Amritsar and the Golden Temple (Har Mandir Sahib), Northern India

The Golden Temple is built where once a small lake and forest were located.This location was known as a place of meditation since ancient times. The Lake known as Amrita Sara (the Pool of Immortality or the Pool of Ambrosia) and it is said that Buddha spent time there in contemplation.

The founder of the Sikh religion, Guru Nanak, also found the lake a place of peaceful meditation and the place became a point of pilgrimage after his death. The Lake was enlarged by order of the 4th Sikh Guru Ram Das and his successor Arjan Dev orchestrated the building of the Golden Temple (or the Har Mandir Sahib). The Temple is considered one of the most sacred shrines and a place of pilgrimage to the Sikh religion.

On a Nearby strip of landed granted to him byt the Mughal Emperor Akbar, Ram Das Also founded the city of Amritsar (named from the lake that surrounds the Golden Temple island) in 1574. The Lake also serves a defensive purpose and can only be crossed by a guarded causeway which inturn is protected by a gate.

The current Golden Temple dates from the early 19th Century when it was reconstructed by Marajah Ranjit Singh, the Sikh leader who conquered the Punjab. The temple is covered in Gold leaf and the Architectural style with its decorative gilding, precious stone and marble work draws from both Hindu and Muslim styling.

The temple also houses a Holy book called the Guru Granth Sahib which contains a collection of devotional poems, prayers and hymns composed by 10 Sikh gurus and various Muslim and Hindu saints.

In modern history the city of Amritsar was the place of importance due to a massacre that took place there in 1919. The massacre by the british-rule government could easily be the foundation event for the independance of India.

Today Amritsar is thrumming with quiet activity. The sounds of hymns, flutes, strings and drums float from the temples whilst pilgrims immerse themselves in the lake waters cleansing their souls. All visitors are lodged and fed for free in nearby pilgrim’s dormatries and dining halls, irrespective of race or religious inclination.

Angkor Wat, Kampuchea, Cambodia

North of Kampuchea’s Tonle Sap (roughly translated as the great lake) one finds the temple ruins of Angkor. The huge temples in this region were built over a period of 300 years and the prominent Wat (temple) of Angkor of considered one of the world’s most magnificent architectural achievements and spiritual centers. Built between 1112 and 1115 AD, Angkor Wat is 850 meter by 1000 meter in area.

There are over 100 temples remaining in the area mark the legacy of a huge ancient metropolis. In 1431 the site was attacked and the residents defeated by Siam (now Thailand). The abandoned city of Angkor Wat was claimed by the jungle and lost for several centuries until it was discovered by wandering Buddhist monks. The monks knew nothing of the original builders and based on the sacred nature of the site they invented fables that the city had been built by the gods.

The mystic city of the gods drew pilgrims, explorers and scholars from as far as Europe. Whilst the temples have fallen into some disrepair at Angkor Wat remains an important Buddhist pilgrimage focus.

Arunachaleswar Shiva Temple AKA Annamalaiyar Temple, Southern India

The mythology behind the Arunachaleswar temple relates to the sacred place associated with the fire linga (phallus) of Shiva. After Shiva lost his wife, Sati, he wandered in the forest naked. He came across of group of women who in turn desired him. Their husbands cursed his linga that is should fall off. As the God’s phallus struck the ground the other gods, Vishnu & Brahma, watched as it turned into a bright column of light which reached through the clouds and down into the earth.

Vishnu transformed into a boar and dove to the bottom of the ocean in an attempt to find the base of the column. Brahma transformed into a swan to search for its pinnacle. Vishnu confessed that he could not find the top but Brahma lied and said that he had discovered the base.

Shiva saw through this lie. He announced Brahma’s deceit whilst thanking Vishnu for his honesty. Vishnu, in turn, requested that Shiva leave a part of his linga behind in the form of a fire on the Arunachala hill. The Arunchaleswar Shiva Temple sites at the foot of this hill today and is one of the largest and oldest temples in Southern India.

