9 Popular Temples in India that You Must Visit

India is one of the world’s oldest civilizations and a nation filled with rich history, countless religious beliefs, traditions, and tales.

It is proud of its rich cultural and religious past. This is the birthplace of various religions and sects.

India houses thousands of ancient religious temples.

In this article, you will get to know about some of the popular temples in India,

Golden Temple
Jagannath Temple
Kedarnath Temple
Vaishno Devi Temple
Kashi Vishwanath
Sri Venkateswara Temple
ISKCON
Brahma Temple
Meenakshi Temple

Let’s see each of these temples in detail…

1. Golden Temple, Amritsar

The Golden Temple, also known as Sri Harmandir Sahib or Darbar Sahib, is the holiest temple in Sikhism.

This is also one of the most spiritual destinations in India.

The spectacular golden architecture and the daily Langar (the world’s largest free community kitchen) draw a significant number of visitors and worshippers each day.

The temple is located right in the center of Amritsar.

It is accessible to followers of all religions and offers free food to over 100,000 individuals from all walks of life.

The tank known as the Amrit Sarovar, which surrounds the divine central shrine, is the spiritual focal point.

Vaisakhi, held in the second week of April, is one of the most prominent festivals at the Golden Temple.

The Ramgarhia Bunga, the clock tower, and the Sikh History Museums are among the popular sights near Golden Temple.

2. Jagannath Temple, Puri

Government of Odisha, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Jagannath temple is one of the most popular temples in eastern India. It is located in Puri, Orissa.

This temple is one of India’s Char Dhams. It is devoted to Lord Jagannath, one of Lord Vishnu’s reincarnations.

Aside from its tremendous spiritual value, the temple contains many mysterious aspects that cannot be explained by science.

The magnificent and intriguing Oriya architecture of the Jagannath Puri Temple is something that makes it worth visiting.

The four gates are intricately carved and wonderfully crafted.

Another significant thing about this sacred shrine is the temple’s delectable Mahaprasad. You shouldn’t miss it at all.

Tourists are drawn to the town’s colorful religious festivities, especially the Rath Yatra, which is celebrated with great fervor and enthusiasm.

The vibrant atmosphere, intriguing ceremonies, and fervor of the pilgrims are the prime highlights here.

It is said that one who visits Jagannath Dham gets freed from all sins.

3. Kedarnath Temple, Uttarakhand

The Kedarnath Temple is located on the Garhwal Himalayan Range in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand.

It is one of the most prominent and revered Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva (who is also known as Kedar).

This temple is also a part of the Uttarakhand Chhota Char Dham Yatra.

Located at a height of 3,583 meters, the temple has the highest location among all the 12 Jyotirlingas.

It is set amidst snow-clad and towering mountains with the Mandakini River flowing in front of it

The majestic Kedarnath Temple attracts millions of pilgrims every year due to its religious significance and purity.

There are numerous reasons to visit Kedarnath Temple. Some of them are its unique history, spiritual significance, and magnificent architecture.

This Lord Shiva’s dwelling is only accessible via a hike from Gaurikund.

However, helicopter services are available that will take you directly to the temple.

It is claimed that visiting this sacred shrine opens doors to “Moksha” or salvation.

4. Vaishno Devi Temple and Cave, Jammu & Kashmir

Vaishno Devi is a religious town in Jammu, famous for the Vaishno Devi Mandir.

It is located in the Trikuta hills, 13 kilometers from Katra.

This renowned shrine attracts almost one crore worshippers from all over the world.

Vaishno Devi, also known as Mata Rani, Vaishnavi, and Trikuta, is a manifestation of the Hindu Goddess Durga.

Maa Vaishno Devi’s shrine in the holy cave is worshiped in the form of three naturally formed rocks known as Pindies.

These Pindies represent the goddess in her three forms: Maha Kali, Maha Saraswati, and Maha Lakshmi.

If you visit here you may hear devotees chanting “Jai Mata di” while climbing uphill.

Pilgrims can reach this temple via walking, horses, ropeway, or helicopter.

