A guide to the important holy sites of Hinduism

In this article there is information about some important holy sites of Hinduism. These are some of the Tirthas and Dhaams – the most important holy sites.

You can go to a tirtha as a tourist to discover the soul of India. For the devout Hindu however a visit to a tirtha is a voyage of personal and spiritual discovery. These places are charged with the power of God and he visits them for that purpose. The Hindu visits a tirtha as a penance for sins committed and also for the promise of moksha or enlightenment.

A Sanskrit shloka says:“Kashi, Kanchi, Maya, Ayodhya, Avantika,Mathura and Dwaravati are the seven puris,That offer the liberation of moksha.

These important holy sites of Hinduism are spread across the Indian sub-continent. Kashi, Ayodhya and Mathura are in the north in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Haridwar is at the foothills of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand (or Uttaranchal). Ujjain is in Madhya Pradesh, Dwarka is by the Arabian Sea in Gujarat and Kanchipuram is in the far south in Tamil Nadu.

In addition there are the Chaar Dhaam – the four sacred abodes of Vishnu. These Dhaams are located at the four corners of the land – North, South, East, and West. In the north is Badrinath, nestled in the Himalayas in Uttarakhand. In the east is Puri, by the Bay of Bengal in Orissa. In the west is Dwarka, which has the distinction of being both a dhaam and a puri. And in the south is Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu, located on an island. So visiting all the four dhaams is a pretty arduous journey.

So the important holy sites of Hinduism are the 7 puris and the 4 dhaams (a dhaam is an abode of Vishnu). Dwarka possesses the distinction of being both a puri and a dhaam.

In addition there is the magnificent Kumbh Mela, which is a tirtha on a special occasion. Literally millions of people do the pilgrimage to the Kumbh Mela. They face great hardships for the joy of bathing in the sacred river at an auspicious occasion. Every 12 years the Kumbh Mela is held at the tirthas of Prayag (Allahabad), Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik. Sadhus, villagers, city people, the young and the old, rich and poor all congregate here. The poor arrive with nothing but a bundle of clothes and are provided food and shelter in an immense act of charity unrivalled in the world.

The Kumbha mela is one of the largest occasions when the important holy sites of Hinduism come alive.

The seven puris or Saptapuris as they are called are not just the places where you can attain moksha. God is also said to descend to the Earth in those places. For example Ayodhya was the birthplace of Lord Rama and Mathura the birthplace of Lord Krishna. Both Rama and Krishna are the avatars or incarnations of Vishnu. More information can be found on this page on the chief god of early Hinduism.

A visit to these important holy sites of Hinduism is a unique experience. These are town built around temples that have existed since ancient times. As a result they are poorly planned. The streets are narrow, dirty and crowded and noisy and the whole experience is an assault on the senses.

But you can also have experiences of unforgettable beauty. A dawn over the Ganga at Kashi, the architecture and sculpture of the holy temples, and the soaring gopurams of Kanchipuram reaching to the sky above the green palm trees – all these are unforgettable experiences.

For the devout Hindu these inconveniences described above hardly matter. Since he is not going as a tourist but is intent on worship he cares not for such hardships. These are places of holy significance for him.

The economy of the towns in which the tirthas are located runs on the visits of the pilgrims and the tourists. As a result you will find all modern conveniences and amenities in their hotels.

However be warned about the priestly class (or the pandits) and the guides. Some of the priests and sadhus are no doubt holy men. But for most of the others your visit is a business opportunity and you will find them both ruthless and persistent.

For the priestly class has degenerated into a family business handed over from father to son. The methods they use are no more than ordinary business tactics to them.

The exception is Tirupathi, which is run by an elected board and the temple is run very efficiently.

All said and done you will find a visit to these important holy sites of Hinduism an unforgettable experience. I do not wish to discourage you from making a trip but you must be prepared for inconveniences and even hardships. Public conveniences like toilets and urinals will be conspicuous by their absence. But you will have the privilege of visiting the holy sites, there is the pleasure of exploring fascinating old streets, riverside ghats, busy bazaars and special food stalls.

Find yourself a quiet corner in a temple courtyard and watch the living practice of Hinduism. The cheerful bustle of life, chanting of mantras, snatches of song and laughter of the children will give you a glimpse of the soul of India and of the ancient Hindu way of life that is practiced here.

For a visit to India a copy of the Lonely Planet guidebook is a must. Please visit the above link to Amazon.

So this is a guide to the important holy sites of Hinduism.

I hope you enjoyed this article and that it will be useful to you.

Stay tuned for more in this continuing series.

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