The first mention of the Mother Goddess is in the Mahabharata. When the armies of Pandavs and Kaurvas were arrayed in the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjun, the chief warrior of Pandavs upon advice of Lord Krishna, meditated upon the Goddess and sought her blessings for victory. This is when Arjun addresses the Mother Goddess as ‘Jambookatak Chityaishu Nityam Sannihitalaye’, which means ‘you who always dwell in the temple on the slope of the mountain in Jamboo’ (probably referring to the present day Jammu).
The Holy Cave of the Mother is situated at an altitude of 5200 feet. The devotees undertake a trek of nearly twelve km from the base camp at Katra. At the culmination of their pilgrimage, the devotees are blessed with the Darshans of the Goddess inside the Holy Cave. These Darshans are in the shape of three natural rock formations called the Pindies. There are no statues or idols inside the Cave.Darshans are open round the clock throughout the year.
A pilgrimage to the Holy Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji is considered the holiest pilgrimages of our times. The Mother who fulfills whatever her children wish for Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji resides in a Holy Cave located in the folds of the three peaked mountains named Trikuta .The Holy Cave attracts many of devotees every year. The number devotees of visiting the Holy Shrine annually now exceed five million. This is due to the unflinching faith of the devotees.

The first mention of the Mother Goddess is in the Mahabharata. When the armies of Pandavs and Kaurvas were Badrinath, located in the lofty Himalayan heights 10400 feet above sea level is a pilgrimage center held in the greatest esteem all over India. It is an arduous mountain route to Badrinath from Rishikesh or Haridwar in the Garwahl Himalayan region, where roads get blocked with landslides during the monsoon season. Badrinath stays closed 6 months a year from Deepavali all the way until the full moon day in the month of Chetra (late spring in the Himalayas).

Hot water springs of Taptakundam are seen on the banks of the Alaknanda at Badrinath. The lofty peaks Neelakanta Parvatam and Nara Narayana Parvatam are visible from the temple. The image of Badrinarayanar here is fashioned out of Saligramam. Badrrinarayana is seen under the badari tree, flanked by Kuberan and Garudan, Naradar, Narayana and Nara. Mahalakshmi (referred to as Aravindavalli in the Sree Vaishnava tradition) has a sanctum in the prakaram. There is also a shrine to Adi Sankarar

The Temple: Located in the Himalayas at a height of 12000 feet in awe inspiring surroundings, this small shrine is accessible by foot, only 6 months a year. The temple at Kedarnath enshrining the Jyotirlingam of Shiva opens only when the sun enters the zodiac sign of Aries and it is closed when the sun enters Scorpio. The priests then go to Ukhimath, where the worship of Kedareshwara is continued during the winter season.

This is one of the most sacred pilgrimage centers of the country, located in the lofty Himalayas. It is revered as one of the 12 Jyotirlingams - the Northern most one, while the Southernmost one is Rameswaram. The spiritual leader Adi Sankaracharya is closely associated with Kedarnath, Kedarnath is a shrine steeped in antiquity, rich in legend and religious significance.

Kedarnath is located on a ridge which juts out at right angles from below the 23000 feet high snowy peak of Mahapanth. Kedarnath is located on the Rudra Himalaya range. Four Himalayan shrines dedicated to Shiva have been glorified by the Tamil Tevaram Hymns composed by the Nayanmars of the 1st millennium CE. These shrines are Indraneela Parvatam in Nepal, Gowrikund, Kedarnath and Mount Kailash in Tibet.

The Rudra Himalaya range is also known as the Pancha Parvata; its five peaks are Rudra Himalaya, Vishnupuri, Bhramapuri, Udgari-Kanth and Swargarohini. It is believed that four of the Pandavas died on the last of these peaks.

The sanctum of the temple is formed by the Jagat Mandir, or Nija Mandir, which dates back at least 2500 years. The Jagat Mandir has a tall tower and a hall of audience. There are two entrances to the temple. The main entrance (north entrance) is called "Moksha Dwara" (Door to Salvation). This entrance leads to the main market. The south entrance is called "Swarga Dwara" (Gate to Heaven). Outside this doorway are 56 steps that lead to the Gomati River. Dwarka was known as the city of Gold. Shree Krishna came here from Mathura along with some Yadav families and establishes his own empire Dwarka. That was the legend but science proved it partially. Scientists researched on that and have found some facts.

Dwarka the headquarters of Okhamandal taluka is in the extreme west of the Saurashtra peninsula on the Arabian Sea. It is a station on the Ahmedabad-Okha broad gauge railway line, about 137-km from Jamnagar, 217 km from Rajkot and 378 km from Ahmedabad. A state highway with Jamnagar and Okha also connects it. Nearest airport is Jamnagar. Dwarka lies on 20.22' north latitude and 69.05' east longitude and built on the night bank of Gamut creek

Konark, the seat of World famous Sun Temple, located in the District of Puri, forms one of the three points of the "Golden Triangle of Tourism" in the State of Orissa, the other two being Bhubaneswar, the city of Temples and Puri, the abode of Lord Jagannath. This Temple chariot of the Sun God on the golden sands of teh Bay of Bengal is a 13th Century architectural marvel. To-day Konark is not merely a symbol of Orissa's great architectural craftsmanship; it is also the most sought after centre of attraction for tourists all over the World. Its serene atmosphere coupled with a quiet but majestic sea-shore is today regarded as an ideal place for holidaying by domestic as well as foreign tourists.

