Tirth Yatra GuideThe Sapta Puri
Seven sacred cities that are said to give liberation.
A Sanskrit verse names seven cities as the ones that grant moksha, liberation: Ayodhya, Mathura, Maya (Haridwar), Kashi (Varanasi), Kanchi, Avantika (Ujjain) and Dvaravati (Dwarka). They are spread over the whole of India and belong to different traditions: Rama, Krishna, Shiva, Vishnu and the river Ganga each have their cities.
| City | State | What makes it sacred |
|---|---|---|
| Ayodhya | Uttar Pradesh | The birthplace of Rama, on the bank of the Sarayu. |
| Mathura | Uttar Pradesh | The birthplace of Krishna, on the Yamuna. |
| Haridwar | Uttarakhand | The place where the Ganga leaves the mountains for the plains; the site of the Kumbh Mela. |
| Varanasi (Kashi) | Uttar Pradesh | The city of Shiva on the Ganga, and a place for the last rites. |
| Kanchipuram | Tamil Nadu | The "city of a thousand temples", with shrines of both Shiva and Vishnu. |
| Ujjain | Madhya Pradesh | The city of Mahakaleshwar on the Shipra, and a place of the Kumbh Mela. |
| Dwarka | Gujarat | The city of Krishna on the western coast. |
Several of them also hold a Kumbh Mela: Haridwar and Ujjain, together with Prayagraj and Nashik.
Temple rules, opening seasons, booking arrangements and routes change. Before you travel, check the official website of the temple or the state tourism board, and be careful of anyone who asks for money to book darshan or a stay by phone or message. We do not sell tours or packages. Information on this page was last checked in November 2026.