Hindu pilgrimage sites in India
Traditional In Hinduism, the yatra (pilgrimage) to the tirthas (sacred places) has special significance for earning the punya (spiritual merit) needed to attain the moksha (salvation) by performing the darśana (viewing of deity), the parikrama (circumambulation), the yajna (sacrificial fire offering), the Dhyana (spiritual contemplation), the puja (worship), the prarthana (prayer, which could be in the form of mantra - sacred chants, bhajan - prayer singing, or kirtan - collective musical prayer performance), the dakshina (alms and donation for worthy cause), the seva (selfless service towards community, devotees or temple), the bhandara (running volunteer community kitchen for pilgrims), etc.
The Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, India is a Hindu temple, that was inaugurated[4] on 22 January 2024 after a prana pratishtha (consecration) ceremony.
[5][4] In Hindu tradition, this temple is believed to be located at an ancient pilgrimage site of Ram Janmabhoomi, the birthplace of Rama, a principal deity of Hinduism.
[6][7][8] Ayodhya's Ram temple is projected to have 50 million visitors per year, which will make it the top pilgrimage site in the world.
The presiding deity is known by the names Vishwanath and Vishweshwara (IAST: Viśvanātha and Viśveśvara), literally meaning Lord of the Universe.
The temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu, who is believed to have appeared on the earth to save mankind from the trials and troubles of Kali Yuga.
[19] Temple has also recorded the highest number, more than 30 million devotees annually ,which make it the top pilgrimage site in the world.
[25] The temple is governed by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) and has been chaired by the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir since August 1986.
[26] It is one of the most popular Hindu pilgrimage sites in north-west India, with millions of devotees visiting the hill temple annually.
Its importance is given in Devi Bhagwat puran and Brahma puran.Brahmins from kanyakubj are world wide famous and are regularly appointed as the head priest of many hindu temples located in kannauj and north india.
Today this Braj region consist of mathura district of uttar pradesh and some parts of the state of Haryana and Rajasthan.Temples present here are established by the Grandson of Krishna, "Vajranabh".