This corner on the east sea coast houses the ruins of a temple, exquisitely built to resemble a gigantic chariot with impeccably carved wheels, columns and panels. It stands as a mute reminder of the times when Orissan architecture has reached its pinnacle. The main Temple was called by European sailers "The Black Pagoda" as it formed an important landmark for them in their coastal voyage. Contrasting to this, the white washed Temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri was known as the white pagoda.

There are two rows of 12 wheels on each side of the Konark sun temple. Some say the wheels represent the 24 hours in a day and others say the 12 months. The seven horses are said to symbolize the seven days of the week. There is a dancing hall here, an audience hall and a high tower too. Sailors once called this Sun Temple of Konarak the Black Pagoda because it was supposed to draw ships into the shore and cause shipwrecks.

Shree Somnath is first among the twelve Aadi Jyotirlings of India. It has a strategic location on the western coast of India.Aadi Jyotirling Shree Somnath Mahadev and the sacred soil where from Bhagvan Shri Krishna took his last journey to his neejdham. The temple is built at the shore of the Arebian ocean on the western corner of Indian subcontinent. This pilgrimage is one of the oldest and find its reference in the ancient texts like Skandpuran, Shreemad Bhagvat, Shivpuran etc. The hymn from Rigveda quoted below mention the Bhagvan Someshwar alongwith the great pilgrimage like Gangaji, Yamunaji and Eastward Saraswati. Which signifies the ancient value of this Tirthdham.

The Moon God is said to have been relieved from the curse of his father-in-law Daksha Prajapati by the blessings of Bhagvan Somnath. This is the first among the twelve holy Shiv Jyotirlings. The temple is consisting of Garbhgruh, Sabhamandap and Nrityamandap with a 150 feet high Shikhar. The Kalash at the top of the Shikhar weighs 10 tons and the Dhwajdand is 27 feet tall and 1 foot in circumference. The Abadhit Samudra Marg Tirsthambh indicates the unobstructed sea route to the south pole. This is a wonderful indicator of the ancient Indian wisdom of geography and strategic location of the Jyotirling.The research based on ancient Indian classical texts show that first Somnath Jyotirling Pran-Pratistha was done on the auspicious third day of brighter half of Shravan month during the tenth Treta yug of Vaivswat Manvantar. Swami Shri Gjananand Saraswatiji, Chairman of Shrimad Aadhya Jagadguru Shankaracharya Vedik Shodh Sansthan, Varanasi suggested that the said first temple was built 7,99,25,105 years ago as derived from the traditions of Prabhas Khand of Skand Puran.Thus, this temple is a perennial source of inspiration for millions of Hindus since time immemorial.

The later sources of history account for several desecrations by Muslims invaders during eleventh to eighteen century A.D. The temple was rebuilt every time with the reconstructive spirit of the people.The modern temple was reconstructed with the resolve of Sardar Patel who visited the ruins of Somnath temple on November, the 13th 1947. The Pran-Pratistha at the existing temple was done on 11th May 1951 by then President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad.

Tirupati Tirumala Balaji The town of Tirupati-Balaji is one of the most sacred places in India. It is famous for Lord Venkateshwara temple, the temple that houses Venkateshwara Deity. The name Tirupati-Balaji means the 'Lord of Lakshmi', and should have been applied to the village on the Venkat hill, the dwelling of Lord Venkateswara. The shrine is located on a hill at Tirumala, a cluster of seven hills known as Seshachalam or Venkatachalam with an elevation of 853m (2,800ft.) above the sea level. Said to be the richest temple in the world, this temple is a vibrant cultural and philanthropic institution with a grand history spanning several centuries.

Architecture
The 'Vimana' or Cupola over the sanctum sanctorum is covered entirely with gold plate and is known as "the Ananda Nilayam". The Shrine consists of three 'Prakarams' or enclosures. The outermost enclosure contains the 'Dhvajastambha' or the banner post and, among others, the statues of Vijayanagara king Krishnadevaraya and his consorts, and of Todarmal, the minister of Akbar. The idol of the deity, the full figure of Lord Venkateswara or 'Venkataramana' or 'Srinivasa' or 'Balaji' (as is called in various parts of the country) has the attributes of both Vishnu and Shiva, preserving and destroying aspects of the Hindu Trinity.

Festivals of Tirupati
Everyday is a day of festivity at Tirumala. The most famous is the annual festival called 'Brahmotsavam', which is celebrated on grand scale for nine days in September, attracting pilgrims and tourists from all parts of the country. The fifth and ninth days of the festival are especially significant in as much as Garudostavam and Rathotavam takes place on those days.

