![hara hara mahadeva shambho. kashi vishwanath gange hara hara mahadeva shambho. kashi vishwanath gange](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xLwsO_9vroU/maxresdefault.jpg)
However, the eighteenth century was a strong Hindu revival period when many shrines were recovered, and replicas were created of the ones that were destroyed (Singh et al. His intolerance towards Hindu religion further contributed to the act of temple demolition (Alam et al. During the period of Mughal rule, sixteenth century witnessed reconstruction and new development towards Hindu temples by rulers like Humayun and Akbar, there were many shrines and temples, destroyed by the Mughal ruler Humayun in seventeenth century during his political conquests in the Varanasi territory. The text was written by highly regarded Sanskrit scholars to glorify the religious centers and to provide a guide to pilgrims seeking to perform pilgrimage to such sites. The rituals and practices associated with the pilgrimage are explained in Kashi Mahatmya, an ancient script that was written in Sanskrit language in 12th century to eulogize glory of the city, its culture and its traditions. The pilgrimage of Panchkroshi in Varanasi has been popular since the sixteenth century. Hence, it is difficult to think of pilgrimage without reflecting on the landscape. Landscape defines the designed and natural elements of the outdoor environment. The type of destinations varies but traveling is an essential element of the entire process. A pilgrimage happens by journeying in the outdoor environment. Pilgrimage and landscape share a deep connection. The aim of this chapter is to explain the difference between a pilgrimage and any other journey and to introduce the idea of the Panchkroshi pilgrimage, explaining what makes it unique.
![hara hara mahadeva shambho. kashi vishwanath gange hara hara mahadeva shambho. kashi vishwanath gange](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yF1lK9r6Ep8/maxresdefault.jpg)
The term “pilgrimage” can also be used in the sense of a trek to a local sanctuary that allows even a small-scale transition from the worldly realm to the experience of the sacred. It can be explained as an act consisting of three elements, a holy place, the attraction of individuals to this place and a specific aim of attaining spiritual or material benefit. One important definition of pilgrimage is as a journey to a sacred place as an act of religious devotion. Pilgrimage can be defined in many ways, and it is difficult to define it in a single universally accepted notion. The pilgrimage route has become a palimpsest of urban residential, commercial zones, state and national highways with no designated pathway for pilgrims to walk on.Ī pilgrimage is like a text that can be read by journeying on its physical geography (Haberman et al. The pilgrimage path has become fragmented, breaking the continuity and flow of movement. However, with rapid urbanization and lack of preservation, these heritage landscapes have suffered degradation. The act of achieving these goals is to walk through the sacred landscapes of the pilgrimage. There are several goals identified for performing a pilgrimage, with the most important being the attainment of divine salvation. The Panchkroshi Pilgrimage is about circum-ambulations around the holy territory, along a 25-mile long route, protected by 108 shrines of Hindu gods and goddesses. Circular pilgrimage, like the Panchkroshi in Varanasi, India, ends at the same point it started, thus forming an endless loop. Pilgrimages have various types of paths like circular, linear, spiral, converging at a central point, etc. A pilgrimage is an act of journeying to the sacred landscapes primarily for religious reasons and spiritual benefits but is not limited to them. Sacred landscapes in India play a pivotal role in the celebration of religious traditions and the mythological stories associated with them. Internship Program “Rural Heritage and Traditional Food”īachelors in Architecture, School of Built Environment and Design, Lingayas University HeritageForAll Intern (Call 2019) from NewDelhi, India Theme: Revitalization of Rural Heritage landscapes