Spiritual India tour need not necessarily be religious

A spiritual India tour need not necessarily be religious. This is because of the many diverse belief systems that have been prevalent here. For centuries. In close proximity. This is possible because of the deep philosophical thought that runs through it all. Let’s head out to explore this on a virtual spiritual India tour.

Spiritual India – Diverse Belief Systems

India is a country which is thousands of years old – one of the most ancient civilizations in the world. Despite the diversities, cultural differences, the dialects spoken there’s one common thread. This brings it all together into the essence of the country – Spiritual India. Strong religious belief backs this.

Practising Yoga is one of the best ways to understand and learn about spiritual India. Yoga originated here about 5000 years back. It has now become immensely popular worldwide. As a result, many visitors are drawn to India. In order to practice this art and several forms of meditation here.

Mark Twain once remarked about India. He called it the “Land of religions, cradle of human race, birthplace of human speech, grandmother of legend, great grandmother of tradition. India had the start of the whole world in the beginning of things”. I think it describes this land quite well.

Philosophy, the bedrock of Spiritual India

The country has been home to many religions and beliefs over the centuries. It has accepted and amalgamated all of them with ease. Hence, it is the cradle of many organized religions and many unorganized ones too. Whatever the belief system, there is a deep philosophical veneer that runs through it all here. That is the essence of Spiritual India. Whether it be a sage in Rishikesh or a monastery caretaker in Arunachal Pradesh of Northeastern India.

Ancient Indian Belief Systems – Spiritual India

In fact, ancient Indian belief systems were of 2 types – Astika and Nastika. Astika had at its core, belief in God. On the contrary, Nastika, was in sense, atheism. Imagine – this is a system that believed and accepted a thought process of Atheism! True tolerance I would say…

In the Nastika school of philosophy comes Jainism, Buddhism, Charvaka and Ajivika. There are again 6 orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy. Let’s not get into the details of each of these here. Write to me in case this interests you and I can point you to more information on this.

Let’s look here at some places in India that you can travel to in order to get a taste of this. A taste of the diversity of Spiritual India. In addition, of course, to the regular places of worship. These Temples, Churches, Mosques, Monasteries and Gurudwaras are in abundance in this land.

Different facets showcased in a virtual Spiritual India tour:

Being Shiva:

As I mentioned, the diverse spirituality of India is held together by deep philosophical thought. One of the philosophies is that of avoidance of attachment while enjoying creation. This is the core of ancient Hindu thought, Buddhist belief, Sikhism and Jainism. To read more click the link on the philosophically spiritual attitude of Being Shiva.

The Beatles and the Maharishi connection:

Even the famous band, The Beatles, came to India in their spiritual journey. They were one of the many seekers who came from the West in the Swinging 60’s. Disillusioned and searching for utopia. With hope. Some of them returned disillusioned. The Beatles were no exception. But they produced some of their best creative work while here in Rishikesh. Here is some more on the Beatles link with India.

Chausath Yogini cult:

This was one of the early Indian feminist cults with a huge following. A Yogini is, literally, a female practitioner of Yoga. They are a group of forest spirits and mother goddesses feared & worshiped for Tantric power. The cult of the Yoginis were very powerful between the 9th and 12th centuries AD. They were then slowly crushed by the patriarchy of the system and finally, Victorian morality. Today, this cult is almost completely forgotten. To learn more on this, read Chausath Yogini cult – celebrating the feminine.

Strange and Mysterious Temples of India:

There are some strange and mysterious temples in India. The people here worship not only the Gods – but also the Demons or Villains from epics! They follow strange rituals and traditions till today. This is  basis the mythological or legendary connect. King Ravana from the Ramayana is one of the most popular (or hated) villains here. He is revered in Sri Lanka, though. In fact, even Sri Rama, the Hero of the Ramayana, respected Ravana despite being his mortal enemy. Read more about the lesser known details of Ravana, evil King of Lanka.

Chopta – A Himalayan haven

Chopta lies in the middle of the famous Panch Kedars in the lap of the Himalayas. It can hence be the base for visits to the Panch Kedars. Lovely treks, pristine nature and lots of legends. Add to this the lure of religion and history. A veritable treat for the mind and heart. Read more about the spiritual haven of Chopta.

