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El Infiernito, Candi Sukuh and other secret sacred sites to find spiritual connection

American photographer Martin Gray has spent 40 years traveling the world in search of mystical enclaves. For those looking for travel ideas, here are 12 spots recommended in his new book

Jan 19, 2024 - 20:51CET

El Infiernito (Villa de Leyva, Colombia). American photographer Martin Gray has spent 40 years of his life traveling to sacred sites in 160 countries. He's seen temples, mountains, caves, dolmens and stone circles that are meaningful to different religions and beliefs. In 2004, he published a book on the most emblematic and well-known sites. Now he has published ‘'Secret Sacred Sites,' which looks at the lesser-known jewels such as the ruins of El Infiernito, one of the most unique sites in Colombia, located near the colonial city of Villa de Leyva. The site is made up of two rows of 36 standing stones with different solar and astronomical orientations, and 30 tall stone columns with phallic shapes, which archaeologists believe were used in fertility rituals. It was used for ceremonial purposes as early as 2000 BC, according to the author, and was an important sacred enclave of the Muisca Indians between 1000 and 1550 AD.Martin Gray / Lugares sagrados secretos

Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi (Turkestan, Kazakhstan). Gray says his book is not a travel guide "in the conventional sense of the term," but it can help inspire ideas. "I suggest that people first choose a country and then look through the book to see if there are sacred places to visit there," he recommends by email. Travelers considering Kazakhstan may be interested to know that the south of the country is home to the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, an unfinished building located in the city of Turkestan, and the first UNESCO World Heritage Site on Kazakh territory (it was named one in 2008). "Tamerlane, who ruled the area as part of the vast Timurid Empire, commissioned the construction of this building in 1389 to replace a smaller 12th-century mausoleum of the famous Turkic poet and Sufi mystic Khoja Ahmed Yaswvi (1093-1166)," writes the photographer, who says that pilgrims from all over Central Asia flock to this site.Martin Gray / Lugares sagrados secretos

Candi Sukuh, on Mount Lawu (Java, Indonesia). After pilgrims, tourists are the second-largest group to flock to the most famous sacred sites. The Great Pyramid in Egypt, Stonehenge in England and Machu Picchu in Peru are just a few examples. However, a lesser-known mystical site is more likely to go unnoticed outside of the country it is in. This may be the case at Candi Sukuh, opposite Mount Lawu: a 15th-century temple with a "unique and mysterious architectural style," resembling a step pyramid, which seems to mark a revival of pre-Hindu animism that existed 1,500 years ago. It is dedicated to the god Shiva and symbolizes Mount Meru, the central cosmic mountain in Hindu cosmology. Pilgrims have been visiting it since its construction, especially on the festival of Maha Shivaratri.Martin Gray / Lugares sagrados secretos

Chaotian Temple (Beigang, Taiwan). Martin Gray describes Chaotian Temple, in the Taiwanese city of Beigang, as an active center of worship dedicated to the goddess Mazu, protector of sailors. "Founded during the Qing dynasty in the early 18th century, this spiritual shrine boasts an exquisite blend of intricate carvings, delicate paintings and architectural elegance," he says. The annual pilgrimage to Mazu, one of Taiwan's largest religious events, attracts a large number of devotees seeking protection, guidance and blessings from the goddess, he adds. The site includes a cultural hall where dances and concerts are held. Since 2020, it has been holding the Buddhist Rite of Liberation of Water and Land to pray for the eradication of Covid.Martin Gray / Lugares sagrados secretos

Batu Caves (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia). About eight miles north of Kuala Lumpur is one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India. It is accessible by subway, which makes it easy for tourists and devotees to get there. It has become famous for its limestone caves and the 43-meter-high statue of Murugan. Murugan, also known as Kartikeya, Skanda and Subramaniyam, is the son of Shiva and Parvati (Hindu goddess of fertility, love and devotion), and younger brother of the elephant-headed Ganesh. The caves have been attracting worshipers since the late 19th century (its main temple, Sri Subramaniar Temple, was built in 1891). The annual Thaipusam festival, between January and February, is its most important pilgrimage period.Martin Gray / Lugares sagrados secretos

Tholing Monastery (Tibet). "It is a captivating sacred place that houses a rich Buddhist artistic and cultural collection," says Gray of this three-temple complex, built in the 10th century in southwestern Tibet, at an altitude of 3,800 meters above sea level — in Tibetan, "tholing" means "floating in the sky forever and ever." It was once a prominent spiritual center of the Guge kingdom. Although there is no specific pilgrimage period, the photographer recommends visiting during the Saga Dawa Festival in May or June. "It is especially exciting because of the large number of pilgrims who flock there," he notes.Martin Gray / Lugares sagrados secretos

