Teerath or Pilgrimage in Hinduism & Divinity

Teerath or Pilgrimage in Hinduism & Divinity
Hindustan is birth place of many religions such as Snatana Dharma including its many sacts, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism.  It is a general belief that a journey to pilgrim locations will wash away one’s sins and one can attain moksha. Pilgrimage includes both inward as well outward journeys. Even thought of travelling to pilgrim locations brings positive change in state of mind. During travel to teeraths, one gets close connection on constant chanting of name or mantra of the deity to be visited mentally, doing charity, listening the praise of the deity and avoiding   Kama Vasana, Krodha, Lobha, Madsara, Ahankara, Amanavta, Anyaaya, Adamber, Swartha etc. negative impulses.
The Sanskrit word tirtha means river ford, steps to a river, or place of pilgrimage. The ancient notion of pilgrimage tour symbolizes the sacred place where one experience spiritual force, the route to the sacred place and a water body to take holy dip. Such places are sacred mostly due to divine happening historically. Teerath are the places where sages and siddhas have performed Sadhna. These places are the great spiritual and the tenacity: the renewable centers of power.

Adi Shankara, the great Hindu philosopher & reviver of Hinduism in 8th century, is credited with unifying Bharat. He established Char Dhams in four directions and four mathas in those four places. Pashu Pati Nath in Nepal was also re-established by him.

The most popular Teerath Yatras are as under:

