12.Kartik Swami Temple 13.Indrasani Devi Temple, Kandali, Rudraprayag 14.Karmajeet Temple, Pillu, Rudraprayag Raghunathji temple4

''kumaon tirth Region:-'' 1. Bagnath Temple, Bageshwar 2. Baijnath Temple, Garur 3. Jageshwar Dham 4.Kot Bhramari Temple, Kajyuli 5.Devidhura Varahi Temple 6. Poornagiri Temple 7.Danda Nagraja Temple ''Garhwal tirth Region:-'' 1. Tapkeshwar Mahadev Temple 2.Daat Kali Temple, Dehradun 3.Santala Devi Temple, Dehradun 4.Sem Mukhem Nag Temple 5.Budha Kedar Temple 6.Surkanda Devi Temple 7. Uttarkashi Shiva-Shakti Temple 8. Lakhamandal Temple 9. Yamunotri Temple 10. Gangotri Temple Gangotri temple in Uttarakhand

11. Gaumukh 12.Shani Dev Temple, Kharsoli 13.Kyunkaleshwar Temple 14. Mahasu Devta Temple, Hanol 15.Prachin Bhairav Temple, Gangotri

Shookar kshetra

In Narsingh Puran, It is mentioned that Shookar kshetra in one of the abodes of

which is Located in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is dedicated to Varah form of

. Today shookar kshetra consist of parts of Kasganj and Bulandsahar District. Whole Shookar kshetra is located on the banks of the river

Ganga The Ganges ( ; in India: Ganga, ; in Bangladesh: Padma, ). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international which goes through India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China." is a trans-boundary riv ...

. Temples in Shookar Kshetra(Soron) tirth:- 1.Shookar Temple(Varah Temple), Soron asganj district 2.Har ki paudi Teerth (Holy Tank), Soron asganj district 3.Belon Devi Temple, Belon [Bulandsahar district] 4.kalyani Devi Temple, Karanwas [Bulandsahar District] 5.Ram ghat (ganga ghat) near Narora[Bulandsahar District] 6.Raj ghat(ganga ghat) near Narora[Bulandsahar District] 7.Suryakund, Soron [Kasganj District] 8.Navdurga Temple, Soron [Kasganj District] 9.Batuk Bhairav Nath ji Temple, Soron [Kasganj District] 10.Sheetla Mata Temple, Soron [Kasganj District] 11.Laddu Waale Balaji Mandir, Soron [Kasganj District]

Kanyakubj

Kanyakubja, kanyakubj or Kannauj is a very ancient tirth present in Uttar Pradesh, India.It is also has a great importance in History of India, Indian history. It was the capital of the Harsha, Harshvardhan dynasty. Its importance is given in Devi Bhagavata Purana, Devi Bhagwat puran and Brahma Purana, Brahma puran.Kanyakubja Brahmin, Brahmins from kanyakubj are world wide famous and are regularly appointed as the head priest of many hindu temples located in kannauj and north india. Major Temples located in Kannauj Tirth are:- 1.Gauri shankar temple 2.Phoolmati Devi temple 3.Annapoorna Temple, Tirwa, Kannauj, Tirwaganj 4.Dauleshwar Mahadev Temple, tirwaganj 5.Govardhani Devi Temple 6.Gangeshwarnath Temple, chhibramau 7.Mansheshwarnath Temple, chhibramau 8.Kalika Devi Mandir, chhibramau 9.Bagiya Waale Hanumanji Temple, Chhibramau 10.Maa Aanandi Devi Temple, Prempur

Braj

Braj, also called as Mathura Puri is a 84 kos tirth kshetra present in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is dedicated to Vishnu as krishna. Today this Braj region consist of mathura district of uttar pradesh and some parts of the state of Haryana and Rajasthan.Temples present here are established by the Grandson of Krishna, "Vajranabh". Therefore this tirth is known by the name of Vajranabh as Braj.This tirth is mentioned in skand puran, bhagvat puran, Brahma vaivarta puran, etc. Braj Region is divided into many villages, these villages and their respective temples are mentioned below:- ''Mathura tirth region:-'' 1.Shri Keshav Deo Temple 2.Shri Bhooteshwar Mahadev Temple 3.Shri Rangeshwar Mahadev temple 4.Shri Gokarneshwar Mahadev Temple 5.Shri Galteshwar Mahadev Temple 6.Shri Pipleshwar Mahadev Temple 7.Vishram ghat(Yamuna mandir) 8.Chamunda Mata Temple 9. Shri mathura Devi Temple 10.Kankali devi Temple 11.Mahavidya devi Temple 12 Shantanu Bihari Temple 13.Dirgh vishnu Temple ''Gokul-Mahavan-Baldeo Tirth Region'' 1.Gokulnathji Temple(Nand Bhavan 84 Khamba ) 2.Nand Bhavan, Gokul 3.Chandravali Mata Temple 4.Chintaharan Mahadev Temple 5.Brahmaand ghat 6.Raman Reti Temple 7.Baldeo Temple 8.Bandi Anandi Manomanccha maa Temple 9.Rawal Radha Rani Temple ''Vrindavan tirth Region:-'' 1.Bankey Bihari Temple 2.Radha Raman Temple 3.radha Damodar Temple 4 Radha Govind dev ji temple 5.Radha Shyam sundar Temple 6.Radha Madan Mohan Temple 7.Radha Gokulnand Temple 8.Radha Gopinath Temple 9.Radha Vallabh Temple 10.Shri Garud Govind ji Temple 11.Nidhivan 12.Mota ganesh ji Temple 13.Sewa kunj 14.Gopeshwar Mahadev Temple 15.chamunda Mata Temple 16.Katayani Mata Temple ''Govardhan Tirth kshetra:-'' 1.Giriraj ji Temple, Daanghati 2.Giriraj ji Temple, Jatipura 3.Giriraj ji Temple, Mansi Ganga 4.Luk luk Dauji Temple 5.Chandra Sarovar 6.Kusum sarovar 7.Radha Kund 8.Haridev ji Temple 9.Punchhari ka Lauthra Temple 10.Chakleshwar Mahadev Temple 11.Indra Maan Daman Temple 12.Mansa Devi Temple 13.Vankhandi Mahadev Temple 14. Kundeshwar Mahadev Temple 15.Radha Kund Mukharvind temple 16.Narayan Sarovar 17.lalit Kund 7.Ra

