Sapta Puri

A view of Ayodhya in 1783 then called Oudh, Uttar Pradesh

Krishna defeats his uncle Kansa, the evil king of Mathura, at Mathura.

Festival of the Ganges River worship by arti at Dashashwamedh Ghat, Uttar Pradesh

Mahakal temple at Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh

A Painting depicting Krishna's Dwarka made during Akbar's reign from the Smithsonian Institution

The Sapta Puri (Sanskrit: सप्त-पुरी , a Sanskrit meaning "seven cities") are the seven holy pilgrimage centres in India.

- Sapta Puri

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Ujjain

City in Ujjain district of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.

The famed historical Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple is in Ujjain

The Jantar Mantar at Ujjain was commissioned by Jai Singh II (1688-1743) of Jaipur.

It is one of the Hindu pilgrimage centres of Sapta Puri famous for the Kumbh Mela held there every 12 years.

Mathura

City and the administrative headquarters of Mathura district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

General view of the excavations in January 1889 at Kankali Tila, Mathura

Gate of Shet Lukhmeechund's Temple, a photo by Eugene Clutterbuck Impey, 1860s.

Statue of Kanishka I, second century CE, Mathura Museum.

Sculpture of woman from ancient Braj-Mathura ca. second century CE.

Entrance to the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple complex.

It is one of the Sapta Puri, the seven cities considered holy by Hindus, also called Mokshyadayni Tirth.

Ayodhya

City situated on the banks of holy river Saryu in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

Gold carving depiction of the legendary Ayodhya at the Ajmer Jain temple

The Dhanadeva-Ayodhya inscription, first-century BC

Coin of ruler Muladeva, of the Deva dynasty minted in Ayodhya, Kosala. Obv: Muladevasa, elephant to left facing symbol. Rev: Wreath, above symbol, below snake.

Ayodhya in 1785 as seen from river Ghaghara; painting by William Hodges. It depicts the Svargadvar Ghat. A mosque of Aurangzeb period in the background.

United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, showing 'Ajodhia', 1903 map

Deepawali being celebrated at Ram ki Paidi ghat on the banks of Sarayu river in Ayodhya

Sign board of Ayodhya Junction railway station

Kanak Bhavan Temple dedicated to Rama and his consort Sita is in the centre of Ayodhya.

Ayodhya Ghaat on the bank Ghaghara river

Ghaghra river, locally known as Saryu, at Faizabad

Hanuman Garhi temple. A young priest is operating the Darshan system.

Owing to the belief as the birthplace of Ram, Ayodhya has been regarded as one of the seven most important pilgrimage sites for Hindus.

Dwarka

City and a municipality of Devbhumi Dwarka district in the state of Gujarat in Western India.

Dwarika Jagat Mandir (or Dwarkadhish Temple), view from entrance of the city.

View of Dwarka from the south bank of the Gomti creek, 1909

The late evening in the sea shores of Dwarka Beach

An American Guru distributing love of God among Indians and others in Dwarka

Dwarka is one of four sacred Hindu pilgrimage sites collectively called the Chardham, and is one of the seven-most-ancient religious cities (Sapta Puri) in India.

Dvārakā

Sacred historic city in the sacred literature of Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism.

Dvaraka, modern Dwarka, is the setting for many chapters in Harivamsa. The city is described as near the sea, in modern-era Gujarat; a painting of the city in the 19th century (lower).

Dvaraka is one of the Sapta Puri (seven sacred cities) of Hinduism.

City on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world, even as the traditions are transformed in the face of modernization, generational changes and emigration.

Kabir, a 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint

Tourists shopping for jewellery in Varanasi

Ganges view from Bhadaini water works, Varanasi

Ramnagar Fort was built in 1750 by Kashi Naresh Raja Balwant Singh.

Memorial of Sant Ravidas at Sant Ravidas Ghat

Bharat Kala Bhavan Museum, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi

Sant Goswami Tulsidas Awadhi Hindi poet and propagator of Bhakthi music in Varanasi

Krishna standing on serpent Kaliya during Nag Nathaiya festival in Varanasi

The Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi

Indian Institute of Technology in Varanasi

The Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport is the main airport that serves Varanasi.

Varanasi Junction, is the main railway station which serves Varanasi.

BLW manufactured locomotives hauling load across the nation.

A lithograph by James Prinsep (1832) of a Brahmin placing a garland on the holiest location in the city.

