Himalayan Pilgrimage
The Himalayas serves different purpose for different people. For some it is a holiday destinations with exotic and picturesque locations, for an adventure sports buff it is the ultimate adventure destination and for a spiritual and holy person it is the abode of god. It is the home for Hindu's most important spiritual centers. For most of the people it is the mountain range with the highest peaks of the world but for a holy person it is much more than that. It is the place for his or her faith and religion. According to Hindu religion the Himalayas is the abode of Lord Shiva. Lots of legends are associated with Himalayas in the Hindu mythology.
Different places in the Himalayas showcases different styles of temple architecture. The isolate valleys and high ranges have temples and shrines of different styles. For centuries Himalayas is the home for some sacred pilgrimage site. Some of the important Pilgrimage centers are Kailash Mansarovar and the Holy Mountain in Tibet.
Char Dham, which is considered, as one of the most important holy destinations of the Hindus comprises of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri. Not only for the Hindus the Himalayas is also a holy destination for the Buddhists and Muslims. In the Trans-Himalayan regions there are monasteries, the most famous is the Thiksay monastery, which resonates with an ambience of peacefulness and serenity. Then there is Buddhist Gompas, Jamia mosque, Moravian church, etc to name a few. There is the famous Amarnath Yatra. It is a form of trekking to the Amarnath Caves, which is considered as one of the holiest place of the Hindus. Another important pilgrimage destination is Vaishno Devi, an abode of Indian goddess, centered at Trikutta hills in the Jammu Kashmir. The best time to visit these destinations is between March and July. Other important temples are the Ban Ganga temple, Bhumika temple, Charan paduka and Ardh Kumari. Other India pilgrimage tour destinations are in Dharamsala, Lahaul and Spiti, Leh-Ladak, Zanskar, Gangtok, Rishikesh, Sarahan, Bhutan, Tibet and Kathmandu.
For the rest of the world Himalayas is a mountain range that encloses the Highest peaks of the world. For the thrill seekers, Himalayas is the ultimate adventure sports destination. And for the tourists they have the most exotic and picturesque holiday resorts found on earth. But for the pilgrims they are the most sacred and revered mountain ranges in the world. From ancient times these holy mountains were considered the abode of Lord Shiva. It was here in the mist shrouded crags of these mystic ranges that the legends and myths of Hinduism were born and thrive to this day.
Drive along ancient pilgrim trails, visit the remote Himalayan temples and shrines and experience the serenity and tranquillity of the Himalayas. Travel on the same trail used by pilgrims for centuries to visit sacred pilgrimage site such as Kailash Mansarovar, the Holy Mountain in Tibet and the Char Dhams Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri. In the Trans-Himalayan regions the Monasteries, often built on steep slopes, still dominate social life and religious practices that continues in much the same way.
In the Indian sub conscious, most of the spiritual energies emanate from the Himalayas as some of the most sacred spiritual centres are located here and countless legends are associated with these mountain ranges.
The devotees believe that the Sacred river Ganga which flows through the plains of India first falls on the head of Lord Shiva to soften its impact on earth and thereafter runs through the mountains after which it enters the plains giving life to the regions it flows through. The outside world however knows only of the tallest peaks of Himalaya. In today's age it is said that man has conquered a peak when he ascends on it. The pilgrims, however, interact with the mountains in a different manner as you can see in the case of devotees of Lord Shiva who circumambulate the Mount Kailasa to pay homage to the Lord. Those who are in search of the ultimate knowledge are naturally attracted towards the Himalayas.
Pilgrimage is an all encompassing human religious behaviour which is practiced by all cultures. Therefore India is no exception when it comes to pilgrimages. There are holy sites galore in India all of which are either associated with the amazing feats accomplished by Gods or pious rivers or the presence of holy personalities. The Puranas (ancient Hindu texts) have several sections which tell us about the existence of sacred places where the devotees should visit to pay homage to Gods. With the rapid development in the modes of transportation today, the number of people undertaking these pilgrimages has grown exponentially.
