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Places of Pilgrimage Copyright © 2017 by Sri Sathya Sai Education in Human Values Trust, , , .

All Rights Reserved. The copy right and the rights of translation in any language are reserved by the Publishers. No part, paragraph, passage, text, photograph or art work of this book should be reproduced, transmitted or utilized, in original language or by translation, in any form or by means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or by any information, storage and retrieval system, except with prior permission, in writing from the Director, Chaitanya Jyoti Museum, Prasanthi Nilayam - 515134, Anantapuramu District, Andhra Pradesh, India

First Edition: July 2017

Published by Sri Sathya Sai Education in Human Values Trust (Maharashtra), Chaitanya Jyoti Museum, Hill View Stadium, Prasanthi Nilayam, Ananthapuramu Dist - 515134, Andhra Pradesh, India. Ph : 08555-289521

Printed at Vaivee Offset Printers, Shop No. 25, A.P.H.B., O.U. Road, Vidyanagar, Hyderabad - 500 044. FOREWORD

This Book indeed is an inspiration to the reader as it gives a composite vision of the most spiritually potent aspects of the pilgrim centres. The description below each picture enhances the spiritual understanding and the Divine beauty of each of these. On going through the Book, I am confident that the dormant spiritual urge of every reader will be ignited and one's journey to achieving awareness of one's inherent Divinity, will be intensified and hastened with joy and bliss.

I have to congratulate Col Bose on this publication, which is a manifestation of his incessant efforts to bring to the common man the message of the Master in a simple and effective way, very much in the attractive manner that he has preserved the beautiful Chaitanya Jyoti Museum at Prasanthi Nilayam. I am deeply impressed with the publication.

Sri Nimish Pandya All India President Sri Sathya Sai Organisation India

Gurupurnima 9/7/2017 Prasanthi Nilayam ABOUT THIS BOOK manifests on in different forms to guide and protect all creation, especially human beings. As once observed, when God first created the Universe, He felt that one thing was missing – and that was an entity, who would understand the purpose of creation and also know, who the creator was. So God created Man and instilled in him three basic urges, I must live, I must know and I must be happy. He also created a system of 4 concepts, which would sustain the human race and guide its functioning. These are, firstly, the concept of the Universal soul (Param Atma), secondly, the concept of the Individual soul (Jeevatma), thirdly, the concept of and transmigration of soul towards perfection through a series of births and deaths and lastly, the concept of or liberation from this endless cycle of births and deaths. God manifests as (i) Nirakar i.e formless (ii) Sakar i.e with form as , Saints, Sages and other Divine Beings, and (iii) Consecrated idols in holy and sacred places. Pilgrimage to these places is very important. Swami has reminded us that in sacred places even if a is chanted without full devotion, it still becomes more potent; the power of the mantra chanted here, is greatly enhanced. It is for this reason that our ancestors laid so much stress on pilgrimage to holy and sacred places. Our country is full of pilgrimage places but due to constraints of space, we could display photographs of only 75 of these in Chaitanya Jyoti. This display has created a surge of interest in our visitors and many wanted to know something of these places. For those pilgrimage places, which could not be included, we beg forgiveness. Holy places pertaining to all major religions have been included to give a broad sweep to the concept of pilgrimage and kindle wide ranging interest in this form of spiritual awakening. With love and humility, we present this book containing photographs and brief descriptions of these 75 places, to our visitors. Col S K Bose (Retd) Director, Chaitanya Jyoti Museum INDEX

1. 39. Parsi Fire , Navasari 2. 40. Ohel David Synagogue 3. The Thikse Monastery 41. 4. Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib 42. Meenakshi Amman Temple 5. Hemis Monastery 43. St. Thomas Mount, 6. 44. Sri Math, Udipi 7. 45. Temple 8. Vaishno 46. Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple 9. Lumbini 47. St. Philomena's Church 10. 48. Arunachaleswara Temple 11. Parashuram Kund 49. Brihadeeswarar Temple 12. Dashashwamedh 50. Bishnupur, Bankura 13. Kushinagar 51. 14. Vishwa Shanti , Rajgir 52. Murudeshwara Temple 15. Shri Digambar Jain 53. Bada Mandir, Hastinapur 54. Sri Krishna Temple 16. Jama Masjid, 55. 17. Hazur Sahib, Nanded 56. Kareng Ghar 18. , New Delhi 57. Naimisharanya 19. Lotus Temple 58. 20. , 59. Salim Chishti 21. Mahakaleshwar Temple 60. Temple, 22. Chitrakoot, 61. Shree Govindajee Temple 23. Dargah Moinuddin Chishti 62. Unakoti 24. Ajanta Caves 63. Virupaksha Temple, Hampi 25. 64. Vivenkananda Rock Memorial 26. Gurudwara Patna Sahib 65. Golden Temple, Amritsar 27. Temple 66. Dakshineswara Temple 28. Dilwara Jain Temple Complex 67. Jain 29. Chitragupta Temple 68. 30. Triambakeshwar Temple 69. Temple 31. Gurudwara Bangla Sahib 70. 32. Haji Ali Dargah 71. 33. Parsi Fire Temple, Udvada 72. 34. Bodh Gaya 73. 35. Belur Math, Kolkata 74. 36. Haji Malang, Kalyan 75. 37. Church St. Francis Xavier, 38. 1. MOUNT KAILASH

Mount Kailash is a striking peak standing in the South West corner of Tibet in the Himalayan Mountains at an elevation of 6638m (21778 ft). It serves as the source of two of the longest rivers in Asia. The Indus and the Brahmaputra. Another local name for the mountain is Tise Mountain (“ Peak” or “River Peak”).

For , it is the home of Lord and a symbol of His Power , the destroyer of ignorance and illusion. In , Kailash is also known as Meru Parvat or Sumeru. Ashtapada the mountain next to Kailash, is the site where the first Jain , Rishavanath attained /Moksha.

Tantrik Buddhists believe that Mount Kailash is also the home of the Buddha Demchok, who represents the Supreme Bliss. The path around Mount Kailash is 52 km. long.

It is here that Shiva gave 5 lingas to to install at different corners of the country, which Adi Shankara did. 2. Amarnath Temple

The sacred Hindu shrine Amarnath Cave, located in and at an altitude of 3888 m (12756 ft), is also dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is located at a distance of 141 km from and can be reached through town, which is 46 km away.

In Amarnath cave, the stalagmite is formed from water drops and grows up vertically from the cave floor, which is revered as a sacred Shiva Linga. It is believed that Queen Suryamati in the 11 th century gifted Trishuls, Banalingas and other sacred emblems to the temple. According to legend the valley of Kashmir was submerged under water and Kashyap Muni drained off the place through a number of rivers and rivulets. After draining off , Muni was the first to have Darshan of Lord Amarnath. When people heard of the , it became an abode of Lord for all believers and became a pilgrimage place.

The temple can only be reached after an arduous trek through steep and winding mountainous slopes. 3. The Thikse Monastery

This monastery is affiliated to the Gelug Sect of Tibetan . It is located at an altitude of 3600 meters (11800 ft) in the Indus valley, approx 19 km east of Leh in Ladakh, India. It is a twelve story complex and houses many items of Buddist art such as , Thangkas, oil paintings and swords.

The main points of interest are the Maitreya Temple installed to commemorate the visit of the 14th Dalai Lama to the monastery in 1970. It has a 15 meters (49ft.) high statue of Maitreya (Future Buddha).A wall at the entrance to the assembly hall depicts murals of the Tibetan Calendar with Bhavachakra, the wheel of Life. The wheel has insignia images of a snake, a bird and a pig that signify ignorance, attachment and aversion. In the early 15th century, the founder of Gelug School, often called “The Yellow Hats”, sent six of his disciples to remote regions of Tibet to spread the teachings of the new school.

This building is also known as Mini Potala because of its architectural similarity to the Potala Palace in Lhasa. 4. Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib Hemkund Sahib is a Sikh place of worship located in Chamoli district of in the , at an altitude of 4632 m (15197 ft). It can be approached from Gobind Ghat on the - Badrinath Highway. This sacred place is dedicated to Gobind Singhji (1666- 1708), the tenth Guru and is also mentioned in Dasam Granth.

With its setting of a glacial lake surrounded by seven mountain peaks, each adorned by a Nishan Sahib on its cliff, Dasam Granth also mentions that at this place Pandu Raja practiced . In addition, Dasam Granth says God ordered Sikh Guru Gobind Singh to take birth while he was in deep meditation at the Hemkund Mountain, because he had an important role and the time had come for it to be played out.

The Gurudwara is also singularly unique for its location in the lofty Himalayas, making it the only one built at an altitude exceeding 15000 ft.The design was done taking into consideration location and altitude and is also the only pentagonal Gurudwara in the world. 5. Hemis Monastery

This is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery of the Drukpa lineage, located in Hemis, Ladakh. Situated 45km from Leh, the monastery was re-established in 1672 by the Ladakh king Sengee Namgyal. Tilopa, the great tantric master, gave his pupil Naropa, 12 “great” and 12 “small” tasks to enlighten him about inherent illusoriness of all things. Naropa is regarded as the 'Abbot of Nalanda University' in today's Bihar. Hemis is famous for another reason. It is here that the Russian explorer, Notovitch was able to persuade the Chief Lama to read aloud to him the sections dealing with Issa (Jesus). It was translated and published as “The Life of Saint Issa. Best of the Sons of Men”. Naropa is considered the founding father of the Kagyu- lineage of Himalayan esoteric Buddhism. The annual Hemis festival honouring Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) is held in early June. It is believed that his life's mission was to improve the spiritual condition of all living beings. The most esoteric of festivities here, are the mystic mask dances. 6. Hazratbal

Hazratbal is situated about 10 km from the city centre of Srinagar. The early settlements in the area occurred on the banks of the and the majority of the population are Hangis (fishermen). After the construction of the Hazratbal Shrine, thousands of people visit every year because many holy relics related to Prophet Muhammed are believed to be there. The name of the shrine comes from the Urdu word 'Hazrat', meaning respected and the Kashmiri word “Bal” meaning place. Thus it means the place which is given high regards and is respected among people. According to legend, the Relic (the Sacred Hair of Prophet Muhammed ) was first brought to India by Syed Abdulla, a descendent of the Prophet, who left Medina and settled in Bijapur, near Hyderabad in 1635.