A painting by Edwin Lord Weeks (1883) of Varanasi, viewed from the Ganges.

An illustration (1890) of Bathing Ghat in Varanasi.

An 1895 photograph of the Varanasi riverfront.

The lanes of Varanasi are bathed in a plethora of colours.

The Kashi Vishwanath Temple, the most important temple in Varanasi.

Shri Vishwanath Mandir has the tallest temple tower in the world.<ref name="Brief description">{{cite news|title=Brief description|publisher=Benaras Hindu University website|access-date=7 March 2015|url=http://www.bhu.ac.in/VT/|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6zTH4V8Me?url=http://www.bhu.ac.in/VT/ |archive-date=17 May 2018}}</ref>

It is regarded as one of seven holy cities (Sapta Puri) which can provide Moksha; Ayodhya, Mathura, Haridwar, Kashi, Kanchi, Avanti, and Dvārakā are the seven cities known as the givers of liberation.

Kanchipuram

City in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu in the Tondaimandalam region, 72 km from Chennai – the capital of Tamil Nadu.

Sculptures inside Kanchipuram Kailasanathar Temple – the oldest existing temple in the city

The Battle of Pollilur, fought near Kanchipuram in 1780

A house depicting old living style of Kanchipuram

Bodhidharma is believed to have spread Zen school of Buddhism from India to China

Ekambareswarar temple – the largest temple in the city

Sculpted pillars and stone chain in Varadharaja Perumal Temple

Hindus regard Kanchipuram to be one of the seven holiest cities in India, the Sapta Puri.

Uttar Pradesh

State in northern India.

Uttar Pradesh is the largest subdivion by population in the world. The red area has a smaller population than Uttar Pradesh.

Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha), the lower house of the bicameral legislature.

Sown saplings of rice in a paddy; located in the rich fertile Indo-Gangetic Plain, agriculture is the largest employment generator in the state.

IT premise in Noida, which is known for infrastructure and services, as well as high-end housing complexes.

Indian field hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand

JRHU is the world's first school for the handicapped

Central Drug Research Institute, an autonomous multidisciplinary research institute

The battle of Kurukshetra, folio from the Mahabharata

Devotees inside Krishna temple during Lathmaar Holi

Uttar Pradeshi thali with naan, sultani dal, raita, and shahi paneer

Paan (betel leaves) being served with silver foil

Anandabodhi tree in Jetavana Monastery, Sravasti

A hybrid nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) showing nectar spur, found mainly in Hardoi district

The threatened Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is a large fish-eating crocodilian found in the Ganges River

Varanasi a major religious hub, is the holiest of the seven sacred cities (Sapta Puri) in Hinduism and Jainism.

Nainsukh

Indian painter.

Raja Balwant Singh viewing a painting, with Nainsukh behind him

Raja Balwant Singh making a Hindu puja, c. 1750

Raja Dhrub Dev assesses a horse; it was usual for horses to be shown off in front of a white sheet, to better appreciate their form

Mian Mukund Dev of Jasrota out on a ride, ascribed to Nainsukh, c. 1740–1745 (Victoria & Albert Museum, London)

The Poet Bihari Offers Homage to Radha and Krishna, 1760–65

Radha and Krishna, c. 1775, "first generation after Nainsukh"

King Dasharatha Approaches the Sulking Kaikeyi's Chamber, from the Ramayana, Nainsukh

Family of Nainsukh, Heroine Rushing to Her Lover (Abhisarika Nayika) Late 18th century

''Shiva and Parvati, Seated on Mount Kailasa

Haridwar is one of the Sapta Puri or "Seven Holy Places" of Hinduism, and the ashes were to be cast on the river Ganges in a common funerary ritual.

Hindu pilgrimage sites in India

Considered most scared), the ghats (water bodies with stairs such as Ghats in Varanasi), or the stepwells (among these the rani ki vav in the form of inverted temple is considered most spectacular), or the temple tanks.

Shakumbhari devi,right side Bhima and Bhramari left side Goddess Shatakshi

Varanasi is one of the main pilgrimage sites.

In order of importance, in India there are 7 Sapta Puri holy cities, 4 Dhams (Char Dham) and 12 Jyotirlings devoted to the Lord Shiva, 51 Shakti Pithas devoted to the feminine manifestation of the god, and the important Lord Rama circuit (Ayodhya, Chitrakoot, Hampi and Rameswaram) and Lord Krishna circuit (Braj, Kurukshetra and Dwarka).