1. Bhagwan Shree Rama visited many places during 14 years exile of Vanvasa Yatra viz. Ayodhya (state-UP), Prayagraj (state-UP), Chitrakoot (state-UP), Ramtek Nagpur (state-Maharastra), Panchavati (state-Maharastra), Nashik (state-Maharastra), Tuljapur (state-Maharastra), Ramdurg Belgam (state-Karnataka), Hampi (state-Karnataka), Tiruchallapalli (state-Tamilnadu), Rampad Kodaikarai Vedaranyam (state-Tamilnadu), Ramanadhapuram (state-Tamilnadu), Rameshwaram (state-Tamilnadu), Dhanuskoti (state-Tamilnadu), etc. which are now pilgrimage centers.
2. Braj Chaurasi Kos Yatra - Braj area is where the childhood of Bhagwan Sri Krishna and his power Radha Rani, was spent. Chaurasi Kos means 252 Kilometer which comprises Vrindavan, 24 upvanas (groves), the sacred hill Govardhan, Barsana, Gokul, the divine River Yamuna and numerous holy places along its banks. The yatra is completed in seven days. The participants have to strictly adhere to the 36 rules per day, which include sleeping on the ground, daily bath, celibacy, truthfulness, forgiveness, not to wear footwear, daily worship, Bhajan-kirtan, foods permitted in fasting, renunciation of bad qualities (such as  anger, greed, attachment, etc.) etc..
3. Char Dhams (four abodes) Yatra – Char Dhams are Badrinath in farthest north (state-Uttrakhand), Jagannath puri in east (State-Odisha), Dwarka puri in west (state-Gujarat) and Rameshwaram in south (state-Tamilnadu).  Geographically the Char Dham makes a perfect square with Badrinath and Rameswaram falling on the same longitude and Dwarka and Puri on the same latitude. It is a common Hindu belief that Lord Vishnu takes his bath at Rameswaram (in Treta Yug), meditates at Badrinath (in Satya Yug), dines at Puri (in Kali Yug) and retires at Dwarika (in Dwapara Yug). Char Dham Yatra washes away a person’s sins. These sites are widely revered by the Hindus.
4. Four mathas – Four mathas are Dwaraka Pitha (state-Gujarat), the Govardhana matha (State-Odisha), Badri or Joshi (state-Uttrakhand) and the Sringeri Peetham (state-Karnataka). These four mathas are dedicated to the research and preservation of four Vedas. Jyotir Matha at Badrinath, was assigned the task of maintaining and preserving of Atharv Veda. Sharada Matha at Dwaraka was assigned the task of maintaining and preserving the Sam Veda. Govardhan Matha at Puri was assigned the task of Rig Veda and Sringeri Matha at Sringeri hills in the South India was assigned the task of Yajur Veda.
5. Chhota Char Dham in state of Uttrakhand: Badrinath Temple, Kedarnath Temple, Gangotri Temple, Yamunotri Temple.
6. Panch Kedar in state of Uttrakhand: Kedar Nath-Tung Nath, Rudr Nath, Madhy Maheshwar, Kalpeshwar.
7. Twelve Jyotirmay Ling - Each of the twelve Jyotirmay Ling are considered different manifestation of Bhagwan Shiv. Lingam represents the beginning less and endless, symbolizing the infinite nature of Shiv. The twelve Jyotir Ling are Somnath in Gujarat, Mallikarjun at Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh, Mahakaleshwar at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh, Kedarnath in Himalayas, Bhimashankar in Maharashtra, Vishwa Nath at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Trayambkeshwar in Maharashtra, Vaidyanath at Deoghar in Jharkhand, Nageshwar at Dwarka in Gujarat, Rameshwar at Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu and Grashneshwar at Aurangabad, Maharashtra.
8. Amarnath Yatra – Amarnath cave is located in state of Jammu & Kashmir. Inside the cave, a Lingam is formed due to freezing of water drops that fall from the roof of the cave. According to a Hindu scriptures, this is the place where Shiva explained the secret of life and eternity to his divine consort, Parvati.
9. Kailash Mansarovar Yatra – Mount Kailash is in Tibet (China). Two big lakes, Lake Manasarovar and Lake Rakshastal are located near the mountain. The mountain range is the source of some of the longest Asian rivers: the Indus, Sutlej, Brahmaputra, and Karnali also known as Ghaghara (a tributary of the Ganges) in India. Mount Kailash is considered to be sacred in four religions: Bon, Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. In Hinduism, it is considered the abode of Shiva.
10. Six abodes of Murugan - Bhagwan Kartikey in Tamil Nadu: Palani (Dindigul District), Swamimalai (Thanjavur District), Thiruthani (Thiruvallur District), Pazhamudircholai (Madurai District), Thiruchendur (Thiruchendur District), Tiruparankunram (Madurai District).
11. Asht Vinayak in Maharashtra:  Moreshwar (Moregaon district), Girijatmaj (Lenyadri, Pune district), Ballaleshwar (Pali, Raigad district), Varadavinayak (Mahad, Raigad district), Maha Ganpati (Ranjangaon, Pune district), Siddhivinayak (Siddhatek, Ahmednagar district), Ozar-Vighneshwar (Ozar, Pune district), Chintamani (Theur, Pune district).
12. Panch Bhoot Ling: Pancha Bhoota Ling refers to five temples dedicated to Shiva, each representing a manifestation of the five prime elements of nature: land, water, air, sky, and fire. Shri Kalhasti Temple (Vayu lingam at Kalhasti, Andhra Pradesh), Thillai Natraj Temple (Akasha Lingam at Chidambaram, Tamilnadu), Arunachaleswara or Annamalaiyar Temple (Agni Lingam at Tiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu), Ekambareswarar Temple (Prithvi Lingam at Kanchipuram, Tamilnadu),  Jambukeswarar Temple (water Lingam, atThiruvanaikaval near Trichi, Tamilnadu).
13. Sabarimala Yatra – Sabarimala temple is located in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala.  The temple is dedicated to the deity Ayyappan, who according to belief is the son of Shiva and Mohini, the feminine incarnation of Vishnu. The temple is open for worship only during the prescribed days. The devotees are expected to follow 41-day austerity period prior to the pilgrimage.
14. Saptapuri – Seven holy places are Ayodhya (Shri Rama), Haridwar or Mayapuri (Bhagwan Shiva & Bhagwan Vishnu), Kashi (Bhagwan Shiva), Mathura (Shri Krishna), Dwarkapuri (Shri Krishna), Kanchipuram (Mata Durga) and Ujjain or Avantikapuri (Bhagwan Shiva). These places are called Saptapuri where Gods descended. According to Hindu scriptures, by visiting these places, Moksha is attained.
15. Naimisharanya – Naimisharanya is located in district Sitapur, UP.  Almost all puranas talk of Naimisharanya its significance and importance.  Lot of importance and significance is given for taking bath in Naimisharanya during Mahakumbha when Sun is in Mesha Raasi which happens once in 12 years. Holy Places to be seen at Naimisharanya are Chakra Theertha, Sri Lalitha Devi Temple (presiding female deity of Naimisharanya), Vyasa Gaddhi/Vyasa Vatika/Vyasa Dham, Manu - Satrupa Tapasthala, Hanuman Garhi (18 feet self-manifested Lord Hanuman), Balaji Temple (Lord Venkateswara) etc.
16. Shakti Peeth - The Shakti Peeth are the temples of Adi Shakti. These are places where the body parts of the Sati Devi fell, when Lord Shiva carried it and wandered throughout Grand Bharat. There are 51 or 108 Shakti peeth by various accounts, of which between 4 and 18 are named as Maha (major) in medieval Hindu texts viz. Goddess Shankari in Sri Lanka, Kamakshi in Kanchipuram (Tamilnadu),  Shrinkala in Pandua, Hoogly district (West Bengal), Chamunda in Mysore (Karnataka), Jogulamba in Alampur, Gadwal district (Telangana), Goddess Brhamarambika in Sri Sailam (Andhra Pradesh), Maha Lakshmi in Kolhapur (Maharashtra),  Eka Veera in Mahur (Maharashtra), Maha Kali in Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, Ujjain (MP),      Kukkuteswara Swamy Temple in Pithikapuram (Andhra Pradesh), Girija in Jaipur (Odisha), part of Kumararama Bhimeswara Temple      in Draksharamam (Andhra Pradesh), Kamakhya in Guwahati (Assam), Alopi Devi in Prayag (UP), Jwalamukhi in Himachal,  Mangala Gowri in Gaya (Bihar), Vishalakshi in Varanasi (UP) and Sharda peeth in Pakistan.
17. 108 Vaishnava Temples - 108 Vishnu temples are mentioned in the works of the Alvars (saints) of Tamil Nadu. In India, they are spread over states of Tamil Nadu (85), Kerala (11), Andhra Pradesh (2), Gujarat (1), Uttar Pradesh (4), Uttarakhand (3). Muktinath, Saligramam is the only Divya Desam in Nepal.
18. Vaishno Devi Yatra - Vaishno Devi Temple is located in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir. The temple is dedicated to Mata Vaishno Devi, manifestation of Adi Shakti.