Srinagar, Jammu Kashmir The Jama Masjid of Srinagar is one of the oldest mosques in India to carry that moniker. Aside from the various Dargahs built for various Sufi saints, it is in fact one of the oldest standing mosques in the country. Located in the extreme north of India, it is among a number of great mosques constructed under the auspices of the Delhi Sultanate during … [Read more...]
NIZAMUDDIN DARGAH
Delhi, NCT The Nizamuddin Dargah, or Shrine of Nizamuddin Auliya, is the oldest Muslim institution in Delhi and among the oldest Muslim shrines in India. Located at the heart of the very old and very busy Nizamuddin neighborhood, this venerable mosque is both a local center and a major destination for hundreds of thousands of Muslims every year. It draws even more visitors … [Read more...]
CHAUMUKHA TEMPLE
Ranakpur, Rajasthan The Ranakpur Jain Temple, also known as the Chaumukha Temple, is neither the most sacred nor the most visited Jain temple in India. However, it is arguably the most magnificent. This immense, staggeringly beautiful white marble architectural masterpiece, nestled amidst lush green tropical rainforest, is a standout even by Indian standards. Dedicated to … [Read more...]
JAISALMER FORT TEMPLES
Jaisalmer, Rajasthan The Jain temples of Jaisalmer are among India’s more recent major Jain shrines. Located inside the massive and magnificent Jaisalmer Fortress, one of the most touristed places in Rajasthan, the Jain Temples here are among the most visited in India. There are a number of temples here, of which the Parshvanath and Shantinath are preeminent. As part of the … [Read more...]
DILWARA TEMPLES
Mount Abu, Rajasthan The area arount Mount Abu in southern Rajasthan has been a major center of Jain culture since the Middle Ages, and there are number of Jain temples at this ancient site. Among these is a complex of five temples collectively known as the Dilwara Temples. The Dilwara Temples are comsidered by many to be the most beautiful Jain temples in the world, and among … [Read more...]
PALITANA TEMPLES
Palitana, Gujarat The city of Palitana in Gujarat is one of Jainism’s holiest places. According to tradition it was here that Rishabha, the founder of Jainism, spent time meditating here over two thousand years ago. Because of this Palitana is believed to be one of the earliest centers of the Jain religion. The hill where Rishabha spent his time is now home to one of India’s … [Read more...]
HEMIS MONASTERY
Ladakh, Jammu Kashmir The Hemis Monastery in Ladakh is one of the largest and best known Buddhist monasteries in India. Perched on a hilltop with the Himalyan Mountains for a backdrop, it recalls the grandeur of the great monasteries of Tibet. It is closely associated with the Guru Rimpoche who is honored here every year with one of India’s largest Buddhist festivals. The … [Read more...]
NAMGYAL MONASTERY
Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh The Namgyal Monastery is among the world’s most important Buddhist monastaries. Since the mid-20th century, it has served as the home-in-exile of the Dalai Lama, one of the most important Buddhist leaders (and religious leaders for that matter) in the world. A relatively humble complex compared to the massive palace in Lhasa, Tibet, the Namgyal … [Read more...]
GANGBAL LAKE
Jammu & Kashmir – Lake of the Ashes of the Dead Gangbal Lake is arguably the most sacred body of water in India that is not a river. Located close to Mount Haramukh, it shares a history and culture with that sacred mountain devoted devoted to Lord Shiva, and many pilgrims to the area often visit both sites. Pilgrimages to the high mountain lake are very popular during the … [Read more...]
TRIKUTA
Jammu & Kashmir (1,585 m) – Sacred Mountain of Vaishno Devi Trikuta is actually a mythical mountain of Hindu legend, one of twenty that serve as foothills to the greatest mountain in Hindu cosmology, Meru. As the story goes, Trikuta is inhabited by several gods, and boasts, among other thing, magnificent gardens and lakes, frolicking elephants and triple peaks of iron, … [Read more...]
