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.
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