Holy cities are places that people go to worship their revered deities. People consider a particular place as holy because of the presence of a particular temple. Most of the cities that are considered holy by the Hindus find reference in the sacred Epics of Hindus. A large number of pilgrims throng to the holy cities to offer prayers to their sacred deities. Holy cities are places where geography and history are so closely linked. Every holy city may have a history or sthala purana to tell.

The holy cities of Hindus are:
Allahabad is one of the holy cities of Hindus. The ancient name of the city was Prayag, which in Sanskrit meant `place of sacrifice`. The place was considered to be the spot where Brahma offered his first sacrifice after creating the world. The place occupies an important position in the Hindu mythology as it is situated at the confluence of the holy rivers of Ganga and Yamuna. It is one of four sites of the Kumbh Mela, the others being Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik.

Arunachalais located in the town of Thiru Annamalai, Chennai, is considered as one of the holy places of Hindus. It is the only place where one the Lord Shiva`s viswaroopa darshan is possible 24 hours a day. The place is considered as the spiritual focal point of the universe. The place is considered as a spiritual magnet that attracts spiritual seekers all over the world.

Ayodhya is believed to be the birthplace of Lord Rama. Lord Rama was the most celebrated King of this dynasty. In ancient times the city was known as `Kosaldesa`. The place is described as `the city built by Gods`. Ayodhya is a city of temples of several religions. The place is also known as Ram Janmabhoomi.

Badrinathis a Hindu holy town in Uttarakhand. It is the most important of the four sites in India`s Char Dham pilgrimage. The place is mentioned in the scriptures and legends of hindus. The famous Badrinath temple is located here. As per the Skanda Purana, "There are several sacred shrines in heaven, on earth, and in hell; but there is no shrine like Badrinath." The Vanmana Purana says that the sages Nara and Narayana (fifth avatar Of Lord Vishnu) performed penaces here.

Dharmasthala is the most revered and best-known temple town in Karnataka. The word Dharma means religion, ritual, duty, righteousness, alms. It also implies justice, truthfulness, and freedom from fear, faith, solace, fulfillment and peace. The place is the perfect embodiment of the word `Dharma`. It is the place where Sri Manjunatheshwara Temple is located. The temple isdevoted to Lord Shiva.

Dwarka According to the Hindu mythology, Dwarka was the dwelling place of Krishna. Dwaraka is one among the most holiest places of Hindus. It is one of the four main dhams, the other three being Badrinath, Puri and Rameshwaram. The Jagatmandir temple which houses the Dwarkadhish (a form of Krishna) is also located here.Dwarka is also the site of Dwaraka Pitha, one of the four cardinal mathas established by Sri Adi Shankaracharya.

Gaya the sacred city of Hindus is situated 100 kms south of Patna. It is situated on the banks of the Falgu River, which is considered as the most revered place of Hindus. There is a referance to the city of Gaya in the Ramayana. The place derives its name from the mythological demon Gayasur. With the passge of time, the word asur got deleted and the name Gaya remained in currency.

Guruvayur the place is sacred for the Guruvayur Temple, located at Kerala, houses the deity of Lord Guruvayurappan (Maha Vishnu). The name of the place is devoted to the name of the diety. He is seen in standing posture with four hands and on each hands are Sankhu(conch), Sudarshana chakram (a serrated disk),lotus and mace. It is said that Lord Vishnu himself had worshipped the idol here and it is said that he had handed the idol to Bhrama. The place is in Kerala. Non Hindus are not allowed in this temple.

Haridwar is one of the holy cities of Hindus situated in the Haridwar District of Uttarakhand. The word `hari` means God and `dwar` means gate. Therefore Haridwar means the Gateway to God. It is said that the devas have left their footprints in the place. According to the Hindu Mythology, Haridwar is one among the four sites where drops of Amrita(elixir of immoratlity) spilled over from the pitcher which was carried away by the celestial bird Garuda, the vehicle of Vishnu.

Rishikesh is one of the holy cities of Hindus situated in theDehradun district of Uttarakhand. The name of the city is taken from Hrishikesh, which was another name of Lord Vishnu. The sacred river Ganga flows through this state.