Most beautiful temple in India

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Hindu Pilgrim centres in MAHARASHTRA

MUMBAI (BOMBAY) - Elephanta caves : a World heritage centre (caves of 700 AD, 1 hour/10 km by boat from Gateway of India), Mahalakshmi temple, VAJRESHWARI - Temple with hot springs at Ganeshpuri (35 km from Kalyan). Akolola hot springs (2 km) are nearby.

PUNE - Jejuri : Khandoba temple (38 km), Dehu (30 km) - pilgrim centre, Alandi - Pilgrim centre.

ASTAVINAYAK TEMPLES : Swayambhu figures of Sri Ganesh in Maharashtra. Madh (15 km from Khopoli), Pali (38 km from Khopoli), Theur (25 km from Pune), Moregaon (15 km from Jejuri, Pune), Ranjengaon (53 km from Pune), Leniyadri (90 km from Pune), Ojhar (75 km from Pune), Sidhatek (20 km from Daund).

GANAPATIPHULE - Ancient Ganapati temple, beach. 50 km from Ratnagiri.

KOLHAPUR - Mahalakshmi temple, Kopeswar temple at Khidrapur, Renkha Bhairav temple.

PANDHARPUR - Major Hindu pilgrim centre (August - October).

NASIK - Hindu pilgrim centre, Simhastha fair is held here once in 12 years, temples, Ramkund - the holy tank 27 m*12 m, Muktidham marble temple, Pandav leni - 24 Jain caves of 100 BC. Trimbakeshwar (35 km) - Jyotirlinga, temple, caves, Brahmagiri hill.

SHIRDI - Major pilgrim centre, Sai Baba temple. 85 km from Nasik.

ELLORA Caves (26 km from Aurangabad) - A world heritage centre. Dance festival in March. 34 caves consisting of Buddhist (1-12), Hindu (13-29), and Jain caves (30-34) of 500 to 1100 AD. Kailasha temple is the main attraction, which is carved out of a monolith, is the biggest cave temple : 84 m * 47 m. Grishneswar jyotirlinga temple.

AJANTA Caves (110 km from Aurangabad) - A world heritage centre of 200 BC. 29 caves containing numerous images of Buddha and painting on walls. The caves are located in the hills in horse shoe shape.

12 JYOTIRLINGAS : Bhimashankar (Pune), Grishneshwar (Aurangabad), Vajyanath (Parali/Bid), Nageswar/Aunda Nagnath (Nanded), Trikambeswar (Nashik), Viswanath(Varanasi), Mallikarjun (Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh), Mahakaleswar (Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh), Mamaleswar (Omkareswar, Indore), Somnath (Gujrat), Rameshwar (Tamil Nadu), Kedarnath (Uttaranchal).

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Hindu Pilgrim centres in ORISSA

BHUBANESHWAR - A temple city with 500 temples, Bhaskareshwar temple, Raja rani temple, Lingaraja temple (600 AD, 36.5 m high), Parasurameswar temple, Mukteshwar temple, Vaital temple, Bhaskareswar temple with two story high Shivlinga, Kedareswara - Gauri temple, Dhauli (8 km, Emperor Ashoka's rock edicts, Peace pagoda), Khandagiri (7 km, 15 Jain caves with carvings of 100 BC), Hathi Gumpha (elephant cave) - King's inscriptions. Udayagiri - Buddhist caves (18 km, 18 caves of 100 BC), Ratnagiri caves near Cuttack.

KONARK Sun temple (70 km) - Known as 'BLACK PAGODA' of 1300 AD, a world heritage centre, it is made in the form of a chariot having 24 intricately carved wheels, chariot with Sun God is pulled by 7 horses (in ruins), archaeological museum, Dance festival in Dec.

PURI temple (60 km) - One of the four most holy places of Hindu pilgrimage (other holy abodes are Badrinath, Dwarka & Rameshwaram), 20000 people are depended on temple for their livelihood, 65 m spire.

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Hindu Pilgrim centres in RAJASTHAN

JAIPUR - Govindevji temple, Galtaji temple. AJMER - Pushkar lake and Brahma temple (11 km).

BIKANER - Deshnoke (32 km) : Karni devi temple is a famous heavan for rats. A temple full of divine rats.

