Introduction Ayodhya, also known as Oudh or Awadh, is a town in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located just east of Faizabad on the Ghaghara River. Ayodhya is regarded as one of the Hindus’ seven sacred cities, revered for its association in the great Indian epic poem Ramayana with the birth of Rama and the rule of his father, Dasharatha. According to this source, the town was prosperous, fortified, and had a sizable population....
Introduction Haridwar, also spelled Hardwar, city, northwestern Uttarakhand state, northern India. Haridwar lies along the Ganges (Ganga) River, at the boundary between the Indo-Gangetic Plain (south) and the Himalayan foothills (north). It is the site of the headworks of the Ganges Canal system. Haridwar is one of the Hindus’ seven sacred cities and a major pilgrimage site. It has many names; originally, it was known as Kapila, after the sage who once lived there....
Introduction Mathura, formerly Muttra, city, western Uttar Pradesh state, northern India. It lies in the Ganges-Yamuna Doab, on the Yamuna River about 25 miles (40 km) northwest of Agra. In Hinduism, Mathura is birthplace of Krishna, which is located at the Krishna Janmasthan Temple Complex. It is one of the Sapta Puri, the seven cities considered holy by Hindus. The Kesava Deo Temple was built in ancient times on the site of Krishna’s birthplace (an underground prison)....
Introduction Varanasi, also called Benares, Banaras, or Kashi, city, southeastern Uttar Pradesh state, northern India. It is located on the left bank of the Ganges (Ganga) River and is one of the seven sacred cities of Hinduism. Varanasi is one of the world’s oldest continually inhabited cities. Kashi, its ancient name, was associated with a kingdom of the same name of 2,500 years ago. The Buddha is recorded in the Pali canon to have given his first sermon, “The Setting in Motion of the Wheel of Dharma”, at nearby Sarnath in 528 BCE....
Introduction Arunachala (IAST: Aruṇācalam [əɾʊˈɳaːtʃələ], “Red Mountain”) is a hill in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, and one of the five main Shaiva holy places in South India. The Arunachalesvara Temple to Shiva is located at the base of the hill. The hill is also known by the names Annamalai, Arunagiri, Arunachalam, Arunai, Sonagiri, and Sonachalam. Every year in the Tamil month of Kārttikai (November–December), the Kārttikai tīpam light is lit atop the hill....