SIMRAN: Rivers are holy places for Hindus and we believe bathing in them removes bad karma. The most famous bathing ceremony is the Kumbh Mela. It takes place in Indiai n the River Ganges. Up to 40 million people come to be purified in the water - that's five times the people living in London. It's the biggest gathering of humans on Earth. The atmosphere is so fantastic everybody's so high on energy and it feels like you're opening the doors to heaven and entering heaven itself.
SIMRAN: This type of gathering is called a pilgrimage. A pilgrimage is a journey people take to get closer to God. It's something all Hindus try to do at least once in their lifetime if they can. Rivers mountains and temples linked to different gods and goddesses are all popular places to visit. I've been on pilgrimage to Shirdi the home of a late Hindu guru. This is the god that we worshipped his name is Sai Baba. We saw him in the white stone. Many of my friends have been on pilgrimage too.
I went to Borsad to see the temple of the sun god. It was a beautiful day the sun was shining on the temple and it was really bright
I couldn't see. I had to keep my eyes squinted as well. I felt really close to God and I thought to myself 'Wow like there's a god for the sun and like we should pray to the sun god to give us light and make the day beautiful every day.'
I went to Ambaji when I was about ten. It was like a big mountain you had to climb about 1000 steps. It's so tiring and it's so hot when you get there it's so satisfying when you see Ambaji Ma.
SIMRAN: Pilgrimage isn't just a holiday. It's a spiritual experience and we should remember that when we get home.
I go every morning outside on the street and pour water and say 'Om Suryaya Namaha' until the water is finished.
So you pray to the sun god and say that 'Oh thank you for giving us light yesterday and could you give us more light today and make the day beautiful again?'
SIMRAN: When I look at these souvenirs again it brings back really really good memories and it also reminds me of how close I was to God and how beautiful the place was.
HEMA: When you come back it's how you're treated. My parents treated us like kings and queens. They would bow to our feet they'd say that you've been to heaven and you've come back. You become compassionate towards people you start understanding people around you. You start respecting their ways of life and understanding their values.
Video summary
We hear about the Hindu tradition of pilgrimage, which means making a journey to a holy place in order to feel closer to God.
The most famous Hindu pilgrimage is the Kumbh Mela, which takes place at the River Ganges in India.
Up to 40 million people come to purify themselves in the water, the biggest gathering of people on Earth.
There are many different places for Hindus to go on pilgrimage. Rivers, mountains and temples linked to different gods and goddesses are all popular places to visit.
Hindus try to do at least one pilgrimage in their lifetime.
14-year-old British girl Simran and her friends describe their own spiritual and emotional experiences on pilgrimage, saying it made them grateful to God, and increased their spiritual awareness and compassion for others.
This is from the series: My Life, My Religion - Hinduism
Teacher Notes
KS2 Simran contrasts being a pilgrim with being a tourist.
Ask pupils to sort these words into three lists: one for pilgrims, one for tourists and one for both.
Many of the words may end up in the ‘shared’ area after discussion.
A Venn diagram or ‘double bubble’ could be used to sort the ideas visually.
Holiday / travel / journey / prayer / spiritual / swimming / worship / happy / food / once in a lifetime / ambition / hope / change / relax / challenge / fun / deep thoughts / River Ganges / Hindus / mountains.
You could ask pupils to do a piece of extended persuasive writing which compares a pilgrim to a tourist: Who gets the most form their journey? (Literacy links are easy to make here).
These clips will be relevant for teaching Religious Education at KS2 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and First and Second Level in Scotland.
Celebrating the festival of Holi. video
This short film explains why Hindu children throw paint and have bonfires at Holi, which is a spring festival, and explains what the celebrations are like in Leicester.
The Cycle of Birth and Rebirth. video
Hindus believe life is a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.
Meeting two young British Hindus. video
Simran, aged 14, introduces herself and her Hindu religion. Her brother Vraj is 11.
Celebrating Raksha Bandan. video
Sisters tie a Rakhi to their brothers’ wrists to celebrate their love for their family.
Inside a Hindu Temple. video
This short film explores Hindu religion through worship described by 11 year old Vraj. Striking visuals show what happens at a Hindu temple.
Diwali - the festival of light. video
Hindus Vraj and Simran explain how they celebrate the festival of Diwali.