UDAIPUR - Jagdish temple, Eklingji - 108 temples of 734 AD in marble (22 km), Nagda (Near Eklingji) - Sas Bahu temple and Adbudji Jain temple, Rishabdeoji temple (65 km), Ranakpur Adinath Jain temple complex (85 km).

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Hindu Pilgrim centres in WEST BENGAL

KOLKATA (CALCUTTA) - Kalighat temple, Belur (15 km, Ramakrishna mission headquarters), Dakshineshwar Kali temple (11 km), Tarakeshwar temple (80 km). TARAPITH temple (80 km from Shantiniketan).

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Hindu Pilgrim centres in UTTARANCHAL

YAMNOTRI - Source of river Yamuna, Hindu pilgrim centre - temple, hot springs - Surya kund (88 oC), Divya shila rock pillar near the temple. Mussoorie to Hanuman chatti (130 km). 13 km trek via Janaki chatti for Yamnotri. 120 km for Gangotri.

GANGOTRI (3048 m) - Glacier at Gaumukh (24 km trek), source of Ganga river, Hindu pilgrim centre, temple, access from Dehradun by bus, Open May to October. Mussoorie to Lanka (112 km). Trek to Gangotri (11 km), to Bhajbasa (3800 m, 12 km) via Chibasa , to Gaumukh (3970 m, 12 km) and back .

HARIDWAR - Kumbh mela is held here after every 12 years, Chandi devi temple, Bharatmata temple, Mayadevi temple, Bhimgoda temple, Mansadevi temple (ropeway), Vaishnodevi temple, Hari-i-Pairi Ganga ghat for evening Aarti, temples, ashrams.

RISHIKESH - Hindu pilgrim centre, Trivel ghat : Evening Aarti, Swarg ashram : famous for Yoga and meditation, Kali temple, Lakshman Jhoola (bridge), Ram Jhoola.

KEDARNATH - Hindu pilgrim centre near Badrinath (180 km, 3584 m, 13 km trek from Gaurikund - hot springs, May to Oct), jyotirlinga, Shankaracharya samadhi, Chaukamba glacier (2 km), Vasuki tal lake (4200m, 5 km, 2 km in dia.).

BADARINATH - Hindu pilgrim centre (bus from Rishikesh, 300 km, 12 hour, 3100 m), hot springs : Taptakund and Surya kund (55 oC), from temple steps leads to Charan paduka.

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Jain and Buddhist pilgrim centres in Gujrat

JUNAGADH - Upperkot fort (5 km) : Jami masjid and Buddhist caves are nearby, 14 Ashoka rock edicts of 250 BC on the way to Girnar, gardens, Maqbara (tombs of Nawabs). GIRNAR (8 km, 600 m ASL, 2 hour climb) - From the Damodarkund climb the 10,000 steps for 16 Jain temples in white marble, muslim pilgrim centre at Datar.

PALITANA - Jain exquisite temples (863 in number) by one hour trek, Muslim shrine of Angar Pir. Ahmedabad (210 km).

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Jain and Buddhist pilgrim centres in RAJASTAN

BIKANER - Bhandasagar Jain temple (5 km).

16 Jain temples in marble at Osiyan (60 km from Jodhpur).

JAISALMER - 650 km from Jaipur, fort, palace, museum, Amar sagar (6 km) : lake, Jain temple, Ludrawa Jain temple (16 km) : Splendid carving, Jain temple of Rikabdevji and Sambhavnathji.

Mt. ABU - Jain Dilwara group of temples : Adinath temple (1031 AD).

UDAIPUR - Eklingji (22 km) 108 temples of 734 AD in marble , Nagda (Near Eklingji) - Sas Bahu temple and Adbudji Jain temple, Rishabdeoji temple (65 km), Ranakpur Adinath Jain temple complex (85 km).

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Jain and Buddhist pilgrim centres in MADHYA PRADESH

SANCHI (47 km) - 300 BC stupa, a World heritage centre, Great stupa is 16.4 m high and 36.5 m in diameter with 4 carved gateways, Buddhist pilgrim centre.

INDORE - Central museum, Jain Kabch temple. OMKARESWAR - 77 km from Indore, Sidhanath mandir, 24 Avatar's Jain mandir.

