Spiritual Tourism is that journey you undertake so as to bring a balance to mind, body, and soul. To bring about this balance, a self-actualization and self-transformation is needed, and a Spiritual Journey is just the right undertake for that. There have been many travel diaries of those who have undertaken pilgrimages, and while the time period and places of these pilgrimages have been different, the records come up with similarity in the purposes, namely – ‘search for and manifestation of one’s identity and values’. Thus, spiritual journey for many is a journey taken in search for meaning of life and one’s existence. A person takes this journey to ultimately find self – albeit a much better version of self.

While spirituality is a journey transcending the body, mind and soul; people take part in actual physical travel to attain spiritual fulfilment. The reason for this is that there are some places which have more resonance with the soul and mind. When it comes to Spiritual Tourism Destinations, there is none other next to India. This country gave the world the ‘Yoga’ – a body and mind practice, the ‘Veda’ – ancient most Holy Scripture, as well as ‘Ayurveda’ – a natural medicinal practice.  Swami Vivekananda, a spiritual leader and reformer once said that every nation has its own ideal of existence. He believed that for India, ‘spirituality’ is the backbone of its existence. Spirituality along with customs and traditions is seeped within India. Undoubtedly there are numerable pilgrimage destinations here.

Spiritual tourism in India is not only limited to Pilgrimages but also include holistic, valuistic, yogic, and meditative tourism as a part of it. People in India, with their religious and traditional beliefs, have been carrying out spiritual tourism since ages. However, today many tourists all over the world are combing the various spiritual destinations within India for a body and soul cleansing. We believe that Indian culture, rituals, and even religious beliefs are backed with scientific reasoning which takes an Individual through the road of salvation. Consider the various spiritual places, temples in India for example. The places where the ancient temples were built were situated exactly where the electromagnetic waves are more, and thus are able to circulate energy to the people visiting there. The echoing of the bells putting the mind on trance, the ritual of circulating around the metal within the idols creating a magnetic field, etc. are all planned with precision to enable one or more chakras of the body.

Yoga speaks of 7 Chakras (wheels of energy) situated within the human body starting from the crown and going till the end of the spine. These chakras are believed to be the energy centres of the body. If an individual is able unblock and open all these chakras, the energy flowing through our body can create harmony between the body, mind, and spirit i.e. spiritual attainment. The temples and even other religious places in India thus undoubtedly all pave way towards spirituality.

Spiritual Tourism in India:

India is a spiritual hub and today the world desires to embark on a journey to India to attain spiritual enlightenment and growth. 

In 1968, Beatles, the famous English rock band went on a spiritual tour to Rishikesh in Northern India in order to attain a Transcendental Meditation Training. This spiritual journey resulted in Beatles denouncing use of drugs and instead accepted the path of Transcendental Meditation. 

At the same time, in 1970s, Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple had visited the Kainchi Dham Ashram in Northern India. Following his suggestion Mark Zuckerberg visited this spiritual retreat centre in 2008 to contemplate. Latter even Jeffrey Skoll, the co-founder of eBay and Larry Page of Google visited here. All these tech giants have visited these spiritual centres, coming here in search of understanding life, meditated here, had a spiritual connect and found their own paths. 

These got the whole world’s media viewing meditation in a newer light and it increased in popularity as a wellness and health practice. It is now an undisputable section of spiritual tourism in India. 

Spiritual Destinations in India:

There are many destinations in India which are bestowed with spiritual powers. These places have either have presence of power deities or even holy rivers. Many rivers in the Country are considered akin to Goddesses, and their presences pave a path of spiritual release. The various Holy Cities which can be visited in India include –

• • Rishikesh – the ‘Yoga Capital of the World’. It is home to numerous Yoga and Spiritual Retreats. Come here to nourish your physical, psychological, and spiritual hunger.
  • Varanasi or Banaras or Kashi – the ‘spiritual capital of India’.  This is the holiest place for Hindus and Buddhists equal. Buddha gave his first ever sermon here. Visit this ‘City of Temples’ (having about 2000 temples) and be spiritually blessed.
  • Haridwar – the ‘gateway to God’. It is one of the seven most holy places where the Holy River of Ganga is believed to be sanctified by the Hindu Trinity Bramha, Vishnu, and Mahesh. 
  • Vrindavan & Mathura – the transcendental home of Lord Krishna. This holy land has a spiritual history dating 5000 years back, when Lord Krishna spoke the ‘Bhagvad-Gita’, literally meaning ‘Song of the God/Sprit’. Come here to seek the truth of life and unravel the mysteries behind the divine communication between Arjuna and Krishna, Man and God.
  • BodhGaya – The place where Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment under a Pepal Tree. Come and visit this origin of the Buddhist Path, which leads to spiritual attainment.
  • Tirupati Balaji – The most visited temple in India. It is an abode to the reincarnation of lord Vishnu in the avatar of a wild boar who rescued the earth. Devotees come here to donate wealth or even hair at the feet of this deity, learning to abstain from worldly possessions.

• Madurai – Situated in Tamil Nadu in the south of India, this town is a gathering of ancient shrines and temples. Devotees visit here to experience the perfect combination of art and spiritual wealth.

• Ujjain – Hinduism has seven different spiritual centres, of which Ujjain is one. Situated in Central India, Ujjain houses the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple, one of the 12 Jyotirling. The Shiva Lingam (Pillar) in this temple is believed to have self manifested, draw the energies from the earth. Visit this place where the spiritual power flows from the earth and the sun where the Tropic of Cancer passes by.

