India's Top 30 Temples to Explore

India, the land of pure rivers and festivals. The country where people of different religions live together in harmony. It is a country that holds various architectural masterpieces among them being the temples of India.

Let us talk about the top 30 temples of India, through which is evident the religious beliefs of the followers of the Hindu religion.

Badrinath Temple - The temple Situated in proximity to River Alaknanda, Lord Badrinath resides here. This holy shrine of Lord Shiva is one of the four holiest sites of the Hindu religion.

The Konark Sun Temple - The temple is located in the small town of Konark, Odisha. This temple is dedicated to Lord Sun. The temple has unique architecture made in the shape of a chariot, having 12 wheels being drawn by seven horses.

Brihadeeswara Temple - The temple is also known by the name of Peruvudaiyar Kovil and RajaRajeswaram, built by the Chola ruler Raja Raja Chola I, dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Somnath Temple - The temple is dedicated to the “moon god”, thus Somnath means ‘protector of the moon god’. The temple was destroyed and built multiple times.

Kedarnath Temple - Kedarnath temple is one of the most sacred Shiva temples in the world. This temple was built by Pandavas to atone for the sins that they committed during the battle with Kauravas.

Sanchi Stupa - Sanchi Stupa is built and located in Madhya Pradesh, is a Buddhist structure, built during 3rd century BC to 12th century AD. This is also known as the Great Stupa.

Rameshwaram Temple - A small island town in Tamil Nadu is one of the holiest pilgrim places for the Hindus. It is believed that Lord Rama along with his wife Sita landed on the shore of Rameshwaram after defeating Ravana.

Vaishno Devi Mandir - The holy cave is the abode of Maa Vaishno Devi, is located at an altitude of 5200ft on a mountain called Trikuta. It is situated in the small town of Katra, Jammu, and Kashmir.

Siddhivinayak Temple - The temple located in Mumbai was built in the 18th century. Lord Ganesha is the main deity worshipped in this temple and is famous for being the one to be worshipped before commencing any good work.

Gangotri Temple - The origin of the sacred Ganga Maa is worshipped at the Gangotri Temple, situated in Uttarkashi, Uttrakhand.

Golden Temple - Sri Harmandir Sahib is the most pious and holy place for the followers of Sikhism. The temple builds on the values of universal equality and brotherhood has four doors welcoming people of all races and religions.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple - Located in the holy city of Varanasi, Kashi Vishwanath temple is the abode of Lord Shiva, often identified with the name of Vishwanath, meaning emperor of the universe.

Lord Jagannath Temple - The temple built in the 12th century is located in Puri, Orissa often called Jagannath Puri, is dedicated to Lord Krishna, is one of the holiest places for Hindus. Non-Hindus are not allowed to enter the premises of the temple.

Yamunotri Temple - Located in Uttarkashi, Uttrakhand, the temple was built in the 19th century. It was destroyed and built twice. The temple is the home of Mother Yamuna and is built of black marble

Meenakshi Temple - This wondrous architectural marble is situated in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, and is dedicated to goddess Parvati and her husband Lord Shiva.

Amarnath Cave Temple - The holy cave of Amarnath is located in the state of Jammu and Kashmir at an altitude of 3800 meters. The cave is covered with layers of snow and is considered to be 5000 years old.

Lingaraja Temple - This temple is one of the oldest and largest temples of the “The Temple City of India”. The architecture has a Kalinga style and attracts religious devotees as well as historians.

Tirupati Balaji Temple - Located in Andhra Pradesh, the temple is also recognized by the name of Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, is devoted to Lord Venkateshwara, is the second richest religious site.

Khajuraho Temple - In the state of Madhya Pradesh, the town of Khajuraho houses several temples built between the 10th and 12th centuries. The temple is also recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Virupaksha Temple - The temple built in the 17th century is located in the village of Hampi, is devoted to Lord Virupaksha. This temple has acted as a major tourist destination and pilgrim center.

Temples have been an integral part and core of many religions. Be it Hindu, Sikh, Jain, buddha, the temples have acted as a center of worship as well as peace of mind and soul. The temples of India has acted and made it a major attraction accomodating all religions.

Written By Tanu

Edited By Vijaya