Sapta Puri
The Sapta Puri (Sanskrit सप्त-पुरी, , "seven cities") are a group of seven Hindu tirtha, or holy pilgrimage sites, located in India. Pilgrimage to these sites is said to bless the pilgrim with moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and death). The seven cities A śloka from the Garuda Purana describes the seven pilgrimage centres: अयोध्या मथुरा माया काशी काञ्ची अवन्तिका । पुरी द्वारावती चैव सप्तैते मोक्षदायकाः ॥ This translates to: Ayodhyā, Mathurā, Gayā, Kaśī, Kañchi, Avantikā, Dwārāvatī,— these seven cities should be known as the givers of liberation. The modern names of these seven cities are: Ayodhya Mathura Haridwar (Maya or Gaya) Varanasi (Kashi) Kanchipuram (Kanchi) Ujjain (Avantika) Dwarka (Dwaraka) History The Sapta Puri include the birthplaces of religious and spiritual masters (such as Ayodhya, birthplace of Rama), as well as nitya tirthas, places naturally endowed with spiritual powers, such as Varanasi and Haridwar. Kanchipuram is known for its Kamakshi Amman Temple dedicated to the mother goddess. According to the Mahabharata, Krishna spent his childhood in Mathura; then spent 100 years in Dwarka before leaving for his divine abode. Haridwar, with its shrines to Shiva and Vishnu, represents the gateway to Uttarakhand, as the sacred river Ganges emerges