Your Journey to the 15 Religious Places In India

India is a land infused with history culture and heritage since the ancient era. This rich culture and heritage are very well embraced with our religion and the religious places. The country has several temples and places representing religious significance and art and architectural diversity.

must visit religious places in India

This article will provide knowledge of some of the most prominent religious places in India.

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Famous Religious Places in India

Vaishno Devi Temple

In the lap of the Shivalik ranges and Trikuta mountains the temple is located, devoted to the goddess of the devi Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and Mahasaraswati. The temple celebrates the power and divinity of devi maa. It is 13 km from the Katra base camp in the district Reasi of Jammu.

It is considered one of the most pious and holy sites of the Hindus in India. The goddesses are present in the caves. the temple is at 1500 feet about 12-13 km of trek. the trek for the temple starts from the base camp at Katra. The journey to the Vaishno Devi temple is challenging due to the high altitude.

• How to reach Vaishno Devi: The nearest railway station to reach Katra is Udhampur Jammu. The nearby airport is Jammu airport which is 50 km from Katra. The bus services are available at Bangan Bus stand.
• What is Vaishno Devi famous for? The other popular place apart from the main temple is Bhaironath temple and the famous Langer that serves Rajma Chawal to the pilgrims.
• Best time to visit Vaishno Devi?: Although any time of the year is best to visit but most preferable time is from September to October.

Kedarnath

Credit: Kreately

Kedarnath, the heaven on earth is a temple dedicated to lord Shiva the supreme entity. The Kedarnath is one of the Twelve Jyotirlingas of India it is the most respected pilgrimage center of north India. Kedarnath is one of the Char Dham Yatra and plays an important role in Hindu culture and religion.

Beautiful scenic views and nature surround Kedarnath. The tall range of snow-capped mountains of the Gangotri glacier and the Himalayas, the greenery. The trek for the temple began from the Gaurikund and the distance is 16 km long which takes about 7-8 hours to complete.

• How to reach Kedarnath? The nearby airport is the Jolly Grant International Airport which is about 239km from Kedarnath, The nearby bus stand is the Sonprayag bus stand which is 13.8km from Kedarnath.
• What is Kedarnath famous for? The most popular attraction is the temple but along with the temple, the other must-visited spot is Vasuki Tal a glacial-formed lake situated at a high altitude and surrounded by eye-catching snowcapped mountains and pleasant weather.
• Best time to visit? The best time to visit is from April to June.

Mathura 

The birthplace of Lord Krishna is Mathura, Mathura is a revered city in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It is also known as Janma Bhoomi where Shree Krishna was born in exile. It’s surrounded by the Yamuna River and the 25 ghats. One of the oldest and most well-known temples of Mathura is Dwarkadhish temple.

Millions of devotees pay a visit to Mathura. The city is completely devoted to lord Krishna, and every corner of the city showcases their love and fondness towards the god. The other key attractions in Mathura are the delectable sweets and sweet lassi.

• How to reach Mathura? The nearest railway stations are Mathura Junction and Mathura Cantt which is 4 km away. The nearby airport is Agra Airport which takes 47.8 km to reach Mathura. The nearest bus station is the Mathura bus stand which is 3.1 km.
• What is Mathura famous for? The Mathura is famous for the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi and several other temples. The Yamuna Ghat is the most popular Vishram ghat.
• Best time to visit Mathura? The best time to visit Mathura is between October and March as the weather is quite pleasant then.

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Vrindavan

Vrindavan another holy town related to lord Krishna is 11.6 km away from the birthplace of Shri Krishna Mathura. It is believed that Lord Krishna had spent most of his childhood in Vrindavan with his friends.

The temples in Vrindavan are dedicated to lord Krishna and Shri Radha Rani. the city of Vrindavan depicts the true love and faith that they both had for each other. Vrindavan has some of the most artistic and divine temples such as Bankey Bihari, Radha Vallabh temple Prem Mandir and Kirti Mandir.

• How to reach Vrindavan? The nearest railway station to Vrindavan is Mathura junction and Mathura Cantt which takes about 30 to 40 mins to reach Vrindavan by road. The nearest airport to Vrindavan is Agra Airport which is 72.4 km far from Vrindavan.
• what is Vrindavan famous for? Mostly the magnificent temples are the main attraction of Vrindavan but the other popular things are the milk items like lassi, Maakhan, etc.
• Best time to visit Vrindavan? The Best time to visit Vrindavan is from October to March.

Puri

Puri is another prominent centre of pilgrimage site in India. It is located in the state of Odisha which shares its coastline with the massive Bay of Bengal, Puri is the home of the marvellous Jagganath temple. Jagganath temple is dedicated to lord Jagganath the incarnation of lord Vishnu

Puri also comes in the Chaar Dhaam yatra, including Dwarika, Badrinath, and Rameshwaram. Every year the temple celebrates about 148 festivities in the month of Asadh, One such festival is the famous Rathyatra.

