Well I love being with my Guru, which draws me to her Ashram at Amritapuri on the coast of Kerala.
But for the place itself, rather than a person in it, my favorite part of India that I have seen so far is Uttarakhand.
Truly is Uttarakhand called the Devbhumi, the Land of the Gods; it is so full of ancient temples and sacred sites at every turn, with some of the holiest shrines in all of Hindu Dharma, referenced in scriptures, and the natural environment of the Himalayas is the most beautiful and inspiring place I’ve ever seen, especially Chamoli District.
Multiple waterfall streams plunge many hundreds of feet from the snow-clad mountains.
86% of Uttarakhand is covered by the Himalayan mountains, including many high peaks and glaciers, and 65% of it is still covered by forest.
Good hiking trails abound. Great rivers flow through it, like the Ganga and Yamuna.
A profound Animism centering on river worship and tree worship is often the predominant spirituality of Uttarakhand, and it is no surprise that the village women of Uttarakhand created the worldwide non-violent tree-hugging environmentalist/eco-feminist movement for forest conservation. The population in the hills and mountains of Uttarakhand is almost entirely Hindu, and palpably devout.
The entirety of the hill country never at any time came under the influence of Muslim rule, and you can really feel the power of the undisturbed millennia of worship of the deities in every forest, every river, every mountain, every ancient temple and shrine.
The food in Uttarakhand is primarily vegetarian; it is hearty and satisfying.
The villages of Uttarakhand are beautiful, with intricately carved designs of floral patterns, deities, and geometrical designs adorning the doors, windows, walls, and ceilings, all nestled in the glory of the hills and rice terraces.
Houses and temples alike are decorated with paintings, murals, and local Likhai woodcarving.
I especially love Garhwali art, so close to nature.
The bustling markets of Uttarakhand brim with handcrafted gold and jewelry, comfortable wool hats and shawls, and local handiwork of all sorts.
By far my favorite pilgrimage I have performed is the Chota Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand, to Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath.
Badrinath Temple is my favorite temple for pure spiritual qualities, and my favorite single spot that I’ve been to anywhere on Earth.
But in terms of a more overall place, I deeply love Haridwar, Uttarkashi, and Gangotri.
Vedic chanting resounds through the river valleys, and people are practicing Yoga everywhere.
The pure, cool energy of Ganga fills the air in those towns, and countless ancient temples and shrines abound almost literally at every turn. Rishikesh is very nice too, though not my favorite.
So this is my favorite part of India, the India that I know and love.