Thirtha Yatra

NAIMISHARANYA

Shri Naimishnath Vishnu Temple, also known as the Naimishnath Devaraja temple or Naimishnarayan Temple or ramanujar kot Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu and lakshmi located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh in naimisharanya town in sitapur district. It is one of the Divya Desams, the 108 temples of Vishnu revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham by the 12 poet saints called the Alvars. The temple is believed to be of significant antiquity with contributions at different times from the ruling kings. The temple is counted as one of the eight temples of Vishnu that self-manifested and is classified as Swayamvyaktha Kshetra. The holy teerths Chankra Kunda and gomati river are associated with the temple and it is a pilgrimage centre where people take a holy dip during festive occasions

AYODHYA

yodhya  is a city situated on the banks of the Sarayu river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Ayodhya was historically known as Saketa. The early Buddhist and Jain canonical texts mention that the religious leaders Gautama Buddha and Mahavira visited and lived in the city. The Jain texts also describe it as the birthplace of five tirthankaras namely, Rishabhanatha, Ajitanatha, Abhinandananatha, Sumatinath and Anantnath, and associate it with the legendary Bharata Chakravarti. From the Gupta period onwards, several sources mention Ayodhya and Saketa as the name of the same city.

The legendary city of Ayodhya, popularly identified as the present-day Ayodhya, is the birthplace of the Hindu deity Rama of Kosala and setting of the great epic Ramayana and its many versions. Owing to the belief as the birthplace of Rama, Ayodhya has been regarded as the first of the seven most important pilgrimage sites for Hindus

PRAYAG RAJ (TRIVENI SANGAMA)

Triveni Sangam is the confluence of the Ganges (Ganga), the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati River. Triveni Sangam is located at Prayag – the area of Prayagraj neighbouring the confluence; for this reason, the confluence is also sometimes referred to as Prayag.

At Triveni Sangam, the Ganges and the Yamuna can be identified by their different colours – the water of the Ganges is clear while that of the Yamuna is greenish in colour.The third river, the mythical Saraswati, is called invisible.

The auspiciousness of the confluence of two rivers is referred to in the Rigveda, which says, "Those who bathe at the place where the two rivers, white and dark, flow together, rise up to heaven.”

A place of religious importance and one of the sites for the historic Kumbh Mela held every 12 years, over the years it has also been the site of the immersion of ashes of several national leaders, includin Prayagraj lies close to Triveni Sangam, the "three-river confluence" of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Sarasvati.It plays a central role in Hindu scriptures. The city finds its earliest reference as one of the world's oldest known cities in Hindu texts and has been venerated as the holy city of Prayāga in the ancient Vedas. Prayagraj was also known as Kosambi in the late Vedic period, named by the Kuru rulers of Hastinapur, who developed it as their capital. Kosambi was one of the greatest cities in India from the late Vedic period until the end of the Maurya Empire, with occupation continuing until the Gupta Empire. Since then, the city has been a political, cultural and administrative centre of the Doab region.

Akbarnama mentions that the Mughal emperor Akbar founded a great city in Allahabad. ʽAbd al-Qadir Badayuni and Nizamuddin Ahmad mention that Akbar laid the foundations of an imperial city there which was called Ilahabas or Ilahabad. He was said to be impressed by its strategic location and built a fort there, later renaming it Ilahabas by 1584, which was changed to Allahabad by Shah Jahan.[vague][ In the early 17th century, Allahabad was a provincial capital in the Mughal Empire under the reign of Jahangir.In 1833, it became the seat of the Ceded and Conquered Provinces region before its capital was moved to Agra in 1835. Allahabad became the capital of the North-Western Provinces in 1858 and was the capital of India for a day. The city was the capital of the United Provinces from 1902 to 1920 and remained at the forefront of national importance during the struggle for Indian independence. Mahatma Gandhi in 1949

The location at the confluence of Ganges and Yamuna rivers has been known in ancient times as Prayāga, which means "place of a sacrifice" in Sanskrit . It was believed that god Brahma performed the very first sacrifice (yāga, yajna) in this place.

The word prayāga has been traditionally used to mean "a confluence of rivers". For Allahabad, it denoted the physical meeting point of the rivers Ganges and Yamuna in the city. An ancient tradition has it that a third river, invisible Sarasvati, also meets there with the two. Today, Triveni Sangam (or simply Sangam) is a more frequently used name for the confluence.