• How to reach Puri? The nearest railway station is Puri railway station which is 2.6 km away. The closest airport to Puri is Bhubaneshwar Biju Patnaik International Airport which is 59.9 km from Puri. The Puri bus stand is about 1.7 km from the temple.
• What is Puri famous for? The world-famous Rathyatra, The golden beach, and the world heritage site Konark sun temple.
• Best time to visit Puri? The best time to visit Puri is from October to March.

Somnath

The Somnath temple is located on the Western coast in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. It is the first Jyotirlingas of the Twevlth Jyotarlinga of lord Shiva. The temple was built by the god of moon Somraj in gold, again the temple was rebuilt by Ravana in silver.

The temple was looted and attacked by Mahmud Ghazni of Afghanistan, The temple was reconstructed several times after its destruction by the Muslim and Portuguese invaders. The present temple was built in the Chaulkaya style of architecture in May 1951. The amicable surroundings of Somnath temple are must must-visit in Gujarat.

• How to reach Somnath? The nearest railway station is Veraval which is just 7 km away from Somnath, The nearest airport is Diu Airport which is 79.8 km away from Somnath. The nearby bus stand is ST Depot in Veeraval which is 7.6 km.
• What is Somnath famous for? The Triveni ghat of Somnath, also known as Triveni Sangam of West confluences of three pious rivers- Saraswati, Hiranya, and Kapila is a must-visit when in Somnath.
• Best time to visit Somnath? The best time to visit Somnath is between October to March. The weather is pleasant at that time.

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Dwarka

Dwarka is another significant pilgrimage site for Hindus in India. The major draw for the visitors is the Dwarkadhish temple. It is presumed that the temple was established by the great-grandson of lord Krishna Vajranabh in the 15 century BC. It is believed that lord Krishna shifted to Dwarka and changed his capital from Mathura to build a new city and kingdom.

As per the legends, this ancient city was submerged under the water in the Arabian Sea. The present-day Dwarka is one of the several sacred places in India. The other important temple is Rukmini Devi temple in Dwarka which is 2 km away from the Dwakadhish temple.

• How to reach Dwarka? The nearest airport to Dwarka is Jamnagar Airport which is 137 km away and the nearby railway station to reach Dwarka is the Dwarka railway station which is about 2 km far from Dwarka city. Dwarka bus stand is 3 km from the Dwarkadhish temple.
• What is Dwarka famous for? Dwarka beach is the main attraction in Dwarka.
• Best time to visit Dwarka? The perfect time to visit Dwarka is between November to February, also in Janmashtami.

Ayodhya

The birthplace of lord Shri Ram is Ayodhya in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It is situated on the banks of the holy river of Saryu. The ancient name of Ayodhya is Saket, the birthplace of lord Shri Ram Ayodhya is considered to be the first out of seven pilgrim sites for Hindus.

Recently on January 22, 2024, the PranPratishtha or Consecration ceremony took place by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Further, the temple was opened after this ceremony for the devotees and visitors. Although the construction of the whole premises is not completed yet.

• How to reach Ayodhya? The nearest Airport to reach is Maharishi Valmiki International Airport which was recently launched, it is 9.5 km away from the Ayodhya Temple. The nearby railway station is Ayodhya Dham Junction which is 1.5 km. The closest bus station is Faizabad city bus depot which is 6.5 km.
• What is Ayodhya famous for? Ayodhya is popular for Ram Mandir (temple) and the Saryu ghat.
• Best time to visit Ayodhya? The best time to visit Ayodhya is from October to March.

Amritsar

Amritsar City is located in the northwestern state of Punjab. It is an important religious site for the believers of Sikhism. The Harmindar Sahib famously known as The Golden Temple is situated in the Amritsar the site of the temple was completed by the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das.

The religious scripture of Sikhs The Granth Sahib is preserved inside the temple. The Gurudwara symbolizes the beliefs and thoughts of Sikhism by welcoming people without any religious discrimination.

• How to reach Amritsar? The visitors can reach Amritsar by flight through Sri Guru Ram Dass Airport which is 10.9 km from Amritsar. The nearest railway station is Amritsar Junction. Amritsar also has well-functioning bus services from ISBT Meharpura bus station 1.7km from Amritsar city.
• What is Amritsar famous for? Amritsar has some places to explore such as Jallianwala Bagh, and Wagha Border an international border between India and Pakistan.
• Best time to visit Amritsar? The best time to visit Amritsar is from September to February.

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Bodhgaya

Bodhgaya is a religious site dedicated to the founder and the propagator of Buddhism lord Gautam Buddha. It is located in the district of Gaya in Bihar. Bodhgaya is one of the most important pilgrim sites for the followers of Buddhism.

Bodhgaya holds a very prominent place in Buddhism. It is the site where the Buddha attained enlightenment or Nirvana beneath the sacred tree later called the Bodhi tree. The place has now been developed into the Mahabodhi temple.

