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Howard Kramer's, The Complete Pilgrim, Religious Travel Site

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JOG FALLS

July 30, 2016 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

India Jog Falls is the second highest waterfall in India, but arguably the most spectacular waterfall in the Far East.  Fed by the Sharavathi, one of India’s sacred rivers, and surrounded on all sides by lush, dense rainforest, it is one of the most beautiful and most visited natural sites in the Indian state of Karnataka. The area around the Jog Falls has been inhabited … [Read more...]

KERALA BACKWATERS

July 30, 2016 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

India The Kerala Backwaters are an extensive interconnecting series of waterways that run much of the length of the state of Kerala along the Arabian Sea.  It includes lakes, natural rivers and manmade canals in an area lush with wetlands and forests.  A very popular vacation destination, the Backwaters are home to hotels, resorts and houseboats. The area of the Kerala … [Read more...]

SRI PADA

June 26, 2016 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Sri Lanka (2,243 m) – Sacred Mountain of Sri Lanka Sri Pada is one of the most universally sacred mountains in the Far East.  A towering, almost perfectly conical peak, it is considered to be an important religious site by Buddhists and Hindus as well as by Muslims and Christians.  Its name means “butterfly mountain”, and though primarily a Buddhist site, is also known as … [Read more...]

ARUNACHALA HILL

June 26, 2016 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

India (N/A) – One of the most Sacred Hindu Sites in Southern India Arunachala Hill is the most sacred Hindu mountain in southern India, where it is home to one of the five great Shaivite shrines.  Unlike its sacred cousins in the north, which are lost amidst the Himalayas and are largely inaccessible, Arunachala is a semi-solitary peak located just outside of a major city.  At … [Read more...]

ST. MARY’S CHURCH

August 12, 2015 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Chennai, Tamil Nadu St. Mary’s Church is the oldest purpose-built Anglican church building in India. A part of the first British settlement in the Subcontinent, it is for all intents and purposes the Mother Church of the Anglican Communion in the Far East. Constructed to withstand the hard realities of the wars of the colonial era, St. Mary’s has survived virtually intact to … [Read more...]

ST. FRANCIS CHURCH

August 12, 2015 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Cochin, Kerala The St. Francis Church is not only the oldest Christian church in India, it is also the oldest church built by a European colonial power in Asia. It was from here, even earlier than in Goa, that Christianity and Roman Catholicism began its long spread throughout the Subcontinent. Its history includes brushes with famous European explorers as well as numerous … [Read more...]

MAKKAH MOSQUE

August 12, 2015 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh The Makkah Mosque is often overlooked in the shadow of its more famous neighbor, the Charminar Mosque. However, the Makkah Mosque is more than worthy of attention in its own right. Begun during the reign of the Qutb Shahi Dynasty and completed under the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, this 17th century masterpiece is the largest mosque in Southern India. It … [Read more...]

BIBI KA MAQBARA

August 12, 2015 By Howard Kramer 1 Comment

Aurangabad, Maharashtra The Bibi Ka Maqbara is arguably India’s second greatest mausoleum. However, being in the shadow of the world famous Taj Mahal, the Bibi Ka Maqbara is virtually forgotten in wider India, and almost unknown around the world. Built by the son of Shah Jahan for his first wife, the Bibi Ka Maqbara bears a striking resemblance to the Taj Mahal, to which it is … [Read more...]

CHERAMAN JUMA MOSQUE

August 12, 2015 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Methala, Kerala The Cheraman Juma Mosque is believed to be the oldest mosque in India, a claim that is not generally disputed by any potential rivals (although the current building dates from a later period). According to legend, it was established directly by a merchant and follower of the Prophet Muhammad just a few years before the Prophet’s death. Many Muslims honor it as … [Read more...]

AJANTA & ELLORA CAVES

August 10, 2015 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Ajanya & Ellora, Maharashtra The Indian state of Maharastra is home to some of the oldest sacred sites in India, especially in the Buddhist tradition. Among the best known and most visited of these are the cave temples that can be found at Ajanta and Ellora. Between these two locations, approximately sixty miles from each other, are over sixty of the worlds most … [Read more...]

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THE COMPLETE AMERICAN PILGRIM – NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

THE COMPLETE PILGRIM

Welcome to The Complete Pilgrim(TM)! This site, created by Howard Kramer, is a combination travel blog and online guide to the world's greatest sites of religious interest (with some historic and recreational places thrown in for good measure). All written content has been originally researched and produced and is provided free for public research and enjoyment. Thank you for visiting!

Site of the Week

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

Wittenberg, Germany The … [Read More...]

Friends of TCP Spotlight

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

by Glory Ali The City of Brotherly Love offers tons to see and do and get this, it’s FREE. That’s right you heard it right it’s FREE. Click here for complete article  

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

by Mary Neuhauser President Trump recently announced his intentions to move the United States Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, thereby recognizing Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel. The purpose of this article is to give you a brief overview of what this decision means and why it matters. Click here for […]

Photo of the Week

BASILICA OF ST. DENIS

Last month, I visited one of the most fascinating churches I have ever been to, the almost completely ignored Basilica of St. Denis in the northern suburbs of Paris.  Almost every French monarch is buried here, and almost nobody goes here.  Here are some pics I took:

Basilica of St. Denis

Tomb of Clovis

Tomb of Clovis

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Royal Tombs

Royal Tombs

The Crypt

The Crypt

 

 

 

 

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Contact Us

Have a comment, a great photo or a religious site you'd like to nominate for the weekly spotlight? We would love to hear from you. Email us at hkramer@thecompletepilgrim.com.

About the Author

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is the culmination of years of his work and passion.

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