Vrindavana at a glance
Yamuna River
The Yamuna river flows through Vrindavan and Mathura. It is the most sacred river in India as it is so intimately connected with Krishna's pastimes. Situated on the bank of the Yamuna is the Keshi Ghat, where Krishna killed the Keshi demon and saved his friends. One who bathes here gets the benediction of bathing in all of the holy places.

Banke Bihari Mandir
Established in 1864 by Haridas Swami, this is one of the the most popular temples in Vrindavana, especially, during Jhulan Yatra, the swing festival.

Krishna Balarama Mandir
One of ISKCON's major centres is the Krishna Balarama Mandir. This beautiful marble temple was constructed twenty years ago. There are Deities of Gaura-Nitai, Krishna Balarama and Radha-Syamasundara. In front of the temple is the Samadhi Mandir of Srila Prabhupada. This is where his body was laid to rest after he passed away in 1977. His house has been turned into a museum. There is also a guesthouse, restaurant, gurukula and goshalla.

Sri Sri Radha Govindaji Mandir
Built in 1590 by Maharaja Man Singh for the original Govindaji deity discovered by Srila Rupa Goswami. Govindaji was removed from this temple and reinstalled in Jaipur when the Muslim Emperor Aurangzeb destroyed part of the temple in 1670. Several other Deities are also installed here. As this temple was partially destroyed ,worship is now carried in the new Govindaji Mandir ( located behind the original temple).

Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan Mandir
Sanatana Goswami discovered the Deity of Madan Mohan. Ram das Kapoor, a merchant donated the funds for this mandir in 1580. When the Muslims attacked in 1670, the original Deities were moved to Karoli. Worship is done in the new Madan Mohan Mandir to the replacement Madan Mohan Deity. The bhajan kutir and samadhi of Sanatana Goswami, together with the puspa-samadhis of Candrasekhara Acharya and Tapana Misra are also here.

Sri Sri Radha Raman Mandir
The Deity of Sri Radha-Raman (one of the few original Deities still left in Vrindavana) was installed here by Srila Gopal Bhatta Dasa Goswami. The Deity manifested from one of the Goswami's shaligram-shilas in 1542. Gopal Bhatta also brought Caitanya Mahaprabhu's kaupina (cloth) and asana (seat ) back from Puri. These can be seen three to four times a year. Gopal Batta's Samadhi is located here. The fires for cooking in the temple kitchen have been burning continuously since the Deity was installed over 435 years ago.

Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda Mandir
Here are the the Radha-Vinod Deities of Lokanath Goswami, Radha-Gokulananda Deities of Viswanath Cakravarti, Caitanya Mahaprabhu Deity of Narottama Dasa Thakur, Vijaya Govinda Deities of Baladeva Vidyabhusana, and the Govardhan-shila given to Raghunath Dasa Goswami by Sri Caitanya.Also, the samadhis of Srila Lokanath Goswami, Srila Narrottama Dasa Thakura, and Viswanath Cakravarti Thakura lie here.

Seva Kunja and Nidhu ban
Seva Kunja and Nidhuban are gardens where Krishna performed many of His pastimes.
Seva Kunja surrounds the temple of Srimati Radharani . Here Krishna would massage Radharani's feet and decorate her hair with flowers. Today this place is surrounded by temples. The Seva Kunja road leads to Srila Jiva Goswami's Radha Damodar Temple, Srila Syamananda Goswami's Radha Syamasundara temple, and Srila Krishna Dasa Kaviraj Goswami's Radha-Vrindavana-Chandra Temple.

Sri Gopesvara Mahadeva Mandir
This is the oldest temple in Vrindavana. Gopesvara Mahadeva is Lord Siva, who came to Vrindavana to become a gopi of Krishna. Here Vrinda Devi blessed Lord Siva and allowed him to enter the rasa dance of Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna then offered Lord Siva the guardianship of the Rasa Lila , and placed him in the entrance of the Mandir. Ever since, all Vaisnavas pray first for his mercy to become a servant of the servant of the gopis. Vajranabha, the great grandson of Krishna, also installed the Siva-linga in this temple

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's Imlitala
The sacred Imlitala tree is where Srila Sanatana Goswami established the worship of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai. Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to sit daily under the Imli Tala. A Deity of Caitanya Mahaprabhu is installed under this tree.

Sri Sri Radha Damodara Mandir
This is the temple of Srila Jiva Goswami, and the Radha Damodara Deities. (As well as the -Vrindavan Candra Deities worshipped by Krishna Dasa Kaviraja Goswami, the Radha-Madhava Deities of Jayadeva Goswami, and the Radha-Chalacikana Deities of Bhugarbha Goswami). The samadhis of Srila Rupa Goswami, Srila Jiva Goswami and Srila Krishna Dasa Kaviraj Goswami lie here.Srila Prabhupada lived here for six years from 1959 to 1965. He translated the first three cantos of the Srimad-Bhagavatam here before starting his journey to America.