The massive shrine temple is adorned with majestic towers, 5 prakaaras and splendid Mandapams; and stretches over 25 acres. The most striking features of the temple stand in the form of 4 mighty towers. The tallest of these is the eastern tower at 66 m which is called the Rajgopuram.

The walls are broad and high resembling the main walls of a fort. There are 360 thirthas and 400 lingas which encircle the holy hill in an 8 mile circuit. The Arunachala hill is renowned for its natural and miraculous healing powers. Many hermitages are situated in close proximity to create ideal locations for quiet introspection in a sacred location.

Every year in November or December the area presents a 10 day Deepam festival which is held to celebrate Shiva’s manifestation. The festival is a devotion attended by many pilgrims and the festivities take the form of joyous dancing and singing and processions.

Bodhi Tree, Bodh Gaya, India

The most likely date for the birth of Buddha is sometime between 644 & 540 BC although some traditions place his birth as late as 4 BC. His name was Siddhartha Gautama and he was born in the north-eastern region of India close to the Nepalese border. He was the son of Suddhodana, ruler of the Sakyas people.

Traditions say that miraculous events surrounded the birth of Buddha: His mother dreamt that the Buddha had entered her womb disguised as a white elephant and this caused her to want to abstain from sex. Buddha’s mother was not a virgin but the birth is nonetheless considered by Buddhists to be a miracle as it is believed to not be product of sexual union.

Sages predicted that Siddhartha would one day become an enlightened person and a spiritual leader. This tame prediction upset his ambitious father who aimed to surround him with material wealth and isolate him from religion.

The first time Siddhartha was exposed to the world he saw suffering which contrasted deeply with his shallow upbringing. At the age of 29 he endeavored to find a deeper meaning to existence starting with consultations with Gurus.

As his quest for enlightenment continued he followed in the steps of 3 previous Buddhas, – Krakucchandam, Kanakamuni and Kasyapa – into the sacred forests of Uruvela (now Gaya in north India). He rested under the Bodhi Tree, the sacred fig tree. Here he achieved enlightenment through meditation and became the Buddha (“enlightened one”) of his age. He meditated for 7 weeks before setting out to serve his message to the world.

Buddha spent the rest of his life travelling in north-eastern India and Sri Lanka. He not only taught but also helped setup monastic centers of learning for both women and men. Buddha died at the age of 80 and places important to Buddha’s life became sites of Buddhist pilgrimage. The Bodhi Tree where Buddha attained enlightenment is arguably important because tradition hold that previous Buddhas had also found their enlightenment under its branches.

The first Bodhi Tree shrine was built in 250 BC by Emperor Asoka and this was replaced in 2AD by the temple that still stands on the sacred site today. There have been many refurbishments to date to maintain the integrity of this 55 m tall shrine for the use of pilgrims. The tree on the location is believed to be a direct descendant of the tree under which Buddha meditated.

The Temple is also sacred to Hindus as they believe that Buddha was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

A building project was announced in 2000 that proposes to install a 150 m high Buddha intended to be a message of universal peace and love. Progress and information on the Buddha Maitreya (meaning universal love) can be found at the following website: www.maitreyaproject.org/en/

Dunhuang, the Cave of the Thousand Buddhas, North West China

Dunhuang is situated in North West China on the ancient Silk Route which connected Central Asia to India. Foreign Buddhists and Chinese disciples met the Dunhuang crossroads along the ancient trading route in the 3rrd and 4th C AD.

The ‘Cave’ is actually a collection of 492 caves known as the Mogao Cave. This cave is sometimes known as the Cave of a Thousand Buddha’s (Ch’ien-fo Tung) because virtually every cave contains images of the Buddha. These paintings, sculpture and other artworks represent the largest collection of ancient Buddhist art in China. The wall paintings contain famous images from various Buddhist sutras and stories including Buddhas, Heavenly Kings and Protective Warriors. Some of these images are massive; the most notable of these is 48 meters in height.

