Pilgrimage in Hinduism (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062))

The Role of Pilgrimage

What is Pilgrimage in Hinduism?

• A pilgrimage is a special religious journey that is made for a specific purpose

• Hindu holy places are believed to be where heaven and earth meet and so it is easier to pass from one world to the other at these sites

• Hindus believe that pilgrimage is important and should be carried out if possible

• Hindus have many different important and sacred places in their religion, and these are usually linked to different deities

• A pilgrimage can help Hindus by connecting them with Brahman

• Through pilgrimage, they can show their belief in God and gain a better understanding of an important holy site

• It is also a way of meeting other Hindus who share their beliefs and trying to work towards achieving moksha

Practices & Purposes of Pilgrimage

Why do Hindus go on Pilgrimage?

• Different places are considered important pilgrimage sites for different reasons

• For example, rivers are considered sacred because water gives life

  • Visiting a river on pilgrimage therefore gives Hindus an opportunity to show devotion to gods involved in creation

  • The Rig Veda contains a hymn about rivers and praises them

  • As the Rig Veda is a source of wisdom for Hindus, it adds importance to their belief that pilgrimages to rivers are sacred

• Hindus go on pilgrimage for the following reasons:

  • To make amends for something they have done wrong

  • To strengthen their faith and become closer to God

  • To show how committed they are to their religion or a particular deity

  • To make a spiritual journey on behalf of someone unable to do it for themselves

  • To ask for help or healing

  • To find out about a holy place

  • Because members of their family have always gone on a particular place on pilgrimage

What happens during Hindu Pilgrimage?

• What happens during a pilgrimage is dependent upon the location and the individual

• However, pilgrims often do some of the following on pilgrimage:

  • Make offerings to God

  • Circumambulate the temple

  • Say prayers

  • Chant mantras  

  • Spend time in the presence of the deity

  • Leave ashes of a loved one

  • Wash in holy water  

  • Collect samples of water/earth etc 

  • Buy and wear special clothes  

  • Shave heads  

  • Walk barefoot  

  • Focus on God

Sacred Sites in Hinduism

• While India has many places that are considered holy, seven sacred sites are considered to be the holiest sites

  • These sites include the holy cities of Hinduism: Kashi, Ayodhya, Mathura, Dwarka, Kanchipuram, Ujjain, and Haridwar

• Popular pilgrimage sites include Kumbh Mela, River Ganges, Varanasi and Vrindavana

• The River Ganges is the holiest river for Hindus as it is considered to be an extension of Lord Shiva

  • Many Hindus hope to visit Vananasi and bathe in the Ganges on a pilgrimage once in their lifetime

  • They believe that the river will help to purify the atman or soul and this will help a Hindu gain moksha

  • Many Hindus have their ashes scattered in the Ganges after their body is cremated

• Varanasi is the point where two holy rivers meet, the Ganges and the Yumana rivers

  • It is considered the ‘City of Lord Shiva’. It’s where many Hindus go to reflect on the temporal nature of this life and the ultimate goal of Moksha

  • Varanasi is considered, ‘the Gateway to Moksha’, and death in the city is believed to bring immediate salvation

  • The city is famous for its ghats, where the deceased are cremated at the edge of the river

• Vrindavana is another major pilgrimage site for Hindus

  • It is a town in the Mathura district in India and is known as the City of Light

  • Hindus visit this location as it is believed that Lord Krishna spent time here as a child

  • There are many temples in Vrindavana where Hindus can worship

What is Kumbh Mela?

• Kumbh Mela is the site of the world’s largest pilgrimage with up to 10 million people attending

• It takes place in four different sites, every three years, with a large festival at Prayaga every twelve years

• This is a very holy river crossing, where the Ganges and Yamuna rivers meet the mythical river Saraswati

• The festival remembers the spilling of the nectar of immortality during a battle between gods and demons

  • Therefore, bathing in the water here brings purification

• If pilgrims bathe in the Ganges on the day of the new moon, they are believed to be released from the cycle of samsara

What happens at Kumbh Mela?

• Hindus from all walks of life gather to share ritual bathing, believing that their sins will be washed away

  • The bathing is followed by spiritual purification and a ceremony that secures the blessings of the deity

• Pilgrims also make offerings of garlands of marigolds by dropping them in the river for Mother Ganges

• They offer water by scooping it from the river and letting it fall back through their fingers

• Traditionally, naked sadhus smeared in ashes and wearing marigold garlands, lead the procession into the river

• As well as the festivities, the Kumbh Mela is about devotion and passion

• Hindus do not forget their duty to pray and receive special blessings