5. Kashi Vishwanath, Varanasi

Kashi Vishwanath Temple is located in Varanasi on the western bank of the sacred river Ganga.

It is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas or temples devoted to Lord Shiva.

Lord Shiva, also known as Vishwanatha or Vishweshwarar, the king of the cosmos, is the main deity of Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

Varanasi is hence renowned as the city of Lord Shiva.

The prominence of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple is also derived from the fact that it is mentioned in various Hindu sacred books.

The temple’s intricate architecture features a tower with 800 kilograms of gold plating.

The temple’s exterior is embellished with beautiful sculptures that give the facade a saintly appearance.

Aside from that, the shrine also houses several other small temples such as Kaalbhairav, Virupaksh, Vishnu, Gauri, Vinayaka, and Avimukteshwara.

6. Sri Venkateswara Temple, Tirupati

Sri Venkateswara Temple, located in Tirupati, is one of the most popular and sacred temples in South India.

Thousands of visitors and pilgrims visit here all throughout the year.

It is located on the hilltop of Tirumala.

The Tirupati Balaji temple’s construction began around 300 AD. Ancient Vedas and scriptures mention many mysteries about this holy site.

The rush of the pilgrim and the continuous charm of “Om Namo Venkateswara” makes the place more enchanting and divine.

Many people also donate hair to this site to attain purity and sanctity.

7. ISKCON, Mayapur

The Prophet, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Mayapur is known as the spiritual capital of the world. The ISKCON temple located here is the main attraction of the city.

It is located at the confluence of the rivers Ganga and Jalangi.

This city has beautiful vistas and a plethora of temples, making it one of the most visited temples in India and the world.

This religious center is one of the nine dams on 9 islands. The nine islands resemble an eight-petaled lotus flower.

It is a site where all religions, Shaiva, Vaishnava, and Buddhists, coexist together in peace and harmony.

Mayapur is a well-known Vaishnavite pilgrimage destination specially dedicated to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who is known as Lord Krishna’s incarnate.

He is said to have been born here in 1486 AD.

Mayapur is also famous for Chandrodaya Temple (the first temple erected by ISKCON in Mayapur), Samadhi of Prabhupada (the temple devoted to the founder of ISKCON), and Shree Chaitanyamath (the temple dedicated to Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu).

8. Brahma Temple, Pushkar

Jagatpita Brahma Mandir or the Brahma Temple in Pushkar, Rajasthan is the most prominent Hindu temple devoted to Lord Brahma (the creator of the universe).

The religious site is about 2000 years old and attracts thousands of people each year.

It is India’s one and only temple devoted to Brahma.

It is also one of the world’s top 10 religious sites, as well as one of India’s five sacred pilgrimages

The little village of Pushkar appears sacred because of this temple.

The sacred Pushkar Lake, situated directly in front of the temple, contributes to its sanctity.

The location has a pure atmosphere that immerses you in its spirituality.

It also observes Kartik Poornima every year and on this auspicious day, the holy ambiance elevates spirituality to a new level.

9. Meenakshi Temple, Madurai

The historic Meenakshi Amman temple is located in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.

It is situated on the southern bank of the Vaigai River.

The Meenakshi Temple was built between 1623 and 1655.

It is largely dedicated to Parvati, also known as Meenakshi, and Shiva, her husband.

The fact that both God and Goddess are worshiped together distinguishes this temple from the others.

At this shrine, Goddess Meenakshi appears holding a parrot in her right hand.

This temple is thought to be the place where Shiva performed the ‘Tandav Nritya’ (cosmic dance of devastation).

Every year in April, the festival of “Meenakshi Thirukalyanam”, the heavenly marriage of Meenakshi, is celebrated here with grandeur.

The temple has a remarkable exterior, which includes minute details and outstanding art pieces interwoven into the walls and pillars.

The complex was built according to Shilpa Shastra and has 14 entrance towers or ‘gopurams’,’ gilded vimanas’,’ sacred sanctums’, and shrines devoted to the Goddess Meenakshi.

These are some of the popular temples to visit in India.

You can visit these temples, seek the blessings of the almighty, free yourself from sins and attain salvation.

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