However, when the Mughal Emperor came to know what had transpired, he had the relic seized and sent to the shrine of Khwaja Mohinuddin Chisti at . He imprisoned Khwaja Nur-ud-Din Eshai in Delhi for possessing the relic. Later realizing his mistake, Aurangzeb decided to restore the relic to him. 7. Haridwar

Haridwar is an ancient and sacred city located in Uttarakhand. It is here that the river , flowing 253 km from its source at Gaumukh, situated at the edge of the Gangotri glacier, enters the plains of . According to legend, Haridwar along with , Nasik and Prayag (), is one of the sites, where a drop of Amrit, the elixir of immortality accidentally spilled over while being carried by , the celestial bird. To celebrate the occasion, Kumbha Mela is celebrated every three years in these four places by turn. Thus each place gets a turn once every twelve years.

During Kumbha Mela, millions of people congregate here to wash away all their sins and attain salvation. The most sacred spot is Har Ki Pauri, where the Amrit actually fell. Haridwar is regarded as one of the seven holiest places () to Hindus. The others are , , Kashi(), Kanchi, Avantika and Dwarka.

Shaivaites and Vaishnavaites call this place Hardwar and Haridwar respectively, corresponding to Hara being Shiva and Hari being . 8. The Holy Shrine of Mata Vaishno Deviji is situated at an altitude of 5200 ft. The pilgrims have to undertake a trek of nearly 14.5 km from the base camp at Katra. At the culmination of their pilgrimage, the yatris see three natural rock formations known as 'Pindies' inside the holy cave. Vaishno Devi, also known as Mata Rani,Trikuta and Vaisnavi, is the manifestation of Mother Goddess Mahalakshmi. She is depicted as very beautiful and dressed in red, holding Trident, bow, arrow, lotus, mace and sword in her eight hands and a hand in Abhaya gesture and riding on a tiger. The journey to the Holy Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Deviji is believed to start with a “Call of Mata”. The Divine Mother sends a call to her children and once a person receives it, wherever he is, has to visit the Mother for her immense love and . A popular slogan in the local folklore expresses it “Ma aap bulandi”, which literally means “Mother Herself Calls”. It is considered to be one of the holiest pilgrimages of our times. 9. Lumbini The Birthplace of Lord Buddha

Lumbini is an important Buddhist pilgrimage site in Rupandehi district of , bordering India. Queen Mayadevi gave birth to Siddharth, who attained Nirvana around 543 BCE. Lumbini was situated between Kapilavastu and Devadaha, (both in Nepal). The present day Lumbini's historic site is 4.8 km long and 1.6km wide. The holy site is bordered by a large monastic zone, in which only monasteries can be built. The eastern zone has Theravadin monasteries and the western zone has Mahayana and Vajrayana ones. The holy site has the ruins of ancient monasteries, the sacred Bodhi tree, bathing pond, the pillar and Mayadevi temple and the Pushkarini, where Devi took a ritual bath before giving birth to Siddharth. The Buddha stayed in Lumbinivana during his visit to Devadaha and there preached the Devadaha Sutta. Lumbini was granted World Heritage status by UNESCO in 1997. Lumbini has a number of temples including the Mayadevi Temple and others which are under construction. Recent excavations at the Mayadevi Temple have uncovered evidence of an older timber structure, which dates back to the Ashokan era. 10. Kamakhya Temple

This , dedicated to Goddess Kamakhya, is situated on the Hill in the western part of city, . This is the oldest of the Peeths and the main temple dedicated to the ten Mahavidyas: , Tara, Tripurasundari (Sodashi), Bhubaneswari Bhairavi, Chhinnamasta, Dhumavati, Bagalamukhi, Matangi and Kamala. Among them, Tripurasundari, Matangi and Kamala are inside the main temple complex, whereas the others are in individual temples located on Nilachal Hills. This is a very important and sacred destination for Tantric worshippers.

The temple was destroyed probably in the 15th Century. The ruins of the temple was said to have been discovered by Viswasingha, the founder of Koch Dynasty, who revived worship at the site. During the reign of his son, Narayanan, the temple was reconstructed and completed in 1565.The reconstruction used material from the original temples that were lying scattered. This temple is important not only to orthodox Hindus, but even more so far as Tantric worshippers. The structure of the temple is unique – a hybrid indigenous style called the Nilachal type. 11. Parshuram Kund

Parashuram Kund is a Hindu pilgrimage centre situated on the eastern end of the Assam Valley. According to legend, Sage married Renuka and they had five sons, the youngest being Parashuram. One day, while bringing water from the river, she saw a Gandharva King, Chitraradha frolicking in the river with his many wives and had a desire of his company. When she recovered her mental balance, she could not shape the pot and returned empty handed. Jamadagni realized what had happened and was furious and ordered his elder sons to kill their mother, but they refused. He turned them into stone and ordered Parashuram, the youngest, to kill his mother. Parashuram carried out his father's orders, and was offered a boon by him. Parashuram asked for his mother and brothers to be brought back to life. This was done. But an unforeseen thing took place. The axe remained stuck to his hands. It is only when he came to Kund and took a dip, that the axe fell from his hands. He threw it as far as he could into the mountains. The spot where it fell became the source of the river Lohit, which flowed into the Kund and beyond, where it was joined by the Siang and became the mighty Brahmaputra and the Kund became known as Parashuram Kund. 12. , Varanasi

Dashashwamedh Ghat is one of the oldest and most spectacular Ghat(river front) located on the bank of river Ganga close to Vishwanath Temple and two Hindu mythologies are associated with it. Lord Brahma created the Ghat to welcome Lord Shiva and the second one depicts that He sacrificed ten horses in a here. (Dash means 10, ashwa mean horse and medh means sacrifice). The sacred place provides a beautiful riverfront view and a large number of and pilgrims can be seen performing various rites. Dashashwamedh Ghat is also famous for performing Ganga Aarti every evening after sunset. Worshipping begins with blowing of Conch Shells, after which Aarti is performed with large flaming lamps and chanting of and devotional songs dedicated to Lord Shiva, River Ganga, Surya, and the whole universe.

Maha Ganga Aarti is held at the ghat on Purnima, which attracts a large number of visitors. A long stretch of steps lead down to the water on the western bank of the Ganga. The Ghat was reconstructed by the Bajirao Pesava I in the year 1740 AD and later by Maharani in 1774. Varanasi is at its brilliant best at the . 13. Kushinagar

Kushinagar is a very important Buddhist pilgrimage destination located in 52 km, east of Gorakhpur city. It is believed that attained Parinirvana here after his death. It was the capital of the Mallas of the 6th Century BCE and subsequently the powerful empires of the Maurya, Shunga, Kushan, Gupta and dynasties. It remained a living city till 1200 CE when it was abandoned by the Buddhist monks to escape the Muslim invaders. Thereafter it passed into oblivion till rediscovered by , the first Surveyor General of India, in the 19th century CE and his colleague Carlleyle, who discovered a 6.10m long statue of reclining Buddha, which was found to be 1500 years old. It is called the “Dying Buddha”. Ashoka built a stupa and a pilgrimage site to mark Buddha's parinirvan in Kushinagar. The kings of Gupta dynasty helped greatly to enlarge the stupa. Rambhar statue, called the Muktabandhanchaitya, is the cremation place of Buddha and is located 1.5 km east of the main Nirvana Temple on the Kushinagar-Deoria Road. 14. Vishwa Shanti Stupa, Rajgir

Rajgir is a town located in Bihar, 34 km from Gaya and 100km from Patna. Rajgir (ancient Rajgrha) was the first capital of the kingdom of , a state that would eventually evolve into the Mauryan Empire. The date of its origin is unknown, although ceramics dated 1000 BCE have been found. The area is very important, both for as the Atanatiya conference was held at the Griddhakuta (Hill of the Vulture). Vishwa Shanti Stupa, built in 1969, is one of the 80 Peace Pagodas in the world to spread non-violence. It is here that Buddha is believed to have preached the Lotus . Prince Siddhartha (early name of the Lord Buddha) came to Rajgir after renouncing all luxuries and undertaking an ascetic life. Two of the rock-cut caves of Rajgir were favourite retreats of the Buddha. It is sacred to the memory of the founders of both Jainism and Buddhism. Lord spent fourteen years here. The Stupa is located on a 400 m high hill and is built of marble. On the four corners of the Stupa are four glimmering statues of the Buddha. There is a Ropeway now to take the pilgrims to the Stupa and to Griddhakuta Hill. 15. Shri Digambar Jain Bada Mandir, Hastinapur

Hastinapur is a historically famous site, having been the capital of Pandavs and Kauravs and a bone of contention, which led to the Mahabharat war.

