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EveryParampara

Pilgrimage

Millions of people travel every year to a place they hold sacred.

Millions of people travel every year to a place they hold sacred. The hajj to Mecca, the walk to Santiago, the bath at the Kumbh Mela, the circling of Mount Kailash, the climb of Mount Fuji, the visit to Lourdes or the Western Wall: each is a journey with a purpose beyond travel. Pilgrims describe it as a way to give thanks, to seek forgiveness, to pray for a cure or simply to be near the holy. The road may be long and hard, and much of its meaning lies in the effort and in the company of others. Here is how different peoples go on pilgrimage and what they do when they arrive.

What it is for

A pilgrimage takes a person out of daily life into a time and place set apart. For believers it is a duty, a vow or a gift to the spiritual life, and many say it changes them. It may atone for a fault, fulfil a promise or seek a blessing for the family. Pilgrims often say it taught them humility and gratitude, and made them part of a long line of travellers. Shared hardship creates friendships that last for life, and the sites themselves are often places of great beauty and history.

Common elements across cultures

A pilgrimage has a destination, often a shrine, mountain, river or tomb, and a route, often with traditional stages. Pilgrims carry a staff, a shell or a badge, wear white or simple clothing, and give up comforts. They circle the holy site, bathe in sacred water, touch or kiss a sacred object, light a lamp and leave an offering. Hospitality along the road, from free meals to places to sleep, is a big part of the tradition. The return, with a souvenir or a blessing for those at home, completes the journey.

Food, dress and music

Pilgrim food is plain and shared: dates and water in Mecca, free community meals, langar, at the Golden Temple, simple rice and dal at Hindu centres, bread and wine on the Camino. Dress is modest: white ihram for the hajj, saffron robes in Hindu pilgrimages, black in Orthodox sites. Singing and chanting carry the walkers, from hymns to devotional songs, and bells, drums and conches announce arrival. Many pilgrims bring home a small token, such as a scallop shell, water from the sacred river, prasad sweets or a blessed cloth.

How it is changing

Air travel, buses and organised tours have made pilgrimage faster, and numbers have grown. Crowd control, health and the environment are now major concerns, and sites use apps, timed tickets and digital maps. Meanwhile, many people walk the old routes for a mix of spiritual and personal reasons, including many who say they are not religious. Heritage and tourism agencies work with local communities to protect the sites and the pilgrim's experience. The tradition shows no sign of declining and in some places is growing fast.

Pilgrimage around the world

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

The hajj to Mecca is a duty once in a lifetime for those who are able, with the pilgrims in white ihram circling the Kaaba, standing at Arafat and throwing stones. About two million people take part each year.

Hajj, being written

🇮🇶 Iraq

Arbaeen is a mass walking pilgrimage to Karbala, forty days after Ashura, in which millions of Shia Muslims walk for days, fed by volunteers along the road. It is among the largest gatherings in the world.

Arba'in, being written

🇮🇳 India

The Kumbh Mela, held in rotation at four cities, gathers tens of millions for a holy bath, and the Char Dham and Varanasi are year-round destinations. Sikh pilgrims visit the Golden Temple at Amritsar.

Read: Kumbh Mela

🇳🇵 Nepal

Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha, draws Buddhists from every country, and Pashupatinath in Kathmandu hosts the great Maha Shivaratri gathering of Hindu sadhus. Pilgrims also visit the Muktinath shrine, which is sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists.

Lumbini, being written

🇨🇳 Tibet and China

Tibetan pilgrims walk the kora, a circuit, around Mount Kailash, some prostrating along the full length of the route. The Five Sacred Mountains and Mount Tai are traditional Chinese destinations.

Mount Kailash, being written

🇯🇵 Japan

The Shikoku pilgrimage, the henro, follows 88 temples associated with the monk Kukai, taking weeks on foot, and the Kumano Kodo trails are a UNESCO World Heritage route. Pilgrims wear white and a conical hat.

Read: Shikoku Pilgrimage

Compare all 20 places

Traditions to start with

Kumbh MelaThe great Hindu bathing festival.Camino de SantiagoThe way of St James.Shikoku PilgrimageJapan's 88 temples.Qoyllur Rit'iThe Andean snow-star pilgrimage.

Also part of it, and being written: Hajj (The pilgrimage to Mecca.), Arba'in (The walk to Karbala.), Kora (The Tibetan circumambulation.), Lourdes (The French Marian shrine.).

Questions people ask

What is the difference between a pilgrimage and a holiday?

A pilgrimage is a journey with a religious or spiritual purpose, which often involves some hardship. Many people now combine the two, and the distinction is up to the traveller.

Do you need to be religious to walk a pilgrim route?

No. Many routes, such as the Camino, are walked by people of all beliefs and none, though they are asked to respect the sacred sites and the customs of the places.

