India is popular for its spirituality on a global scale. Here, people of different religions coexist peacefully while maintaining their religious practices. Even if the nation’s secularism represents one of its best qualities, individuals strive to live by spirituality, forgiving others, having a pure heart, and humanity. That is why pilgrimage tourism is growing, and individuals from across the nation visit different holy sites. And the special thing about these pilgrimages is that one can reach them by the easiest way of transportation, i.e., the trains. 

Unlike driving a car, you won’t have to deal with traffic or worry about getting lost if you take a bad turn. By travelling by rail, you frequently see parts of the country that you would not see otherwise if you were travelling by car or flying by aeroplane. Also, trains are more social. It is as simple as getting a train-ticket and just going to the place wherever you want to. These are some of these well-known pilgrimage sites mentioned so you can arrange your spiritual tour easily.

Varanasi

The city, called Banaras, is regarded as India’s capital of religion. It has numerous old and new temples, including the Vishwanath Temple, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, the Dhanvantari Temple, and many others. It includes up to 88 ghats that lead to the sacred Ganges River, where numerous ceremonies are performed. Other than this, Varanasi is also home to many other pilgrimage sites sacred to other religions as well, such as the city has around 15 historical mosques.

 The prominent trains that run up and down to Varanasi Junction are Vande Bharat, Kota PNBE Express, and Pune Nizamuddin Special. There are also a few other trains from different destinations to get to Varanasi easily. After reaching your destination, you can easily hire a taxi or book a cab to move around the place. 

Tirupati

Situated in Andhra Pradesh, this city is home to many religiously important places. The Tirumala Venkateswara Temple is one of them. The temple is prominently popular because of its design and the fact that it is situated on top of one of the 7 hills in Tirumala. Every day, around 60,000 worshippers come to the Tirupati Temple to participate in the Puja. Receiving “Laddoo Prasadam” is crucial for the pilgrims who come to this location. Apart from this, the city is also home to other small sites of pilgrimage. 

Tirupati Railway Station is the area’s primary train hub, connecting to Bangalore, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Madurai, and Mumbai. All in all, the small town of Tirupati is easy to be reached as it has good connectivity with the towns around. One just needs to get a train ticket booked and explore the wonderful place. 

Vaishno Devi

If we talk about ‘tirth’ in India, Vaishno Devi is probably one of the top 5 places that comes into our mind; that is the level of the sacredness of this place. After the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati, the Vaishno Devi Temple receives the second-highest number of visitors. People from Jammu travel to Katra and climb up the mountain to the Vaishno Devi Temple to seek the Goddess’ blessings. From all around India and even outside, pilgrims visit this site.

Thinking about how to start your journey? From any part of the country, take a train to Katra. You can also take the most recent Vande Bharat Express to reach the place. It can be availed from any station, and you will reach this prestigious pilgrimage in no time.

Amarnath

Amarnath is well-known for the holy cave, which contains an ice “shiva linga” that has been naturally created. The location is of religious significance because, at this location, Lord Shiva revealed to Parvati the key to immortality. Today, one may still see these birds in the cave. The “linga” is naturally formed by ice each year, and many come to see it during the yearly Amarnath Yatra.

From New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS), take the train to Jammu. Taxis are accessible to rent from Jammu to Baltal or Pahalgam. Amarnath can be reached after a one- to two-day hike of 15 kilometres from Baltal. Take the most recent Vande Bharat Express to travel to the Amarnath threshold. It can be availed from any station, and you will reach this prestigious pilgrimage in no time with the help of a train ticket.

Rishikesh

Rishikesh is yet another site of religious importance in India. Many people come to this nation’s “Yoga Capital” to meditate and advance their spirituality. Only a few people know that in Rishikesh,  three mountain streams converge at Triveni Ghat. Numerous religious rites and practices are carried out here by visitors. Other than offering scenic beauty and various sites of pilgrimage, Rishikesh is also India’s centre of adventure. People usually take part in activities like river rafting and enjoy being there with family and friends. Not only this, but Rishikesh is also home to numerous Ashrams.  

Although Rishikesh has a station, only a few trains go from there, so it’s best to catch trains to Haridwar and then continue to Rishikesh. In turn, Haridwar is connected to important Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow, and Varanasi and is easily accessible from Rishikesh as well.

In India, there are numerous pilgrimages. All the holy locations are connected to many faiths and beliefs. The precise number of expeditions to India is yet to be discovered. In contrast, some well-known pilgrimage sites in India stand out due to their popularity with tourists and believers. Thousands of followers travel to India each year to visit various pilgrimage sites. These pilgrimage sites are visited by people who are not only religious but also want to admire the architecture and learn about the culture.