Its present claim to fame is the presence of the Digambar Jain Bada Mandir, the oldest Jain Temple in this temple town of Jainism. It was built in the year 1801 under the aegis of Raja Harsukh Rai, who was the imperial treasurer of Emperor Shah Alam II. The principal attraction in the main temple is the 30 feet idol of Shantinath, the 16th Tirthankar. The also has idols of the 17th and 18th Tirthankars, Shri Kunthunath and Shri Aranath on either side. The Bada Mandir is surrounded by a group of Jain Temples dedicated to different Tirthankars. Some other attractions are Maan , Devi Mandir, Mandir, which has 7ft high idol of Bhagawan Mahaveer and Kailash Parvat Rachna, dedicated to the first Tirthankar, Rishavanath. Kailash Parvat is a 131' high structure resembling a temple, constructed under the aegis of Shri Digambar Jain Mandir, Hastinapur. Many temples and monuments were either renovated or built in the late twentieth century. 16. Jama Masjid, Delhi

The Masjid Jahan Numa (the World- Reflecting Mosque) commonly known as Jama Masjid of Delhi, is the largest mosque in India. It was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan between 1644 and 1656 costing one million rupees and was inaugurated by Imam Bukhari, a Mulla from the present day Uzbekistan. The mosque has three gates, four towers and two 40 m high minarets constructed in red sandstone and white marble. The courtyard can accommodate more than 25000 persons. There are three domes in the terrace, which are surrounded by two minarets. The minarets consist of five storeys, each with a projecting balcony and the adjoining edifices are filled with calligraphy. The first three storied minarets are made of red stones, the fourth in marble and the fifth one in sandstone. On the floor, 899 black borders are marked for worshippers. The Northern gate has 39 steps, the Southern 33 steps and the Eastern gate has 35 steps. This gate was used by the emperors and remains closed on weekdays. The huge dome is flanked by two minarets, which are 130 ft high. 17. Gurudwara Hazur Sahib, Nanded Hazur Sahib, also spelled Hazoor Sahib, called by many as Takht Sachkhand Shri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib is one of the five Takhts (“Thrones”), seats of Temporal Authority in at Nanded in Maharashtra. The town is well connected to all the major cities in India, being 600 km from Mumbai on the left bank of Godavari in Maharashtra. The 10th Guru,Guru Gobind Singh breathed his last here. The inner room of the Gurudwara is called the Angitha Sahib and is built over the place, where He was cremated in 1708.The construction of the Gurudwara was undertaken between 1832-1837 by order of Ranjit Singh (1780- 1839). The other four Thakhts are Akal Takht of Amritsar, Takht Keshgarh Sahib at Anandpur, Takht Patna Sahib in Bihar and Takht Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo, Bhatinda. The Takht houses both the Sri Guru Granth Sahib and Sri Dasam Granth. A chakra, a broad sword, a steel bow, a steel arrow, a gurz (a heavy club with a large spherical knob), a small golden Kirpan and five Gilded swords are on display in the Sanctum of Takht as Guru Gobind's relics. Nanded is also an important Hindu pilgrimage place, where thousands gather on festivals. 18. Birla Mandir, New Delhi

The Laxminaryana Temple popularly known as Birla Mandir, is a Hindu temple. Laxminaryana usually refers to Vishnu, the Preserver, known as Naryana, when He is with His consort Laxmi. The temple is spread over 7.5 acres, adorned with many shrines, fountains and a large garden. It also houses Geeta Bhawan for discourses. The other temples are dedicated to Shiva, Krishna and Buddha. The temple is one of the major attractions in Delhi and is visited by thousands of devotees during Hindu festivals such as Janmashtami and .

The famous temple is accredited to have been inaugurated by on the condition that the entry should not be restricted to upper caste Hindus only and people from every caste would be allowed inside. This was built by B.L.Birla and his son Jugal Kishore Birla during 1933-1939.The three-storied temple is built in the Nagara style of Hindu temple architecture and the entire temple is adorned with carvings depicting scenes from Hindu Mythologies. The highest Shikhara of the temple above the Sanctum is about 160 ft high. The Geeta Bhawan to the north of the temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna. Artificial landscapes, cascading waterfalls add to the beauty of the temple. 19.Lotus Temple, Bahai House of Worship

The Lotus Temple, located in New Delhi, was completed in 1986. It is notable for its lotus shape and serves as a Mother Temple of the Bahai faith in the . Abdul Baha, the son of the Founder of the religion, stipulated that an essential character of a House of Worship should be nine –sided in shape. Like all other Bahai Houses of Worship, the lotus temple is open to all, regardless of religion or any other distinction as emphasized in Bahai Texts. The Bahai laws also emphasize that the spirit of the House of Worship is that it is a gathering place where people of all religions may worship God without denominational restrictions. Inspired by the Lotus flower, the design of the House of Worship in Delhi is composed of 27 free-standing marble-clad “petals” arranged in clusters of three to form nine–sides. The surface of the House of Worship is made of white marble from Penteli Mountains in wherefrom many ancient marble monuments and other Bahai Houses of Worships are built. Also no sermons can be delivered and no ritualistic ceremonies can be practised in the Bahai Temple. Universal designs in the form of Lotus have been inspired by the Teachings of Bahai Faith, especially its tenets of the Oneness of God, the Oneness of Religions and the Oneness of Mankind. 20. Jain Temple, Ranakpur This renowned Jain temple at Ranakpur is located in in , 162 km from Jodhpur and 91 km from Udaipur. The temple is dedicated to the first Tirthankar Rishavanath, ( also known as Adinath) the founder of the Jain Religion. The town of Ranakpur and the temple are named after the provincial Mewar Ruler, Rana Kumbha, whose patronage was the main support of the construction. Local legend has it that a Jain businessman Dhanna Shah started construction of the temple in the 15th century following a Divine Vision.

In the temple complex, there are several temples including Chaumukha, Parsavnath, Amba Mata and Surya temples. Over 1444 marble pillars covered with exquisite details, support the temple and the Main structure has four different doorways to get into the chambers, ultimately one leads to the main hall, where the image of Adinath has been installed.

The construction is well documented on the 1437 CE Copper Plate Inscriptions. The architecture and stone carvings of the temple is based on the Ancient Mirpur Jain Temple at Mirpur in Rajasthan. The temple is designed as Chaumukh – with four faces. 21. Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ujjain

Mahakaleshwar is one of the most prestigious Temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is located on the banks of Sagar Lake in Ujjain. The temple is a three-storied structure. The linga of Mahakaleshwar is worshipped on the ground floor, which is actually below ground level. In the first floor, the linga of Omkareshwar is worshipped and in the 2nd floor the linga of Nagachandreshwar is worshipped. This temple, too, has been destroyed and rebuilt many times. It was rebuilt by Ranoji Rao Scindia ( Shinde) in 1736. Madhav Rao Scindia 1 carried out many renovations to add to its glory. Mahakaleshwar is known as the Lord of time. This is the only linga, which faces south thus here Shiva is called . The temple is also one of the 18 Maha Shakti Peeths. The upper lip of Devi is believed to have fallen here. The linga of Mahakaleshwar is the largest in size among all the .

The idol of Nagachandreshwar sits on a throne of a ten hooded snake. This is the only temple where Lord Shiva is sitting on such a throne instead of Lord Vishnu. It is believed that all sarpdosh can be countered by visiting the temple on Nagapanchami. 22. Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh Chitrakoot is a town and Nagar Panchayat in Satna district in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The place is known for a number of temples and the sites are mentioned in Hindu scriptures. Many people gather during Amavasya, Somawati Amavasya, Deepavali, Sharat Poornima, Makar Shakranti and Ramnavami. The spiritual legacy of this place stretches back to legendary ages. It was in these deep forests that , and spent eleven and a half years of their fourteen years exile. Both the sages Bharadwaja and spoke of Chtrakoot in glowing terms and advised Rama to make it His abode during the period of exile.

When was asked by his ministers to sit on the throne in Ayodhya, he refused and came to Chitrakoot to meet Lord Rama, a place now called Bharat Milap. Bharata met Rama and requested him to return to Ayodhya to rule, but Rama declined. Bharat returned to Nandigram and installed Rama's Sandals on the throne and ruled Ayodhya from there. The actual administration of the Kingdom was carried out by according to the directions of Bharat. Chitrakoot thus played an important role in the Epic of Ramayan. 23. Dargah Moinuddin Chishti Ajmer The Dargah of Chishti , known as Ajmer Sharif Dargah or Ajmer Sharif ,is an international waqf,an Islamic property. Moinuddin Chisthi is said to have been born in 1141 CE in Chishti between Afghanistan and and is thought to be a "" a direct descendant of Muhammed. Chishti turned to India, according to legend, after a dream in which Muhammad blessed him to do so. The mortal remnants of the esteemed Sufi Saint is buried here. He worked for the welfare of the poor and blessed them. Because of this, he is also imam, Islamic Scholar and philosopher, who introduced and established the Chishti order of in the Indian subcontinent. Various Mughal emperors were followers of Chishti.

After reaching India, he settled down in Ajmer and gained the respect of all. Chishti promoted understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims. According to him the highest form of devotion was to redress the misery of those in distress, to fulfill the needs of the helpless and to feed the hungry. Thus he was also known as Garib Nawaz. 24. Ajanta Caves

The Ajanta Caves are located in the Aurangabad District of Maharastra, 59 km from Jalgaon railway station, and 104 km from Aurangabad City. The caves were in the midst of dense forests as such forgotten till accidentally rediscovered in 1819 by a British Officer on a hunting jaunt.

There are 30 Buddhist cave monuments from the 2nd century BCE to about 480 or 650 CE. The caves contain paintings and sculptures as the finest surviving examples of Indian art, particularly Buddhist religious art depicting the figures from Buddha and Jataka tales. These were built in two phases starting around 2nd century BCE with the second group of caves built around 400-650 CE. The caves are cut into the side of a cliff on the south side of a U-shaped gorge on the small river Waghur.

Earlier the caves could only be reached by individual stairs or ladders from the side of the river 10 -35 m below. Now, there is a modern pathway across the cliff, which makes the caves more easily accessible to the visiting tourists and pilgrims. 25. Ellora Caves

Ellora is one of the largest rock-cut monastery-temple cave complexes in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is situated in Maharashtra, 18 miles northwest of Aurangabad and about 62 miles west from Ajanta and presents monuments and art of Buddhism, and Jainism from 600-1000 CE period. Cave 16 of Ellora features the largest single monolithic rock excavation in the world, the Kailash temple, a chariot shaped monument dedicated to Shiva. This temple also presents , goddesses and mythologies found in , and relief panels summarizing the two major Hindu Epics. Of the many caves, 34 are open to public. These were excavated out of the vertical basalt cliffs in the Charanandri hills. They comprise 12 Buddhist, 17 Hindu and 5 Jain caves. These are built in close proximity to each other to illustrate the religious harmony prevalent in ancient India. Ellora was an important historic commercial centre of the Deccan region, located on an ancient trade route of . The caves served as monasteries for monks, temples for prayers and a place for pilgrims to rest, but now is an archaeological site. 26. Gurudwara Patna Sahib

The Gurudwara Patna Sahib was built in remembrance of the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs, at Patna, on the banks of the river Ganga. Guru Gobind Singh, was born here in 1666. He spent his early years here before moving to Anandpur. Patna was also honoured by visits from Guru Nanak as well as Guru Teg Bahadur.

