Asthi Visarjan in Sannihit Sarovar, Kurukshetra :-
Kurukshetra is known since ancient times, famously for the Mahabharata battle. It is also known as the abode of Lord Vishnu where Vishnu resides in the Sannihit Sarovar, about 3 km from the town in Thanesar. It is believed that seven holy rivers including the sacred Saraswati confluence here and Asthi Visarjan brings moksha to the soul of the departed. Presently, Sannihit Sarovar at this ancient place that as per popular belief contains sacred water is highly regarded for conducting prayers and Pind Daan rituals for all deceased ancestors and it is believed that all of them attain `moksha' or redemption from cycle of birth and death.
Asthi Visarjan in Shaktibeah Tirth, Avantika :-
Shaktibeah Tirth is located in Madhya Pradesh on the banks of the Kshipra River in Ujjain. It is believed Goddess Parvati planted trees at this spot and that makes it one of the holiest of places. Avantika is believed to be one of the seven cities for attaining salvation and if the ashes of the departed are immersed in Kshipra River, his soul is freed from the eternal cycle of births and deaths and the soul unites with the Supreme Deity. Avantika is also known for famous Mahakaleshwar Mandir that contains one of 12 jyotirlingas in India, with the lingam at Mahakal believed to be swayambhu (born of itself) and deriving currents of power (shakti) from within itself as against other lingams that are ritually established with mantra-shakti. Other than this, Siddhavat Mandir contains trees that are immortals & worshipped as Kalpniksha and as per Aramkand of Skandpurana, these trees were planted by Goddess Parvati herself and are known as Shaktibeah Tirth. Thousands of pilgrims take dip in Shipra with the characteristic of this pilgrimage being related to property, children and salvation.
Asthi Visarjan in Mathura :-
Known as Krishna dev Bhoomi, Mathura is one of the holiest pilgrimage places in India and also a popular spot for Asthi Visarjan in the Yamuna River. The Yamuna is next in importance for Hindus who revere goddess Yamuna as the sister or Lord Yama. It is believed that bathing here gives moksha to the devotee and immersing ashes and bones of the deceased bring salvation to his soul. The ceremonies are usually held at the Bodhini, Vayu or Vishranti Tirth on the banks of the Yamuna River. Other than this, Bodhini tirth is also an important place for doing Pind daan and it is believed that offering Pind here opens the gates for all deceased ancestors to be transported to heavens. Another important place for conducting Pind Daan here is Vayutirth. It is believed that the benefits derived from doing Pind Daan here during the month of Jyeshtha has same importance as the Pind Daan done at Gaya.
Asthi Visarjan in Ayodhya :-
Ayodhya is on the banks of the Saryu River and it is better known as the capital of Lord Rama’s kingdom. Ayodhya is also an Asthi Visarjan and pilgrimage spot with the rituals usually carried out at Bharat Kund alongside the Saryu. As the birth place of Lord Ram, the place has high regard for Hindus for conducting all important religious ceremonies both for the living and the dead. Bharata Kund present in Ayodhya is a place for offering Pind Daan, a ritual performed by Hindus for all departed souls as it is commonly believed that the departed souls attain salvation if the Pind Daan/Shraddha rituals are performed here.
Asthi Visarjan in Siddhpur, Gujarat :-
Gujarat is far away from Ganges and Yamuna Rivers but it has its own Asthi Visarjan spot in the form of Siddhpur that is said to sit on the banks of the River Saraswati. Siddhpur is known as “Shristhal” or a holy spot and it has many ashrams and temples. The ceremony is usually performed at Bindu Lake that dates back to the time of the Rig Veda and even before it. As in other such divine spots, immersion of ashes of the deceased in the Lake frees the soul from the cycle of births and deaths. All sacred ceremonies for the living and the deceased ancestors are performed at Kapilamuni Ashram, where 3 sacred water kunds, Gyan Vapika, Alpa Sarovar and Bindu Sarovar are present. The place is also famous for providing relief from Pitru dosh by performing Narayan Bali pooja in remembrance of the deceased ancestors and forefathers.
Asthi Visarjan in Allahabad :-
Allahabad in UP is also known as Prayag , one of the holiest pilgrimage destinations. It is also of prime importance for the ritual of Asthi Visarjan that is usually carried out at the spot of Triveni Sangam where the three holy rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. Bathing here gives moksha. Immersing ashes of the deceased also gives their soul liberation and union with the Supreme Soul. Allahabad is the religious center of Hinduism form ancient times. It is the place where most sages have liberated their souls along river Ganga by hard penance. Several scriptures sing the saga of Allahabad and its importance as liberator of souls.
Asthi Visarjan in Puri :-
Puri in Orissa is better known for the Jagannath Temple and the annual Rath Yatra is a sight to behold. The city is on the banks of the Mahanadi River that flows into the Bay of Bengal. The river Bhargavi also flows south of Puri and these two rivers in Puri are favored by people of this region for Asthi Visarjan. The rituals are performed and family members of the deceased can also visit Jagannath temple. It is situated on sea shore of Bay of Bengal in State of Orissa (India), it is one of four Holy Kshetras/Dhaams of India and is visited by lakhs of devotees and pilgrims for dev darshan and performing pujas and Pind Daan/shraddha rituals.
Asthi Visarjan in Dwarka :-
Dwarka sits at the westernmost tip of India. Located in Saurashtra, Gujarat, Dwarka is better known as one of the major char dhams and the kingdom of Lord Krishna with millions visiting the Dwarkadheesh temple. Asthi Visarjan is also carried out at the Gomti Ghat alongside the Gomti that flows into the Arabian Sea. The confluence is where the rituals are performed. Dwarka is also home to Pindar where further ceremonies such as Pind Daan are performed by devotees to help the soul of the departed on its onward journey to meet the Supreme deity. Further, Nageshwar Jyotirling (one of the 12 Jyotirlings of Shiv) is situated here. People also visit Pindar for performing Shraddh and Pind-daan (rites for the dead) at this holy site which is situated 30 km from Dwarika.
Asthi Visarjan in Haridwar :-
Haridwar, like Varanasi and Allahabad, is considered as one of the holiest pilgrimage spots in India. One of the seven holy cities, Haridwar is known as the gateway to God and the city abounds in temples lining its Ghats with the evening aarti alongside the Ganga River a sight to behold. Pilgrims bathe in the holy river in their staunch belief that doing so rids the soul of all sins and they will attain moksha after death. Ashes of the departed are immersed in the holy waters of the River Ganga in the belief that their soul rests in peace. Those who place more importance on the soul of their believed attaining moksha make it a point to travel to Haridwar for the Asthi Visarjan rituals.
Asthi Visarjan in Ujjain :-
Ujjain is the city of temples, most of them dedicated to Lord Shiva with the Mahakaleshwar being one of the 12 jyotirlingas of India. The city is on the banks of the holy river Kshipra that is said to have come into existence when the Gods engaged in Samudra Manthan. Hindus in Madhya Pradesh and western India prefer to visit Ujjain and perform the Asthi Visarjan ceremonies for the peace and salvation of the soul of their dear departed family member.
It is important for Hindus to perform pilgrimages when they are alive in order to wash away sins and prepare for salvation. It is just as important that when a person passes away, his family members perform the appropriate rituals such as Asthi Visarjan, Shraddha and Pind Daan for the peace of soul of the departed. Death is not the end of life. The soul lives on and must be reincarnated in another body. Liberation from this cycle is important and the Asthi Visarjan process brings salvation or moksha.