India is known to be one of the most spiritual countries in the world. With such a diverse range of religious flourishing here in harmony, along with a very sentimental and spiritual population, India boasts of the kind of secularism and tolerance that is hard to find in a lot of other countries. From the mountains where you can find spirituality floating in the cold quiet air through the sounds of chantings from nearby shrines, to the overcrowded temples in every corner of the cities that are frequented every day by hordes of people, to the historical monuments that take you back to the past and detail stories of the mysticism and religious divinity that would exist within the walls of every house for generations, India can truly be called the Land of Faith.
Spirituality forms a large part of the tourism industry in India, as this kind of diverse divinity and unity is something unique to this land. Since so many people come to this country to experience a spiritual awakening, a lot of religious destinations have started to be thronged by crowds that wish to experience the peace and serenity it has to offer.
Let us look deeply into 3 of the most popular religious places to visit if you are considering making a trip to this country. We will overlook shrines and temples that belong to different religions so that you can get a full experience of the true secularism of India.
Golden Temple In Amritsar
Also known as the Suvarna Mandir or Harmandir Sahib, this beautifully breath-taking temple is something that will make you awe-struck. It is golden-gilded and creates a beautiful reflection in the lake below. It was built by the fourth Sikh Guru, Ramdas Sahibji, this is a charming Sikh temple that must be experienced with your own eye to truly appreciate the beauty. The surrounding area has hordes of people walking around, and you will certainly feel at peace with the world when you sit near the bank of the lake to meditate.
Ajmer Sharif In Ajmer
This is the residing place of the spiritual leader Khwaja Moinuddin Chisthi, who lay in peace here, listening to his follower’s prayers and fulfilling them. You will be taken over by a feeling of serenity the minute you walk through the Dargah gates, and it is sure to captivate your heart and impress you with the different kinds of people from different religions who come here to pay their respects to this shrine and ask for their prayers to be fulfilled. As this is a shrine, it will usually be crowded, but it is definitely worth a visit.
Vaishno Devi Temple, Jammu & Kashmir
From the Trikuta Hills in Jammu, this beautiful shrine is situated on top of a hill as the abode of Mata Vaishnodevi and only the most devoted followers would be able to trek up the arduous hill and make their way up to the temple to pay their respects and worship this goddess. If you wish, you can trek up the mountainous area to make your way to the temple and it will take you about a 5-hour trek, and then walk back down. However, if you do not wish to trek up physically, the government has arranged for helicopter services that can be pre-booked online, so you can simply sit in the helicopter as it takes you up or down the mountain. It is said, however, that the most religious or spiritual people always climb up the mountain as a sign of their devotion.
