5 Famous Religious Places in North India

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North India is dotted with numerous significant religious destinations that draw pilgrims from far and wide. The religious glory and mythical gravity associated with each of these destinations is simply matchless. To know about the top Religious places in North India, read on-

Vaishno Devi
Vaishno Devi shrine perched at an elevation of 5300ft above the sea level on Trikuta parvat range is a cave shrine dedicated to Mata Shakti or Goddess Durga. This ancient pilgrimage destination falls in Jammu’s Katra region. The cave enshrines three revered pindis, that of Mata Maha Kali, Maha Laxmi and Maha Saraswati. The pindi of Mahakali is symbolic of the supreme power of dissolution, the pindi of Maha Lakhsmi is symbolic of the supreme power of maintenance and that of Maha Saraswati is symbolic of the supreme power of Creation. A laborious 13kms of trek uphill can take you to the Shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi, the Goddess who showers all her devotees with countless blessings.

Amarnath
Amarnath, the cave shrine belonging to Lord Shiva or Amarnath Ji is located high up in the Himalayas at an elevation of 3888 meters. Lord Shiva is enshrined here in the form of an ice stalagmite that quite magically waxes as well as wanes with the changing shapes of the Moon. According to legends, Lord Shiva disclosed the secret of immortality to his consort, Parvati within the cave of Amarnath. A 46 kms of trek from Pahalgam base camp takes one to the Amarnath shrine . Pilgrims undertake yatra to the holy cave of Amarnath ji in the month of Shravan.

Haridwar
Haridwar, an ancient city of Uttarakhand is significant both as a pilgrimage destination and as a centre of learning. The famous Kumbh Mela is held at Haridwar along with three other destinations of the country at an interval of every 12 years. Mythological beliefs hold that after the churning of the primordial ocean, the Gods and demons had a fierce fight over the pitcher of immortal nectar. During the fight, few drops of nectar fell on the ground at Haridwar, Allahabad , Nashik, Ujjain-the four major sites where Kumbh mela is held. Haridwar’s ‘Har ki pauri’ ghat, the Ganga aarti at Har ki pauri, temples like Maya Devi temple, Chandi Devi temple, Mansa Devi temple, Daksha Mahadev, Parad Shivling, Sapt Rishi ashram are major attractions for tourists and pilgrims alike. During the 19^th century the Arya Samaj reformation movement gained in a strong foothold at Haridwar and Gurukul, Haridwar’s famous school for Vedic studies came into being.

Rishikesh
This holy town set against the banks of River Ganges comes with a serene, untainted environment. Scores of ashram, Yoga and meditation centers plus centers of Vedic studies temples and other sacred spots make Rishikesh a haven for all spiritual seekers.Once you are at Rishikesh, you must pay visits to the major attractions of Rishikesh like Triveni ghat, Neel kanth Mahadev temple, Laxman jhula, Parmarth Niketan, Shivpuri, Swarg Ashram, Beatles Ashram, Kaudiyala, Jumping Heights.

Vanarasi
Varanasi houses nearly 2000 temples among which the most famous is the Kashi Vishwanath temple, an abode of Lord Shiva. Varanasi, the sacred town of Uttar Pradesh is laid out against the banks of River Ganges and is believed to have all the power to absolve one’s sins and lead one to Moksha. Thus pilgrims make a bee line to Varanasi to get rid of all their mortal sins and take a dip in the holy Ganges. Several funeral rites are performed on the banks of the Ganges all day long to offer spiritual salvation to the souls of the dead. Varanasi is also famous for the traditional Benarasi sarees and the very authentic Benaras pan.

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