Prayagraj (Sanskrit: Prayāgarāja), meaning "the king among the five prayāgas", is used as a term of respect to indicate that this confluence is the most splendid one of the five sacred confluencies in India.

It is said that the Mughal emperor Akbar visited the region in 1575 and was so impressed by the strategic location of the site that he ordered a fort be constructed. The fort was constructed by 1584 and called Ilahabas or "Abode of Allah", later changed to Allahabad under Shah Jahan. Speculations regarding its name, however, exist. Because of the surrounding people calling it Alhabas, has led to some people[who?] holding the view that it was named after Alha from Alha's story.[19] James Forbes' account of the early 1800s claims that it was renamed Allahabad or "Abode of God" by Jahangir after he failed to destroy the Akshayavat tree. The name, however, predates him, with Ilahabas and Ilahabad mentioned on coins minted in the city since Akbar's rule, the latter name became predominant after the emperor's death. It has also been thought to not have been named after Allah but ilaha (the gods). Shaligram Shrivastav claimed in Prayag Pradip that the name

 CHITRKOOT

Chitrakoot means ‘Hill of many Wonders’. Chitrakoot falls in the Northern Vindhya Range of mountains spread over the State of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

SPHATIK SHILA

The sphatik shila is a small boulder situated on the banks of River Mandakini, upstream from the Rama Ghat. This place is believed to be the spot where Mother Sita did her Shringaar (makeup). Also, legend has it that this is where Jayant, Lord Indra’s son, disguised as a crow pecked Sita on her foot. It is said that this boulder still bears the imprint of Rama’s feet.

SATI ANUSUYA ASHRAM

This ashram is known to be the resting place of the sage Atri. Atri meditated here with his devout wife Anusuya. Legend says that during the exile Lord Rama and Mother Sita visited Sati Anusuya at this ashram. Sati Anusuya used to teach Mother Sita during this time. There is large statue of Lord Krishna riding a chariot with Arjun sitting behind him which depicts a Mahabharata scene. Inside it are more sculptures with interesting artwork, kept for sacred darshan.

GUPT GODAVARI

Gupt Godavari is located 18 Kms from Chitrakoot. Legend has it that Lord Rama and Lakshman stayed here for some part of their exile. Gupt  Godavari is a two cave system inside a mountain with knee high water level. The bigger cave has two stone carved thrones believed to be belonging to Rama and Laxman. The outside of these caves are covered with shops for purchasing memorabilia

RAM GHAT

Stepped edges leading into the river Mandakini and a serene environment is what one will find here. This riverside is known to be the place where Lord Rama, Goddess Sita and Lord Laxman interacted with Saint Goswami Tulsidas. Ram Ghat is a place with much activity and a seething crowd as it is one of the main Ghats of Chitrakoot.One can see the signs of it early morning onwards. Also adding to the view are the colourful boats lining near the steps leading into the river. One should not miss the evening Aarti on the Ram Ghat.

VARANASI

Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the most famous temple in Varanasi, also known as the Golden temple dedicated to the Lord Shiva. It was constructed in the year 1780 by the Maratha monarch, Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar of the Indore

Varanasi is a city in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh dating to the 11th century B.C. Regarded as the spiritual capital of India, the city draws Hindu pilgrims who bathe in the Ganges River’s sacred waters and perform funeral rites. Along the city's winding streets are some 2,000 temples, including Kashi Vishwanath, the “Golden Temple,” dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.

 GAYA

Gaya is a holy city beside the Falgu River, in the northeast Indian state of Bihar. It’s known for 18th-century Vishnupad Mandir, a riverside temple with an octagonal shrine. Close by, ancient Mangla Gauri Temple is set on a hilltop. To the north, Hindu devotees bath in a Brahma Kund pond before honoring their deceased ancestors atop Pretshila Hill. To the south lies the Hindu pilgrimage center of Bodh Gaya.

Gaya is the location at which Rama, with Sita and Lakshmana, offered pind-daan for his father, Dasharatha. Gaya has since remained a site of key importance for the performance of the pind-daan ritual. Gaya is considered to be one of the most ideal places to perform the Śrāddha.