Pilgrimage

India has special religious significance for many Hindus because of its associations with deities and saints. However, sacred places are not limited to India. Hindu communities abroad, including those in Britain, have established places of worship and pilgrimage where they live. A pilgrimage to India may also be combined with visiting relatives.

What pilgrims do and why

The activities on a pilgrimage depend on the destination and the pilgrim’s tradition. Visiting a mandir may involve darshan: seeing the deity through its sacred image and seeking a blessing. Pilgrims may also join worship and kirtan, devotional singing or chanting. These practices help direct their attention towards the divine.

Bathing in a sacred river is associated with purification. Pilgrims seek spiritual cleansing and atonement for wrongdoing; the purpose is more than washing the body. Giving money or other gifts to temples and priests is another way to support religious life and practise generosity.

Pilgrims may walk around a shrine or sacred place, a practice called circumambulation, to express reverence. Some undertake vows or austerities, such as shaving their head or giving up certain comforts, as acts of discipline and penance. Others listen to religious talks, seek advice from holy people or spend time in contemplation. Not every pilgrim performs every practice.

Varanasi: Shiva, the Ganges and liberation

Varanasi, also called Benares or Kashi, is a sacred city on the banks of the River Ganges in India. It is closely associated with Shiva. Its famous Vishvanatha temple, also known as the Golden Temple, is dedicated to him. Visiting the temple gives pilgrims an opportunity to worship Shiva and take darshan.

The riverbank has ghats, steps leading down to the water. Bathing there connects devotion with the belief that the Ganges offers spiritual purification. Some ghats are used for cremation rather than bathing, making the city an important place for religious practices surrounding death.

Many Hindus go to Varanasi towards the end of their lives in the hope of attaining moksha: liberation from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Bodies may be brought from far away for cremation there. Relatives may also bring a loved one’s ashes to scatter in the Ganges, believing that this benefits the departed soul. These practices show how pilgrimage can express both personal hopes for liberation and care for family members who have died.

Different sacred places reflect Hindu diversity

Hindus do not all choose the same destination. The significance of a place often depends on the deity to whom a person is devoted.

Mathura is revered as Krishna’s birthplace, while nearby Vrindavan is associated with his life and pastimes. These places are especially important to devotees of Krishna. Puri is another major destination, known for its temple of Jagannatha, ‘Lord of the Universe’, and its annual Ratha-yatra, or chariot festival, which attracts pilgrims. These examples show that Hindu pilgrimage includes different traditions and forms of devotion, rather than one journey followed by everyone.

Kumbh Mela: sacred bathing and gathering together

Kumbh Mela is a major Hindu pilgrimage gathering. An especially important location is Prayag, also known as Allahabad. Here the Ganges and Yamuna meet at a confluence called the sangam. Hindu tradition also identifies the sacred Sarasvati as joining them underground, so the meeting place is called Triveni, meaning a confluence of three rivers.

The full Kumbh Mela at Prayag is held every twelve years. Bathing at the sangam during the festival is regarded as particularly auspicious: a spiritually favourable opportunity to seek purification. The gathering attracts millions of pilgrims, making a personal religious practice part of a large shared event.

Pilgrims also meet sadhus, gurus and other holy people. Listening to their teachings and receiving guidance can help pilgrims develop their spiritual lives. Kumbh Mela therefore matters not only because of sacred bathing, but also because it brings people together for worship, learning and inspiration.

How important is pilgrimage?

Pilgrimage can strengthen devotion by connecting worshippers with places associated with their beliefs. Time away from everyday responsibilities allows reflection, while meeting other pilgrims and holy people can provide encouragement and a sense of belonging. For someone seeking purification or liberation, the journey may have profound personal importance.

However, the physical journey alone does not necessarily produce spiritual growth. The Bhagavata Purana criticises someone who goes on pilgrimage simply to bathe without a deeper spiritual understanding. This highlights a distinction between performing an outward action and approaching it with sincere religious purpose.

Pilgrimage can therefore be a valuable support for spiritual life without replacing devotion and good conduct. Hindus may differ over which places and practices matter most, but the pilgrim’s intention helps explain why the same journey can be much more than ordinary travel.

• Darshan, worship and kirtan: devotion and spiritual inspiration.
• Sacred bathing: seeking purification.
• Charity, circumambulation and vows: generosity, reverence and discipline.
• Religious talks and meetings with holy people: learning and guidance.

Named places and gathering

• Varanasi: on the Ganges; associated with Shiva and the Vishvanatha temple. Bathing, cremation and scattering ashes connect it with purification and hopes for moksha.
• Mathura and Vrindavan: associated with Krishna’s birth and life.
• Puri: Jagannatha temple and Ratha-yatra chariot festival.
• Kumbh Mela at Prayag: full festival every twelve years; bathing at the sangam of the Ganges, Yamuna and traditionally the underground Sarasvati. Also an opportunity to meet sadhus and receive teaching.

Evaluating importance

Pilgrimage can deepen devotion and strengthen community. However, the Bhagavata Purana’s criticism of merely bathing stresses that sincere spiritual purpose matters more than outward action alone.