Every corner of India is dedicated to god. Marigold-garlanded shrines, candle-lit temples, and elephant-headed effigies span the length and breadth of it. There’s plenty to worship here, from the 33 million divinities that comprise the Hindu pantheon to Allah, the Buddha, Sikh gurus, and Jain Tirthankaras. With each of India’s big five laying claim to unique pilgrimage sites across the Subcontinent, we travel to 10 of them in search of the holiest city in India.
Pushkar
Although it rose to guidebook fame for its loud and colorful camel fairs every autumn, Pushkar is more critical among pilgrims for its ghats, which step down into the holy waters of the tranquil Pushkar Lake. A must-visit on any holiday in Rajasthan, spend a few moments soaking up the lake’s atmosphere before seeking out the red-domed Brahma Temple, a site of Hindu worship for more than six centuries.
Ajmer
One of Rajasthan’s oldest cities, Ajmer is an important Muslim pilgrimage site for its Sharif Dargah. The white marble shrine is clustered around the imposing Akbari Mosque, home to the tomb of Mughal emperor Akbar himself and commissioned by the legendary Shah Jahan.
Bodh Gaya
Bodh Gaya, located in Bihar, is renowned as the site where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree around 2,500 years ago, making it a significant pilgrimage destination for Buddhists. The Mahabodhi Temple Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, marks this sacred location.
McLeod Ganj
Spilling down through the cedar-forested slopes above Dharamshala, McLeod Ganj is home to the Tibetan leader-in-exile, the Dalai Lama. His eponymous temple is a tranquil retreat of prayer wheels, vivid Buddhist shrines, hushed meditation halls, and pretty gardens.
Varanasi
Considered by Hindus as the holiest city in India, to die in Varanasi on the banks of the Ganges River is to be liberated from the infinite cycles of reincarnation. Witnessing this visceral oscillation between life and death is undoubtedly humbling and is one of the most arresting experiences on a holiday in East India.
Amritsar
At Amritsar’s heart is the Golden Temple, making this the holiest city in India for Sikhs. Surrounded by a vast tank of holy water, it’s one of the most serene sights of North India. Thousands of daily visitors enter the inner sanctum to glimpse the sacred book before enjoying a meal en masse in the Langar.
Haridwar
Every evening at sundown, pilgrims flock to the Har Ki Pauri ghat for the Ganga Aarti. This marks the spot where the sacred river leaves the mountains for the plains of India, and it’s here, beneath great plumes of incense, that she’s fervently worshipped with devotional hymns, candles, and flowers.
Sarnath
A stone’s throw from Varanasi, the deer park at Sarnath is where the Buddha first shared his
four noble truths, offering the road to liberation from suffering. Thousands of Buddhists journey
here from across the world in search.
Palitana
The first Jain Tirthankara, or Ford Maker, meditated upon the hills of Palitana in Gujarat some 2,500 years ago. This inspired subsequent Jains to construct more than 900 marble and stone temples here, making it the largest complex in the world.
Rishikesh
Rishikesh might have gained fame thanks to The Beatles, who settled at the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram in the 1960s, but its holy reputation far precedes its celebrated visitors. Monks and holy men have been pilgrimaging to these shores on the Ganges for centuries in search of higher wisdom.
Feature images © Alexander Reshnya/iStock; mazzzur/iStock; DimaBerkut/iStock; erikhaze/iStock; hadynyah/iStock