Bom Jesus da Lapa Sanctuary (Bom Jesus da Lapa, Brazil). "Holy places represent one of the most remarkable artistic heritages in the world," writes Gray in 'Secret Sacred Sites.’ Much of this heritage consists of paintings, which do not receive the same protection that a painting in a museum enjoys. Producing this book of photographs has been a way for the author to draw the public's attention to "the fragile condition of these structures." Structures such as the Brazilian sanctuary of Bom Jesus da Lapa, which is a natural limestone cave discovered by Portuguese priest Francisco de Mendonça Mar in 1691. The church attracts up to 800,000 visitors a year, more than half a million during the Bom Jesus pilgrimage alone, which takes place in August (it is the oldest in Brazil and is considered the third-largest Catholic festival in the country). Inside the sanctuary there are other large caves, such as the Solitude Cave, and some smaller ones.Martin Gray / Lugares sagrados secretos

Sanctuary of Our Lady of Altötting (Germany). This sanctuary treasures a highly venerated image of the Virgin Mary holding the child Jesus, which is said to have healing powers. It is the Black Madonna, carved in the 9th century. Due to the legends of miracles, the sanctuary is known as the “Lourdes of Germany,” and has become one of the most important Catholic and Marian pilgrimage sites in the country. According to Gray in his book, its octagonal Gothic chapel, dated 1489, has a richly decorated interior, with a golden insignia in the shape of a sun over the altar and votive candles before the carving. More than a million Catholic worshipers travel from all over the country, and Europe, to pray and leave offerings of flowers and notes to the Virgin. The village of Altötting, with a population of about 100,000, is located in the Alps between Munich and Salzburg.Martin Gray / Lugares sagrados secretos

Sabarimala Temple (Kerala, India). The son of a diplomat, Gray set foot in India for the first time when he was 12 years old. He would return some time later, after leaving halfway through his archaeology studies in the United States, to join a monastic order and practice meditation. He remained there until he was 28 years old. His book includes several spiritual destinations in India, including the Sabarimala Temple in the state of Kerala. As Gray explains, Ayappan, a young forest god born from the union of Shiva and Vishnu, worked miracles and healed people before disappearing in the Sabarimala temple in the mountainous jungles. For a thousand years, mystics claimed to have seen him, riding on tigers, in those lush forests. Despite its remote location, the shrine attracts between 45 and 50 million devotees a year (the largest pilgrimage in India) who, before arriving, undergo 41 days of austerity and penance. "To respect the celibacy of Ayappan, women between the ages of 10 and 50 are not allowed to enter," warns Gray. This restriction has sparked controversy.Martin Gray / Lugares sagrados secretos

Giants' grave of S'Ena'e Thomes (Dorgali, Sardinia, Italy). "The third type of visitor to a sacred site is the independent traveler who feels a mystical or spiritual attraction or connection to that site," Gray observes from his experience. For those who wish to explore ancient roots, he advises the enigmatic Giants' grave of S'Ena'e Thomes, in Dorgali, on the island of Sardinia. "Its importance lies in its connection to the prehistoric Nuragic culture, which dates back to the third millennium BC," explains the photographer. It is believed to have served as a ceremonial and shamanic site, although it is not associated with any specific deity or pilgrimage. "It continues to captivate visitors because of its enduring mythological significance and mysterious origins," adds Gray.Martin Gray / Lugares sagrados secretos

Anundshög (Västerås, Sweden). This burial mound is a sacred site dating back to the Iron Age. It consists of large standing stones arranged in a striking, ship-like shape. It is about a thousand years old and is believed to be related to the worship of the Norse god Freyr (god of rain, rising sun and fertility). Summer solstice and other pagan festivals are celebrated there. "This stone circle has been a place of pilgrimage and celebration since its creation," notes the photographer.Martin Gray / Lugares sagrados secretos

White Sands (New Mexico, United States). The largest gypsum sand dune fields in the world are located in south-central New Mexico: they cover an area of almost 275 square miles, and many of the dunes are more than 18 meters high. "They were a mythical place for Indians seeking visions in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. They attract visitors from far away," says Gray, who claims that hundreds of UFOs have been observed in these fields over the past 50 years, although park officials, and the U.S. government itself, categorically deny this.Martin Gray / Lugares sagrados secretos