This Gurudwara was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839) and is one of only five Takhts or Holy Seats of Authority of Sikhs. The primary here is the Guru Granth Sahib. The Gurudwara was damaged by fire and finally rebuilt and completed on 19 November 1954. The Guru Granth Sahib is the central of Sikhism and is regarded as the final sovereign Guru. It is a voluminious text of 1430 angs(pages) composed and compiled by the lineage of between 1469 to 1708. It is a collection of Shabad(hymns) and Baani describing the qualities of God and necessity for meditation on God's Nam(holy name). The text remains the holy scripture of the Sikhs and is regarded as the teachings of the Ten Gurus. 27. Pandharpur Temple

The Vitthal (also known as ) temple in Pandharpur is the most visited temple in Maharashtra. A dip in the river Chandrabhaga (also known as Bhima), on whose banks Pandharpur is situated, is believed to have the power to wash away all sins. This is the main centre of worship for Vitthal, an aspect of Krishna and his consort Rakhumai (also known as ). On every Ashadi and Kariki Ekadashi, the march from their homes to the temple in Pandharpur in groups called Dindi. All devotees are allowed to touch the feet of the idol of Vithoba. In May 2014, the temple became the first in India to invite women and people from backward classes as priests.

Legend has it that was entirely devoted to his parents. Lord Vishnu is impressed and goes to his house, but Pundalik is busy massaging their feet. It being monsoon, the place outside is wet and muddy. Pundalik throws a brick outside for Vishnu to stand on, while he finishes attending to his parents. Vishnu is so moved that he grants a boon to Pundalik, who prays that Vishnu may stay back there forever and this He does in the form of Vithoba. 28. Dilwara Jain Temple Complex, Mt Abu The complex, consisting of five temples, is located about two and half km from in Rajasthan at an altitude of 1200m. Although the Jains built some beautiful temples at other places, some believe that none can come close in terms of architectural perfection, to this complex. The interior showcases the extraordinary work of human craftsmanship at its best. The temples were built between 11th to 13th centuries AD. and the complex consists of five major sections, devoted to the five Jain (saints). The Shiv Mahaveer Swami Temple was constructed in 1582 and devoted to Lord Mahaveer, the 24th Tirthankara. The Shri Adinath Temple or Vimal Vasahi Temple being the oldest among all, is dedicated to Shri Adinath, the first Jain Tirthankar. Shri Parshavnath Temple or Khartar Vasahi Temple, was built by Mandika clan between 458-59 CE and has the tallest shrine among with four big Mandaps. Shri Rishabdaoji or Peetalhar Temple is so named because most of the statues are built using Peetal (Brass Metal). Like other temples of Dilwara, this one also has Gudu Mandapa and Navchowki. Shri Nemi NathJi or Luna Vasahi Temple was built in 1230 AD, dedicated to the 22nd saint of Jainism(Tirthankar). 29. Chitragupta Temple, Khajuraho

The Chitragupta temple is an 11th century temple of Surya (Sun god) located in the Khajuraho temple complex in Madhya Pradesh. Architecturally, it is very similar to the nearby Jagadambi temple. It was probably constructed between 1020-1025 CE.

This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and the Sun God. Lord Vishnu has been represented with Ten Heads representing the ten avatars. This rare representation does not find a mention in any historical text. The temple also consists of the idol of the Sun God riding a chariot of seven horses. He is depicted standing, dressed in an armoured coat and boots and holding lotus flowers. The Chariot is constructed in such a manner that it is oriented east towards the rising sun. The external wall of the temple depicts scenes of hunting, dancing, royal processions and elephant fighting. Such varieties of art are mute witness to the luxurious lifestyle of the Chandela courts. The temple also houses a three-storied stepped tank, known as 'Chopra'. The Khajuraho group of temples were built together but were dedicated to two religions namely Hinduism and Jainism. 30. Triambakeshwar Temple

This ancient Hindu Temple is located in Triambak town in the District of Maharashtra. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. The Temple was initially built by Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao (Nanasaheb), one of the first rulers of the Maratha dynasty. In the following years this was further improved by other Maratha kings and the ancient chronicle depicts that the temple is closely associated with the origin of the River Godavari, the longest river in the peninsular region.

The temple is located between three hills, Brahmagiri, Nilagiri and Kalagiri and has three representing Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. The is Armritavarshini. There are three other water bodies viz Bilvateertha, Vishwanantirtha and Mukundatirtha. The temple has several monastries and of saints. There are also images of such as Gangadevi, Jaleshwara, Rameshwara, Gautameshwara, Kedarnath, Rama, Krishna, and Narayana. The extraordinary feature of the located here, is its three faces embodying Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara. 31. Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, New Delhi

This is the most prominent Sikh Gurudwara, the House of Worship, in Delhi, known for its association with the eighth Guru, Guru Har Krishan. This was built as a small temple by a Sikh General, Sardar Bhagel Singh in 1783 and is readily recognizable by its golden dome and tall flagpole, Nishan Sahib. Also known as Bangla Sahib, because originally there was a palatial building (Bangla or Bungalow) here, which was owned by Raja Jai Singh, an Indian Ruler in the seventeenth century, who named it Jaisinghpura Palace. In the year 1664, during an epidemic of Small Pox and Cholera, Guru Har Krishan, helped the patients immensely by giving aid and also gave fresh water from the well. Soon he was infected with the disease and died on March 30, 1664. A tank 225x235 ft with 18 ft wide and 12 ft wide Verandah along the three sides, has been constructed by voluntary contributions and selfless service by the devotees. “Gateway to Divinity” in the heart of the city, Bangla Sahib is the epitome of Sikh Spirit. It must be noted that Sardar Bhagel Singh supervised the construction of nine Sikh shrines in Delhi in the same year i.e 1783. 32. Haji Ali Dargah The Haji Ali Dargah is a mosque and a Dargah (tomb) located on an islet 500 meters off the coast of Worli, in the southern part of Mumbai. This was constructed in 1431 in memory of a Saint, Sayyed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari, who gave up all his worldly possessions before making a pilgrimage to Mecca. Hailing from Bukhara (present day Uzbekistan), Bukhari travelled widely and then settled at the present day Mumbai.

Once the saint saw a poor woman crying on the roadside as she had stumbled and spilled the oil she was carrying. Haji Ali went to the spot and jabbed a finger into the soil and the oil gushed out. The overjoyed woman filled her vessel and went home. Later Haji Ali had a recurring and disturbing dream that he had injured the Earth by his action.

When he died, as per his wishes, his followers cast his coffin in the , but the casket kept floating back. It was therefore decided to construct the Dargah where the casket got stuck every time. This is an exquisite example of Indo-Islamic architecture. 33. Parsi Fire Temple,Udvada

Udvada is a coastal town near Surat, 200 km north of Mumbai and 8 km off the national highway NH8. It is a Zoroastrian Atash Bahram Fire Temple. The Udvada Atash Behram is the most sacred of the Zoroastrian fire temples in India and the oldest continuously burning Fire Temple in the world. Following the Muslim conquest in most of Greater Iran in the 7th century, Zoroastrians gradually became a marginalized community, and by about the 10th century, the formerly Zoroastrian held territories had become largely Islamic.

One group of Zoroastrians fled from Greater Khorasan to the west coast of India in order to preserve their culture and tradition according to the same legend. On their journey, the Zoroastrians had carried ash from a sacred fire which a priest is said to have used for the bed of the Sanjan fire when it was consecrated.

This fire was consecrated as Atash Bahram out of 16 fires including that of a potter's kiln and a fire caused by lightning. 34. Bodh Gaya This is a very important place of pilgrimage in the Gaya district of Bihar, where Gautama Buddha is said to have meditated under the Bodhi Tree and attained Enlightenment (Bodhimandala).

Bodh Gaya is the most holy place for the followers of the Buddhist faith all over the world. Situated on the banks of river Neranjana, the place was then known as Uruwela (Buddhagaya).King Ashoka was the first to build a temple here. Buddha was born in 563 BCE, as Siddhartha, who renounced his family at the age of 29 in 534 BC, travelled far and wide in search of Truth. After meditating here for six years, he attained Buddhatva or enlightenment, being able to accomplish the Noble and Universal truths. Over time the place became known as Bodh Gaya, the day of enlightenment as Buddha Purnima and the tree as Bodhi Tree. The name, Bodh Gaya did not come into use until the 18th century CE. This sacred place has been at the heart of Buddhist civilization for centuries. With the decline of Buddhism in India, the temple was abandoned and forgotten. It was later restored by Sir Alexander Cunningham, helped by J D Beglar and Rajendralal Mitra. 35. Belur Math, Kolkata

Two monasteries were founded by . One became the Belur Math or Mutt, the headquarters of the Ramkrishna Math and Mission located on the West Bank of Hooghly River, West . The other was one at Mayavati in the Himalayas near Almora, called the Advaita . The monasteries were meant to receive and train young men who would eventually become Sannyasis. Swami Vivekananda took architectural ideas from the various places he visited as a Parivrajaka(wandering monk). Belur Math is dominated by the Rama Krishna temple, which is notable for its architecture that fuses Hindu, Christian and Islamic motifs as symbols of all religions. Swami Vijnanananda, who was a civil engineer in his premonastic life, designed the temple according to the ideas of Vivekananda. Shivananda, the then President of Mission, laid the foundation stone on 16 May 1935. The massive construction was handled by Martin Burn & co.

It was consecrated on 14th January, the Day in 1938. 36. Haji Malang, Kalyan

Haji Malang is a 300 year old Dargah at Kalyan, near Mumbai where Baba Abdur Rehman Malang was buried. Malang was a Sufi saint who came to India in the 12 th Century AD from the Middle East.

Haji Malang, in true syncretic tradition, was one of the few dargahs where a Hindu vahivatdar (traditional priest from the Karandekar family) and a Muslim mutavalli, claiming to be a distant kin of the saint, had both been officiating at religious rituals. The Dargah is looked after by Ketkar family, who are .