• Maheshwar – named after the ‘Great God’ Shiva, Maheshwar is a holy town situated in Madhya Pradesh in India. This sacred town has an innate calmness and peace offering the visitors a sense of spiritual serenity. People visit this place which was the ancient kingdom of ‘Mahishmati’ having mentions in the great hindu texts of ‘Ramayana’ and ‘Mahabharta’.

• Omkareshwar – Omkareshwar temple is one of 12 jyotirlingas and is situated on the island of Mandhata, in Madhya Pradesh. This island has the shape of the auspicious ‘Om’ and is home to about 108 Shivlingas and hence also called Shivpuri. The unique shape of the island, surrounded by the Holy Narmada River, makes Omkareshwer a destination manifesting the power of Shiva.

• Rameshwaram – Rameshwaram is an island having great spiritual connotations to it. It is one of the 12 jyotirlingas, as well as one of the 4 abodes of Char Dham Yatra. It is believed to be the place where Rama prayed to Shiva after defeating Ravana. This place is the end point where the devotees in the search of salvation arrive after washing their sins in Kashi.

• Shirdi – The once abode of Saint Saibaba who believed in ‘One God for all’. He was believed to have divine powers and guided humans towards divine path. Come to the positive spiritual environment of Shirdi and get spiritual insights through Saibaba’s preaching.

Spiritual Journeys in India:

In Spirituality, finding one’s own pure spirit may not be associated with simply arriving at a destination, but is rather by finding oneself in a series of steps which you follow. Some times journey is as much important as reaching the destination. Since times ancient, Indians have been following a number of religious and spiritual journeys or ‘Yatras’ or better put, ‘Pilgrimages’. Some of the ‘Yatras’ of India need a mention –

• Golden temple – This temple is the most esteemed spiritual symbol of the Sikhism. This site holds a spiritual significance for Sikh people all over the world.  
• Vaishno Devi Yatra – the abode of Goddess Vaishno Devi. She was a human incarnation born from the combined spiritual strength of the three Goddesses Mahasaraswati, Mahalakshmi, and Mahakali, the wives of the Trinity Gods of Hindu Mythology i.e. Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh, respectively; 
• 12 Jyotirlinga – An argument among the Holy Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh/Shiva, led to Shiva appearing as an infinite Jyotirlinga (jyoti= fiery light, lingam=pillar) at 12 places throughout India as Omkareshwar, Mahakaleshwar, Rameshwaram, Kedarnath, Vishwanath, Baidyanath, Somnath, Bhimashankar, Grishneshwar, Trimbakeshwar, Nageshvara, Mallikarjuna.  
• Char Dham Yatra – the ‘Journey of four abodes’. This journey completes a whole circuit of India from Badrinath in North, to Dwarka in West, to Puri in Odissa, and Rameshwaram in south; to help attain Salvation for body and soul both.
• Chota Char Dham Yatra – the smaller ‘Journey of four abodes’. This is a spiritual circuit of 4 holy places within Uttarakhand, viz. Yamunotri, Gaangotri, Badrinath, and Kedarnath. Devotees undertake this journey not just to perceive, but feel the spiritual presence.
• Panch Prayag – the ‘Five confluences’. Prayag means Panch Prayag constitutes of Five confluences starting from Vishnu Prayag, and ending at Dev Prayag. Set on this path of visiting the various meets of holy rivers from Himalays, and cleanse yourselves – bodily, and spiritually – within.
• Panch Kedar – Panch Kedar includes a total of ‘panch’ i.e. five temples of ‘Kedar’ i.e. Shiva. The Pandavas after defeating (and killing) their paternal cousins, the ‘Kauravas’; went on in search of Shiva. But Shiva was angry took the form of a bull to avoid them. The search of the Pandavas brought them to Uttarakhand in the North of India. Here Shiva appeared in 5 different places where the Pandavas built temples. The Kedarnath, Tungnath, Rudranath, Madhyameshwar, and Kalpeshwar are these holy Panch Kedar. People travel to these 5 holy temples to atone for their sins, seeking forgiveness, just like the Pandavas did.
• Puri Rath Yatra – the ‘Chariot Festival’, held in Puri in Odisha/Orissa. Here on an auspicious second day on fortnight of Ashadh Month, a yatra/procession/journey is carried out of the Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Sudarchan, and Devi Subhadra. While the Rath Yatra has gained more and importance, it is conducted all over the world in 108 cities. While the procession can be created, it remains impossible to recreate the spiritual bliss of the original journey, and can be experienced at the original.

There have been vast improvements in infrastructure along the spiritual pathways. thus spiritual tours and pilgrimages are no longer physically taxing, just spiritually liberating. With machines becoming intelligent, and phones becoming smarter, people are now looking out for a mind and spirit evolution for themselves. Thus, people from all around the globe and of all ages – even youngsters – want to walk this path of Spiritual Journey. 

We at Navyush Tours have Spiritual Tour packages which ensure a great nurturing for your body, mind, soul. We take you through the paths explored by many, felt by some, and lived by a rare few. We understand that each individual has a different spiritual reach, and different spiritual pathways resonate with different souls. To choose a journey which calls to you, come to us. We promise to connect with you and take you on a journey of your life, for understanding life itself.