The roots of tourism stretch back to pilgrims, the flocks who would travel far and wide out of religious duty. Ancient pilgrimages included the Oracle at Delphi, Thebes in Egypt, Ephesus in Turkey, and Karnak in Egypt. Risking life and limb, thousands would travel at the mercy of bandits and strong seas, wars and upheaval. Over time, these pilgrims discovered there was more to travel than fulfilling a religious quest: They enjoyed sweeping landscapes, exotic cultures, and the adventure itself. Yet there are many important pilgrimages that exist to this day, both religious and secular. In no particular order, here’s my shortlist.
1. Christianity
Every year, millions of Christian pilgrims journey in the footsteps of saints, to sightings and apparitions of the Virgin Mary, locations of sacred churches and relics, or to important Biblical sites. These are found in over three dozen countries, from South America to Asia, Europe to the Middle East. In France, pilgrims atone for their sins by hiking the 500km Route of St James. Portugal’s Fátima,, where the Virgin Mary appeared to three young girls, receives 4-5 million visitors each year. The Jesus Trail is a 138km route in the Galilee that traces the footsteps of Jesus. Bethlehem, Bethany and Jerusalem are other major Christian pilgrimages in Israel. In Mexico, the holy Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe can hold 40,000 people in a single mass, and receives over 20 million visitors a year. Poland, Spain, Brazil, Turkey, and Bosnia also have major Christian pilgrimage sites.
2. Islam
On of the Five Pillars of Islamic faith is to make the pilgrimage, or Hajj, to the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca. Every healthy Muslim is required to make the journey at least once in their lifetime, and millions do so every year. For centuries, it has been mankind’s largest religious pilgrimage. Dressed in white so that rich and poor are indistinguishable, pilgrims pray and perform holy rituals, such as throwing pebbles at pillars symbolic of the devil, and undertaking an animal sacrifice as an act of giving a personal asset to charity. Pilgrims must walk seven times counter clockwise around the Kaaba, the most sacred site on earth according to Islam. In 2010, almost four million people gathered to walk around the Kaaba, an incredible display of unity and faith. Historically the Kaaba hosted many visitors, however modern day Saudi government forbids non-Muslims from visiting Mecca.
3. Judaism
Most Jews feel a strong connection with Jerusalem, and in particular the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism. Located in the Old City, it is all that remains of the outer wall of the Second Temple, destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. For Jews, it is a physical link to their 4000 years of history, the oldest religion in the world. It was called the Wailing Wall by historians in the 1800’s, to describe the Jews who wept beneath it, mourning the loss of their temple, and awaiting the promised messiah. Today, young boys gather from around the world to say their Bar Mitzvah. Students and rabbis pray reverently, and Jews and non-Jews write wishes and prayers on small pieces of paper that are placed in cracks of the wall. Above the Western Wall on Temple Mount sits the Dome of the Rock, a sacred Islamic Shrine built on the site of the Second Temple. Two major religions converge, so similar and yet seemingly at war with each other. Jerusalem has hardly known peace in its long, storied history. But together, we can pray.
4. Communism
It’s a hot, muggy day on Tiananmen Square. Beijing’s infamous pollution has soaked up the colour from the sky. While young children play with kites and vendors sell trinkets, a long orderly line of people stretches out and around a large building located in the middle of square. This is the final resting place of Chairman Mao, the revolutionary who created the People’s Republic of China. Embalmed in a crystal coffin, visitors walk through the solemn room, paying their respects. Far away, in Moscow’s Red Square, the glowing, embalmed body of Vladimir Lenin rests in the middle of a dark bunker. Tourists line up for hours, although the allure of Lenin has diminished since the fall of the Soviet Union. At both Lenin and Mao’s Mausoleum, there is no time to stop and stare. The line continues to move along, a conveyer belt of people paying their respects to great men who shaped the 20th century.
5. Rock n’ Roll
When it comes to private residences in the USA, only the White House receives more visitors than Graceland, the former home of Elvis Aaron Presley. Graceland has become a pilgrimage for old rockers, fans of Americana, and of course, fans of The King. Graceland is a 23-room mansion built in 1939, but heavily renovated by Elvis during his years of residence. His creativity and quirkiness is on display, such as the kitschy Jungle Room, later a recording studio, and the TV Room, where Elvis would watch three TV sets at once. The Meditation Gardens house the remains of Elvis and his parents, and grandmother. In 1982, Graceland opened to the public, and today receives over half a million visitors a year. Cleveland’s Rock n Roll Hall of Fame and Seattle’s Experience Music Project are other fantastic destinations for the Rock n Roll pilgrim.