The original Cave of a Thousand Buddhas was founded by Chinese Monks and by the 5th Century AD Dunhuang had become a pivotal Buddhist area with the caves as a central part of the devotions. On either end of the valley in which the caves are carved lies a temple devoted to the Kings of the Heavens. Many Smaller temples and priests’ quarters lie in the valley and the valley throngs with the ringing of prayer bells during devotions.

Many sacred texts have been found in the caves. A vast collection of around 60,000 paper manuscripts and printed documents dating from 5 – 11 AD were discovered one cave temple in 1900. The cave temples had been walled up in 1015 and they contained Buddhist, Taoist, Zoroastrian and Nestorian scriptures.

Today the Cave of a Thousand Buddhas expresses a blend of Indian and Chinese Buddhism and is one of the most perfectly preserved ancient sites. The site is of an important Buddhist pilgrimage sites and is of special interest with regards to the development of Buddhism in China. Dunhuang became a World Heritage Site in 1987.

Cheju Island (AKA Jeju-do) and the white deer lake, Korea

The island of Cheju is strewn with dwarf-like statues of the powerful fertility god Tolharubang. The mysterious island has many legends associated with it as well as the island being associated with the number 3.

Legend states that the first settlement on Cheju was founded by 3 god-men who came forth from one of the many caves on the island: Ko-ulla, Pu-ulla and Yang-ulla. Worship of the Shamanistic spirits was common amongst the ancient Koreans – even the later arrivals of Confucianism and Buddhism have done little to dismiss the countries culture of nature worship. Cheju Island is known as the island of 3 “plenties” (stones, wind and women) and 3 lacks (beggars, thieves and locks).

The 3 founding gods supported themselves by hunting and gathering. One day whilst on the slopes of Mount Halla they spotted a wooden box floating in the sea. Inside the box they found 3 daughters of the King of Pyoknang who had sent the 3 gods a gift of brides. The women carried grain seed, cattle and horses with them.

Archaeological evidence, such as stone and bone tools, points to the island having been inhabited since at least the Paleolithic period. At this time inhabitants lived in caves. Dolmens and earthen jar burials clearly point out that the island thrived during Bronze Age.

Cheju island was mostly used as a trading point but in 1105 the island became significant for other reasons. At the time the island belonged to the Koryo kingdom. When the Koryo kingdom was overthrown by the Mongols, resistance fighters fled to the island and staged a valiant but unsuccessful last stand. The island is considered sacred by the descendants of the resistance fighters who died there.

The spiritual and physical centre of the island is Mount Halla. At 1950 m high it is also the highest peak in Korea. At the top of this mountain lies the Paeknokdam Lake (the White Deer Lake) one of over 300 crater lakes on the mountain. Local customs speak of enlightened sages traveling atop white deer in ancient times to enjoy the beauty and serenity of the White Deer Lake. The sacred lake is surrounded by jagged rocks and cliffs which shield it.

South of the white deer lake lies Youngsilgiam, a mass of granite rocks held to be the 500 disciples of Buddha. The areas name originates from the places resemblance to Youngshwi Mountain where Buddha taught his disciples. Another sacred site on the island is found in Cheju City and is called the dragon-head rock known as Yongduam. It looks uncannily like a dragon on the shore and according to legend a dragon emissary of the Dragon King was sent to Mount Halla to pick a herb which would give the king eternal youth. The questing dragon was trapped by a mountain god and imprisoned in the sea with only its head protruding above the water.

Ellora (Elura) Temple Caves, Elora Village, India

Near the village of Ellora lies a series of 34 basalt carved temples known as the Elora caves. The southern 12 caves date from around 200 BC to 600 AD and are simplistic and Buddhist in origion. The central 17 caves date from 500 to 900 AD, are Hindu and contain with striking designs and art. The northernmost 5 caves date from 800 to 1,000 AD and are Jain.

Some of the Ellora caves so house both Hindu and Buddhist images and they mostly served as monasteries and temples (some with sleeping cells within). This is an awe inspiring example of cave temple architecture and the most striking cave a Hindu cave named the Kailasa or Kailasanatha named after the sacred Kailas Mountain range of the Himalayas. This cave is built in a way that allows it to be naturally light in, which illuminates the complex structures within. Some 200,000 tons (just over 181,436 metric tons) of stone had to be removed to build this cavern beginning in 8 BC. The temple covers twice the area of the Parthenon in Athens and is 1,5 times higher.

