Sacred Sites and Pilgrimages in India
A spiritual travel guide to India, covering 40 holy places and pilgrimage destinations.
This guide lists 40 sacred sites in India , connected to 11 spiritual traditions: Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Prehistoric Religion, Historical Vedic Religion and more. 7 of them belong to UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 1 are archaeological sanctuaries of ancient faiths. Each guide covers history, what to see, dress code, opening hours and the best time to visit.
Sacred sites in India
Ajanta Caves
Explore the Ajanta Caves, rock cut Buddhist monasteries with some of the finest ancient paintings in Asia, plus tickets, closures and travel tips.
Ajmer Sharif Dargah
Visit Ajmer Sharif Dargah, the Sufi shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Rajasthan, open to all faiths, with Urs dates, qawwali and visitor tips.
Badrinath Temple
Visit Badrinath Temple on the Alaknanda River, a Char Dham shrine of Vishnu at 3,300 m, with season dates, hot springs and Himalayan road tips.
Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa
Visit the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa, resting place of Saint Francis Xavier and a baroque landmark, with Mass times, feast dates and visitor tips.
Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health, Velankanni
Visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health in Velankanni, the Lourdes of the East on Tamil Nadu's coast, with feast dates, Mass times and pilgrim tips.
Bhimbetka Rock Shelters
Explore the Bhimbetka Rock Shelters near Bhopal, prehistoric caves with paintings up to 10,000 years old showing early ritual, plus visiting tips.
Brahma Sarovar, Kurukshetra
Visit Brahma Sarovar in Kurukshetra, the Vedic land of the Bhagavad Gita, with eclipse bathing, Jyotisar and travel tips for this sacred site.
Dhamek Stupa, Sarnath
Visit Sarnath near Varanasi, where the Buddha gave his first sermon, with the Dhamek Stupa, Ashoka's lion capital museum and practical pilgrimage tips.
Dilwara Temples, Mount Abu
Visit the Dilwara Temples at Mount Abu, five Jain shrines with some of the finest marble carving in the world, with visiting hours, dress code and tips.
Gangotri Temple
Visit Gangotri Temple on the Bhagirathi, where the Ganga is said to descend to earth, with season dates, the Gaumukh trek and pilgrim tips.
Gommateshwara Statue, Shravanabelagola
Climb Vindhyagiri Hill at Shravanabelagola to the 17 m Gommateshwara monolith, a great Jain pilgrimage, with Mahamastakabhisheka and visiting tips.
Great Stupa of Sanchi
Visit the Great Stupa of Sanchi, Ashoka's 3rd century BCE monument with four carved gateways telling the Buddha's story, plus tickets and travel tips.
Gurdwara Hemkund Sahib
Trek to Hemkund Sahib, a Sikh gurdwara at 4,632 m beside a glacial lake in the Garhwal Himalaya, with season dates, trail details and pilgrimage tips.
Har Ki Pauri, Haridwar
Join the evening Ganga Aarti at Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar, where the Ganges leaves the Himalaya, with bathing, Kumbh Mela and Rishikesh side trip tips.
Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple), Amritsar
Visit the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Sikhism's holiest gurdwara, with its sacred pool, free langar kitchen, dress code and tips for visiting day and night.
Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah, Delhi
Hear Thursday qawwali at Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah in Delhi, the Sufi shrine of a Chishti saint and poet Amir Khusrau, with visiting and etiquette tips.
Iranshah Atash Behram, Udvada
Learn about Iranshah Atash Behram in Udvada, Gujarat, the oldest continuously burning Zoroastrian sacred fire, with Parsi heritage and visitor etiquette.
Jagannath Temple, Puri
Visit the Jagannath Temple in Puri, a Char Dham shrine famed for the Rath Yatra chariot festival, with entry rules, timings and practical pilgrim tips.