6. War
Major battlefields have become a pilgrimage for more than just veterans or history lovers. They are places where nations were shaped, where heroes on all sides were sacrificed, and where the lessons of history are remembered. Australians and New Zealanders in Turkey make their way to Gallipoli, site of a major battle in World War 1, where both countries were born in unified nationalism. Likewise for Canadians at Vimy Ridge. Americans journey to major battlefronts during the Civil War, South Africans to mountainous locations where Afrikaners battled Zulus and British. The English visit Hastings, site of a major turning point in their nation’s history during the Norman invasion of 1066. British tourists also visit Agincourt in France, where a small army under Henry V defeated the French. The sweeping beaches of Normandy are visited by thousands every year. Borodino, in Russia, is where Napoleon’s army was stopped, at the cost of 60,000 lives. Khe Sanh was a significant battle in the Vietnam War, and El Alamein in Egypt is where Montgomery stopped Rommel’s advance in North Africa. These and other battlefield locations receive thousands of visitors every year.
7. Love
There’s a reason why I spent 16 hours making my way to Agra. Overnight in a fleabag hotel, where I shared a room with several bugs, a grating fan, and a flickering hanging light bulb. It took me hours to get on the right train, which promptly turned into the wrong train. I haggled with a taxi driver who swore he would take me straight to where I needed to go, but took me to his cousin’s jewellery shop instead. Outside, there was a massive line-up that seemed to stretch to the next town. I had to pay 25 times more than locals to get in, and my bag was confiscated. Once inside, I had to heave my way through the crowds. A man offered to take a picture of me with my camera, which he did, and then demanded $5 for his efforts. Yet before me, sparkling in the late afternoon sun, was the Taj Mahal. The reason why I put up with all the above, is the same reason why a Mughal Emperor built it in the first place. It is a testament to eternal love. Love of people, love of architecture, love of culture, love of travel.
8. India
There are dozens of important pilgrim sites scattered throughout India, celebrating the diversity of religion in the country. The Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, and receives between 100 000 – 200,000 Hindu pilgrims every day. Jains travel to the Shri Pavapuri Tirtha in Bihar, where their prophet Lord Mahavir attained nirvana. Sufi Muslims visit the Ajmer Sharif Dargah in Ajmer, Rajasthan, where a famous Sufi saint first arrived in India. Sikhs travel from around the world to The Golden Temple in Amritsar, located in the Punjab. Containing their holy texts, the temple is lavishly ornate and coated with gold. Catholics visit the The Shrine of Our Lady of Velankanni in Tamil Nadu, as well as the remains of Saint Francis Xavier in the former Portuguese colony of Goa.
9. Buddhism
The Buddha himself designated four areas for the Buddhist pilgrim, places associated with his life and spiritual evolution. There are many other pilgrimage sites for Buddhists located in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, but these are the four important areas: Bodhgaya, in northeastern India, where the Buddha sat beneath a tree and finally attained enlightenment. Within Bodhgaya, millions of pilgrims visit the Mahabodhi Temple and the Bodhi Tree each year. Lumbini in Nepal is the birthplace of the Buddha. He lived a life is shelter and luxury until a vision awakened his quest for enlightenment. Sarnath, located 12km away from Varanasi in India, is where the Buddha first preached his discovery to a small group of followers. Finally Kushinagar in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, is the site of the Buddha’s death. These four locations are home important temples and schools of study.
10. Professions and Hobbies
Every profession has its own Mecca, a site of importance that transcends into something holy. For scientists, it could be the CERN Laboratory in Switzerland, pushing the limits of our understanding of the universe. For budding astronauts (and most teenage boys), there’s Cape Canaveral in Florida, or more realistically, Universal Studios in Hollywood. Artists travel to the Louvre, the Hermitage or the Rijksmuseum. Car lovers to the Ferrari Factory in Modena. Sport enthusiasts might pay homage at Wimbledon, the Hockey Hall of Fame, or St Andrews. Musicians to the grave of Jim Morrison in Paris, or the famous opera houses of the world. Adventurers to the world’s highest peaks, shoppers to the world’s biggest department stores. In their own way, these are all pilgrimages. From a humble beginning in religious duty, the pilgrim continues to evolve into a new age.