1. Sacred Destinations
2. India
3. Sacred Sites in India

Sacred Sites in India

Below is an illustrated index of the sacred sites and religious places in India profiled so far on Sacred Destinations, listed in alphabetical order by name. Please note this list is far from comprehensive - many more great sites remain to be added. You can also view these sites on an interactive map of India.

• Ajanta Caves
  Maharashtra, India
  A series of 29 Buddhist cave temples dating from as early as the 2nd century BC, the Ajanta Caves contain some of the best masterpieces of Buddhist art in India.
• Bodhi Tree
  Bodhgaya, India
  The Bodhi Tree in Bodhgaya is a descendant of the tree under which Siddharta Gautama attained enlightenment after 49 days of meditation and became the "Enlightened One."
• Mahabodhi Temple
  Bodhgaya, India
  This sacred stupa marks the site of the Buddha's enlightenment and is the main destination for Buddhist pilgrims. The temple dates from the 2nd century AD but has been restored over the years.
• Char Dham Pilgrimage Route
  Uttaranchal, India
• Elephanta Caves
  Maharashtra, India
  This complex of cave temples on Elephanta Island, an hour-long ferry ride from Mumbai, were carved in honor of Shiva in the 7th century.
• Ellora Caves
  Maharashtra, India
  The Ellora Caves are a magnificent complex of 34 Buddhist, Hindu and Jain temples extending over more than 2 kilometers in central India.
• Golden Temple of Amritsar
  Amritsar, India
  The holiest site in Sikhism, the Golden Temple seems to float on the water. It enshrines the holy book, Guru Granth Sahib, which is venerated by pilgrims throughout the day and put to bed at night.
• Kedarnath
  Uttarakhand, India
  One of the four major sites in the Chota Char Dham pilgrimage of the Northern Himalayas, Kedarnath is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva.
• Konark Sun Temple
  Orissa, India
  This 13th-century Hindu temple dedicated to the sun god is shaped like a giant chariot. It is best known for the exquisite stone carvings that cover the entire structure.
• Kushinagar
  Kushinagar, India
  The place of the Buddha's passing away, Kushinagar is one of four major Buddhist pilgrimage sites in northern India and Nepal.
• Rishikesh
  Uttarakhand, India
• Sarnath
  India
  Located just 12 km from the Hindu holy city of Varanasi, Sarnath is the site of the deer park where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma after his enlightenment. It is one of four sites sanctioned by the Buddha himself for pilgrimage.