Spiritual India Handbook

Contents Introduction 1 Purpose and Benefits of Pilgrimage 5 Taking the Trains 9 Be Cautious 10 Avoiding Scams 11 Being Prepared 14 Dealing with Ricksha or Taxi Drivers 14 Currency Exchange 15 Food Precautions 17 Heat Stroke or Heat Exhaustion 17 Expect Personal Changes in Yourself 18 What if Temples Do Not Let Us In? 18 Chapter I – The Major Holy Places in East and Central India and Nepal 21 New Delhi 22 Mathura 29 Gokula 31 Vrindavana 33 Greater Vrajamandala 40 Agra 45 Fatehpur Sikri 50 Gwalior 52 Jhansi to Orchha 53 Khajuraho (or Khajurao) 54 Chitrakut 59 Allahabad (Prayaga) 61 The Tradition of the Kumbha Mela 63 Varanasi 64 Sarnath 73 Ayodhya 74 Naimisaranya (Tirunaimisaranyam) 76 Gorakhpur/Kushinagar 80 Going to Nepal at Saunali for Lumbini 81 Going to Nepal Through Raxaul to Birganj 82 Lumbini 83 Pokhara 84 Muktinatha 85 Going to Kathmandu 86 Kathmandu 87 Janakpur 94 Where to go Next? 95 Patna 95 Vaishali 96 Nalanda 96 Rajgir 97 Pawapuri 97 Gaya 97 Bodhgaya 99 Barabar Hill 100 Deoghar 100 Vishnupur 101 Kolkata 102 Mayapur 104 Ekachakra 116 Ramakeli 119 Ganga Sagar 120 Remuna 121 Jagannatha Puri 124 Bhubaneswar 134 Sri Kakulam to Kurmaksetra 136 Visakhapatnam 137 Nagpur & Rama Giri 139 Vijayawada 139 Mangalagiri 141 Agiripalli 144 Hyderabad & Yadagirigutta 144 Basara 145 Warnagal 146 Palampet 147 Vemulwada 147 Srisailam 149 Alamkpur 150 Nandyal 150 Ahovalam 150 Nellore 155 Going to Tirupati 155 Chapter 2 – The Historical Holy Sites and Temples of South India 167 Tirupati 168 Tirumalla 170 Other Temples Around Tirupati 175 Kalahasthi 176 Chennai 177 Temples in the Chennai Area 180 Tiruneermalai 180 Mangadu 180 Tiruninravar 180 Tiruvallur 180 Tiruthani 180 Sholingar 180 Thiruvidaventhal 181 Mamallapuram 181 Tirukkalikundram 182 Kanchipuram 183 Tiruvannamalai 188 The Story of the Shiva Lingam 189 Thirukkovilur (or Tirukoilur) 191 Auroville 192 Tiruvandhipuram 193 Chidambaram 194 Sirkazhi 198 Vaidesvarankoil (or Vaithisvarankoil) 198 Mayuram 199 Kumbakonam 200 Gangakondacholapuram 201 Dharasuram 202 Swamimilai 202 Tiruvalamjuli 203 Tribhuvanam (Thirubhuvanam or Tirubhuvanam) 203 Other Temples in the area of Kumbhakonam 204 Nachiyarcoil 204 Tirucherai 205 Thiruvarur 206 Nagappattinam 207 Thirukannapuram 208 Mannargudi 209 Vedaranyam (Dakshina Kailasam) 211 Tanjore (or Thanjavur) 211 Tiruchirappali (Trichy) 212 Thadicombu 217 Palni (Palani) 218 Madurai 218 Alagarcoil 223 Thirupparankundram 223 Tirumohur 224 Srivilliputtur 224 Tiruthangal (Tiruttangal) 224 Ramesvaram 226 Tiruchendur 229 The Pilgrimage to six Murugan Temples 230 Sri Vaikuntham 230 Tirunelveli 232 Krishnapuram 233 Kanyakumari 234 Suchindram 236 Thiruattur (or Thiruvattur or Thiruvattar) 237 Trivandrum (Tiruvanandapuram) 240 Varkala 242 Kollam to Amritapuri 243 Haripad 244 Changannur 244 Aranmula 245 Sabarimala 245 Ettumanoor 247 Vaikom 248 Kaladi 248 Cranganore 249 Guruvayoor 250 Trichur (or Thrissur) 251 Karamadai 252 Udupi 253 Sringeri 254 Kollur 255 Gokarna 255 Mysore 256 Srirangapatnam 