Jama Masjid, Delhi
Visit Jama Masjid in Old Delhi, India's grand Mughal mosque built by Shah Jahan, with minaret views, prayer times, dress rules and visiting tips.
Kamakhya Temple, Guwahati
Visit Kamakhya Temple on Nilachal Hill in Guwahati, a revered Shakti Peetha and Tantric center, with darshan tips, Ambubachi Mela and hill access.
Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi
Visit Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi, the golden Jyotirlinga of Shiva by the Ganges, with tips on darshan, the new corridor and the riverside ghats.
Kedarnath Temple
Trek to Kedarnath Temple at 3,583 m in the Garhwal Himalaya, a Jyotirlinga and Char Dham shrine, with route, opening season, registration and safety tips.
Konark Sun Temple
Visit the Konark Sun Temple in Odisha, a 13th century stone chariot of the sun god Surya with carved wheels and horses, plus tickets, timings and tips.
Lotus Temple, Delhi
Visit the Lotus Temple in Delhi, the Baha'i House of Worship shaped like a white lotus and open to all faiths, with prayer times and visitor tips.
Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya
Visit the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, where the Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree, with meditation, timings and pilgrimage travel tips.
Mahaparinirvana Temple, Kushinagar
Visit Kushinagar's Mahaparinirvana Temple, where the Buddha passed into final nirvana, with the reclining Buddha, Ramabhar Stupa and pilgrimage tips.
Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai
Explore Madurai's Meenakshi Amman Temple, with towering painted gopurams and the shrine of the goddess, plus timings, dress code and visiting tips.
Palitana Temples, Shatrunjaya Hill
Climb Shatrunjaya Hill at Palitana, Gujarat, to over 800 marble Jain temples, one of Jainism's holiest pilgrimages, with steps, timing and etiquette tips.
Paradesi Synagogue, Kochi
Visit the Paradesi Synagogue in Kochi's Jew Town, the oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth, with its blue tiles, opening hours and visiting tips.
Ramanathaswamy Temple, Rameswaram
Visit Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram, a Char Dham and Jyotirlinga shrine with the longest temple corridors in India and 22 sacred wells to bathe in.
Ranakpur Jain Temple
Visit Ranakpur Jain Temple in the Aravalli Hills of Rajasthan, a marble marvel with 1,444 carved pillars, with timings for tourists, dress code and tips.
San Thome Basilica, Chennai
Visit San Thome Basilica in Chennai, built over the tomb of Saint Thomas the Apostle, plus nearby St Thomas Mount, with Mass times and visiting tips.
Shikharji (Parasnath Hill)
Make the pilgrimage to Shikharji on Parasnath Hill, where 20 Jain Tirthankaras attained liberation, with the 27 km circuit, timings and practical tips.
Somnath Temple
Visit Somnath Temple on Gujarat's coast, the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Shiva, with aarti times, the sound and light show and pilgrim tips.
Sri Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala
Plan a pilgrimage to Tirumala Venkateswara Temple near Tirupati, one of the busiest sacred sites on earth, with darshan booking, dress code and laddu tips.
Taj Mahal, Agra
Visit the Taj Mahal in Agra, Shah Jahan's white marble tomb for Mumtaz Mahal, with its garden of paradise, mosque, tickets, Friday closure and timing tips.
Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Sahib, Nanded
Visit Takht Sri Hazur Sahib in Nanded, one of the five Takhts of Sikhism where Guru Gobind Singh passed, with langar, Hola Mohalla and visiting tips.
Triveni Sangam, Prayagraj
Bathe at Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati and home of the Kumbh Mela, with boat and timing tips.
Vaishno Devi Temple
Trek to the Vaishno Devi cave shrine above Katra in the Trikuta Hills, a top Hindu pilgrimage in India, with route, registration and travel tips.
Yamunotri Temple
Visit Yamunotri Temple at 3,291 m, the first Char Dham shrine and source of the Yamuna, with the Janki Chatti trek, Surya Kund and season tips.