What do pilgrims wear?

Often plain or traditional dress: white for the hajj and in Japan, saffron in Hindu sites, and practical walking clothes on European routes. A badge, shell or staff is common.

Is pilgrimage a duty?

In Islam the hajj is one of the five pillars, for those who can. In other faiths it is highly valued but optional.

How do I behave at a sacred site?

Dress modestly, remove shoes where asked, keep quiet, ask before photographing, and follow the instructions of local guides and worshippers.

About this page

Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

Pilgrimage on EveryParampara

The traditions written up so far, best known first.

RegionSouth AsiaSoutheast AsiaEast AsiaCentral Asia and the CaucasusMiddle EastNorth AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaEuropeNorth AmericaLatin America and the CaribbeanOceania
KindSpiritualFestivalRite of passageTable customSeasonalDressPerformanceEtiquetteCraftGameFolkloreHomeCeremony
MealBreakfastLunchDinnerSupperTea-time and snacking customsTea, coffee and drinking ceremoniesSweets given and sharedFeasts and festival mealsFasting and breaking the fast
🇮🇳 Badrinath, IndiaChota Char Dham Four Himalayan shrines in Uttarakhand, visited in one season each yearSpiritual 🇳🇵 Nepal and 1 moreMani stone Inscribed stones placed along trails in Tibetan Buddhist regions as devotional offerings.Spiritual 🇮🇳 Vrindavan, IndiaRaslilaरासलीला (Rāsalīlā) A traditional Indian dance and folk theatre performance depicting the divine love of Krishna and the gopis.Performance 🇳🇵 Nepal and 1 moreTibetan prayer flagLung ta / Darchog Colorful cloth banners printed with mantras, hung in high places to spread blessings on the wind.Spiritual 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreGrihapraveshगृहप्रवेश (Gṛhapravēśa) A Hindu housewarming ritual to purify a new home and invite blessings.Home 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreKailash Mansarovar Yatraकैलाश मानसरोवर यात्रा (Hindi); ཀཱའི་ལ་ཤ་མན་ས་རོ་ཝར་ཡ་ཏྲ། (Tibetan) A high-altitude pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar in TibetSpiritual 🇮🇳 Mumbai, IndiaLalbaugcha Raja A Mumbai Ganesha festival where millions seek blessings before ocean immersionSpiritual 🇮🇳 Mumbai, India and 1 moreFire templeآتشکده A consecrated sanctuary where Zoroastrians tend sacred fires and gather for worshipSpiritual 🇮🇳 Mathura, India and 5 moreKrishna Janmashtamiकृष्णजन्माष्टमी A night of fasting, song and vigil that marks the birth of KrishnaSpiritual · Fasting and breaking the fast 🇮🇳 India and 6 moreBuddha's Birthday佛诞 A festival marking the birth of Siddhartha Gautama, observed across Asia with temple rituals and community gatherings.Spiritual 🇮🇳 Mysuru, India and 2 moreVijayadashamiविजयदशमी (Vijayadaśamī) A Hindu festival marking the end of Navaratri, celebrating the victory of good over evil across India and Nepal.Festival 🇮🇳 India and 6 moreMakar Sankrantiमकरसङ्क्रान्ति The Sun's northward turn, kept on 14 January with kites, fairs and river bathsSpiritual 🇮🇳 Puri, India and 4 moreRatha Yatra An annual Hindu festival where deities travel through the streets in towering carriagesFestival 🇮🇳 India and 5 moreThaipusam A Tamil Hindu festival honoring Murugan through devotional burdens and pilgrimageSpiritual 🇮🇳 Gaya, India and 1 moreShraddhaश्राद्ध Rituals of faith for the ancestors, kept yearly and through Pitru PakshaSpiritual 🇮🇳 Haridwar, India and 3 moreAntyestiअन्त्येष्टि The traditional Hindu funeral ceremony and final rite of passageRite of passage 🇮🇳 Anandpur Sahib, IndiaHola Mohallaਹੋਲਾ-ਮਹੱਲਾ A three-day Sikh festival of martial arts, poetry, shared meals and grand processionsFestival 🇮🇳 Vrindavan, India and 2 moreGovardhan Puja A Hindu festival of piled vegetarian foods and sculpted earth, honouring KrishnaSpiritual · Feasts and festival meals 🇮🇳 IndiaUttarayanaउत्तरायण (Uttarāyaṇa) The Sun's six-month journey north, kept as an auspicious Hindu season and festivalSeasonal 🇮🇳 Tiruvannamalai, India and 1 moreKarthika DeepamKārtikai