The ornamental facades and shrines, the monoliths, halls, stairs, windows stairs and a footbridge are just some of the rich architectural features a spiritual traveller would find at the Ellora caves.

Great Shinto Shrine, Ise, honshu, Japan

Endowed with the mystical power of nature, the sacred shrine if Ise Jingo (the Great Shinto Shrine) is built in the forest of giant cryptomeria trees next to the river Isuzu and the foot of the mountains Kamiji & Shimaji. The area is worshiped by the Japanese because it believed to be embued with with the natural energies of the forest, water and mountains.

The Great Shinto Shrine is built using wood and is rebuilt almost every 20 years. The empty site (known as the kodenchi) is covered in white pebbles and only one wooden building with a 2 meter high wooden post hidden in its center. This post is surrounded by stones as it represents the original natural world. It is known as the column of the heart or sacred central post.

The Great Shinto Shrine consists of two main buildings and each generation of the shrine is rebuilt over this post. The inner shrine or ‘imperial shrine’ is dedicated to the Sun Goddess Amaterasi Omikami and 4 miles away the outer shrine dedicated to the Goddess of of Cereals Toyouke Omikami. Each rebuilding of the shrine takes about 8 years and each stage of construction being blessed by religious ceremony.

The 9 Sacred Mountains of China

China has 9 sacred mountains, 5 important to Taoist belief and 4 sacred to Buddhist believe. These mountains represent pillars that hold up the firmament above the earth, they are the object of many pilgrimages and spirit journeys.

Bodhisatva, a mythical being dedicated to bringing elightenment to all sentient beings, is said by the Buddhists to dwell each of the buddhist sacred mountains.

Taoists believe the mountains to be a medium between mortals and immortals, places of retreat and contemplation. Many of the peaks were ancients places of shamanistic worship and the religious significance of them can be dated back over 5000 years.

Tai Shan is significant amongst the sacred mountains because it considered to be the son of the Emperor of Heaven. It is reputed to have cared for and nurtured the people living in the land that it dominated. Legends state that 72 emperors have made the pilgrimage to Tai Shan to speak with the gods. Temples and shrines litter the slopes of the sacred mountain. The 2 most important ones, the Temple of the Jade Emperor and the Temple of the Azzure Clouds, are situated on the peak.

As tourism places pressure on the local communities to make the climb more conveniant with cable cars and steps, many believe that ecological unity of the region is under threat. The ardious journey up any of the 9 sacred mountains is meant to be a challenge to the spirit and the body and the fear of loss of it integrity to pilgrims is quite understandable.

Sravanabelagola, Karnataka, India

Situated 1222 m above sea level, lies the hill of Sravanabelagola which is also known as Vindhyagiri or Perkalbappu. 614 steps lead to the summit of the hill where a huge, 21m high, statue of Sri Gomatheswar stands. This statue is the largest free standing statue in the world and was built in 981 AD. Sri Gomatheswar was the son of the first Tirhankara an enlightened sage of Jainism.

Sravanabelagola translates as “the monk on top of the hill” and this refers not only to the statue but to devotees who took up residence on the hill. Hermits, mystics and ascetics followed their sacred inclinations since at least 3 BC. During 10 BC temples were built and the hill, today, is an important focus of Jain Pilgrimage.

The prime festival of Sravanabelagola is the Maha Masthaka Abhisheka during which over 1 million devotees come to the area. The festival is performed every 12 – 14 years with the last one being held in 2005.

During the festival Scaffolding is built around the statue and devotees chat mantras and pour 1000’s of gallons of a milk, honey and herb mixture over the body of the image. As the mixture runs over the body of the statue it is believed to be charged with a natural, spiritual energy. The charged mixture is distributed amongst the pilgrims in the belief that they will assist in the quest for enlightenment.