Why do we have to go on pilgrimage?

[nalanda]

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Dear brothers and sisters,
I am not trying to be arrogant, just thinking aloud with you all.If someone says to me why is pilgrimage important?; what would I say or what should I say and to be honest I am not too sure. I know the history and importance of some temples.what is the best answer especially when faced with a young adolescent.Any thoughts?
nalanda

 

[N. Sridhar]

If we go to pilgrimage we learn other states customs and our mind is out of routine one. And if we want to go to particular temple in other place, our mind is only concentrating that god upto the reach of destination. So pilgrimage is worth other than go to temple in and around our house.

 

[S.Ramanathan]

Simply I can say that there is no need for any pilgrimage. There is one song which says that " Irukkum idatthai vittu illadha idam thedi enngengo alaigirai gnanathangamey" . Pilgrimage is a tour to temples and the purpose is darshan. In purana temples the god's vibration is more and god's saannidhyam can be realised. Rejunevation of mind and body can be attained during the pilgrimage.

I recommend as a hindu the following places are worth visiting during our life time:-
varanasi, kedarnath, badrinath, shirdi saibaba, puri, srirangam, vaishnavidevi, manasarovar and kailash. Once you go there and return back you will find some positive changes in your life.

 

[T.S.Sankara Narayanan]

நம் முன்னோர்கள் எதயுமே வழிமுரையோடு வகுத்து வைத்துள்ளார்கள். அந்த காலத்தில் இந்த அளவு போக்குவரத்து வசதிகள் கிடையாது. வருடத்துக்கு ஒருமுறையாவது கால் நடையாக அனைத்து கோவிலுக்கும் சென்று வருவது வழக்கம்.

அந்த காலத்தில் இந்த அளவு வியாதிகளும் கிடையாது.எங்கு சென்றாலும் கால் நடை தான்.அது முதலில் உடலுக்கு நல்லது.

திருநெல்வெலியில் இருப்பவன் நெல்லையப்பர் கோவிலுக்கு செல்வதையும், மதுரையில் இருப்பவன் மீனாட்சி அம்மன் கோவிலுக்கு செல்வதையும் யாத்திரை என்று சொல்வதில்லை.

அந்தந்த ஊரில் இருப்பவன் அந்தந்த பக்கத்து கோவிலுக்கு செல்வது நித்திய கர்மா.

ஆனால் சற்று தொலைவில் உள்ள கோவில்களுக்கு செல்வதை மட்டுமே யாத்திரை என்கிறோம்.

யாத்திரை என்பது ஒரு பக்தி கலந்த எக்ஸசைஸ். அவ்வுளவுதான்.

சாதாரணமாக நடக்கச் சொன்னால் யாரும் நடக்க மாட்டார்கள். அதற்க்கு பக்தி சாயம் பூசினால் அட்லீஸ்ட் தெய்வத்திற்காகவாவது பயப்படுவார்கள்.

சுகர் நோயாளியிடம் டாக்டர் நடக்கச்சொன்னால் நடப்பது இல்லயா? அதுபோலத்தான்.

சுகர் வந்தபின் டாக்டர் சொல்வதைவிட சுகர் வரவிடாமல் செய்வதற்க்கு புனித யாத்திரை உதவும்.

 

[T.S.Sankara Narayanan]

உதாரண்மாக எனக்கு திருமணமான புதிதில் ஒரு வருடம் வரை குழந்தை பாக்கியம் இல்லை...

திருமணம் ஆகி ஒருவருடம் கழித்து பழனிக்கு சென்று,அங்கிருந்து படி வழியாகவே மலை ஏறி முருகப்பெருமானை தரிசனம் செய்துவந்த உடனேயே என் மனைவி கர்பம் தரித்தாள்..

இது என் வழ்வில் நான் கற்றுக்கொண்ட பாடம்...

 

[Iyyarooraan]

Going on a pilgrimage is a welcome diversion from boring monotony, Change of air, change of attitude and maybe changing our thinking. For some people this diversion brings problems. Rest enjoy. The people of pilgrimage places look forward to receive you. If you are alone then make a weird purchases to please your wife/cousins... If you are following your spouse, you must already be thinking of your happy return to your place. You can learn how others like to cheat you. In the South, wherever you go, the guides/local people emphasize that the Shiva is a Swayambhu here. Of course, Shiva is a 'swayambhu' everywhere. If you do not know Ramayana/Mahabharat thoroughly, you will enjoy the stories related to the place. If you do know something, there is a chance you will get confused. You are the star attraction wherever you go, to be fooled personally. You will be surprised to learn as to how many can fool you neat and clean. You are eternally distributing your wealth. If you have left yearning people before starting the pilgrimage, forget about getting any 'punya' by this pilgrimage! I think in these days of difficult travellings, why attempt to inconvenience so many people. That is also 'paropakaram'. One pilgrimage trip will entail another trip. And another. And another. Well, people can think about this.

 

[renuka]

Dear brothers and sisters,
I am not trying to be arrogant, just thinking aloud with you all.If someone says to me why is pilgrimage important?; what would I say or what should I say and to be honest I am not too sure. I know the history and importance of some temples.what is the best answer especially when faced with a young adolescent.Any thoughts?
nalanda

Fair enough..Actually if you ask me why I have been for pilgrimages my answer is I liked it.
So far my pilgrimage has only been Puttaparthi and havent gone anywhere else in India yet.
Somehow when I visit Puttaparthi I feel I have been around the world for pilgrimage.