The story goes that when Haji Malang Baba came riding on a horse, they were at the base of the mountain and the actual height was three times higher than what it is now. When Baba was looking up to the peak of the mountain, the horse jumped till the summit was reached and the mountain height was decreased 3 times. There are footprints of the horse from where water started flowing out and is still continuing today. No one knows the original source of water. This place is known as Ghode Ki Taap. 37. Church St. Francis Xavier, Goa

The Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa holds the mortal remains of St Francis Xavier (1506-1552). It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bom Jesus is the term used in countries of Portuguese colonization. This Jesuit Church is India's first Basilica, which means a church that has been granted special privileges by the Pope. This is also considered one of the best examples of baroque architecture in India.

Construction began in 1594 and the church was consecrated by the archbishop in May 1605. The church holds paintings of scenes from the life of St. Francis Xavier. The holy relics of the saint are displayed every ten years during the anniversary of the saint's death (last held in 2014). The body of St. Francis Xavier is placed in a silver casket crafted by Goan silversmiths between 1636 and 1637 and is an exemplary blend of Italian and Indian aesthetic sensibilities. The body of Francis Xavier was first taken to Portuguese Malacca and two years later shipped back to Goa. It is said that the saint's body was as fresh as the day it was buried. The Basilica of Bom Jesus is more than 408 years old and is open to public every day. 38. Shravanabelagola Shravanabelagola is located in the Hassan district of about 158 km from . The statue of Gommateshvara is one of the most important destinations in Jainism, one that reached a peak in architectural and sculptural activity under the patronage of the Western Ganga dynasty of Talakad. Chandragupta Maurya is believed to have died here in 298 BCE after he became a Jain monk and lived a pure ascetic life. There are two hills, Chandragiri and Vindhyagiri and the 58 feet tall monolithic statue of Gommateshvara is located on Vindhyagiri. The base of the statue has inscriptions which are written in various Halegannada (Old Kannada) and Purva- halagamnade (Ancient Kannada) characters.

More than 800 inscriptions have been found at Shravanabelagola, dating various times from 1630 to 1830 CE and the inscriptions praise the king who funded the effort and his General, , who erected the statue for his mother. Every twelve years the Mahamastak- , a spectacular ceremony is held. On August 5, 2007, this statue was voted by the readers of “Times of India' as the first of seven wonders of India. 39. Parsi Fire Temple, Navasari

The fire temple at Navasari, is the second holiest sacred fire site, in India, after the Fire Temple in Udvada. The symbol of fire is personified as the son of Ahura Mazda, the Wise Lord. Physical fire is merely an outward symbol of this inner fire. An Atash Behram is the highest grade of a fire that can be placed in a Zoroastrian fire temple.

The preparation and consecration of this fire is the most elaborate of all grades of fire. It involves the gathering of 16 different types of fire, including lightning, fire from cremation pyre, fire from trades where a furnace is operated, fires from the hearths is also a source for the Atash Adaran. Each of the fires is then subject to purification ritual before it joins the others. Thirty two priests are required for the consecration ceremony, which can take up almost a year for completion. The fire of the Desai Atash Behram in Navasari India, was consecrated on December 2, 1765. In Zoroastrian religion, fire together with clean water, are agents of ritual purity. A Zoroastrian priest does not preach or hold sermons, but just tends to the fire. Fire Temple attendance is particularly high during seasonal celebrations. 40. Ohel David Synagogue, Pune

This Sxynagogue in Pune has been a landmark since it was constructed in 1867 by philanthropist, David Sassoon, patriarch of the great dynasty that made its mark in trading, commerce and shipping in India and the East during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Sassoons funded construction of many other institutional buildings including Pune's Sassoon Hospital and Mumbai's Baghdadi Synagogues. The Ohel David (Hebrew for Tent of David) Synagogue is an architectural marvel of a distinctly English Gothic-revival style designed by British Colonial architect, Henry Saint Clair Wilkins. Wilkins was a British Army Officer, who served in the Company.

The most prominent feature of the structure is a 90ft high clock tower, with a clock manufactured in London specially for Ohel David. Jews come in large numbers from Iraq and some from Iran and other Ottoman Empire lands. It is here that they found the goal of religious tolerance, economic opportunity and quality of life and they prospered. The Synagogue continues to be an integral part of Pune's Jewish identity and religious tolerance. 41. Konark Sun Temple

Konark Sun Temple is a 13 th century structure (also known as Black Pagoda) in Odisha. The temple is 35 km from Puri and 65 km from Bhubaneswar. It is believed that the temple was built by King Narasimhadeva I of around 1256 CE, in the shape of a gigantic chariot with elaborately carved stone wheels, pillars and walls. The name Konark is derived from the combination of the words, Kona (corner) and Arka (sun) with reference to the temple, which was dedicated to the Sun god Surya. In contrast, the Temple in Puri was called White Pagoda, but both the temples served as important landmarks for the sailors.

The Sun Temple is carefully oriented towards east so that the first rays of sunrise strikes the principal entrance in the traditional Kalinga style of architecture. The original temple had a main sanctum sanctorum (Garbha Griha), which collapsed in 1837. One of the Audience Halls, (Jagamohana) which was about 128 ft. tall, still stands and is the principal structure in the surviving ruins. This is a World Heritage Site. Two smaller temples have been discovered nearby indicating the site to be of Vaishnavite Origin. 42. Meenakshi Amman Temple, The Meenakshi Amman Temple is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of Vaigai River in the temple city of Madurai, . It is dedicated to Devi , known as Meenakshi and her consort, Lord Shiva, here named as Sundareswarar. The temple forms the heart and lifeline of the 2500 year old city of Madurai. The temple was originally built in the 6th Century BCE and was desecrated by Sultanate Muslim Commander in the 14th century and rebuilt by the Nayak ruler, Vishwanath. The temple has four entrances facing the four directions. The name “Meenakshi” means fish-eyed and is derived from the word "Mina" meaning fish and "Aksi" eyes. The Goddess Meenakshi is the principal deity of the temple, not Sundareswarar, unlike many Shiva temples in . The original design by Vishwanath Nayak in 1560 was expanded to the current structure by Thirumalai Nayak, who constructed many complexes inside the temple. The structures of the temple tank and Meenatchi Nayakar Mandapam were built by Rani Mangammal.

The early Pandian kings collected donations from people of all walks of life, thus every family of Madurai has an emotional attachment to the temple. 43. St. Thomas Mount, Chennai

The ancient Syrian Christian community of India trace the origin of their church to St. Thomas the Apostle. This church is named St. Thomas Mount. It is a holy place of international prominence, historical eminence, religions glory and tourist attractions. It is a small hillock located in Chennai. The ancient church on top of St. Thomas Mount has served as a lighthouse for the Portuguese and Armenian ships in the Bay of Bengal in the 16th and 17th Centuries. When sailors sighted the Church they offered prayers for a safe voyage and fired off their guns as a salute. Preserving its glorious antiquity this 500 years old Shrine Chapel has been renovated in recent times.

The fifteen Stations of the Cross adorn the sides of the steps of the Mount. They are spots of inspiration and they spiritually energise the pilgrims who climb the steps for an eventual spiritual experience. A shrine dedicated to “Our Lady of Expectation” (Mother Mary) was built in 1523 at the top over the spot where St. Thomas died. The Shrine church entombs a piece of the Bone of St. Thomas casketed in a beautifully ornamented monstrance. Every year, the 18th of December has become the Annual Feast Day of this Shrine Chapel. 44. Sri Krishna Math, Udipi

Sri Krishna is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Krishna in Udipi town, Karnataka. Surrounding the Matha are several temples, one of them being Udipi Anantheshwara, which is over 1000 years old. This Matha was founded by the Vaishnavite saint Sri Madhwacharya in the 13 th century, who was the founder of the Dvaita school of . It is believed that Madhwacharya found the idol of Sri Krishna in a large ball of Gopichandana. In Tantrasara Sangraha, as depicted by Madhwacharya, the idol is placed Pashchimabhimukha (i.e facing west) and all other idols are also facing west as well.

Once Kanakadasa, a pious worshipper and devotee of Lord Krishna, was staying in a makeshift hermitage in front of Krishna math because he was not allowed to enter being an untouchable. There was an earthquake in the night and the outer temple wall cracked in such a way that there was a wide enough opening for Kanakadasa to have darshana of the idol. Till today, devotees worship Lord Krishna by praying through the same window where Kanakadasa had his darshan. It is known as Kanakanakindi, decorated by an arch named after him. 45. Venkateswara Temple,

Tirumala Sri Venkateswara Temple is the famous Vaishnavite temple in the hill town of Tirumala at . The temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateswra, an incarnation of Vishnu. The Tirumala hill comprises of seven peaks representing, the seven heads of Adisesha called Seshadri, Neeladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrushabhadri, Narayanadri and Venkatadri. Lord Venkateswara is also known as Balaji, and Srinivasa.

The temple is believed to have been constructed over a period of time starting from 300 CE. The Garbagriha is called Ananda Nilayam. It is the richest temple in the world in terms of donations. The temple gained most of its current wealth and size under the Vijayanagar Empire, particularly under the rule of Krishnadevaraya, who donated gold and jewels. Later the King of Mysore and the Garhwal Samsthanam donated ornaments and valuables.

The temple is revered as one of the eight Swayambhu Kshetras, where the presiding deity is believed to have manifested on its own. The Alwars have sung praises of Lord Venkateswara. Its popularity continues unabated. 46. Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple, The temple of Mallikarjuna is located at Srisailam near Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh. It played a dominant role in our religious, cultural and social history from ancient times. The Srisailam Mountain is revered as the Kailash of the South. It lies in the midst of the Nallamalai forest, on the Southern bank of river Krishna. It has both Shakti Peeth and Jyotirlinga, Parvati is called Brahmarambha and Shiva is called Mallikarjuna. A unique feature is that devotees are allowed to touch the linga. Many important historical figures have contributed to the glory of the shrine, including Krishnadevaraya, and Ahilyabai Holkar. The history of Srisailam begins with Satvahanas, who were the first empire builders of South India. The period of Reddi kings (CE1325- 1448) is the Golden Age of Srisailam.

