The Journal · Rivers, temples and ritual
Spiritual & Sacred
Spiritual India runs deep — from the ancient ghats of Varanasi and the sacred Ganges to the Golden Temple of Amritsar. This is our guide to encountering sacred India with depth and sensitivity: the great pilgrimage cities, the river rituals, and how to experience them privately and with grace.
Sarnath Becomes India's 45th World Heritage Site
On 27 July 2026, after twenty-eight years on the tentative list, the Ancient Buddhist Site at Sarnath was inscribed by UNESCO. An honest account of what a World Heritage listing does for a place, what it does to it, and how to see Sarnath well.
The Sacred Ganges: Varanasi, Rishikesh & the River's Rituals
India's holiest river runs from Himalayan source to sacred city. How to encounter the Ganges — at Varanasi's ghats and Rishikesh's foothills — with depth and grace.
Varanasi: How to Encounter the Sacred City With Depth and Sensitivity
A city that changes everyone who visits — but only if you approach it on its own profound terms. Our guide to encountering Varanasi properly.
Amritsar & the Golden Temple: The Spiritual Heart of Punjab
A temple of gold on a lake of nectar, and the largest free kitchen on earth. Why the Golden Temple is one of the most moving places in India.
Temple Etiquette, and Where the Camera Should Stay in the Bag
Most of what gets written about this is wrong in specific, checkable ways. Kashi Vishwanath admits foreigners on a published process with no religion test. Tirumala forbids covering your head. Still photography at ASI monuments is free and legal by default — the offence is the tripod. Here is the version we checked.
Design Your India Around Spiritual
Tell us what draws you, and a curator will compose a private journey around it — typically within one working day.
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