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A land where people from so many religious backgrounds live in peace and harmony; that is what India is. Whether you are seeking spirituality or you are taking your parents to the pilgrimage sites in India, whether you want to know about the religious history of India or you want to introduce your kids to the concept of various religions, you can do it all by traveling to the several destinations in the country that are known for their religious essence. The good thing is that many of the places are offbeat, which means you will not find a lot of crowds since not all of them know about these places. Therefore, you can explore the destinations peacefully. So, without wasting much time, let us start talking about the offbeat pilgrimage destinations in India.

8 Best Pilgrimage Places in India

• Haridwar and Rishikesh
• Varanasi
• Uttarkashi
• Ajmer and Pushkar
• Bodhgaya
• Amritsar
• Guwahati
• Madurai

1. Haridwar and Rishikesh

These are two of the holiest places for the Hindu community. You can find countless temples in these two places. When you are in Hardiwar, you can even visit Har ki Pauri and take a dip in the River Ganges. These are the two most popular travel destinations in India for religious tourists. You can also learn about the rich religious history and Hindu mythology when you are here.

• Best time to travel: November to March
• Things to do: Visit Mansa Devi temple, Chandi Devi temple, Maya Devi temple, Hark ki Pauri Ghat

2. Varanasi

Varanasi is yet another destination for travel in India, which is not only visited by devotees by also regular tourists from across the world. You can find ghats here which have been in existence for ages. You will also find some of the oldest temples in the country in Varanasi. The place may be a little crowded but there is a lot to learn about Hindu culture here.

• Best time to travel: November to February
• Things to do: Visit Manmandir Ghat, Dashashwamedh Ghat, Assi Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, and Durga Temple

3. Uttarkashi

Although we all have heard and know about Uttarkashi, it is still an offbeat destination in India. You have to drive for 6 hours to reach Uttarkashi from Rishikesh. The road condition is not that great and the weather is extreme. You may even experience unexpected landslides while heading to Uttarkashi. This place has the gateway of Gangotri and is one of the most sacred places for the Hindu community.

• Best time to travel: March to November
• Things to do: Visit Yamunotri Temple, Divya Shila, Saptrishi Kund, Gangotri Temple, Bhagirath Shila, Surya Kund, submerged shiva lingam, Pandava Gufa, etc.

4. Ajmer and Pushkar

Ajmer is one of the travel destinations in India for both Hindu and Muslim communities. This is the resting place of Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. People from both religious backgrounds visit this place to seek the blessing of the Sufi Saint. 14 km away from this is located Pushkar. While you are visiting Ajmer, you can visit Pushkar too. Pushkar is a temple town and also the place that houses the Brahma temple, which is the only temple in the world dedicated to this Hindu God.

• Best time to travel: October to March
• Things to do: Ajmer Sharif Dargah, Nasiyan Ji Mandir, Adhai-din-ka-Jhonpra, Brahma temple, etc.

5. Bodhgaya

While we are talking about the offbeat travel destinations in India for religious tourists, we cannot miss mentioning Bodhgaya. Spiritual tourists from across the world visit this place. From monasteries to temples, you can find several religious attractions here. And these have been established by the Japanese, Tibetans, Bhutanese, Sri Lankans, and Thai.

• Best time to travel: October to March
• Things to do: Take a tour of the Great Buddha Statue, The Bodhi tree, Vishnupada Mandir, Mahabodhi temple, Animesh Lochan Chaitya, etc.

6. Amritsar

The moment we hear about Amritsar, we start imagining the Golden Temple, don’t we? Well, the Golden Temple is visited by tourists and devotees from various nooks of the world. This is the most important gurudwara of the Sikh community. The atmosphere is serene and friendly here.

• Best time to travel: November to March
• Things to do: Visit Golden Temple, Mata Lal Devi Temple, Wagah Border, Jalianwala Bagh

7. Guwahati

One of the hidden religious places in India is the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati. Although it is a very popular temple in the north-eastern region of the country, but yet to attract religious tourists from other places. It is one of the 51 shakti peethas and the Ambabuchi Mela held here is spectacular. Saints practicing tantra visit the place from different corners of the country during this fair.

• Best time to travel: October to March
• Things to do: Visit Shrimanta Shankardeva Kalakshetra, Assam State Museum, Guwahati Planetarium, Assam State Zoo, Umananda Temple, Madan Kamdev

8. Madurai

Madurai is an old city where you can find countless temples. As you visit the temples, you will also be able to witness the beautiful Dravidian style of architecture that has been used in all the temples. Although the main attraction here is the Meenakshi Temple, you can visit a number of other temples also.

• Best time to travel: October to March
• Things to do: Visit Thirupparamkunram Murugan TempleInmaiyil Nanmai Tharuvar Temple, Koodal Azhagar Temple, Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam, Shri Madurai Veeran Swamy Temple St. Mary’s Cathedral, etc.

Now, if you are all excited and set to head to these places for a religious tour, you can first get a car rental from Revv in India. You have to download the Revv app on your digital device and then look for the car that you think will be perfect for the trip. Once the car is booked, you can plan the rest of the things.