Thereafter the major contributions and renovations at Srisailam were taken up by Vijayanagar Rulers (AD1336- 1678). The last Hindu king to carry out improvements was Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Later it came under the control of Nizam and thence to the British. After Independence, the temple attained once again its past glory. 47. St. Philomena's Church, Mysore. This is a Catholic church built in honour of St.Philomena in the Diocese of Mysore. It was constructed in 1936 in Neo Gothic style and its architecture was inspired by the Cologne Cathedral in Germany. The floor plan of the cathedral resembles a Cross. The long part of the cross is the Congregation Hall called the Nave and two arms of the Cross are Transepts. The part containing the altar and the choir is the Crossing. The cathedral has a Crypt that houses a statue of St.Philomena and the twin spires of the church are 175 ft. high and resemble to spires of Cologne Cathedral. It is considered to be Asia's second largest Church. Saint Philomena was a Greek princess martyred in the 4 th century and the remains of a teenage girl not older than 14, was discovered on May 24,1802 in the Catacombs of Saint Priscilla at the Via Salaria in Rome. Accompanying these remains were a set of tiles bearing fragmented inscriptions containing the word LUMENA PAXTE CUMFI ,words of no known meaning in that order. It is the anagram of PAX TECUM FILUMENA, which in Latin translates to "Peace with you Filumena", also some scenes of her martydom. A vessel containing dry blood was also found in the tomb. 48. Arunachaleswara Temple,

Annamalaiyar is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located at the base of hills in Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu. Shiva is worshipped as Annamalaiyar or Arunachaleswar, represented by the Lingam, with his idol referred to as Agni Lingam. His consort Parvati is depicted as Unnamulai Amman. The present masonry structure was built during in the 9th century, while later expansions are attributed to Vijayanagar rulers of the Sangama Dynasty (1336-1485CE), the Saluva Dynasty and the Tuluva Dynasty (1391-1570CE).

The temple complex covering 10 hectares, is one of the largest in India .It houses four gateway towers known as Gopurams. Eastern Tower is the tallest with 11 stories, 66 meters (217 ft) high, making it one of the tallest temple towers in India. The temple has numerous shrines, with those of Annamalaiyar and Unnamulai Amman being the most prominent. Six daily rituals are held at various timings from 5-30 a.m to 10 p.m and twelve festivals every year. The Karthigai Deepam festival is celebrated during Poornima between November and December and a Huge Beacon of light is lit atop the hill symbolizing the Shiva Lingam. 49. Brihadeeswarar Temple, Tanjavur

The Peruvudaiyar Kovil (Tamil) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and is located in Tanjavur in Tamil Nadu. The Vimanam or temple tower is 216ft (66 m) high and is among the tallest of its kind in the world. The Kumbam ( or Shikharam, the apex or the bulbous structure on the top) of the temple is carved out of a single rock weighing around 80 tons. There is a big statue of (sacred bull) also carved out of a single rock, at the entrance measuring about 16 ft long and 13 ft high. The 'Moolavar" or prime deity of the Brihadeeswara Temple is Shiva. All deities, particularly those placed in the niches of the outer wall like Dakshinamurthy, Surya, Chandra, are of huge size. The Brihadiswarar temple is one of the rare temples which has idols for "Ashta–Dikpaalakas” (Guardians of the directions). This temple was built to grace the throne of the Chola Empire by the Tamil emperor Arulmozhivarman. An axial and symmetrical geometry rules the temple layout. Temples from this period and the following two centuries are an expression of the Tamil (Chola) wealth, power and artistic expertise. This temple was intended to display the emperor's vision of his power and his relationship to the universal order. 50. Bishnupur, Bankura

Bishnupur is a town in Bankura District in . It is famous for its terracotta temples, Brishnupuriya , Shree Krishna and Balucheri saris. Bishnupur was ruled by local kings, who paid tribute to . During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Vaishnavite Malla rulers built the famous terracotta temples, which stand testimony to the exquisite craftsmanship of the dassical style of Bishnupuriya architecture . The temples were expertly crafted from local laterite and brick and covered with terracotta tiles depicting scenes from the Mahabharat. Legends of Bipodtarini Debi are associated with Malla Kings of Bishnupur, who made this town the principal centre of art, culture and craft in Bengal. Besides terracotta craft and Baluchari saris made of tussar silk, Royal patronage also gave rise to the Bishnupur Gharana of Hindustani classical music rooted in style of the late 18th century and the Bishnupur school of painting.

Mrinmoyee temple of kings is treated as a valuable historic place. Since 1997, the temple of Bishnupur is on UNESCO World Heritage Site's Tentative List. The land is also called after the Malla rulers of this place. 51. Muktinath Muktinath is a sacred place for both Hindus and Buddhists, located in Muktinath valley at an altitude of 3710 mts in Mustang, Nepal. The central shrine is one of the eight most sacred shrines for Vaishnavas, known as swayam Vyakta Kshetras. The others are , Srimushnam, Tirupati, Naimisharanya, Thotadri, and Badrinath. The ancient name given by them is Thiru Saligramam. It is also one of 51 Shakti Peeths. Buddhists call it Churning Gyatsa, which in Tibetan means “Hundred Waters”. They consider this as abode of Dakinis (goddesses known as Sky Dancers) and is one of the 24 Tantric places. They consider the idol to be a manifestation of Avalokiteshwara, who is called Chenrezig, the patron deity of Tibet. The idol or is made of gold but is as small as a man.

The parakram (outer courtyard) has 108 bull-mouths through which, water flows out at freezing temperature. This water is considered sacred. The Shakti at Muktinath is considered as “Gandaki ”. Devi Shakti's forehead is believed to have fallen here. Even Buddhists worship this Lord Sriman Narayan of Muktinath for attaining Salvation (Mukti). 52. Murudeshwara Temple, Karnataka. The temple is in Bhatkal Taluka of Uttara Kannada in Karnataka, 160 km north of Mangalore on the Kanduka Hill. Murudeshwar is another name of the Hindu God, Lord Shiva. The temple is famous for being the world's second –tallest Shiva statue. This is surrounded on three sides by the Arabian Sea and a 20 storied Gopuram adds to the glory. The temple authorities have installed a lift that provides a breath-taking view of the Shiva idol. The statue is 123 ft. high and took about two years to build by Shivamogga's Kashinath and several other sculptors and was financed by the businessman and philanthropist R.N.Shetty. The idol is designed such that it gets the sunlight directly and thus appears sparkling. Originally the statue had four arms and was adorned with gold paint. However, strong wind gusts blew one arm off (the one that held a small drum) and rain dissolved the paint.

The main deity is Sri Mridesa Linga, also called Murudeswara. The Linga, believed to be a piece of original Atma Linga, is about two ft below the ground level. The devotees can also view the deity by standing on the threshold. The sanctum and the Lingam are illuminated by oil lamps. 53. Ramanathaswamy Temple,

This is one of the Twelve Jyotirlinga temples and one of the 274 paadal Petra Sthalams, where three of the most revered (Shaivite saints), Appar, Sundarar and Tirugnana Sambandar have glorified the temple with their songs. This temple was never damaged. According to legend, Rama wanted to install a linga on his return from Lanka, to absolve himself of the sin of killing Ravana, who was a . He sent to Kailash to get the linga. The auspicious time for installation was approaching but Hanuman was nowhere in sight. Sita made a linga out of sand, which was installed by Rama and is called Ramalingam. When Hanuman arrived with the linga, he was disappointed. Despite being permitted by Rama, Hanuman could not remove the linga made by Sita. To pacify Hanuman, Rama installed the linga brought by him, called Vishwalinga, alongside Ramalinga and decreed that worship be offered first to Vishwalinga. The temple is known as Ramanathaswamy Jyotirlingam and is the Southernmost Jyotirlinga. 54. Sri Krishna Temple,

The temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna, located in Guruvayur, Kerala. This is often referred as "Bhuloka Vaikuntha", which translates to the "Holy Abode of Vishnu on Earth". The presiding deity is Vishnu, worshipped in the form of Krishna. The central icon is a four-armed Krishna standing and carrying the conch ( ) Panchajanya, Sudarshan Chakra, the mace Kaumodiki and the lotus with a Holy basil .

This image represents the majestic form of Vishnu as revealed to Krishna's parents and during Krishna's birth; hence Guruvayur is also known as "Dwarka of South India"and Krishna is worshipped according to routines laid down by Adi Shankara. These were later written formally in the Tantric way,the inter- religious spiritual movement that was widely prevalent in , by Cennas Narayanan Nambudiri (born in 1427 CE).

The Cennas Nambudiris are the hereditary tantris (high priest) of the . The earliest mention of the many important Vishnu temples of Kerala are found in the songs of Alwars. 55. Sabarimala

Sabarimala is a Hindu pilgrimage place, located at Periyar in the Western Ghat mountain ranges in Kerala. It is believed to be the place where God meditated after killing the powerful Demoness, Mahishi.

It is one of the largest pilgrimage places in the world with an estimated 50 million devotees visiting every year. The temple is situated amidst 18 hills at an altitude of 468 m (1535 ft.) above sea level and is surrounded by mountains and dense forest. Sabarimala is linked to Hindu pilgrimage predominately for men of all ages. They can be identified easily as they wear black or blue dress and do not shave till the completion of the pilgrimage and smear or sandal paste on their forehead. Lord Ayyappan being a Brahmachari (celibate), women between the ages of 10 and 50 are not allowed. The temple is open only during the days of Mandalapooja (approximately 15 Nov, to 26 Dec),Makaravilakku (14 Jan-Makar Sankranti) and Maha Vishuva Sankranti(14 April) and the first five days of each Malayalam month. The devotees should follow Vratham(41 days fasting) prior to the pilgrimage. They refrain from non- vegetarian food and alcohol. 56. Kareng Ghar Kareng Ghar, also known as The Garhgaon Palace is located 15km from present day Sibsagar in Upper Assam. Of all Ahom ruins, the Kareng Ghar, made of wood and stones, is one of the grandest examples of Ahom architecture. The earliest constructions were commissioned by Swargadeo Rudra Singha in 1698 CE in Rangpur, which was the capital of the and served as its military station.

