Uch Sharif
Uch Sharif - meaning 'high holy place' is both so holy and so high that few visitors actually bother to make it there. There is however, a constant trickle of happy pilgrims who do, partly because it houses about ten exquisite Sufi shrines, which are open to all throughout the year.
It's also an important Sikh pilgrimage centre as, the story goes, Guru Nanak (the founder of the Sikh religion) was invited to stay there by the Shia Sufi, Jalaluddin Bukhari. The visit must have been a success as someone ended up preserving some of Nanak's possessions there, which are now revered as holy relics.
The tiny town itself is scattered around a hill overlooking the confluence of the Sutlej and Chenab rivers. Believed to date from around 500 BC, it was originally under Hindu rule and was briefly inhabited by Alexander the Great when he invaded India. It really took off after the 13th century, when it became an increasingly important spiritual and cultural centre - not only for being a focal point of the two main Sufi sects (Sunni and Shia), but also for harbouring many Islamic schools ('madrassas'). All in all this makes it a fascinating place to visit, and as there are so many festivals celebrated throughout the year, the town tends to always have a carnival feel.
