Pilgrimage

Tirupati temple

Location : 67-km from Chittoor in Chittoor district
Famous For : Architecture and Festivals
Ideal Time To Visit : October To March

A Sacred Monument
Considered as the most sacred and the richest temple in the world, Tirupati temple is situated in the town of Tirupati. It is located 67-km away from Chittoor in Chittoor district of southern Andhra Pradesh. Also known as Tirupati Balaji Temple, it is a major pilgrimage center of south India. Besides, Tirupati also focous on other attraction of this place, the ancient and famous shrine of Sri Venkateswara, the Lord of Seven Hills are worth a viist.

The temple is located on a hill at Tirumala. It is a conglomeration of seven hills known as Seshachalam or Venkatachalam having an height of 853m (2,800ft.) above the sea level. The temple boasts of a vibrant and colorful culture also speaking volumes about its grand past. It is an important pilgrimage center, where devotees stand for long hours waiting to get a glance of the presiding deity.

Highlight of The Temple
The temple is the most popular and most visited temples in India. Being situated on a hill of Tirumala, it is climbed up by pilgrims, which is not an easy task.
Sri Venkataswara temple or the Tirupati temple is the richest temple in India. It is said that people drop bags of diamonds at the feet of Sri Venkataswara. Devotees flock this temple in huge numbers. In fact there are two lines to enter the temple, one is a free line, where you don' t pay anything to get a view of the deity. But, for the second line, which takes less time to get a glance of the deity, you have to pay a minimum amount of Rs. 50.

Kedarnath North Indian Temple
The Holy Pilgrimage Centre of Hindus
Altitude : 3,581m
Temperature : Max: 17.9°C, Min: 5.6<°C Distance : 77km from Rudraprayag42km from Badrinath, 228km from Rishikesh

Situated on the banks of the Mandakini River, Kedarnath is one of the four main Hindu pilgrim centres in Uttarakhand (Himalayan Uttara Pradesh). Though mainly famous as a religious centre, this place, surrounded by mountain ranges, also attracts tourists because of its beautiful landscape.

Main Attractioins

The most famous monument of Kedarnath is the Kedarnath Temple. It is dedicated to Shiva(Destroyer in the Hindu Holy Trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer) who is worshipped mainly in the form of a linga(symbolic phallus of Shiva). The jyotirlinga(the phallus of light) in this temple is one of the twelve jyotirlingasthroughout India, which makes Kedarnath one of the most sacred Hindu cities. The difference between a jyotirlingaand an ordinary lingais that while the former derives power from within itself, the latter is invested with mantra-shakti(power of a verse or phrase that has magical efficiency) by priests. Legend has it that the Temple was built by the Pandavas(the heroes of the epic, Mahabharata) to redeem themselves for the sins they had committed during the Bharata War (for more detail about the Bharata War see Ancient Scriptures). Going by this reckoning, the temple must be very ancient, probably dating back to the pre-Christian era. But evidence shows that it was built in the 8th century a.d. As a matter of fact, in the 8th centurya.d., the temple was reconstructed and renovated by Shankaracharaya (for more detail see History of Kerala) who also established a matha(Hindu monastic establishment) at Badrinath.

As the temple is located on the snowy heights of the Himalayas, the entrance into the temple is restricted throughout winter. Therefore, it is open six months a year, from May to October.

Buddhism

Introduction
Though more widespread in East Asia, Buddhism was kindled to life in India.
Siddhartha, who was later known as the Buddha or the Enlightened One, was born a prince in the kingdom of Lumbini, in the foothills of the Himalayas. At his birth, the royal astrologer prophesied that Siddhartha would either become a great king or renounce everything in the search of wisdom that can overcome suffering and misery. There would be three turning points in his life – three sights of suffering – that would prompt him to renounce worldly pleasure.

In a bid to prevent this, Siddhartha’s father, King Shuddodhana, brought him up in the lap of luxury without as much as a shadow of misery or real life touching him. But as prophesied, Siddhartha saw the three signs of suffering: sickness, old age and death. One night he stole away from the palace to seek out famous masters. He beseeched them to explain to him the cause of sorrow but could not find the answer. Next, he observed the austerities of ascetics but gained no insights. He became extremely weak in body and mind, and realized that wisdom could not be attained through self-mortification.