The Rangpur Palace consisted of seven stories, of which four stories were above ground known as Kareng Ghar and three stories below ground known as Talatal ground. The is made of brick and an indigenous type of cement, a mixture of Bora Chaul, a sticky variety of rice grain, eggs of hens etc. The Karenghar and the Talatal Ghar together constitute the Rangpur Palace. The palace was completed by Swargadeo Rajeshwar Singha and his successors, by 1769AD.

After Swargadeo Rudra Singha's death the Kareng Ghar, which together with the below-ground Talatal Ghar constitutes the “Rangpur Palace”, went through many architectural alterations to its structure, which resulted in its irregular shape. 57. Naimisharanya Naimisharanya is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu located in Uttar Pradesh. It is one of the Divya Deshams, the 108 temples of Vishnu revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham by the 12 Alwars, the Vaishnavite saints of Tamil Nadu. It is revered by Vaishnavites in the same manner as Muktinath. The temple here is one of the 8 self manifested temples of Vishnu, known as a Swayambyakta Kshetra.

Legend has it that was defeated by an asura named Vritra, who had been granted a boon by which he could not be killed by any known weapon made of wood,iron or steel. Indra then approached Vishnu, who revealed that only a weapon made from the bones of sage Dadhichi would defeat Vritra because by a boon by Shiva the sage's bones had been transformed into thunder. The sage agreed on the condition that he should be given time to go on a pilgrimage to all the holy rivers. Indra then brought the waters of all the holy rivers to Naimisharanya, thus the sage's wish was fulfilled in a trice. Dadhichi then gave up his life, enabling the Devas to construct the weapon (vajrayudha) from his bones, which was then used to defeat the asura, allowing Indra to reclaim his kingdom of Devalok. 58. Kashi Vishwanath Temple

The Kashi Vishwanth temple, housing the Jyotirlinga is located in Varanasi (also called Benares and Kashi). The name Varanasi is derived from the names of two rivers Varana and Asi, which join Ganga here. It also means 'shine'. Thus it is the place, where the supreme Lord shines and paves the way for mukti or salvation.

The main deity is known as Vishwanath, which means ruler of the universe. It is the holiest of all Shiva temples and is another place where Shakti Peeth and Jyotirlinga are together. It has been destroyed and rebuilt a number of times,the last destruction being by Aurangzeb. He constructed the Gyanvapi Mosque on its site.

The present structure was built on an adjacent site by Ahilyabai Holkar in 1780. Many noble families of erstwhile kingdoms made generous contributions to the glory and splendour of the shrine and its running. These included Baija Bai, widow of Daulat Rao Scindia of Gwalior, Bhosles of Nagpur and Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who donated gold for plating the dome. 59. Tomb of Salim Chisti, Fatehpur Sikri

The Tomb of Sufi Saint Salim Chisti famed as one of the finest examples of Mughal architecture in India, is located at Fathepur Sikri, near . Construction commenced in 1571 and was completed fifteen years later. Salim Chisti (1478- 1572) was a descendant of Khwaja Mohinuddin Chisti of Ajmer, who lived in a cavern on the ridge of Sikri. Hazarat Shaikh Salimuddin Chisti, popularly known as Salim Chisti led his Shaihzada divison in the battle of Haldighati for against Maharana Pratap Singh. Many thought that Chisti could perform wonders.

Akbar held the Sufi Saint in such high esteem that he built the great city of Fatehpur Sikri around his camp. Chisti's tomb was originally built with red sandstone but later converted into a beautiful mausoleum and is in the middle of the courtyard. It is believed that by offering prayers at this Mazar with the ritual of tying a thread at the marble windows, whatever one wishes will be fulfilled. Raised on about a meter high platform, there is a flight of five steps to reach the entrance of the porch. The plinth is ornamented with mosaic of black and yellow marble arranged in splendid geometric patterns. 60. Kalighat Temple, Kolkata

This Kali temple is one of the three most important Kali temples of Bengal. The other two being Dakshineshwar and Tarapeeth. The Kalighat temple is one of the Shaktipeeths. The name comes from the fact that it used to be a ghat (landing stage) on the old course of the Hooghly river. Over a period of time the river has changed course and has moved far away. What was once the main channel, has now become a small outer channel, now known as Adi Ganga (original Ganga). Kalighat is regarded as one of the 51 Shaktipeeths and believed to be the place where the toes of the right foot of Devi Sati fell.

The present structure of the Kali temple is only about 200 years old although references of the temple have been found dating back to the 15th century. Erection of the present temple was taken up in 1799 and completed in 1809. The idol of Kali breaks away from the traditional pattern, being created by two saints, Amaram Brahmachari and Brahmananda Giri, based on the idol of Mata Bhubaneshwari, the Kula Devi of the Roy Choudhury family, who constructed the temple. The temple is visited by pilgrims from all over India. 61. Govindajee Temple

Shree Govindajee Temple is the most important Hindu, Vaishnav temple in Imphal the capital of . It is located next to the palace of the former rulers of the then Kingdom of Manipur. The temple design is beautiful in its simplicity. It has two gold plated domes, a paved court and a large, raised mantapa or congregation hall. The Central Chamber or (sanctum sanctorum) has the main deity of Govindajee, the incarnation of Lord Krishna and , his greatest disciple. The chambers on either side contain idols of and Krishna on one side and of Jagannath, and Balabhadra on the other side. The temple was originally built in 1846 during the reign of King Nara Singh and rebuilt by King Chandrakriti in 1876, after being extensively damaged by the earthquake of 1868. The temple is now managed by a Board headed by the Chief Minister.

Imphal is well connected by road (NH 39 to Dimapur, NH53 to and NH150 to Mizoram). There are air services to New Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati and Silchar. 62. Unakoti

It is a historic pilgrimage spot dedicated to Shiva, which dates back to the 7th to 9th centuries if not earlier. Unakoti literally means one less than a crore (koti) in Bengali. The Unakoti hill is an ancient Shaivite place of worship with a huge rock relief in glory of Shiva. It is located in Unakoti District in the Kailashahar Subdivision in the state of Tripura. The marvellous rock carvings, murals, with their primitive beauty constitute the chief attractions. These are enhanced by the natural beauty of mountain scenery and waterfalls. Legend has it that Lord Shiva was going to Kashi with one crore gods and goddesses including Him. They made a night halt here and Shiva told everybody to arise before sunrise and accompany Him. It is said that none could get up in time, so Shiva left alone, cursing others to become stone images. As a result we have one less than one crore images and carvings at Unakoti. The central Shiva head known as Unakotiswara Kal is about 30 feet high including an embroidered head-dress which itself is 10 feet high. On each side of the head-dress of the central Shiva, there are two full size female figures- one standing on a lion and another female figure on the other side. 63. Virupaksha Temple, Hampi

Virupaksha Temple is located in Hampi, 350 km from Bangalore in Karnataka on the banks of the Tungabhadra River in the ruins of the ancient city of Vijayanagar.The temple is the main centre of pilgrimage at Hampi and has been considered the most sacred sanctuary over the centuries. Virupaksha Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, known here as Virupaksha, as the consort of the local goddess Pampa, who is associated with Tungabhadra River. At present, the main temple consists of a sanctum, three ante chambers, a pillared hall and an open pillared hall. Here Swami appeared at two places simultaneously in October 1940. Historically, it is regarded as Kishkindha in the time of Ramayan. It is also the place where Sriniwas Naik was granted the upadhi of “ Purandardas”. Though most of the temple buildings are attributed to the Vijayanagar period, the huge Virupaksha temple building was built by Lakkana, a chieftain under the ruler Raya II of Vijayanagar Empire. The Muslim invaders defeated the rulers and systematically destroyed the structures and creations. 64. Vivekananda Rock Memorial, It was in January 1962 that a plan for constructing a memorial for Swami Vivekananda was first mooted. It was to be built on a rock, 500 meters east of mainland India's southernmost tip. To this end, the Kanyakumari Committee was set up. It had the full support of Ramakrishna Mission in Madras (now Chennai). The work started when Eknath Ranade was made the Organising Secretary, with the full support of Ramakrishna Math and Mission. Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru also gave his full support. Ranade was in the forefront facing all the challenges that came his way. He believed that the Memorial was a national monument and asked the general public for contributions, which was readily forthcoming.

The Rock Memorial was ready in a short time of six years and was inaugurated in 1970 and Vivekananda Kendra was officially founded on 7 Jan 1972. Its twin objectives are man- making and nation-building. The architecture is a fusion of Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Ramakrishna Math, Belur, West Bengal. It has two main structures, Vivekananda Mandapam and Shripada Mandapam. It houses a statue of Vivekananda made by the renowned N L Sonavadekar. 65. Golden Temple, Amritsar

It is also called Sri Harmandir Sahib (the abode of God), Sri Darbar Sahib and informally referred to as the Golden Temple. It is the holiest Gurudwara of Sikhism, located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab. This was founded in 1574 by the fourth Sikh Guru,Guru Ram Das. The fifth guru, Guru Arjan Dev designed the Harmandir Sahib to be built in the centre of this holy tank, and on completion installed the Adi Granth, the Holy Scripture in Sikhism in the Shrine.

Some of the architectural features of the Harmandir Sahib were intended to be symbolic of the Sikh world view. Instead of the normal custom of building a Gurudwara on high land, it was built at a lower level than the surrounding land so that devotees have to go downstep to enter. In addition, instead of one entrance; Sri Harmandir Sahib has four entrances, signifying the importance of openness. The Harmandir Sahib complex is also home to the Akal Takht. The Gurudwara is surrounded by the Sarovar, a large lake or a holy tank, which consists of Amrit (holy water or immortal nectar). The present-day gurudwara was renovated in 1764 by Jassa Singh Ahluwalia with help of other like-minded Sikhs. 66. Dakshineswar Temple, Kolkata Situated on the western bank of the Hooghly River, the presiding deity of the temple is Bhabatarini, an aspect of Kali, meaning “She who liberates Her devotees from the ocean of Samsara”. The temple was built by Rani Rashmoni, a philanthropist and a devotee of Kali, in 1855. The temple is also famous for its association with Sri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa, who was the temple priest. It is here that Naren (Vivekananda) met Sri Ramakrishana for the first time.