Mysterious lake of Roopkund:

The ‘Raj Jat’ is a pilgrimage that takes place every 12 years in the honor of Goddess Nanda Devi. This has been taking place in the Himalayas from the 9th century AD. It attracts over 50,000 people from all over India. The Government banned this pilgrimage in 1931 as it resulted in many deaths. Could that be the reason for the many ancient skeletons found in the hidden lake en route? This is the mysterious, hidden, Roopkund lake.

Doubting Thomas and the Santhome Cathedral:

We all have doubts and so did Doubting Thomas ! Jesus identified St. Thomas as one of the twelve apostles to spread Christianity in the world. He was the apostle who questioned everything. And hence, the name Doubting Thomas. The belief is that he died in Chennai in South India. They say that the Gothic styled cathedral there is built over his tomb.

The unique 40 year tradition of Athi Varadar:

The idol of Athi Varadar emerges from the water tank every 40 years. This tradition is quite fascinating and millions throng the city of Kanchipuram in order to witness this event. Read about the mythological and historical reason behind the idol immersion.

Floating Shettihalli Rosary Church:

The French missionaries built this Gothic styled Shettihalli church in 1860. This church remains submerged during the rainy season. It is a photographer’s delight as it gives a different perspective in the dry and rainy seasons.

Sidi Saiyyed Mosque:

The simple looking 16th century Sidi Saiyyed Mosque in Ahmedabad has a complex connection. As a place of worship, a tree, with a popular business school and Africa!  Sidi Saiyyed built this mosque around the period when the Gujarat sultanate reign was coming to an end.

Srimanta Sankaradeva and neo Vaishanavism:

The neo Vaishnavism religion is a very prominent religion in Assam. Neo Vaishnavism focused on devotion. It is against idol worship. Srimanta Sankardeva started the neo Vaishnavite movement. This religion took birth by this movement. It helped shape the Assamese culture into a progressive, welcoming and inclusive culture.

Fire Temple – The Tower of Silence:

Spirituality is not only about living but also about death, the associated rituals and philosophies. One interesting death ritual performed by the Zoroastrian community is the Sky Burial. They leave the dead on a terrace of their Temple as food for the birds of carrion. A final act of charity! The Tower of Silence is the name of these towers for sky burial. To read more about the legends and rationale behind this unique practice, read about the Tower of Silence.

Pushkar -the spiritual land

Pushkar is only of the oldest cities of India and is sacred to both Hindus and Sikhs. Besides, it is very close to the Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti- doesn’t it sound like a town which is a confluence of multiple religions just like India . This place is also known globally for the world’s largest camel fair. Click here to read more about this Teertha Raj called Pushkar

Meenakshi Amman Temple – An Architectural Marvel

Located in the center of Madurai, Meenakshi Amman temple is the largest temple complex in Tamilnadu. As per scholars, the temple dates back to the first century AD. Goddess Parvathi known as Meenakshi (fish eyed) is the principal deity here. The temple has fourteen gateway towers. Each tower has sculptures of gods, demons and animals. Besides towers, there are numerous pillared halls (mandapams) in this temple.

Tashiding Monastery

Seeing is cleansing here; no need to take a holy dip into a holy river. The walk up to the Tashiding Monastery is dotted with white coloured prayer flags and the carvings on the walls are the Buddhist Chant-“Om Mane Padme Hum”. All this makes it a surrounding full of prayer and positivity, which will anyways cleanse  a person.

The Ancient Kapaleeswarar Temple of Mylapore

Located in the Mylapore, Chennai – the Kapaleeswarar temple is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Karpagambal. Built in Dravidian style, this temple has two gopurams (gateways). One of the gateways is as high as 120 feet! The monumental punnai tree in the temple is the oldest in Chennai. Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi (Karpagmabal) are the presiding deities in this temple. There is a grand annual festival that takes place every year during the months of March-April.

Ajmer Sharif and Sufi Saint Moinuddin Chisti

Moinuddin Chisti a Sufi Saint traveled from Persia to Ajmer in 1192. The Ajmer Sharif dargah houses the tomb of the Sufi saint. The dargah welcomes people from all faiths and religions. As per the belief, one who prays here with a pure heart will have the wishes fulfilled. Some of the prominent rulers who visited this dargah are Muhammad bin Tughlaq, Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, Jahanara Begum, Aurangzeb to name a few.