At last, meditating under a banyan tree (this is why the banyan tree is revered by Hindus) near Gaya, he attained Boddhi (illumination). Prince Siddhartha had finally become the Buddha, the fully awakened one. and the tree that sheltered him came to be known as the Boddhi tree.

After becoming enlightened, Gautama Buddha could have immediately released himself from the cycle of rebirths and attained moksha. But he first decided to share his wisdom with others.

Buddhism divides its faithful into two sects, Mahayana (Greater Ferry) and Hinayana (Lesser Ferry). Hinayana, the original Buddhist faith, endorses the actual preachings of the Buddha, emphasising that Buddha was not god but simply a mortal who attained moksha. Hinayana monastries and stupas do not have an image of the Lord ; instead the Buddha is represented by symbols like his footprints or an empty throne.

Mahayana is the more widely accepted faith, an offshoot of the original Buddhist teachings. Mahayana Buddhists worship the Buddha as god and put great emphasis on rituals. However, both sects incorporate teaching from Hinduism and places love and compassion at par with knowledge as the means to moksha. Some of the major are Bodhyaga, Nalanda, Ratagiri.

Birla Mandir
Also Known As Lakshmi-Narayan Mandir
Also Known As Birla Mandir

Strictly speaking, this structure is not part of the New Delhi Lutyens designed. Famous Birla Mandir in Delhi is essentially a Hindu temple which came up alongside with New Delhi and has therefore been pegged with it. Popularly known as the Birla Mandir, it is the first of the temples built across the country by the industrial family of Birla. Located just off Connaught Place on Mandir Marg, it is dedicated to Vishnu, the second of the Hindu Trinity of creator-preserver-destroyer, and his consort Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth.

The Most Important Temples of Hindus
Built in 1938, famous Birla Mandir in Delhi was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi (Father of the Indian Nation) on the express condition that people of all castes and especially untouchables would be allowed in. (Refer to section People). Consequently a plaque at the gate reiterates that people of all faiths and classes are welcome. Till date, it remains one of the most popular temples in Delhi.

Lotus Temple - Modern Temple of Delhi

Lotus Temple - a modern of Delhi is one such temple that facilitates the Bhai's Faith of Worship. The Baha’i House of Worship is dedicated to the oneness of all religions and mankind. Subsidiary buildings that afford relief to the suffering, sustenance to the poor, shelter to the wayfarer, solace to the bereaved and education to the ignorant will abound around the House of Worship.

There is no clergy in the Baha’i Faith and its service consists of prayers and readings of selections from Baha’i scriptures, and religious texts of the other faiths of the world.

The Bahai's Faith
The Baha’is lay great emphasis on prayer and meditation. These, they believe are important instruments for the progress of the human soul, both in this world and the next. The Baha’is pray to one God, the Creator of the Universe.

The act of praying is described as ‘Conversation with God’.Meditation is perceived as the ‘Key for opening the doors of mysteries’. In that state, man withdraws himself from all outside objects and immerses himself in the ocean of spiritual life.

In the Baha’i Holy Writings, there are prayers for all occasions. Prayers can be offered individually or collectively. Great importance is given to prayers as is revealed in all the Scriptures.

However, the Baha’i Writings specify that the mere act of praying is not sufficient. The inspiration drawn from one's prayers must be translated into action that promotes the well being of humanity.

Jain Temples
The innumerable Jain Shrines that dot in India speak of a myriad intimate association with the lives and activities of the Jain Tirthankars (Jain religious preachers), who spread the message of peace, non violence, love and enlightenment.

It is this that has attracted and moulded the sentiments of millions of people across the nation as well as the world. Today, around 3.2 million Jain devotees live in India. India holds immense attraction for all those who desire to see the great Jain architectural splendour, and to know and understand the teachings of the great Tirthankars- the liberated souls who, through hard penance, freed themselves from the cycle of birth and rebirth. And, offered to humanity the recourse to salvation, freedom from the ocean of Phenomenal Existence and liberation from the Cycle of rebirth through Jainism.
The essence of this great religion and its preaching is palpable in the cave temples, in the elaborately decorated carved stones and in the numerous illustrated manuscripts. Spread across Uttar Pradesh, these religious places are some of the best destination options for tourists and pilgrims. To explore history, religion, art and culture of the Jains in a state of pure bliss.