Built in the traditional 'Nava-ratna' or nine spires style of Bengal architecture, the three-storeyed south-facing temple has nine spires distributed in the upper two storeys, and stands on a high platform with a flight of stairs. Overall it measures 46 feet(14m) square and rises over 100 feet(30m) high. It houses an idol of Goddess Kali, known as Bhavatarini. The temple compound, apart from the nine spire main temple, contains a large courtyard surrounding the temple with twelve shrines dedicated to Shiva along the riverfront. This is the second of the three most important Kali temples of Bengal. The idol of Goddess Kali was installed on the Snana day on 31 May 1855. 67. Palitana Jain Temples

The Palitana Jain temples are located on hill in the city of Palitana in Bhavanagar district, Gujarat. The temple complex is located 56 kms. Southwest of Bhavanagar. The site on Shatrunjaya hill is considered sacred by Jains and have approximately 863 marble carved temples on the hills. The main temple is reached by going up 3500 steps. The were built over a period of 900 years starting in the 11 th century. It is inferred that the temples were built in clusters known as tunks, as Jains undertake pilgrimage mostly on foot and hence they would like to reduce the distance of travel. The Adinath temple, which venerates Rishabha, the first Tirthankar, is the main temple and is the grandest .Every devout Jain aspires to climb to the top of the mountain at least once in a lifetime because of its sanctity to attain Nirvana. The code of the climbers is stringent, in keeping with the rigours of the Jain faith .Food must neither be eaten nor carried on the way. The descent must begin before it is evening, for no soul can remain atop the sacred mountain during the night. 68. Badrinath

Badrinath or Badrinaryan Temple is located in Chamoli District in Garhwal region of Uttarakhand at an elevation of 3133 m (10279 ft). This Hindu temple is dedicated to Vishnu. The temple is glorified by the Alwars of 6th to 9th centuries. Legend has it that Shiva is said to have given Adi Shankara 5 lingas to be established at various parts of the country. Adi Shankara did so at Badrinath, Puri, Dwarka, Sringeri and Kanchi. In June 1961 Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba embarked on a mission to Badrinath to spiritually recharge the linga installed there by Adi Shankara. Although Badrinath is dedicated to Vishnu, why did Shankaracharya install the linga here? The explanation has been given by Baba Himself. Once Vishnu discovered that Badri was a fine place for , but found that it was already occupied by Shiva and Parvati, so he assumed the form of a child and started wailing. Parvati took up the baby and fostered it, though cautioned by Shiva. When they went for bath, Vishnu assumed his form and refused to leave. To maintain peace Shiva and Parvati went to Kedarnath. Thus a Shaivite Shrine became a Vaishnavite one. 69. Kedarnath Temple is located in Uttarakhand in the Garhwal Himalayan range and is not directly accessible by road and has to be reached by a 14 km uphill trek from Gaurikund. Kedarnath is the highest among the 12 Jyotirlingas. This ancient and magnificent temple is located in the Rudra Himalaya range. This temple is built of massive stone slabs over a large rectangular platform. Ascending through the large gray steps leading to the holy sanctums we find inscriptions in Pali on the steps. The present temple was built by Adi Shankaracharya. The inner walls of the temple sanctum are adorned with figures of various deities and scenes from mythology. The temple is at a height of 3583 m (11755ft.), 223 km from Rishikesh on the banks of Mandakini river, a tributary of Ganga.

Kedarnath is revered as the northernmost and closest Jyotirlinga to Mount Kailash, Shiva's eternal abode. It is an ancient shrine, rich in legend and tradition. It has several unique features. It faces South, whereas traditionally temples face east. Then again, the linga is pyramidal in shape. In the temple, there is a Lakshmi-Narayan deity, which was installed by Adi Shankaracharya. There is an irregular three-faced linga representing the hump of a bull. 70. Gangotri

Gangotri is a Hindu pilgrim town in Uttarakhand, situated on the banks of river the Bhagirathi, at an altitude of 3,100 meters (10,200 ft). According to legend, it was here that Goddess Ganga descended when Lord Shiva released the mighty river from the lock of his hair and is one of the four sites of Chhota pilgrimage circuit, the others being Badrinath, Kedarnath and Yamunotri. The original Gangotri Temple was built by a Gurkha general, Amar Singh Thapa. Bhagirathi meets Alaknanda at and from there onwards the river acquires the name of Ganga. The origin of the holy river is at Gaumukh, set in the Gangotri glacier, which is a 19 km trek from Gangotri. Bhagirath, the grandson of King Sagar, is believed to have meditated to please Goddess Ganga sufficiently to cleanse the ashes of his ancestors and liberate their souls, granting them salvation or Moksha. The river is called Bhagirathi at source and acquires the name Ganga from Devaprayag onwards where it meets the Alaknanda. Gangotri is one of the four Chhota Char Dham pilgrimage circuit. 71. Yamunotri Yamunotri is the source of the River, situated at an altitude of 3,293 meters (10,804 ft) in the Garhwal Himalays of Uttarakhand and is one of the four sites of Chhota Char Dham Yatra. The sacred shrine of Yamunotri, source of the river Yamuna is perched atop a flank of Bandar Parvat. The actual source, a frozen lake and a glacier ( Champasar Glacier) is located on the Kalind Mountain at an altitude of 4421 meters, about 1km further up. The approach is extremely difficult and is not frequented generally. The pilgrims, therefore, offer at the temple itself. The temple of Yamuna was constructed by Maharaja Pratap Shah of Tehri Garhwal. The deity is made of black marble. Close to the temple are hot water springs gushing out from mountain cavities. These are called Kund. Surya Kund is the most important of these. The temple closes every year on Diwali and opens on the day of Akshay Tritiya. The (priests) of the temple come from the village of Janki Chatti. They are the administrators of the Shrine and perform the religious rites. They are well-versed in scriptures ( ). 72. Dwarka The city of Dwarka is located on the right bank of Gomti river inGujarat. It is one of the Dhams i.e sacred and is one of the Sapta Puri, seven most ancient religious cities in the country. In the city is the famous Dwarkadhesh temple dedicated to Krishna. It is also known as Dwarka Matha or Sharda Matha/Peeth established by Adi Shankaracharya (686-717). It is said that Krishna conducted the administration of his kingdom from Dwarka while residing with his family at , a small island 3km off the coast of Okka. Investigations by the Archaeological Survey of India brought to light submerged settlements, exterior and interior walls and fort bastions. Coastal erosion probably caused the destruction of this ancient port. Dwarka is one of the 12 heritage cities across the country under the HRIDAY scheme of the Central Govt.

The Dwarkadhesh is a five-storied structure built on 72 pillars. The temple spire rises to a height of 78 meters (256 ft), with a very large flag with symbol of the Sun and the marked on it. There is a famous ancient lighthouse at the Dwarka Point, the Southern tip of Dwarka. Nageshwara Jyotirlinga temple is 16.5 km East of Dwarka city. 73. Puri

Puri or Jaganath Puri is the holiest city in Odisha. It is situated in the Mahanadi delta. Though princely states do not exist in India today, the descendants of the Gajapati dynasty of Khurda still perform the ritual duties of the temple. From 1205 CE onwards there were many invasions of the city and its temple by Muslims of Afghan and Mughal descent, known as Yavanas or foreigners. In most of these invasions, the idols were taken to safe places and the destruction of the temple was prevented but the treasures of the temple were repeatedly looted. Puri is the site of Matha, one of the five cardinal institutions established by Adi Shankaracharya.

The temple is built on an elevated platform of 39,000 m2 (4,20,000 sq ft) and rises to height of 65m (214ft). The major festival is the . The Jagannath temple triad, Krishna, Balaram and Subhadra are taken out, once a year during the month of Ashadh and taken to Shri Gundicha temple, 3 km away on a chariot known as Nandi Ghosh. These chariots, (Rath) are huge wooden structures mounted on large wheels and pulled by devotees. Puri has been choosen as one of the heritage cities for HRIDAY Scheme of . 74. Sringeri

Sringeri is a hill town in Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka, located on the banks of the river Tungabhadra. Sringeri is home to two historic Hindu temples, Sri Sharadamba temple and Sri Vidyashankara temple and Parshwanath Jain Temple. The Vidyashankara temple is an architectural marvel. It is a unique monument built entirely of stone, combining Hoysala and Vijaynagara architectural features. The temple architecture is also an exhibition of the astronomical expertise of medieval South Indian temple builders. The main temple hall features 12 pillars marked by the twelve signs of the Zodiac in their regular order such that the rays of the sun fall on them in the order of the twelve solar months.

The holiest temple is the Sringeri Sharada Peetha. It is one of the five Hindu Advaita maths established by Adi Shankaracharya. Following the tradition initiated by Adi Shankaracharya, the Matha is associated with Yajur Veda, which is more prevalent in South India. The head of the Matha is called Jagadguru (teacher of the world) and also carries Shankaracharya name as title. 75. Kanchipuram Kanchipuram, also known as Kanchi is located in Tamil Nadu, 72 km from Chennai, on the banks of Vegavathy river. It has been ruled by a succession of rulers of South India, followed by the Mughals. The city is particularly important to Vaishnavism, but is also a holy pilgrimage site in . It is regarded as the “Benaras of the South”. Buddhism flourished in Kanchipuram between the 1st and 5th Centuries and Jainism in the 3rd Centuries.

The 6th and 7th centuries saw the advent of Nayanmars (Shaivite Saints) and Alwars (Vaishnavite saints). The Ekambareshwara Temple in the city has a gopuram, 59m (194ft) tall, making it one of the tallest in India. Kailasanatha Temple, dedicated to Shiva, is the oldest Hindu temple in existence, according to the Archeological Survey of India. Adi Shankaracharya is closely associated with this temple and is believed to have established the Kanchi Math after this temple. He spent the last years of his life here. The city is believed to have been part of the mythical Dravida Kingdom of the Mahabharatha, and was described as “the best among cities”by the 4th century Sanskrit poet, Kalidasa.