Hinduism 101

Lesson 7: Important Pilgrimage Spots.

River-Related Pilgrimage Spots.

River-related Pilgrimage Sites:

Hindus, right from the beginning of the religion and probably under influence from the older animalistic religions of the subcontinent, have always held rivers to be sacred, probably because they found that they were totally dependant on the water to drink and irrigate their crops. The monsoons in India, the season of the rains, have always been of short duration and there is a prolonged dry season when only the rivers make life possible.

Thus, India is amply interspersed by river-related pilgrimage spots and it is not possible to list all of them. Also, the allusion to sacred water in "Tirtha" which can purify one of sins is taken literally more often than not and all pilgrimage places have its patch of water but this section includes those places where the river itself is the cynosure of pilgrimage. I have chosen to acquaint students with the four most important ones.

Gangotri:

Gangotri is the source of the River Ganga and is located high up in the Himalayas at 3048 meters above sea-level. The glacier of the same name begins to melt here. The water comes out a rock formation shaped like a cow’s mouth and this has great religious significance as the cow is held sacred by Hindus. Also, in the water just below the cow’s mouth fountain, there is submerged in the ice-cold water a stone shaped like a Linga. This is held even more auspicious as the mythical story of Shiva cushioning the Ganga’s fall as it descends to earth is borne out by this singular natural formation.

Gangotri is not only a pilgrimage spot but it is also much favored by hardy mountaineers who use it as a base for more adventurous ascents on the towering peaks nearby. The pristine mountains and ample vegetation is savored by pilgrims and adventurers alike.

The Temple to Ganga, reputedly built by King Bhagirath himself, is also another focus of worship.

Jamunotri:

Jamunotri is the glacial source of the River Jamuna, another holy river much associated with Krishna who was born in Mathura on its banks. There are many holy places around this high altitude (3293 meters) religious spot. Most of them are holy lakes, rock formations and river sources that have mythical connotations. The ascent to this place is tough and only those pilgrims who are physically fit can make it up to here.

This pilgrimage spot is also favored alike by pilgrims and adventurers. The Jamunotri Temple is dedicated to the River Goddess and is the main focus of worship.

Allahabad:

Allahabad is another old city that is much revered for its mythical connotations. It is also called “Prayag” because Brahma once performed a sacrifice here. The main reason why this place has acquired such religious merit is because it is the confluence of three rivers – Ganga, Jamuna and Sarasvati. This is a very old Hindu tradition. Wherever in India two or three rivers come to meet that place has been declared holy and temples and other religious institutions have been built. Pilgrims flock to these places to bathe at the confluences and purify themselves of all previous sins. Of these Allahabad is the most revered and important especially because two rivers here – Ganga and Jamuna – are both worshipped as Goddesses and are themselves much revered.

Allahabad is also the place where the most important Kumbh Mela takes place. It is also dotted with temples and other religious institutions. It is an old center of Hindu learning and still continues with the grand old tradition.

Ganga Sagar:

This is not an inhabited place but the shifting deltaic estuary where the main distributary of the River Ganga falls into the Bay of Bengal a few miles to the south of the city of Calcutta in the state of West Bengal. Every year, in the middle of January, on Makar Sankranti, an auspicious day, millions of Hindus from all over the country gather at this desolate spot to offer worship to the Ganga. A fair-like atmosphere prevails and sadhus and ordinary pilgrims intermingle in single-minded devotion to bathe at auspicious times, usually early at dawn. The purpose, of course, is to wash away one’s sins.

The West Bengal government has to pitch in with provisions of everything from transportation, which mostly includes boats and launches, to makeshift shelters and toilets, food and safe drinking water. As at the Kumbh Mela, many Sadhus who normally stay up in the mountains and forests come out of their retreats to acquire heavenly merits.

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