India has been the place of origin for many major
religions of the world and has important pilgrimage spots of others. For
centuries, mythology and mystique has swept the land and there are a
number of temples, mosques, monasteries, churches and gurudwaras that
have gained a prominence amongst the most visited places in India. The
legends attached to these abode of gods are not less interesting.
Devotion to Gods and religion is a significant aspect of the lifestyle
of traditional Indians. Hindu pilgrimage tours or 'Tirtha Yatras' are
considered an important way of attaining the salvation. However, people
of all faiths and religions have dreams of visiting the revered spots as
a pilgrim to invoke the blessings of their Gods and obtain forgiveness
for all their sins and escape the divine wrath. The frequent invasions
made India a potpourri of different religions and thus there are
pilgrimage sites for all of them somewhere in India.
Hinduism is said to be the oldest religion in the world and is related
to compassion for all beings, nature worship, harmony of inner-self and
the world outside, self-enlightenment and adaptability to circumstances.
Hindus have sacred shrines all over India where one can get enlightened
by rich moral teachings and legends and relish the architectural beauty
of the past. Tathagat or Gautam Buddha) founded Buddhism. Born in
Lumbini in Nepal, he got enlightenment in Bodhgaya and delivered his
first sermon in Sarnath. Simplicity, renunciation, moderation and
empathy are the core of all Buddhist teachings. Buddhist monasteries or
Gompas in the states of Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh are worth a visit.
Sikhism with its philosophy of simple living and no rituals or
superstitions, promotes values of duty, hard work and unity among its
followers. The important Gurudwaras (Sikh shrimes) include Anandpur
Sahib, Golden Temple and Gurudwara Bangla Sahib. It is said that
Christianity was introduced in India by St. Thomas or Doubting Thomas in
52 AD. Indian Churches have distinct archaeological British, Portuguese,
French and Indian designs. Similarly there are sacred shrines related to
Jainism and Islam too.
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