Different places in the Himalayas showcases different styles of temple architecture. The isolate valleys and high ranges have temples and shrines of different styles. For centuries Himalayas is the home for some sacred pilgrimage site. Some of the important Pilgrimage centers are Kailash Mansarovar and the Holy Mountain in Tibet.
Char Dham, which is considered, as one of the most important holy destinations of the Hindus comprises of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri. Not only for the Hindus the Himalayas is also a holy destination for the Buddhists and Muslims. In the Trans-Himalayan regions there are monasteries, the most famous is the Thiksay monastery, which resonates with an ambience of peacefulness and serenity. Then there is Buddhist Gompas, Jamia mosque, Moravian church, etc to name a few. There is the famous Amarnath Yatra. It is a form of trekking to the Amarnath Caves, which is considered as one of the holiest place of the Hindus. Another important pilgrimage destination is Vaishno Devi, an abode of Indian goddess, centered at Trikutta hills in the Jammu Kashmir. The best time to visit these destinations is between March and July. Other important temples are the Ban Ganga temple, Bhumika temple, Charan paduka and Ardh Kumari. Other India pilgrimage tour destinations are in Dharamsala, Lahaul and Spiti, Leh-Ladak, Zanskar, Gangtok, Rishikesh, Sarahan, Bhutan, Tibet and Kathmandu.
For the rest of the world Himalayas is a mountain range that encloses the Highest peaks of the world. For the thrill seekers, Himalayas is the ultimate adventure sports destination. And for the tourists they have the most exotic and picturesque holiday resorts found on earth. But for the pilgrims they are the most sacred and revered mountain ranges in the world. From ancient times these holy mountains were considered the abode of Lord Shiva. It was here in the mist shrouded crags of these mystic ranges that the legends and myths of Hinduism were born and thrive to this day.
Drive along ancient pilgrim trails, visit the remote Himalayan temples and shrines and experience the serenity and tranquillity of the Himalayas. Travel on the same trail used by pilgrims for centuries to visit sacred pilgrimage site such as Kailash Mansarovar, the Holy Mountain in Tibet and the Char Dhams Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri. In the Trans-Himalayan regions the Monasteries, often built on steep slopes, still dominate social life and religious practices that continues in much the same way.
Abode of the Gods
They inspire awe when you get close to the Himalayas yet the mountains are divinely benign when it comes to taking you in their fold. Anything related to the Himalayas is massive in scale be it the formation of the mountain ranges or the overlapping of the huge tectonic plates on the earth's surface. All these factors culminate in the formation of some of the tallest of Himalayan peaks which it seems pluck the snow from the sky and thus become the source of some of the most pious and perennial rivers of the plains below. The existence of Himalayas is therefore like magic which makes the place abode of the Gods.In the Indian sub conscious, most of the spiritual energies emanate from the Himalayas as some of the most sacred spiritual centres are located here and countless legends are associated with these mountain ranges.
The devotees believe that the Sacred river Ganga which flows through the plains of India first falls on the head of Lord Shiva to soften its impact on earth and thereafter runs through the mountains after which it enters the plains giving life to the regions it flows through. The outside world however knows only of the tallest peaks of Himalaya. In today's age it is said that man has conquered a peak when he ascends on it. The pilgrims, however, interact with the mountains in a different manner as you can see in the case of devotees of Lord Shiva who circumambulate the Mount Kailasa to pay homage to the Lord. Those who are in search of the ultimate knowledge are naturally attracted towards the Himalayas.
Pilgrimage is an all encompassing human religious behaviour which is practiced by all cultures. Therefore India is no exception when it comes to pilgrimages. There are holy sites galore in India all of which are either associated with the amazing feats accomplished by Gods or pious rivers or the presence of holy personalities. The Puranas (ancient Hindu texts) have several sections which tell us about the existence of sacred places where the devotees should visit to pay homage to Gods. With the rapid development in the modes of transportation today, the number of people undertaking these pilgrimages has grown exponentially.
