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India is a land of extraordinary blend of diverse culture, traditions, customs, and religions with distinct faiths. It is a land that trusts in the philosophy of unity in diversity and thus has given rise and adopted to several different religions and faith which exist in harmony. The core of India’s values lies within these religions, faiths, and places where they are worshipped and live with the prosperity derived from these. Religious tourism is very popular in India and people from all over the world and even different parts of the country love to visit these popular worship places to explore various customs and traditions. They visit the worship places not only to seek blessings but even just to behold their stunning architecture, the fascinating religious rituals, devotees clad in traditional and spiritual outfits and the delicious food that is distributed to people after being offered to deities, post or during worship.

India’s primary religion is Hinduism as in the most number of people follow hinduism, with many nuances across different regions and so there are a wide variety of Hindu temples itself in India – and the ones in the north of India are a lot different when compared to ones in the south of the country, in many aspects that include architecture, language, worship practices, offerings, rules and regulations and so on.India is also home to a whopping number of mosques, Dargahs and churches, as Islam and Christianity are the second and third largest religions in India respectively. Jama masjid, Mecca (in Hyderabad ) and the Haji Ali Dargah are some of the popular mosques and St. Paul's Cathedral, Kolkata, Santa Cruz Basilica, Kochi, Basilica of Bom Jesus, Goa are some popular churches in the country.

Jainism is another religion that was founded in India and so there are many Jain temples in the country, that mark the existence of this religion and its spirituality. Another kind of worship place in India are the Gurudwaras, which are sacred shrines that are a symbol of Sikhism - the fourth-largest religion in India. With thousands of Gurudwaras established across India, they are known to be some of the cleanest and organized places of worship in the country.

Besides these, India also has worship places related to some other religions such as Synagogues (Jewism) and Fire Temples (Zoroastrianism or Temples for people of Parsi religion). In Zoroastrian religion, fire (altar) is believed to be an agent of ritual purity, and many “purification” ceremonies are performed where fire is a main factor. Hence the name “fire temples” for these.The synagogues in India, are buildings that were built in the periods between the mid-sixteenth and the mid-20th century, when many Jews occupied the country. most of these synagogues are in Mumbai, Cochin, and Goa where the Jewish community resides.

A trip to India cannot be deemed complete without exploring the nuances of religious places and delve in the religious history dating back beyond imagination. However, there is no official religion that is followed everywhere, and the country is known for. There are five major religions are that judiciously followed by different sects of people in India which are Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, and Buddhism. Other religions that are followed at a very small number are Jainism, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism for which most spiritual places are in the southern and western India such as Maharashtra, Cochin, and Goa. This is the sole reason why India is known as a secular and spiritual country.

  • HINDUISM: One of the oldest religions in the world and the majorly followed religion in India, Hinduism is also known as ‘Sanatan Dharma’ and its followers are known as Hindus. It is based on the belief that spirits come back to live a life on earth in different forms based on their past deeds (karma). The faiths are deep rooted and follow the principles of Vedas and Upanishads and people worship different idols which are considered as the reflection of Gods. There are four castes in Hinduism that are the Brahmin, Kshatriya, Shudra, and Vaishya. Some of the most popular and pious places of worship for Hindus are Haridwar, Rishikesh, Dwaraka, Varanasi, Mathura, Vrindavan, Rameshwaram, and Puri.
  • ISLAM: Islam came to India in around 8th century, and it is the second largest followed religion in the country. The followers are known as Muslims, and they follow the teachings of Prophet Muhammad which constitute 13% of the total population of India. They are divided into two sects – Shias and Sunnis and have a strong impact on the society as several Muslim rulers have ruled the country in the medieval era. Popular places of worship for Islam are Hyderabad, Agra, and Rajasthan because of several ancient dargah and pilgrimages.
  • CHRISTIANITY: Another followed religion in India, Christianity was introduced in India over 2000 years ago. The Christian population is found everywhere but most of them reside in the Southern, North-Eastern as well as the Konkan coast. They are the devotees of Jesus Christ and read the holy book of Bible. There are several Christian pilgrimages in different states and cities built several years ago by the Britishers and European colonies who ruled over India such as Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya.
  • SIKHISM: Sikhism came into existence around 400 years ago and currently makes up 1.7% of the total population. Most of the Sikhs reside in Punjab from where the religion was originated and follow the preaching of Guru Nanak. Sikhism focuses more on serving the poor and the needy and believe in equal rights irrespective of the caste and creed. They read the holy book called Guru Granth Sahib. Popular places of worship for Sikhs are Punjab and Chandigarh.
  • BUDDHISM: Founded by sage Gautam Buddha, Buddhism forms only 1% of the total population of India. It was originated during the erstwhile Magadh kingdom in Bihar in the 5th century BC. The followers of Buddishm believe in the concept of karma and rebirth and practice peace and simple living. They also engage in devotional practices such as pilgrimage chanting and offering. Places of worship for Buddhists are Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Sikkim, Kaushambi, Ladakh.

Famous Religious Places in North India

Religion has always played a great role in India from the ancient times. The pilgrimages in North India are extremely popular and are surrounded by various stories from the mythology and various characters of the millennium era. The worship places consist of pilgrimages for all kinds of religions, but the Hindu temples are far more in number and are a bit different from how they are in the south in terms of architecture. Some of the most famous religious places in North India are:

  • Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
  • Golden Temple, Amritsar
  • Haridwar and Rishikesh, Uttarakhand
  • Kedarnath and Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand
  • ISCKON Temple, Delhi
  • Jama Masjid, Delhi
  • Mindrolling Monastery, Uttarakhand
  • Vaishno Devi Temple and Amarnath Cave Temple, Jammu
  • Shri Akshardham Temple, Delhi
  • Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh

Famous Religious Places in South India

South India is a vibrant mix of different religions living harmoniously and celebrating this religious diversity through distinct and breath-taking religious architectures. From ancient temples to churches to synagogues, and mosques, South India is as incredible in its religious diversity as it is in natural beauty. Some of the famous religious places here are:

  • Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple, Tamil Nadu
  • Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh
  • Guruvayur Temple and Sabarimala, Kerala
  • Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu
  • Velankanni Church, Tamil Nadu
  • Murudeswar, Karnataka
  • Good Shephered Church, Kottayam
  • Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple, Kerala

Famous Religious Places in West India

The western India is filled with ancient temples made by kings and other rulers and consists of all religions which are not quite popular in other region such as Christianity and Judaism. Some of the most famous religious places in west India are:

  • Shirdi, Maharashtra
  • Nasik, Maharashtra
  • Nathdwara and Pushkar, Rajasthan
  • Dwaraka, Gujarat
  • Somnath and Modhera Sun Temple, Gujarat
  • Basilica of Bom Jesus, Goa
  • Mount Mary Church, Mumbai
Famous Religious Places in East India

Like every other region, Eastern India is also endowed with several religious places for which devotees from all over the world gather to bless themselves. Some of the top religious places in East India are:

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ)

Q1. What is the Hindu place of worship called?

A hindu place of worship is called as a ‘Mandir’.

Q2. What are the four places of worship?

Temples, churches, mosques, gurudwara, synagogues, and monasteries are examples of the structures created for worship for different religions.

Q3. How many shakti peeth are there in total?

There are total 51 shakti peeth of goddess sati in India and some in Pakistan and Bangladesh as well

Q4. What are the 4 Dhams?

4 Dhams are the Hindu pilgrimages in north India which are Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri.

Q5. What is the holiest city in India?

Varansi, which is one of the ancient cities in the world, is considered as the holiest city in India.

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