The Mahatmayas celebrate the virtues of particular tirthas or places of pilgrimage, interspersed with incidents in the lives of the deities associated with the site.

There are Amaranatha Mahatmaya, Adipura Mahatmaya, Ekadashivrata Mahatmaya, Kanchi Mahatmaya, Kartika Mahatmaya, Gita Mahatmaya, Ganga Mahatmaya, Maga Mahatmaya, books available in our library.

Places also became sacred through legendary association of long ago with the deeds of gods and heroes. Before the Epic period the tri-sthal; 'three places', or the three holiest towns of the Hindus were Prayaga, Kashi and Gaya. The seven sacred cities are variously given. The following names are most frequently cited :1) Ayodhya, birth place of Rama; 2) Mathura, birth place of Krishna 3) Hardwar, the place where the Ganges descends to the plains; 4) Gaya, sacred to Vishnu; 5) Kashi or Banaras, city of Shiva 6) Prayaga, where the three sacred rivers meet; and 7) Dvaraka, the capital of Krishna. To these certain south Indian towns were sometimes added, such as Kanchi, Madura and Rameshvaram.