PILGRIM'S PATH
As the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism, religion underpins the very fabric of everyday life in India. There are vast numbers of holy sites and festivals to help you explore India's spirituality.
​
Please send us an email or complete the Tailor-made Holidays Enquiry Form to help plan your
Tailor-made Pilgrim's Path itinerary!
AMRITSAR
Amritsar, located just 28 kilometres from the Pakistani border, is one of the holiest places in India. At the centre of this old walled town, is the gilded Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib), the holiest gurdwara (religious complex) of the Sikh faith which is visited by thousands of pilgrims every day. A visit to the Golden Temple must include a reading of the sacred Guru Granth Sahib and a sunrise photo of the temple as the sun hits the temple and it is reflected in the Amrit Sarovar tank (lake). Amritsar is also the site of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, one of the most tragic events in India’s more recent history, and the Partition Museum which traces the chronology of the events that led to the Partition of India in 1947, when in effect, divided India into Hindu and Muslim republics. One of the most spectacular rituals of pageantry can be seen each day at sunset the Wagah Border, as a poignant reminder of this time.
VARANASI
Varanasi, Kashi (“the City of Light”) or Benares, as it known, is the holiest city in India for the followers of the Hindu faith. Its history dates back 3,000 years and it is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. Due to its religious significance, it is very popular destination. Around 90 ghats (river access steps) line the banks of the Ganges River for more than six kilometres between countless shrines and temples. Hindus believe that dying in Varanasi is auspicious and that they will be bestowed with instant salvation or moksha (liberation from the continuing cycle of birth and death), so it is common to see cremations along the river bank as worshippers seek eternal peace. A visit to Varanasi must include an early-morning river cruise; as the sun rises over the city, the riverfront is bathed in soft light.
HAMPI
Hampi is the name given to the capital of the last great Hindu Kingdom of Vijayanagar, or the "City of Victory". The ruins of this fabled city are set amongst a landscape of giant boulders and barren hills and is comprised of three main zones - the first is the "sacred centre" and contains the oldest temples with a history of pilgrimage, the second is referred to as the "urban core" or "royal centre" and was the working centre of the city with roads, monasteries and market squares still evident; and the third constitutes the rest of metropolitan Vijayanagara. Whilst the majority of the temples and artwork here are of Hindu origin, there is evidence of Jain temples and a Muslim mosque and tomb indicating that it was an important centre of religious and educational activities.
RISHIKESH
Located in the foothills of the Himalayas , Rishikesh, is an immensely popular destination for yoga and "alternative" travel, with several famous ashrams offering yoga and Ayurvedic courses. Built on the banks of the holy Ganges River, Rishikesh is a pilgrimage city for Hindus with ancient sages (wisdom-seekers) and saints meditating there in search of higher knowledge. Considered the birthplace of yoga, the city gained considerable notoriety following a visit by the Beatles in 1968 where they stayed at a local ashram and composed a number of songs.