259 Sravanabelagola 259 Belur, Halebid, and Somnathpur 260 Melkote (or Malakote or Mailkote) 263 Subramanya 265 Brindaban Gardens 265 Bangalore (Bengaluru) 266 Denkanikota 269 Ending Our Tour Back at Bangalore 269 Starting in New Delhi 281 Karauli 282 Jaipur 283 Ajmer & Pushkar 289 Osian 292 Chittorgarh 292 Udaipur 293 Nathdwara 294 Kankroli 297 Charbujaji 298 Nagda 298 Ranakpur 298 Rikhabdeo 299 Mount Abu 299 Ahmedabad 301 Akshardam 303 Modhera 304 Patan 304 Dakor 305 Dwaraka 306 Beyt Dwaraka 311 Porbander 311 Veraval & Somnath 312 Junagadh & Girnar Hill 314 Bhavnagar & Palitana 315 Lothal 317 Baroda & More 318 Ujjain 318 From Bhopal to Sanchi and Vidisha 324 Sanchi 324 Vidisha 325 Bhimbekta 326 Indore & Mandu 326 Mandu Fort 327 Omkeshvara 328 Aurangabad to Ajanta & Ellora Caves 329 Ajanta 330 Allora 331 Verul 332 Nasik 333 Pandu Lena 336 Tryambakesgvara 336 Parali 339 Mumbai 339 Karla & Bhaja Caves 343 Pune 344 The Ashtavinayaka Yatra 345 Bhimashankar 346 Shivpur 346 Mahabaleshwar 346 Pandharpur 347 Kolhapur 350 Bijapur 351 Badami 354 Pattadakal 355 Aihole 356 Lakkandi 358 Dambal 358 Hospet & Hampi 359 Anegundi 365 Harihara 367 Tadpatri 367 Puttaparthi 367 Lepakshi 369 Tumkur, Shivaganga 370 Bangalore 370 Chapter 4 – The Major Historical and Holy Places of Northern India 379 Shukratal (Sukara-Tala & Shukteerth) 380 Haridwar 385 Rishikesh 388 Dehra Dun 391 Mussoorie 391 Going to See the Char Dham Temples 392 Yamunotri 394 Going to Gangotri 395 Gangotri 396 On the Way to Kedarnath 400 Kedarnath 401 Visiting the Panch (Five) Kedar Temples 403 Important Towns on the Way to Badrinath 404 Joshimath 405 Badrinath (Tiruvadariashrama) 407 Mana 410 The Five Badri Temples 412 Deva Prayad (or Deoprayag) 412 Nahan 413 Chandigarh and Going North 414 Shimla 414 Mandi 416 Kullu 416 Places Along the Way North to Manali 417 Manali 418 Places Around Manali 419 From Manali to Leh 420 Back From Manali to Mandi or Chandigarh 422 Amritsar 422 Going to Dharmasala 426 Dharamsala & Mcleod Ganj 428 Chamba 434 Jammu 435 Vaishno Devi 437 Going to Kashmir 440 Towns Along the way to Srinagar 441 The Grave of Jesus 453 Moses in Kashmir 456 Going into Ladakh From Srinigar 457 Important Point 459 Zanskar 459 Ladakh and the Gompas West of Leh 460 Leh 464 Towns and Monasteries South of Leh 466 Leaving Leh For Manali 469 Kuruksetra 471 Back to Delhi 475 Chapter 5 – The Major Holy Sites and Temples of Far Northeast India 487 Entering the Northeast Region 488 Darjeeling 489 Kalimpong 491 Permits for Sikhim 492 Gangtok 492 Rumtek 494 Pemayangtse 496 Phodang & Labrang Monasteries 496 Tashiding Monastery 496 Assam 497 Guahati 498 Arunchal Pradesh 504 Meghalaya 505 Tripura 505 Nagaland 506 Manipur 507 Conclusion 517 Appendix A – Preparing for Your Trip to India: A short Guide 519 Get a Passport and a Visa 520 Immunizations 520 Packing List 521 Appendix B – Suggested Routes for Short Pilgrimages 525 Appendix C – About the Photographs 527 Travel Books That Were Helpful 529 Glossary 533 Index 549 About Stephen Knapp 559