List of Hindu pilgrimage sites in India

* 48 kos parikrama of Kurukshetra * Adhirangam Ranganathaswamy temple, Adhi Thiruvarangam * Ahobilam * Akshardham (Delhi) * Alandi * Amarnath Temple, Amarnath * Masani Amman, Anaimalai * Arasavalli * Ashtavinayaka, Ashtavinayak temples *

* Badrinath * Baidyanath Temple * Bangalore *Bagdana * Barsana *

* Bhadrachalam * Biraja Temple Jajpur * Sangameswarar Temple, Bhavani * Bhimashankar Temple * Chennai * Chidambaram * Chilkur Balaji Temple * Chitrakoot Dham (Karwi), Chitrakuta * Chottanikkara Temple, Chottanikkara * Dharmasthala * Divya Desams * Draksharama *

* Gangotri * Gaya * Ghatikachala * Mahabaleshwar Temple, Gokarna, Gokarna * Gokul * Golden Temple, Sripuram * Govardhan * Grishneshwar Temple, Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga * Guruvayur *

* Horanadu * Idagunji * Jejuri * Jyotirmath * Kalaram Temple * Kalasa * Kalavai * Kanchipuram * Kanipakam * Kanyakumari * Karmanghat Hanuman Temple * Kateel * Kartik Swami *

* Mahalakshmi Temple, Kolhapur, Kolhapur Mahalaxmi Temple * Kollur, Udupi district, Kollur * Konark * Koothanur * Ksheerarama * Kudalasangama * Kukke Subramanya Temple * Kumararama *

* Laxminarayan Temple, Laxminarayan Temple, Delhi * Lingaraja Temple * Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga * Madurai * Kullu, Maha Devi Tirth temple in Kullu * Mamallapuram, Mahabalipuram * Mantralayam * Marudhamalai (temple), Marudhamalai *

* Melmaruvathur * Melmalayanur * Mount Abu * Mukhalingam *

* Murdeshwar * Chamundeshwari Temple, Mysore * Nageshvara Jyotirlinga, Nageshwar Temple * Namakkal Anjaneyar Temple *

* Navagraha temples in Tamil Nadu, Navagraham Temples * Nellitheertha * Omkareshwar * Paadal Petra Sthalam * Padmavathi Temple, Tiruchanur * Palani Murugan Temple, Palani * Pallikondeswara Temple, Surutapalli * Pancharama Kshetras * Pancharanga Kshetrams * Panchavati * Panchavatee Hanuman Temple * Pandharpur * Papanasanathar Temple, Papanasam * Pazhamudircholai * Pillayarpatti * Pithapuram *

* Punnainallur Mariamman, Punnainallur Mariamman Temple *

* Pushkar * Puttlur * Ramatheertham * Rameswaram *

* Sabarimalai * Samayapuram Mariamman Temple, Samayapuram * Satyagnana Sabha, Vadalur * Shani Shingnapur * Shegaon * Shirdi * Simhachalam * Somanath * Somarama * Sri Kurmam * Srikalahasti * Sringeri * Srirangam * Srisailam * Srivilliputhur Andal Temple, Srivilliputhur * Swaminathaswamy Temple, Swamimalai, Swamimalai * Thanumalayan Temple, Suchindram * Swamithoppe * Kasi Viswanathar temple, Tenkasi, Tenkasi * Thanjavur * Thennangur * Thiruchendur * Thiruparankundram * Thiruthani Murugan Temple, Thiruthani * Thiruvananthapuram * Thiruverkadu * Thrissur * Tirupati (city), Tirupati * Tripura Sundari Temple, Tripura Sundari * Jambukeswarar Temple, Thiruvanaikaval, Thiruvanaikaval * Tiruvannamalai * Ucchi Pillayar Temple, Rockfort, Trichy Uchi Pillayar Temple * Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple * Tulja Bhavani Temple, Tuljapur Bhavani temple * Udupi *

* Vaishno Devi *

* Raja Rajeswara Temple, Vemulawada * Vellore * Kanaka Durga Temple, Vijayawada * Vindhyachal, Vindhayachal *

* Yadagirigutta Temple * Yamunotri * Virpur, Rajkot district