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Jain and Buddhist pilgrim centres in MAHARASHTRA

MUMBAI - Borivilli national park (35 km), Kanheri caves (109 caves of 1 C BC, 40 km).

LONAVLA - Karla caves (12 km, 80 BC), Bhaja caves (8 km, 18 in no.), Bedsa caves (10 km, near Pawna dam) .

NASIK - Pandav leni (24 Jain caves of 100 BC).

ELLORA Caves (26 km from Aurangabad) - A world heritage centre. Dance festival in March. 34 caves consisting of Buddhist (1-12), Hindu (13-29), and Jain caves (30-34) of 500 to 1100 AD. Kailasha temple is the main attraction, which is carved out of a monolith, is the biggest cave temple : 84 m * 47 m.

AJANTA Caves (110 km from Aurangabad) - A world heritage centre of 200 BC. 29 caves containing numerous images of Buddha and painting on walls. The caves are located in the hills in horse shoe shape.

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Gangotri temple, Uttaranchal : Hindu pilgrim centre, temple, access from Dehradun/ Rishikesh by bus, Open May to October. Dehradun to Bhairon Ghati (150 km). Trek to Gangotri (9 km).

The 18 th century shrine was built by Gorkha general Amar Singh Thapa at 3048 m ASL. The 6 m high temple is made of white granite. It is the spiritual source of Hindu's most scacred river Ganga. It is said that king Bhagirath used to worshop Shiva at the sacred stone nearby. The submerged Shivlinga is a natural rock. Shivlinga which is according to the legend, is where Shiva sat to recieve the Ganga in his matted locks. The Bhairav nath temple in forest is an added attraction. The tiny village of Gangotri is inhabited by priests, sadhus and shopkeepers.

The Gangotri glacier (24 km by trek), which lies at a height of 4204 m beyond Chaukhamba extends as far as Gomukh. The Ganga gushes out of the glacier from here. Trek to Bhajbasa (3800 m, 12 km) via Chibasa, to Gaumukh (3970 m, 12 km) and back.

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Jain and Buddhist pilgrim centres in ORISSA

Dhauli (8 km, Emperor Ashoka's rock edicts, Peace pagoda), Khandagiri (7 km, 15 Jain caves with carvings of 100 BC), Hathi Gumpha (elephant cave) - King's inscriptions. Udayagiri - Buddhist caves (18 km, 18 caves of 100 BC), Ratnagiri caves near Cuttack.

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Jain and Buddhist pilgrim centres in WEST BENGAL

Parasnath Jain temple, Kolkatta.

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Jain and Buddhist pilgrim centres in SIKKIM

Gangtok - Ghoom Buddhist monastery (6 km), Rumtek monastery (24 km).

Tashiding - Monastery, Buddhist pilgrim centre.

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Jain and Buddhist pilgrim centres in BIHAR

Vaisali (35 km from Hajipur, Patna) - Birth place of Mahavira, ashes of Buddha preserved, Lion pillar at Kolhua (18.3 m high) and Ramkund, Buddhist and Jain pilgrim centre.

BUDH GAYA - Mahabodhini temple (52 m) : World heritage centre, most sacred Buddhist pilgrim centre with Bodhi tree, stupas.

GAYA - 92 km from Patna, nearby stupas and Buddhist caves (Barabar cave); Nalanda - Ruins of ancient university (500 BC), archaeological museum, Buddhist research centre, Pawapuri (23 km, Jain Pilgrim centre, Lord Mahavira the 24th Theerthankara attained Nirvana here, Samosharan and Jalmandir temples are nearby), Rajgir (15 km, Jain pilgrim centre, Ajatshatru's fort (600 BC), museum, Vishwa shanti stupa at Vultutre's peak, hill station, trek to 26 Jain temples in the hill nearby, hot springs and Pippala caves at the Vaihava hills).

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Buddhist pilgrim centres in UTTAR PRADESH

SARANATH (10 km from Varanasi) : Place of Buddha's first sermon, archaeological museum, monastery, Dhamek stupa (44 m in height and 28 m in diameter), Lion capital.

LUMBINI (Nepal) - A world heritage centre, birth place of Lord Buddha, 96 km from Gorakhpur and 8 km from the border, Buddhist pilgrim centre.