• How to reach Bodhgaya? Gaya Airport is the nearest Airport 17 km away from Bodhgaya. The nearby railway station also in Gaya takes 13 km to reach Bodhgaya. Bihar Bus services also operate from Gaya bus stand to Bodhgaya which is 12 km away.
• What is Bodhgaya famous for? Apart from being an important site for Buddhist followers, Bodhgaya is also important to Hindus as the last ritual of the person in Hinduism is also practised in Gaya.
• Best time to visit Bodhgaya? The best time to visit Bodhgaya is between October to February.

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple

Ranganatha temple is in Srirangam, Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu. This temple is devoted to Ranganatha who is believed to be an incarnation of Vishnu. It is constructed in the architectural style of Dravadians and is the most functioning Hindu temple in India.

The temple was constructed by the Chola dynasty ruler Dharmavarma. The temple was destroyed by some natural calamity and was rebuilt by the early Cholas king Kallivalvan which is the present-day temple complex.

• How to reach Ranganathaswamy Temple? The nearest railway station is Srirangam railway station which is 1.7 km from the temple. The nearby Airport is Tiruchirappalli Airport which is 16km from the temple. The closest Bus stand is the Srirangam bus stand 1.7 km.
• What is Ranganathswamy Temple famous for? The temple is famous for its astonishing architecture.
• Best time to visit Ranganathswamy Temple? The best time to visit is from November to January.

Varanasi

Varanasi is a holy city situated in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The other name for Varanasi is Banaras and Kashi is also the spiritual capital of India. It is one of the most visited pilgrim cities in India. Varanasi is surrounded by the holy river Ganga.

Kashi Vishwanath temple is devoted to lord Shiva and is one of the most celebrated temples in India is also one of the Jyotirlingas. The deity is known by the name Vishwanath The Lord of Universe. The temple is frequently visited by the devotees.

• How to reach Varanasi? The nearby airport is Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport which is 26.1km from Varanasi. The nearest railway stations are Varanasi Cantt and Manduadih railway station is 2.2km. The closest bus station is the Chaudhary Charan Singh bus stand is 2.1 km away.
• What is Varanasi faous for ? Varanasi is also called the city of temples as every corner of the city, the Ganga ghat arti, and the silk sarees.
• Best time to visit? The best time to visit is from December to March.

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Prayagraj

Prayagraj, earlier named Allahabad is located in Uttar Pradesh. Prayagraj is situated at the confluence of the three consecrated rivers the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical river Saraswati also called Triveni Sangam.

Beside the religious significance, Prayagraj also holds historical importance such as Allahabad Fort and Anand Bhawan. Allahabad University is one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the world.

• How to reach Prayagraj? The nearby airport is Bamrauli Airport which takes 13km to the city. The nearest railway station is Prayagraj Junction which is 4.1 km. The closest bus station is the Civil Lines bus stand which takes 2.9 km.
• What is Prayagraj is famous for? Prayagraj is famous for the Maha Kumbh Mela which is the largest Hindu gathering in the world that happens after twelve years.
• Best time to visit Prayagraj? The finest time to visit Prayagraj is from October to March.

Ujjain

Ujjain is located in Madhya Pradesh it is one of the ancient cities in India. One of the most visited pilgrim sites is also Ujjain. The old Mahakaleshwar temple is one of the Jyotirlinga. The former deity Shiva is in his Lingam form in Swayambhu the self manifested form.

The kalBhairav temple is also one of the sacred temples in Ujjain. The temple’s architecture showcases the blend of beautiful architecture of Hindu and Maratha styles.

• How to reach Ujjain? The nearest airport to reach Ujjain is Indore Airport which is 65 km away from Ujjain. The nearby railway station is Ujjain Junction which is 2.2 km from the city. The closest bus station to reach Ujjain is Nana Kheda bus stand or Deendayal Upadhaya Bus station which is 2.8km.
• What is Ujjain famous for? The Mahakal Lok Corridor is made to preserve the rich ancient culture. The sacred city is also the home of Jantar Mantar of Ujjain also called Ved Shala.
• Best time to visit? The best time to visit Ujjain is October to February.

Shirdi

Shirdi the holiest town in the state of Madhya Pradesh is home to the Sai Baba a spiritual leader who is believed to be the incarnation of God. It is a pilgrim site which many devotees of Sai Baba visit.

Shirdi has Sai Baba Samadhi Sthal which is the main temple. Sai Baba was a spiritual leader who lived his whole life for the betterment and happiness of society he believed in charity and propagated the message of SABKA MAALIK EK.

• How to reach Shirdi? The nearest airport to Shirdi is Nashik International Airport which is 95km from Shirdi. The nearby railway station to Sainagar which is 5 km away from Shirdi. The closest bus station is Shirdi Bus Stand to Shidi is 1.1 km
• What is Shirdi famous for? Sai Teerth Theme Park is one of the attractions in Shirdi.
• Best time to visit? The best time to visit is from November to February as the weather is pleasing.

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India is the realm of faith, culture, and spirituality which are very evident in every part of the country. The peaceful trek to Kedarnath, the holy temple of Vrindavan showcases the divine presence. Start your spiritual exploration by visiting these beautiful religious places in India.

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