Sapta Puri

The seven sacred cities

Sacred stops

No single fixed order — several traditional routes exist, so the sequence below is a common one.

Only what is recorded for these stops — anything unknown is left out.

Dress
Modest dress covering shoulders and knees
Entry and access
Security screening applies; bags and phones are restricted The Bhasma Aarti requires advance registration through the temple
Best time of day
Early morning, before the day's crowds Pre-dawn, for the Bhasma Aarti

GamaYeah · Recognized pilgrimage route

The seven sacred cities

No single fixed order is recorded for this route; the order below is a common one.

#	Stop	Region	Observance and notes
1	Ayodhya	Uttar Pradesh	No observance recorded for this stop.
2	Mathura	Uttar Pradesh	No observance recorded for this stop.
3	Haridwar	Uttarakhand	No observance recorded for this stop.
4	Varanasi	Uttar Pradesh	Kashi Vishwanath is the Jyotirlinga of Varanasi, the temple at the centre of the Kashi pilgrimage. Allow about 90 min.
5	Kanchipuram	Tamil Nadu	No observance recorded for this stop.
6	Ujjain	Madhya Pradesh	Mahakaleshwar is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas and is known for the pre-dawn Bhasma Aarti, a rite particular to this temple. Allow about 120 min.
7	Dwarka	Gujarat	No observance recorded for this stop.