Mysterious Mechuka

Mechuka is a small town. A valley nestled between snow-covered hills. In Arunachal Pradesh in North-eastern India. This is a fairy-tale town. Very less people, long walks and treks, a river gurgling through town… Peaceful and serene. Ideal for introspection and meditation. Read on about a traveler’s journey through Mechuka and the different experiences he had, ranging from the beauteous and adventurous to the spiritual.

Cave Temples of Mahabalipuram

Located close to Chennai is the city of Mahabalipuram which is famous for its heritage sites and beaches. The heritage sites were built by the Pallava dynasty. In addition to the Shore Temples, Panch Rathas, Krishna’s butterball, this place is popular for its cave temples. The caves being Mahishasuramardhini Cave, Varaha Cave and Krishna Cave.

Shatrunjaya Hill – Jain temples of Palitana

Shatrunjaya Hill is regarded as one of the holiest places for Jains. There are around 863 temples across two summits were built in 900 years. There are 3500 steps to climb to reach the top of Shatrunjaya hill. The first tirthankara or jina ‘Rishaba’ gave his first sermon here. It is said most of the tirthankaras attained nirvana or salvation here. Dedicated to Rishaba, the Adinatha temple is the most important. The pilgrims visit the Adinatha temple and the Nine enclosures without fail.

The Temples of Belur, Halebidu and Shravanabelagola

Located in Hassan Karnataka, Belur and Halebidu are famous for its richly decorated temples. The Belur temple and Hoysaleswara Halebidu temples took over 100 years to build. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu is the Chennakeshava temple of Belur. Likewise the Hoysaleswara and Shantaleswara temples of Halebidu have Lord Shiva as the principal deity. Shravanabelagola is a pilgrimage place for Jains. It is famous for the largest monolithic statue in the world.

The Tibetan Settlement in Bylakuppe

Bylakuppe is home to about 70,000 Tibetans in the state of Karnataka. This happens to be the second largest Tibetan settlement in the world outside Tibet. The 60 feet statues of Padmasambhava, Buddha and Amitayus in the Golden Temple is a sight to behold. In addition to the Golden Temple, there are many monasteries and educational institutions in Bylakuppe.

The Bodhi Tree at Bodh Gaya where Buddha attained nirvana 

Bodh Gaya is the holiest of sites for Buddhists. Lord Buddha spent seven weeks where the Mahabodhi temple exists today. Emperor Ashoka built the original temple in 3rd century which doesn’t exist today. Lord Buddha meditated under the Bodhi tree here and attained enlightenment. Ashoka then went onto build a diamond throne at the place where Buddha meditated. Sadly neglected for many centuries, the current temple dating back to the 7th century was restored by the British in 1880.

The Golden Temple of Amritsar

The Golden Temple of Amritsar is the heavenly abode for Sikhs. Regarded as the holiest site for Sikhism, this temple is surrounded by a sacred water tank called Amrit Sarovar. The first guru – Guru Nanak is said to have meditated here. The pilgrims bathe in the water tank because of its healing powers. The langar here can feed 50,000 visitors every day and 100,000 visitors on special occasions.

Matrimandir of Auroville

Matrimandir is a popular attraction in Auroville. Made up of golden plates and resembling a golf ball, Matrimandir is a meditation center. The inner sanctum of the mandir is however only open to residents of Auroville. Visitors wanting to visit this center need to avail passes in advance. Auroville was founded by Mira Alfassa in 1968 as an experimental township. This township is capable of housing 50,000 residents from different countries.

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Virtual to Physical Spiritual India Tour

In case this virtual spiritual India tour has intrigued you, come along with us. Let us take you on a physical Spiritual India tour. It is one that will present another side of India and its beliefs. Many visitors who travel to India to tour Spiritual India,  come back again, craving for more!

Interested? Write to us and we can help craft an experiential travel itinerary for you. For ideas on other immersive travel options across India and the world, visit Beyonder Travel.

India is not just about spirituality. There are many more facets to this ancient land – culture, mystery, history, nature, wildlife and so on. Click here to explore and understand the diversity of incredible India.