Tīpam A Tamil and Malayali Hindu festival of lights honouring Shiva, Kartikeya and ParvatiSpiritual · Sweets given and shared 🇮🇳 IndiaParyushana An annual Jain holy period of intense fasting, reflection, and asking for forgivenessSpiritual · Fasting and breaking the fast 🇮🇳 Guwahati, IndiaAmbubachi Melaঅম্বুবাচী মেলা An annual gathering at Kamakhya Temple marking the earth's seasonal fertility.Spiritual 🇮🇳 Puri, IndiaNabakalebaraନବ କଳେବର (Navakalevara) A rare ritual in Puri where the wooden idols of four Hindu deities are replaced with new carvings every twelve to nineteSpiritual 🇮🇳 Tiruvannamalai, IndiaGirivalam A barefoot walk of about 14 km around Arunachala hill, most of all on full moon nightsSpiritual 🇧🇩 Dhaka, Bangladesh and 1 moreBaul traditionবাউল A Bengali devotional minstrel path uniting mystic poetry, music and dancePerformance 🇱🇰 Mihintale, Sri LankaPoson A Sri Lankan Buddhist festival marking the ancient arrival of Buddhism on the islandSpiritual 🇮🇳 Haridwar, IndiaKumbh MelaKumbha Mēlā A major Hindu riverside pilgrimage held across four rotating holy cities in IndiaSpiritual 🇮🇳 India and 4 moreProstration Bowing the whole body to the ground, in prayer and as a sign of respectSpiritual 🇮🇳 IndiaPushkaram A river worship festival rotating across twelve sacred Indian rivers over twelve yearsSpiritual 🇮🇳 Pushkar, IndiaPushkar FairKartik Mela An annual camel and livestock fair with lake pilgrimage rites in Rajasthan, IndiaFestival 🇵🇰 Lahore, PakistanMela Chiraghanمیلہ چراغاں A three-day Lahore festival honouring the sixteenth-century Sufi poet Shah Hussain.Spiritual 🇮🇳 Kanchipuram, IndiaPanguni UthiramPaṅkuṉi Uttiram A Tamil Hindu festival celebrating divine weddings and the virtues of married lifeSpiritual 🇮🇳 IndiaGanga Dussehra A ten-day Hindu river festival celebrating the descent of the Ganges to earthSpiritual 🇮🇳 India and 3 moreBhajanभजनम् (bhajanam) Devotional songs of South Asia, sung alone or together with drums and cymbalsPerformance 🇮🇳 Palani, India and 5 moreKavadi Aattamகாவடி ஆட்டம் Tamil devotees of Murugan carry burdens as a vow during ThaipusamSpiritual 🇮🇳 Varanasi, IndiaHead shaving in Hinduism Ritual tonsure for spiritual renewal, life transitions, and devotion in HinduismSpiritual 🇮🇳 IndiaMonlam Prayer Festival A Tibetan Buddhist festival of mass prayers, sacred dances and ritual offeringsSpiritual 🇮🇳 Imphal, India and 2 moreLai Haraobaꯂꯥꯏ ꯍꯔꯥꯎꯕ A ritual dance and music festival kept by the Meitei people to please their deities.Festival 🇮🇳 IndiaPushpanjaliपुष्पाञ्जलि A Hindu ritual of offering flowers with cupped hands, used in worship and as an opening dance.Spiritual 🇮🇳 India and 2 moreAbhiṣekaabhiṣeka (Sanskrit); wang (Tibetan) A Vajrayana Buddhist ritual of consecration where a guru transmits spiritual authority to a student.Spiritual 🇳🇵 NepalJatjatin Dance A Mithila folk dance performed by couples to seek rain and express the sorrow of parting.Performance 🇮🇳 IndiaDivja A Goan ritual where women carry oil lamps in a temple procession to fulfill vows.Spiritual 🇮🇳 IndiaParashurama Jayantiपरशुरामजयंती (Paraśurāmajayantī) A Hindu day of fasting and worship marking Parashurama's birth on Akshaya TritiyaSpiritual 🇮🇳 Delhi, IndiaSacred groves of India Communal forest sanctuaries across India where religious belief protects biodiversity and local resources.Spiritual 🇮🇳 Khatushyam, IndiaPhalguna Mela A temple fair before Holi, kept with flags, bhajans and shared foodSpiritual 🇳🇵 Kathmandu, NepalGunla Bajanगुंला बाजं Devotional music the Newars carry through the streets during the holy month of GunlaPerformance 🇮🇳 IndiaKathaकथा (Hindi/Sanskrit), கதை (Tamil) A traditional Indian practice of religious storytelling and scriptural commentary, kept across Hindu and Sikh communitieSpiritual 🇮🇳 India and 5 moreUrs-e-Razaviعرس اعلی حضرت A three-day annual Sufi gathering honouring the legacy of Imam Ahmad Raza KhanSpiritual
More traditions

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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