Its like how Lord Ganesh went around His parents and equated it with going around the world.

Pilgrimage is also like a break from our routine and relaxing too..able to purchase new books and update ourselves about religion etc..meet new people share their experiences about prayer and God.

Take it like a joyous trip and enjoy it like a tour after all God wants us to share his Bliss.

 

[T.S.Sankara Narayanan]

மேலும் புனித யாத்திரை என்பது எல்லா மதத்திலும் உண்டு...

கேரளத்திலிருந்து வேளாங்கன்னி தேவாலயதிற்கும்...முகமதியர்கள் புனித ஹஜ் யாத்திரை செல்வதும் இன்று வரை நடைமுறையில் உள்ளது...

 

[prasad1]

I would and do go on pilgrimage, but not to the usual places. I would not go to Gaya, Banaras, Allahabad, or Haridwar. Those are overhyped over commercialized centers. But do visit Temples in other parts of the country and see the country and enjoy the trip. I do not go for any material gain so I just have fun.
We go to all Temples (Hindu) , gurudwara, and some dargas. We have visited more than 50 temples in USA and Canada.
We also make it a point to see all temples in 30 mile radius of a Tamil Nadu city on each trip to India.

 

[S.Ramanathan]

Generally people do not go on pilgrimage for any material gain. They go for attaining mental peace (Nimmadhiyai thedi) and realise god.

Some places like Tirupathi, shirdi, puri, kedar, Badri etc. Even if we wish to visit we cannot unless god also wish our visit. while in shirdi we cannot leave shirdi unless baba grant you permission to leave.

 

[S.Ramanathan]

Generally people do not go on pilgrimage for any material gain. They go for attaining mental peace (Nimmadhiyai thedi) and realise god.

Some places like Tirupathi, shirdi, puri, kedar and badrinath we cannot visit unless god call us. Regarding shirdi we cannot leave unless baba permits. Hence we have to take permission of baba before leaving shirdi.

 

[nannilam_balasubramanian]

Pilgrimage is very essential to know our religion completely and also to fulfil
our vows, if any. It restores peace in us keeping away the emotion and stress
in us. The true enjoyment are not denied besides the maya in us is driven out.

Balasubramanian
Ambattur

 

[vishviyer]

Namaskaram,

Let me share my thoughts on this. In my younger days, I believed in praying to God from the comfort of my home, my town etc. If God was everywhere, what is the need to go to a particular temple, say, like Palani.

As I have grown spiritually, (at least hope so) I realize my folly. When you go to a temple or a place of worship, you imbibe the power associated with it. As an example, if you visit Thiruchendur to pray to Murugan, you obtain enormous blessings from Him that are not available otherwise. An American woman who had accompanied us had darshan of Murugan and Plaiedean spaceships, as also another person who witnessed Meru Malai in Madurai Meenakshi Temple, to name a few.

Please visit any vortex of power that appeals to you or is your family tradition and you will never be disappointed.

Now, do my children (other adolescents ) listen to me ; that is debatable. I know I stand firm in my conviction and they see that.

Om Chivaya Namah

Vish Iyer

 

[Eastern Mind]

To an adolescent who cannot understand the reasons, I'd explain how pilgrimage is a time when you focus on God and God alone. You drop all that worldly stuff for a while. Its like a recharge of batteries. I'm a western adoptive who came to TN twice now. The first time was with my 21 year old daughter. Although the culture shock was really hard on her, when I ask if she'd return to Palani with me, if we could eliminate the 2 days of flying and driving, she just says, "Absolutely!" So there is a spiritual benefit from it that can't be had in any other way. But I would say you have to want to, not out of some obligation. Then last year my spouse and I did the arapaidaveedu pilgrimage. So rewarding in so many ways.

 

[nannilam_balasubramanian]

Tamil Nadu is a Spiritual and Cultural Centre, which is a very worth visiting
place. Tamil Nadu is rich in handicrafts. You can see many items and buy
items of one's choice like Sarees. Pilgrimage is nothing but a belief and trust.
A pilgrimage definitely benefits all people. Pilgrimage leads and paves a way
to everyone to obtain Spiritual Maturity, which leads in turn to eternal spiritual
freedom. It also gives an opportunity towards self-evaluation of places of
interest and benefits of it which is very important in everybody's life. The
route is towards Nature's Gift and God.

Balasubramanian
Ambattur

 

[prasad1]

Tamil Nadu is a Spiritual and Cultural Centre, which is a very worth visiting
place. Tamil Nadu is rich in handicrafts. You can see many items and buy
items of one's choice like Sarees. Pilgrimage is nothing but a belief and trust.
A pilgrimage definitely benefits all people. Pilgrimage leads and paves a way
to everyone to obtain Spiritual Maturity, which leads in turn to eternal spiritual
freedom. It also gives an opportunity towards self-evaluation of places of
interest and benefits of it which is very important in everybody's life. The
route is towards Nature's Gift and God.

Balasubramanian
Ambattur

My kind of pilgrimage. LOL