SPIRITUAL INDIA HANDBOOK A GUIDE TO TEMPLES, HOLY SITES FESTIVALS AND TRADITIONS S T E P H E N K N A P P JAICO PUBLISHING HOUSE Ahmedabad Bangalore Bhopal Chennai Delhi Hyderabad Kolkata Mumbai Published by Jaico Publishing House A-2 Jash Chambers, 7-A Sir Phirozshah Mehta Road Fort, Mumbai - 400 001 [email protected] www.jaicobooks.com © Stephen Knapp Published in arrangement with Stephen Knapp 180 Lenox Street Detroit, Michigan 48215, USA SPIRITUAL INDIA HANDBOOK ISBN 978-81-8495-024-3 First Jaico Impression: 2009 No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Printed by Contents Introduction . 1 PURPOSE AND BENEFITS OF PILGRIMAGE . 5 TAKING THE TRAINS . 9 BE CAUTIOUS . 10 AVOIDING SCAMS . 11 BEING PREPARED . 14 DEALING WITH RICKSHA OR TAXI DRIVERS . 14 CURRENCY EXCHANGE . 15 FOOD PRECAUTIONS . 17 HEAT STROKE OR HEAT EXHAUSTION . 17 EXPECT PERSONAL CHANGES IN YOURSELF . 18 WHAT IF TEMPLES DO NOT LET US IN? . 18 Chapter 1 The Major Holy Places in East and Central India and Nepal . 21 NEW DELHI. 22 MATHURA . 29 GOKULA. 31 VRINDAVANA . 33 GREATER VRAJAMANDALA . 40 AGRA. 45 FATEHPUR SIKRI . 50 GWALIOR. 52 JHANSI TO ORCHHA. 53 - vii - viii SEEING SPIRITUAL INDIA KHAJURAHO (or KHAJURAO) . 54 CHITRAKUT. 59 ALLAHABAD (PRAYAGA) . 61 THE TRADITION OF THE KUMBHA MELA. 63 VARANASI. 64 SARNATH . 73 AYODHYA . 74 NAIMISARANYA (TIRUNAIMISARANYAM). 76 GORAKHPUR/KUSHINAGAR . 80 GOING TO NEPAL AT SAUNALI FOR LUMBINI . 81 GOING TO NEPAL THROUGH RAXAUL TO BIRGANJ . 82 LUMBINI . 83 POKHARA . 84 MUKTINATH . 85 GOING TO KATHMANDU . 86 KATHMANDU . 87 JANAKPUR . 94 WHERE TO GO NEXT?. 95 PATNA . 95 VAISHALI . 96 NALANDA . 96 RAJGIR. 97 PAWAPURI . 97 GAYA . 97 BODHGAYA . 99 BARABAR HILL. 100 DEOGHAR . 100 VISHNUPUR . 101 KOLKATA . 102 MAYAPUR . 104 EKACHAKRA . 116 RAMAKELI . 119 GANGA SAGAR. 120 Stephen Knapp ix REMUNA . 121 JAGANNATHA PURI. 124 BHUBANESWAR . 134 SRI KAKULAM to KURMAKSETRA . 136 VISAKHAPATNAM . 137 NAGPUR & RAMA GIRI . 139 VIJAYAWADA. 139 MANGALAGIRI . 141 AGIRIPALLI . 144 HYDERABAD & YADAGIRIGUTTA . 144 BASARA. 145 WARANGAL . 146 PALAMPET . 147 VEMULAWADA . 147 SRISAILAM . 149 ALAMPUR. 150 NANDYAL. ..