11. Temples of Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam is a temple town, and there are many famous ones here. Some of the most visited are the temples of:
1.Adi Kumbeswarar
2.Saraswathi
3.Ramaswamy
4.Chakrapani
5.Kasi Viswanathar
6.Nageswaran
7.Sarangapani
8.Someswar
9.Temples at Thirunageswaram
10.Pateeswaram
11.Airavatesvara
12.Navagraha
13.Swamimalai
14.Thiruvalanjuzhi Vinayakar
15.Sri Vijayeendra Tirtha Moola Brindavanam
16.Sri Sitaram Bhavani Sankarar
17.Sri Rama Bhajanai Sabha
18.Thirbuvanan Sarabeswarer
12. Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameshwaram, Ramanathapuram
This temple is dedicated to god Shiva and located on Rameswaram island in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is the location of the Char Dham pilgrimage.
Just traveling to the temple is in itself a fulfilling experience because you have to cross a bridge from the mainland to reach this temple. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Rama built this bridge to rescue Sita from Ravana. Unlike other shorelines, the shorelines of this island are very quiet. Legend has it that the sea god promised Lord Rama he would stop the waves to help Lord Rama build the bridge.
13. Sun Temple in Konark
This temple is dedicated to the sun god Surya. It has been named a UNESCO world heritage site and is among the seven wonders of India in a poll conducted by NDTV.
The architectural designs features intricate artwork, iconography, and themes, including erotic kama and mithuna scenes.
14. Lotus Temple in New Delhi
Delhi has so many historic places as well as a large number of modern architecture, including the Lotus Temple.
Of the many places to visit in Delhi, the Lotus Temple is the most popular. The name comes from the shape of the building, which is identical to a lotus flower.
15. Akshardham Temple in New Delhi
I was uncertain about which Akshardham I should put on this list—the temple in Delhi or the one in Gujarat. It was a tough decision, and but I have chosen the one in Delhi because it was awarded the title of the world's largest comprehensive temple by Guinness World Records. The Akshardham of Gandhinagar is also great, so definitely check that one out as well.
16. Jagannath Temple in Puri
This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and located in the coastal city of Puri. There are more than 100 different festivals observed in this temple.
If you happen to visit, then you should also visit the Sun Temple nearby to enhance your experience. I also recommend sitting by the shoreline to watch the sun rise and set off the Puri beach. You might also see some tremendous sand art by Sudarshan Patnaik.
17. Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram
After a treasure was uncovered at this temple, it became the world's richest temple behind Tirupati Balaji. The treasure is estimated to be worth more than one lakh crore, and there is still one chamber yet to be opened.
For many historians, the treasure was no surprise because they believe that many temples of South India may have such "treasures" hidden inside.
But even before the treasure was discovered, this temple was a destination for millions of devotees. I recommend you watch the video to see the temple illuminated with awesome lights.
18. Badrinarayan Temple in Badrinath
The Badrinarayan is one of the holiest shrines of Hinduism, and is also part of the Char Dham and the Chota Char Dham. This mini Char Dham draws followers from all parts of the country.
The Badrinarayan temple, the Kedarnath temple, Gangotri, and Yamonotri form the Chota Char Dham.
Visiting Badrinath is a great way to escape from the hullabaloo of city life. The spiritual journey feels like you are falling into the arms of God.
19. Dwarkadhish Temple in Dwarka
This temple of 2500 years old is dedicated to Lord Krishna. Like Badrinath of the north, Rameshwaram of the south, and Jagannath Puri of the west, Dwarkadhish is part of the Char Dham pilgrimage in the west.
It is a five-story structure supported by 72 pillars, and it is immaculately clean and pure, considering that the temple was built nearly two-and-a-half centuries back.
20. Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai
The Siddhivinayak temple is the most famous and richest temple in Mumbai. It has a sort of "celebrity status."
On Tuesdays, many devotees from in and around Mumbai visit it. Some come barefoot and walk throughout the night. Special occasions, such as Diwali, New Year's Day, and the Ganesh Chaturthi festival attract thousands of devotees. The darshan could take as much as six to seven hours.
