Temples have for ages adorned the length and breadth of the ancient land of India. Temples in India have not only been the places of worship, but they also signify Indian cultural diversity.
The importance of temples in India can be felt because there are thousands of temples in India. It would be right to call India a land of temples.
From the hilly terrains of the Himalayas to the villages of Tamil Nadu, from the vast deserts of Rajasthan to the Gangetic Plains of Northern India. Temples are everywhere.
Temples in India have a special place in the hearts of every Indian. Every Devotee visits temples on the occasion of festivals. Many people travel long distances to visit a temple from their hometown.
India was ruled by various great Hindu rulers who erected beautiful Hindu Temples to showcase their love and devotion to Gods and Goddesses. Temples have been architectural wonders which have amazing carvings and furnishings. Temples have made India the religious and spiritual center of the world. People from different parts of the world come to India to see the architectural marvels in the form of temples.
As there are thousands of temples in India, it meant a tough job to list down the most famous Hindu temples in India. However, we undertook rigorous research and have featured some of the most famous temples in India. Here, you would find a list of the 25 most famous temples in India, along with their magnificent photos.
So, let us engross ourselves in the wonderful journey of the most famous temples in India. We are sure you would like to visit some of them shortly. These celestial places of worship are also major tourist destinations where devotees come in large numbers to worship Gods and Goddesses.
Table of Contents
25 Famous Temples in India
1. Badrinath Temple
Location: Chamoli District, Uttarakhand
The Badrinath Temple is one of the holiest and most ancient temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It forms a part of the Char Dham Yatra in the Hindu Religion. The Temple is open for devotees between April to November. It is located in the Chamoli district in the Uttarakhand region.
2. Kashi Vishwanath
Location: Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is regarded as one of the twelve Jyotir Linga of Lord Shiva. The temple was built in 1780 by Ahilyabai and today is regarded as one of the holiest temples in India.
3. Somnath Temple
Location: Prabhas Kshetra in Saurashtra (Gujarat)
The Somnath Temple is regarded as one of the oldest pilgrimage centers in India. It is built on the shores of the Arabian Sea. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is regarded as one of the most revered Jyotir Linga of Lord Shiva in India. It was destroyed and rebuilt many times.
4. Tirupati Balaji
Location: Andra Pradesh
Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Tirupati Balaji is the most visited temple in India. It also has the status of being the second richest temple in the country. King Krishnadeva Raya built the temple.
5. Vaishno Devi Temple
Location: Jammu
The Vaishno Devi Temple is one of the holiest shrines of the Hindus. It is dedicated to Goddess Durga and is regarded as the second most visited temple in India, with an annual footfall of around 8 million devotees.
6. Lord Jagannath Temple
Location: Puri, Odisha
The Lord Jagannath Temple is one of the oldest temples in India. It is particularly known for its famous annual Rath Yatra. The temple was built in the 12th Century. It is dedicated to Lord Krishna and is regarded as one of India’s four holiest places (Char Dhams).
7. Kedarnath Temple
Location: Garhwal, Uttarakhand
The Kedarnath Temple is regarded as one of the holiest Shiva temples in the world. The temple is said to be originally built by the Pandavas. Adi Shankaracharya restored it in the 8th Century. The temple stands at the height of 3500 m and is surrounded by glaciers and snow-covered peaks. The Kedarnath temple is closed during the winter season due to severe cold conditions.
8. Siddhivinayak Temple
Location: Mumbai
The Siddhivinayak Temple, Mumbai, is dedicated to Lord Ganesha. It was built in the 18th Century and is considered one of Lord Ganesha’s holiest temples. The temple sees a large number of devotees every day of the year.
9. Gangotri Temple
Location: Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand
The Gangotri Temple is dedicated to the Mother Goddess Ganga and is considered the Goddess Ganga’s sacred origin. The temple was built in the 18th Century. An elaborate religious ceremony is organized in the Gangotri Temple on the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya, which falls in April or May. An idol of Goddess Ganga is worshiped in the temple.
10. The Konark Sun Temple
Location: Odisha
This marvelous temple is dedicated to the Sun God. It is located in the small town of Konark in the state of Odisha. The temple has the shape of a chariot with twelve wheels and is dragged by seven horses. The temple was constructed in the 13th Century by King Narasimhadeva. The Konark Sun Temple has been conferred as the World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
11. Rameshwaram (Ramanathaswamy Temple)
Location: Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu
The Rameshwaram Temple is considered one of the holiest temples of Lord Shiva. It has two lingams – Vishwalingam and Ramalingam.
12. Mahalakshmi Temple
Location: Kolhapur, Maharashtra
The Mahalakshmi Temple is one of the oldest and most famous Hindu Shrines. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi. It is regarded as one of the Shakti Peethas.
13. Padmanabhaswamy Temple
Location: Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
The Padmanabhaswamy Temple is considered to be one of the holiest temples of the Hindus. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and finds mention in several Hindu Puranas.
14. Amarnath Temple
Location: Jammu & Kashmir
Amarnath Temple exists in a holy cave in the celestial abode of the Himalayas in Jammu & Kashmir. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Each year millions of devotees visit Amarnath Temple during the summer season.
15. Meenakshi Temple
Location: Madurai, Tamil Nadu
Meenakshi Temple is one of the most popular Hindu shrines in India. It is dedicated to Goddess Parvati.
16. Mahakaleshwar Temple
Location: Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
The Mahakaleshwar Temple is regarded as one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. It is one of the most ancient and religious temples of India. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
17. Kamakhya Temple
Location: Guwahati, Assam
Kamakhya Temple is dedicated to Goddess Sati and is regarded as one of the 51 Shakti Peethas.
18. Bhimashankar Temple
Location: Pune, Maharashtra
The Bhimashankar Temple is one of the twelve Jyotir Lingas. It is one of the most visited temples in the state of Maharashtra.
19. Triambakeshwar Temple
Location: Nashik, Maharashtra
The Triambakeshwar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the sacred Jyotir Lingas. The temple has a great spiritual significance as it is said that people attain salvation after visiting here once.
20. The Khajuraho Temples
Location: Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh
Chandela rulers built the Khajuraho Temples in the medieval period. They are known for their architectural creativity across the whole globe. These temples are related to the Hindu and Jain religions.
21. Lingaraj Temple
Location: Bhubaneshwar, Odisha
The Lingaraj Temple is a popular pilgrimage destination. It is particularly famous for its architecture which belongs to Kalinga Style. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva. King Jajati Keshari built the temple.
22. Birla Mandir
Location: New Delhi
Birla Mandir was built by J.K. Birla in the year 1939. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Goddess Laxmi. It is one of the most visited temples in India.
23. Brihadeshwara Temple
Location: Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu
The Brihadeshwara Temple has the status of being one of the biggest temples in India. It is particularly known for its charismatic architecture. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
24. Dwarkadish Temple
Location: Dwarka, Gujarat
The Dwarkadish Temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and is regarded as one of the oldest temples in India. It is also known as Jagat Mandir.
25. Akshardham Temple
Location: New Delhi
The Akshardham Temple is another very famous temple located in New Delhi. The temple is visited by a large number of devotees every year.
We hope you would have found this presentation on the most famous temples in India immensely informational and interesting. We look forward to your comments and suggestions.
