Most Popular Temple: The most famous temples of India

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The diversity of India

To say that India is rich on culture would be an understatement - from the bylanes of Old Delhi to the skyscrapers in Mumbai, from pao bhaji to chole bhature, we are a land of diverse architecture, food, attire and even religion! While most of us take pride in our individual religions, all faiths have their unique qualities and dedicated spaces to pray.

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Popular temples of India

When it comes to temples in the country, it is estimated that there are roughly around 2 million temples in India and that number increases each year. While most of us usually like to visit a temple on and off (and some might go everyday), if you ever want to go on a temple trail in India, here are a few temples you must absolutely visit! (All images sourced from Google)

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Ranakpur Temple, Rajasthan

Located in the village of Ranakpur near the Sadri town in Rajasthan (between Udaipur and Rajasthan), the temple is one of the most prominent Jain temples - It has 29 halls and 80 exquisitely crafted domes, the colour of which changes throughout the day, depending on the time.

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Akshardham Temple, New Delhi

A relatively new temple, this one was built in 2005 and honours Swaminarayan, a Yogi and ascetic. Located in East Delhi, bordering Noida, the temple is a major tourist spot spread over a huge area and is one of the biggest Hindu temples in India. It also conducts frequent exhibitions, talks and a special light and sound show.

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Lotus Temple, Delhi

The temple is the Baha’I House of Worship and is situated in South Delhi. The Lotus shape of the temple inspires its name and it houses 27 huge marble petals and is devoid of any idols of deities. Devotees are expected to not talk in the premises during their visit.

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Prem Mandir, Vrindavan

Also a new temple, this Radha Krishna temple in Vrindavan is a sight to behold. Managed by the Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, an international non profit trust, the temple houses the deities of Radha-Krishna and Ram and lights up in bright hues at sunset.

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Golden temple, Amritsar

One of the most popular temples of India and the most holy of Sikh Shrines, the Golden temple in Amristar is bathed in gold on the outside - it is said that Buddha had spent time here and some 2,000 years later, the founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak ended up living here by the lake.

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Khajuraho, Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh

These in essence are a group of temples with a unique history - out of 85 temples, only 25 remain, the rest were destroyed in the 13th century. The architecture of the temple is distinctive and gives it an aura of a lost city.

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Mahabodhi temple, Bodh Gaya, Bihar

The Mahabodhi Temple or the Mahabodhi Mahavihar is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is said to be the place where Buddha attained enlightement. Located on the banks of the Niranjana River, the temple is a place for soltitude and quiet reflection.

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KAILASA TEMPLE, ELLORA

The Kailasa temple in Aurangabad, Maharashtra is one of the oldest temples in India and dates to the mid century CE. Apparently, the temple was carved using a single rock and boasts of grand architecture and beautiful motifs.

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PADMANABHASWAMY TEMPLE, KERALA

The temple is known as one of the richest religious sites in the world, with it's vault housing gold and treasure running into billions of currency. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the temple has an aura of mystery surrounding it as one of it's vaults is never opened and no one can surely say what lies behind it.

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Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu

Located in the quaint beach town of Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu, this temple was built around 700 AD. You can find several miniature shrines and engravings in the temple which composes of three shrines, two dedicated to Shiva and one to Vishnu.

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Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai, Tamil Nadu

Another entry from Tamil Nadu, this temple houses a holy pond with 14 towers and an exqusitely engraved colourful exterior. Located in Madurai, the temple is dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi, a form of Parvati, and her consort, Sundareshwar, a form of Shiva.

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Other temples

Apart from these, some other beautiful temples in India include Ramanathaswamy Temple, Rameswaram, Virupaksha Temple, Vijayanagar and Jambukeshwarar Temple, Tamil Naidu.

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