Heavenly Escape in the City
21. Kamakhya Temple
Also known as the Kamrup-Kamakhya, this temple is dedicated to the Hindu mother goddess Kamakhya. It is located in Nilachal Hill, Guwahati. It is the center for Tantra worship, so you will witness thousands of tantra devotees attending the festivals of Ambubachi Mela and Manasha Puja.
22. Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam
Ranganathaswamy is a Tamil-style Hindu temple dedicated to Ranganatha. It has 50 shrines, 21 towers, 39 pavilions. The festival of Margazhi (December–January), which is held here, attracts 1 million visitors each year, and it is one of the most illustrious Vaishnava temples in South India because of its history and legend.
23. Somnath Temple in Prabhas Patan
The Somnath temple is believed to be one of the 12 jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva, where he appeared as a fiery column of light. It has been destroyed and reconstructed many times in the past and is currently built in the Chalukya style.
24. Brihadeshwara in Thanjavur
This temple, dedicated to Shiva, is also known as Rajesvara Peruvudaiyar or Brihadeeswarar. It is over a thousand years old and is one of the largest South Indian temples built in the Tamil architectural style. This temple is part of the Great Living Chola Temples and is a UNESCO wold heritage site.
25. Kashi Vishwanath
This temple, which stands on the bank of the holy Ganges river, is one of the most popular sites dedicated to Varanasi. In ancient Hindu texts, this site is referred to as a central part of worship of the Shaiva philosophy. Besides being one of the holiest places of worship, it is also an architectural marvel.
26. Virupaksha Temple in Hampi
The temple is dedicated to Virupaksha, a form of Shiva and is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In February, the annual chariot festival is celebrated here, and it is also a popular site for Virupaksha and Pampa, marriage and betrothal festivals.
27. Lingaraja Temple in Bhubaneswar
This is one of the oldest Hindu temples in Bhubaneswar and is the main temple for the celebration of Shivaratri. But even on non-festival days, this temple receives about 6,000 visitors. Impressive!
28. Ekambareswarar in Kanchipuram
Also known as Ekambaranathar, this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, and it is of particular significance to the Saivism sect. It is associated with the five elements of the Pancha Bhoota Stalas: land, water, air, sky, fire. The most famous celebration here is the festival of Panguni Uthiram.
29. Mahabodhi in Bodh Gaya
All of the temples on this list have been Hindu temples, but this one is dedicated to Buddhism. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because this was the site where Buddha is believed to have gained enlightenment. A descendant of the Bodhi tree, under which Buddha sat to attain enlightenment, is located here, and it draws hundreds of thousands of Buddhist pilgrims annually.
30. Kedarnath Temple
Located on the Himalayan range, this Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is part of the Chota Char Dham. It is not accessible by road, so visitors have to make an 18 km trek uphill, but the beauty of the temple is worth the climb. If you plan to visit, make sure to do so only from April to November. The temple is closed during the rest of the year due to extreme cold weather conditions.
31. Sanchi Stupa
This Buddhist monument is one of the oldest stone structures in India. It has been on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list since 1989 and was built in the 3rd century BC by great emperor Asoka. The structure is surrounded by four gateways that each represent love, peace, courage, and trust.
32. Ranakpur
This is a majestic 15th century Jains temple dedicated to Lord Adinatha. It is believed to have been constructed as a symbol of Jains cosmology because a marble image of snakes faces all four cardinal directions, which represents conquest of all four directions of the world, and hence, the cosmos.
33. Yamunotri in Garhwal
This temple sits at an altitude of 3,291 meters and is dedicated to the Goddess Yamuna. It is one of the holy sites visited on the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit. Although it is only reachable by foot, once you arrive, you can relax in the many hot springs surrounding the site.
34. Amarnath Temple
Amarnath Temple is a Hindu shrine located in a large cave in Jammu and Kashmir. The cave is covered with snow most of the year, and the trek up into the cave from ground level takes five days and 40 miles, but pilgrims still brave the strenuous paths and cold weather to visit this holy site.
35. Khajuraho Group of Monuments
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this group of Hindu and Jains temples covers an area of 20 square kilometers and is famous for its erotic art depicting tantric sexual practices described in the Kama Sutra.