 Since
Time immemorial, India has been known for its spirituality,
religious tolerance and its secular character. India is called
the "yogabhoomi" and the gateway to the heavens. Innumerable
saints and seers, in their quest for knowledge, have contributed
largely to the development of various religious monuments viz.
Temples, Mosques, Monasteries etc. built lavishly across the
length and breadth of the country. For this very reason, India
is also known as the of temple country. The architectural exuberance
is expressed in its places of worship, which form an integral
part of its cultural diversity. It has been a tradition in India
to commemorate all the deities, gods and goddesses by building
shrines, which is evident in the various temples. In the olden
Times, kings of various dynasties used to worship a particular
deity, and thus it was a common practice to build huge temples,
which are in themselves, architectural marvels. India is famous
for its places of worship. The cosmopolitan flavour of its religions
is well reflected in its multitude of holy shrines. Apart from
the pilgrim centres that India is known for, a large number
of places of worship are known among devotees for eternal powers
and wish fulfillment.
Kedarnath
The Kedarnath shrine, At an altitude of 3,581 mt it is a 14
km trek from Gaurikund. Is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord
Shiva. it is a scenic spot placed against the backdrop of the
majestic Kedarnath range.
Badrinath
 The
temple of Shri Badrinathji is 15 mt.high, built in the form
of a cone with a small cupola of a gilt bull and spire is Dedicated
to Lord Vishnu. Set amidst a picturesque valley, at an altitude
of 3,133 mt. above sea-level, it is located on the right bank
of holy river Alaknanda. The other temples and places of worship
worth a mention in Uttar Pradesh are Vishvanath Temple (Varanasi),
Vindhyachal Temple, Rishikesh, Naina Devi Temple, Mathura, Mansa
Devi, Har Ki Pauri, Ghat (Varanasi), Mathura-Vrindavan, Hemkund
Sahib. There are quite a few churches too
including St. John's Church, St. George's Church, St. Mary's
Church, Holy Trinity Church, All Saints' Cathedral, St. Joseph's
Roman Catholic Cathedral. Temple of Shri Naina Devi Ji is situated
on hill top in Bilaspur distt. of Himachal Pradesh in India.
Amritsar
 The
Golden Temple at Amritsar, is the most famous of Sikhs monuments,
ornamented with a gilt by Raja Ranjit Singh. Surrounded with
water on all the sides, it was erected in the 16th century.
The mandir, a two storeyed structure is built on a 67 ft square
of marble. Anandpur Sahib in Punjab is one of the most revered
places of pilgrim for the Sikh community.
Delhi
The Jama Masjid, overlooking the old markets of Chandni Chowk,
is one of the largest mosques in India. It was built by Shah
Jahan in Delhi. Jama Masjid, looks across the old markets of
the city that are massed around Chandni Chowk and stretches
till the great Red Fort.
Ajmer
The Dargah at Ajmer is a shrine considered to be a place of
wish fulfillments for those who pray with devout and pure hearts.
This Dargah houses the tomb of Saint Mohinudeen Chisti. In the
vicinity of the Dargah the tomb of The Saint's daughter-Bili
Hafiz Jama & tomb of Shah Jahan's daughter Chimni Begum
is located.' Ajmer' owes its composite culture to the reign
of many dynasties that came, ruled and left, leaving behind
indelible marks of their culture and traditions culture. Ajmer
is situated in a valley surrounded by the Aravali hills, 131
Kms West of Jaipur. It is also associated with remarkable historical
events. 'Dargah Khwaja Sahib' the landmark of Ajmer. One of
the holiest Muslim shrines in the country. The city has some
splendid master pieces of Indo-Islamic architecture.'
Pushkar
 Pushkar',
11 Kms West of Ajmer, along the picturesque Pushkar Lake lies
the tranquil town with deep religious significance. An important
pilgrimage centre of Hindus, flourishing with 400 temples and
a lake encircles by 52 ghats. The biggest attraction being the
temple of Lord Brahma. Pushkar is also the site for one of the
largest and most colorful cattle fairs in the world.
Orissa
 Orissa
or Kalinga as it was then called was a settlement of non-Aryan
and Aryan settlers. It was here that the famous Battle of Kalinga
was fought which made King Ashoka forsake war. Situated in Orissa
and built in the 13th century to commemorate a military victory,
the Sun Temple is an architectural splendour. The main tower
of Konark stands 227 feet high superceding both Lingaraja and
Jagannath temples. The temple, known as the black pagoda, is
a brilliant chronicle in stone, with thousands of images including
deities.Jagannath Temple, Lingaraja Temple, Devgarh, Khajuraho
in Madhya Pradesh; Somnath Temple in Gujarat are some of the
well known temples.
Varanasi
The major attraction of Varanasi is the long strings of ghats,
which line the western bank of the Ganges. There are over a
100 bathing and burning ghats but the Manikarnika Ghat is the
most sacred of them all. This is the main burning ghats and
one of the most auspicious places where a Hindu can be cremated.
Dasaswamedha Ghat is probably the most convenient starting point.
At the Time of sunrise, people visit this ghat to get an interesting
introduction to the river. Here you'll witness the throng of
people who come to the edge of the Ganges not only for a ritual
bath, but to practice yoga, offer blessings, buy paan, sell
flowers, get a massage, play cricket, have a swim or get a shave.
Apart from the many ghats lining the river, the city's other
highlights include the Golden Temple also known as Vishwanath
Temple, built in a roofed quadrangle with stunning gilded towers.
Shopping at markets famous for their ornamental brass work,
lacquered toy, shawls, silks and sitars; visiting the nearby
Buddhist centre of Sarnath. The Durga Mata temple was built
in 18th century, stained in red with ochre is also a must see.
How to plan your tours:
Explore India, we offer tours packages and holidays guide to
all tourist destinations of India. For more tour options mail
us at info@easytravelindia.com
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North India 
