Toughest Pilgrimages in India

Here are a list of some of the well-known and the toughest pilgrimage spot in India. Read this article to learn more

India is a land of devotion to culture. We are known for carrying our old traditions and devotion with pride. As per the official records, there are more than 6.4 lakh temples in India. Some of them hold great importance in our culture and tradition. Many temples in India are located in very inaccessible or we can say tough terrains. Some of these temples remain open throughout the year but some temples open for just a few months. Today we are going to discuss some of the most amazing and the toughest pilgrimage sites in India. These temples are not just a pilgrimage site but devotees give their test of devotion, faith, physical ability, dedication, mental strength, and unwavering belief to themselves.

Kedarnath Yatra:- One of the well-known pilgrimage sports in India is Kedarnath temple. Located at an altitude of 3583 meters above sea level, it provides an amazing view and is known for the divine power or miracles in day to day life of pilgrims visiting the Kedarnath temple. The temple is located in the lap of Himalaya on the bank of the Mandakini river, surrounded by snow-capped mountain peaks from three sides and a deep valley in front of it. It is one of the toughest pilgrimage sites located in India with tough trekking routes and probable danger of natural calamity throughout the year. Still, thousands of pilgrims visit this temple after the trekking of 16 km which they generally cover in one day. As per the holy scriptures, it is believed that just by visiting to Kedarnath temple one can get rid of their sin and attain salvation. Kedarnath temple is believed to be constructed by Pandavas after the war of Kurukshetra later it was reconstructed by Adi guru Shankaracharya. Kedarnath temple remains open just for six months in a year as for the next six months this region receives heavy snowfall and the temple gets covered by snow and the region gets inaccessible to the general public. The temple opens in April or May on the occasion of Akshay Tritiya and closes in October or November on the occasion of Bhai Duj. You can visit Kedarnath temple on your own or book a Kedarnath tour package with Manchala Mushafir for a hassle-free trip experience. The Kedarnath yatra package cost you around 9500 from Haridwar to Haridwar with transportation, meals, guide, registration, stay, river rafting and many more.

Amarnath Yatra:- Another most revered but popular temple of India is Amarnath Yatra. It is considered to be one of the toughest yatra in India as it is located in a very difficult geographical location. The strangest fact about this temple is that it remains open only for a period of 20 to 60 days. Here shivlinga forms of ice in a 40-foot cave by the water sipping from the roof of the cave. Amarnath temple is located at an altitude of 3800 meters above sea level in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir. This region is surrounded by glaciers and snow-capped mountains. It remains covered by snow throughout the year and opens only for a short period during the summer. In addition to location, this temple comes with various challenges like High altitude sickness, breathing problems,s, and many other ailments. Yatra for Amarnath temple generally starts in July and ends in August. The opening and closing month may vary on the temperature and climatic condition of this region. These dates are being decided by the Amarnath Shrine board in general. It’s a challenging pilgrimage but equally rewarding one.

Vaishno Devi Yatra:- Located on Trikuta mountain at an altitude of 5200 feet above sea level, near Katra in Jammu and Kashmir. Vaishno devi temple is one of the most popular pilgrimage sites dedicated to Maa Vaishno devi and is known as the most important temple of 108 Shakti Peeth as it is believed that when lord Vishnu cut Maa Sati’s body in 108 pieces, her head fell at this point. Vaishno Devi temple requires a trek of 12 km from Katra. Despite of tough journey and challenging route thousands of devotees visit this temple. On the route, you will be surprised by looking at some of the devotees of very old age or may be physically challenged and determined to have a darshan of mata. The temple remains open throughout the year and the main time to visit Vaishno Devi temple is during the Navratri when this region observes a drastic increase in the flow of customers. As the temple is located at a low altitude you are not going to face any kind of physical or medical issues during the trek but you can carry your medical kit and consult your family doctor before visiting this temple.

Hemkund Sahib: The highest gurudwara of the Sikh community is located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand in the lap of the Himalayas at an altitude of 4572 meters above sea level. It is considered one of the toughest pilgrimage sites of Sikhs and remains open for six months a year and the rest of the time region remains inaccessible as this region receives heavy snowfall in this region. This star-shaped revered gurudwara is dedicated to the tenth guru of Sikhs i.e. Guru Govind Singh. It is believed that Guru Govind Singh ji had meditated on the bank of Hemkund Lake during his early days. In addition to the pilgrimage spot, this temple is also famous as one of the best monsoon treks as it is located in the Valley of Flowers region. Every year thousands of Hindu and Sikh pilgrims and adventure enthusiasts visit this gurudwara. Trekking to Hemkund sahib is very tough and is meant for brave and dedicated devotees.