tīrtha, tirthain Hinduism, a holy river, mountain, or other place made sacred through association with a deity or saint. The word tīrtha tirtha means literally “river ford,” ford” and, by extension, a sacred spot. Honoured as the seven holiest Hindu cities are Kāśī Kashi (modern VārānasiVaranasi, Uttar Pradesh), the centre of Śiva ( Shiva ) worship; Oudh (modern Ayodhya, in Uttar Pradesh), birthplace of the god RāmaRama; Mathura (in Uttar Pradesh), scene of Krishna’s nativity; Dvāraka Dvaraka (modern DwārkaDwarka, in Gujarāt Gujarat state), where the adult Krishna ruled as king; Kānchipuram Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu state), where the temple to the divine mother is built in the shape of a yantra, or sacred diagram; Hardiwār Hardiwar (in Uttar Pradesh), the spot where the Ganges River is said to have come to Earth; and Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh), site of a famous Śaiva linga Shaivite lingam (sign of ŚivaShiva).

Bathing is said to be particularly cleansing of sin when performed in the confluence of two rivers or at the source or joining of one of the seven sacred rivers—the Ganges, Yamuna, GodāvariGodavari, Narmada, Indus, CauveryKaveri, and the mythical Saraswati. The four great abodes of the gods, located at the four corners of India—Badrīnātha India—Badrinatha in the north, Dwārka Dwarka in the west, Rāmeswaram Rameswaram in the south, and Puri in the east—attract large numbers of pilgrims yearly. The pīṭhā pithas, or spots that mark where pieces of the body of Śiva’s Shiva’s wife Satī Sati fell to Earth, are particularly sacred to the devotees of the goddess ŚaktiShakti. Special occasions, such as an eclipse of the Sun, a Kumbh Mela (q.v.; largest of the religious fairs), or the Rathayātrā Rathayatra (wagon festival) at the Jagannātha (q.v.) Jagannatha temple in Puri, draw large gatherings.

The Hindu undertakes his pilgrimage (called the tīrthayātrā tirthayatra) as an act of devotion, to carry out a vow, to appease a deity, or to seek prosperity. Upon reaching the tīrtha tirtha he will usually bathe (snānasnana), circumambulate the temple or holy place (pradakṣiṇāpradakshina), make an offering, carry out a rite such as the śrāddha shraddha ceremony performed in honour of dead ancestors, have his name recorded by the priests who specially cater to the needs of pilgrims, and listen to the evening expositions of music and religious discourses.