India has always been known as a holy land and is home to a multitude of grand and famous temples. Numerous festivals, rituals, customs, celebrations happen around the year for remembering God in different forms. These forms are known as Avatars. The most vital part of Indian culture is undoubtedly temples. Every region, district, the state has elegant, beautiful, significant temples that speak the history of the land subtly.
Worldwide tourists visit India to witness these famous and magnificent structures as they are an architectural marvel. Some temples are as old as a hundred years yet stand gracefully.
So, readers here is a list of the most famous temples in India to visit. Pray in and admire such godly places on earth. We have also provided official website links for quick checkout.
Meenakshi Temple
Location: Madurai
Best time to visit: October to March
Situated in Madurai, this temple is a shrine of Goddess Meenakshi (one of the avatars of Goddess Parvati), consort of Lord Shiva.
Meenakshi temple is one of the best architectural marvels of India, with fourteen gopurams of which one is as high as a hundred and seventy feet. An array of inscriptions hidden in the plain view of this temple narrates us it’s history silently.
It is a custom to dip within the pond situated inside the temple before the darshan of the deity.
The best time to visit and partake in daily Pooja in the temple are early mornings and evenings.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam
Location: Tirumala, Chittoor, Andra Pradesh
Best time to visit: November to March.
The Seven Hills are graced with one of the most famous and wealthiest temples in India. This temple worships Lord Venkateswara (Vishnu) as the main deity. The mountain is also home to Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park. On the foothills, there is a temple dedicated to Goddess Padmavati, consort of Lord Venkateshwara.
Lord Venkateswara devotees consider this temple as the Home Of Vishnu on Earth.
With lush greenery spread around the temple with a serene atmosphere, breezy climate, it is no wonder the temple is heaven on earth. Tirupati temple laddus are world-renowned!
Shree Somnath Mandir
Location: Prabhas Patan, Gujarat
Best time to visit: February or March
Sree Somnath Mandir is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is located on the banks of river Saraswati. It has been a very important temple in India historically also. The temple was rebuilt in its full glory after the independence of India.
It is known to be the first Jyotirlinga among the total twelve. The best time to visit this famous temple will be during the Mahashivratri festival. The name of the temple is in reference to the penance done by Moon God (Soma) to regain his powers after a curse on these shores.
Golden Temple
Location: Amritsar, Punjab
Best time to visit: November to March
Golden temple or Swarn Mandir is the paramount spiritual site for the Sikh religion. It is also known as Harmandir Sahib or the abode of God. The ethereal temple has a gold-plated shrine in the middle of a pool.
The temple looks regal in the night. The kitchen or langar serves food to many people throughout the day. There are four entrances to the temple, indicating that people of all religions are welcome.
Vaishno Devi
Location: Katra, Jammu and Kashmir
Best time to visit: March to October
Located on the expansive and rugged Trikuta mountain, Vaishno Devi temple is dedicated to Goddess Vaishnavi, also known as the warrior form of Goddess Mahalakshmi. During Navratri, a sea of people seek blessings of the goddess.
According to folklore, goddess Vaishnavi made it her shrine after she demolished the evil at the end of Treta Yuga and killed Bhairav, who gets reanimated after he sought her forgiveness. She showers blessings to the people in the form of Saraswati, Mahalakshmi, and Mahakali.
Shri Jagannath Puri Temple
Location: Puri, Odisha
Best time to visit: October to February
Puri Jagannath Temple is famous for its ‘Rath Yatra‘ or annual chariot festival in India and even all over the world. This Yatra is popularly known as one of the ‘Char Dham‘ sites. The main deity of the temple is sculpted by wood, unlike stone or marbles.
The idol gets replaced by its replica in twelve or nineteen years. This temple is sacred to Hindus, particularly to people from the Vaishnava sect. Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra murti reside in the temple.
Guruvayur Temple
Location: Guruvayur, Kerala
Best time to visit: October to February
Guruvayur Temple is an ancient temple in India. This temple was built in an architectural form predominantly present in Kerala. Lord Guruvayurappan(an avatar of Krishna) is the lord worshipped by the devotees. The famous festivities celebrated here are Janmashtami, Kumbham Utsavam, and Ekadasi.
People usually undertake fast months in advance before starting their journey to the temple. There are strict regulations and dress codes that one has to follow when going into the temple.
Kashi Vishwanath
Location: Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Best time to visit: October to March
Kashi Vishwanath temple adorned on the shores of river Ganga worships Vishweshwara (lord of the universe ) and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. Kashi is one of the ancient places in India of paramount spiritual importance.
The temple and the place glow with bustling people and energy on the day of Maha Shivratri. The mythical folklore narrates the story of the contest between Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu to determine who was more superior.
Siddhivinayak Temple
Location: Prabhadevi (Mumbai)
Best time to visit: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Siddhivinayak temple is famous as Navsacha Ganapati in India and bestows blessings to all his devotees, and fulfills their humble wishes. Lord Ganesha is called a destroyer of obstacles.
This temple has patronage from the common folk and is considered among the wealthiest temples in India. The wooden doors of the inner sanctum bore cravings of “Ashtavinayak” or eight different manifestations of Lord Ganesha. The inner roof of the sanctum is gold-plated. There is a shrine for Lord Hanuman also.
Sanchi Stupa
Location: Sanchi Town, Madhya Pradesh
Best time to visit: October to March
Sanchi Stupa may be one of the oldest surviving temple structures in India. Built by the great king Ashoka in the third century BCE, this stupa is an ancient Buddhist pilgrim site. It consists of Buddha’s relics. Inside the stupa, information regarding Buddha and his philosophies adorn the wall. It also acts as a meditation center.
The four intricately designed Toranas symbolize the emotions of love, trust, courage, and peace. Circumambulating the stupa (walking around) in a clockwise manner is believed to purify negative karma.