Tirth  yatra  or  pilgrimage  remains  an  evergreen  form  of  travel  in India. For thousands of years, the spiritual minded have embarked on a journey of lifetime to become closer to God.India  is  one  of  the  most  religiously diverse nations in the world, with some of the most deeply religious societies and cultures. The  country  has one of the oldest continuously operating pilgrimage traditions  in  the  world. The  practice  of  pilgrimages  is  deeply entrenched in the Indian psyche and the number of pilgrimage sites are  very  large. Thus, the  subcontinent  may be considered as a continuous sacred space.

India  is  a  vast country, with diverse cultures and ancient civilization. There are  a  number  of  religious  groups residing in India. In India we find the oldest pilgrimage tradition in the whole world. The practice of pilgrimage in India is so deeply embedded in the cultural psyche and the number of pilgrimage sites is so large  that  the entire subcontinent may actually be regarded  as  one  grand  and  continuous  sacred  place. The  earliest  sources  of information  on  the  matter  of  sacred space come from the Rig  Veda  and  the Atharva Veda. Rig  Veda  and Atharva  Veda  are  the earliest source of information regarding  pilgrimages. These sacred texts have reverently mentioned about travel to mountain valleys and the confluences  of  rivers  and  the  merits  obtained  from  such travels.

Following  the  Vedic period the practice of pilgrimage seems to have become quite common, as is evident from sections of the great epic, the Mahabharata (350 BC), which mentions more than 300 sacred sites  spanning the sub-continent. By the time of the Puranas, the number of sacred sites  had  grown  considerably, reflecting  both the ongoing assimilation of aboriginal sacred places and the increased importance of pilgrimage as  a  customary religious practice.

Hindus call the sacred places tirthas and the action of  going  on  a  pilgrimage  is  called  tirtha-yatra. The  word tirtha means river ford, steps to a river, or place of pilgrimage. In Vedic times  the  word  may  have  concerned only those sacred places associated with water, but by the time of the Mahabharata, tirtha had come  to  denote any holy place, be it a lake, mountain, forest, or cave. Tirthas are more than physical  locations, however. Pious Hindus believe them to be  spiritual  fords, the  meeting  place  of  heaven  and  earth, the  locations  where  one crosses the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth to reach the shore of liberation

As time elapsed, the number of pilgrimage sites and their importance increased. Now, religious  pilgrimages  are considered to be an essential aspect of every individual's life. Let us get to know few of  the  important  religious places of India :-

* Char Dham

* 12 Jyotirlinga

* Religious Places in North India

* Religious Places in East India

* Religious Places in South India

* Religious Places in West India

* Religious Places in Central India

* Religious Fairs in India

* Tantra Temples in India

* Modern Famous Temples in India

* Famous Hindu Temples outside India