Travel to India on Pilgrimage Tours to India and experience the spiritual atmosphere of destinations as varied as the mountainous sites of Hardwar, Rishikesh, Vaishno Devi, Amarnath and Dharamshala in the Himalayas and the seaside pilgrimage destinations such as Puri, Rameshwaram and Kanyakumari in the south. From Somnath in the West to Kamakhya in the East, India abounds in pilgrimage destinations.

When you travel across India you will find there are many Hindu holy destinations in different parts of the country. Pilgrims travel to these destinations year round and on special auspicious occasions to express their devotion. Share this spiritual experience as you travel on a Hindu religious pilgrimage across India.

The city of temples is situated on the right bank of the mythical river Sarayu. It is believed to be the birthplace of Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It is known for its many famous temples and is one of the locations for the Kumbha Mela, a Hindu sacred occasion and the largest religious gathering on Earth.

Varanasi, or Benaras, is one of the oldest living cities in the world. Varanasi's prominence in Hindu mythology is virtually unrivalled. Varanasi, is also known as Kashi (Derived from the root 'Kas' - to shine) or the city of spiritual light. Varanasi is also renowned for its heritage of music, arts, crafts education and silk weaving.

Buddhism, one of the world's great religions and pilgrimage traditions. There are between four and sixteen principal Buddhist pilgrimage sites, with the most important located primarily in the Ganges Valley of India. The most important place of Buddhist pilgrimage is Lumbini, located near the Nepal-India border. This is where Gautam Buddha was born to a royal family in 556 B.C.E. Although largely destroyed now, these remain important marks of the Buddha's birthplace. Other commemorative monuments to the spread in Buddhism in India include Sanchi, Bharhut, Amaravati, and Nagarjunakonda where great Buddhist stupas and Buddhist university sites remain. India also boosts the famous Buddhist Cave Temples, Ajanta, Ellora, Kanheri and Karli located in western India.

The Glorious and Almighty Allah has made pilgrimage an emblem of Islam, a place where people can find rest, peace and hope. He says : "Those who have the means and ability, pilgrimage is an obligation laid down by Allah. The disbelievers should know that Allah is independent of His creatures". In this Divine trade they are securing benefits of per- forming His worship and hastening towards the promised land of forgiveness and blessings. In 725 AD, Arab conquerors established states in Sind at the mouth of the Indus River and along the Indian coast of the Arabian Sea. New invasions from Afghanistan began during the 12th century. Today, Islam is practiced by about 14% of the population. Muslims believe in one God--Allah, one prophet--Muhammad, and one holy

book--the Quran. Muslims pay a holy visit to the famous Jama Masjid as well as to the Dargah of Sufi saint Nizamuddin Aulia. Another famous holy site for muslims is Ajmer and a visit to the Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti.

Amongst all the Jain temples, Palitana temples are considered to be the most sacred. Located on Shetrunjaya hills there are 863 temples, exquisitely carved in marble. No one is allowed to sleep overnight including the priest, because the temple city has been built as an abode for the Gods. The town is considered by many Jains to be more important than the temple covered hills of Bihar, Gwalior, Mt Abu and Girnar. Palitana was the capital of a princely state of the Gohil Rajput clan. It is also one of the greatest tourist attractions in Gujarat for foreign tourists.