yatra

Yatra is a term in Sanskrit meaning journey or pilgrimage. In many Indian languages, it denotes a travel or religious undertaking, often to sacred sites. The word appears in ancient scriptures and has broadened into modern usage as well.

In Hinduism, yatras are pilgrimage journeys to temples, rivers, or other sacred places. Notable examples include the Char Dham Yatra in the Himalayan region—Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath—and the Amarnath Yatra to the Amarnath cave in Jammu and Kashmir. The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is a pilgrimage to Kailash and Lake Manasarovar in the Tibet region. Regional yatras to temples or holy sites are common, often tied to lunar calendars or seasonal festivals and sometimes requiring permits or organized group travel.

Buddhist and Jain traditions also feature yatras as pilgrimages to key sacred sites. Examples include Bodh Gaya and Sarnath in Buddhism, and Shikharji and other holy tirthas in Jainism, where devotees undertake journeys as expressions of devotion and spiritual practice.

In modern usage, yatras appear in politics and commerce as well. The term is used to describe traveling campaigns, such as the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by the Indian National Congress from 2022 to 2023. It also appears in the branding of travel services, such as Yatra.com, an Indian online travel company that markets tours, flights, and other travel arrangements. The concept remains a versatile expression for undertaking a meaningful journey.