12 Ancient Temples In India You Should Visit At Least Once In Your Lifetime

Ancient temples in India, dating back to thousands of years ago, are still considered holy sites and places of pilgrimage for people from around the world. These temples owe their glory to the rulers and kings who once ruled India. This article is about 12 ancient temples in India that are worth visiting. It covers the history and description of each temple, giving readers a glimpse of what they can expect to find when they get there.

Many people believe these temples have a certain type of energy that benefits the soul and the body. So when you are a spiritual seeker or an avid traveler, make sure that you visit these temples at least once in your life.

 

1. Golden Temple, Amritsar

 

The Golden Temple is one of the most sacred temples for the Sikh people, and it is located in Amritsar. The history of the Golden Temple, Amritsar is still fresh in the memory of every Indian. The first and foremost reason for this is that it was built on a site that is believed to be one of the most sacred and holy places on earth. 

It's also called The Darbar Sahib (The House of God). It's located in Amritsar, Punjab in India. The temple was built by Fifth Guru Arjan Dev Ji between 1577-1606 CE.

 2. Tirupathi Balaji, Tirumala

The Tirumala Tirupathi Balaji temple is one of the most popular Hindu temples in the world. The temple is located in the hill station of Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India. It was established by Sriman Maharshi Vedavyasa to honor Lord Vishnu decades ago. It is one of the richest religious institutions in India with an annual average income of about $11,700,000.

 

3. Meenakshi Temple, Madurai

The Meenakshi temple is also known as “the temple of love” and is built in Dravidian architecture. It was constructed in the 12th century and is located in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.

It is one of the largest Hindu temples in India and one of the largest Hindu temples worldwide. The construction work on this magnificent edifice was done by kings of the Pandya dynasty and it took almost 150 years to complete.

 

4. Jagannath Temple, Puri

The Jagannath Temple in Puri is one of the most famous Hindu temples in India. It was built by King Chodagangadeva from 1135 to 1150 AD. Dedicated to Lord Jagannath, a form of Lord Vishnu, this temple is a World Heritage Site and attracts pilgrims from all over the world.

The temple has four gateways or "Parshvars". The eastern gateway or Gopuram, dedicated to the goddess Durga is the tallest landmark in Puri and is visible from a distance of 10 km. The three other gateways are dedicated to Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Hanuman respectively. In front of each gateway, there is caravanserai for pilgrims who have come from far-off places.

 

5. Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand

The temple of Badrinath is a holy shrine located in the Himalayas. It lies in a valley beneath Rudraprayag, a small town in Uttarakhand, India. Badrinath Temple is one of the ancient temples located in India. The temple lies at an altitude of 3,133 m from sea level and is situated at the foot of Mount Nar-Narayan near the Alaknanda River. It is believed that this temple was built by Adi Shankaracharya during the 8th century AD.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and there are four other shrines to be found inside it - Bhavishya Badri Narayan Temple, Chandrabadni Temple, Ghantakarna Mahadev Temple, and Anshumati Devi Temple.

 

6. Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi

Kashi Vishwanath Temple is among the most famous and celebrated Hindu temples. The temple is located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. 

Kashi Vishvanath Temple is one of the most visited Hindu temples in the world. It has been a sacred spot for Hindus for at least the last five centuries and continues to be so for millions of Hindus and foreign tourists who visit each year to enjoy its beauty and atmosphere.

The first thing one notices about the Kashi Vishvanath temple is that it has no roof or ceiling as such, but only four pillars that run around it to support a high wooden canopy that provides shade to those sitting on the ground within the courtyard as well as those waiting outside.

 

7. Lingaraja Temple, Bhubaneshwar

The Lingaraja Temple is an iconic temple in the state of Odisha. It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and was built in the 12th century.

The Lingaraja Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and was built in the 12th century. It is an iconic temple situated in Bhubaneswar, Odisha and it has stood as a symbol of faith for more than 1200 years. The main deity of the Lingaraja Temple is Lord Shiva (Nataraj) who rules over death and rebirth, with his consort Parvati (Gauri) at his side.

 

8. Virupaksha Temple, Hampi 

The Virupaksha Temple is a Hindu temple located in Hampi, Karnataka. The temple is on the banks of the Tungabhadra River and is one of the most popular temples in Hampi. It was built by Kempe Gowda I, the first ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire. It is believed that this temple was built to worship Shiva and his wife Parvati.

Virupaksha Temple, known as "Kedareswara" Temple at that time, was built by Kempe Gowda I, the first ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire in 1346 AD. This 12th-century granite rock-cut temple has a natural stream passing through it and two large water tanks on either side. 

 

9. Dilwara Temples, Mount Abu, Rajasthan

The Dilwara Temples are an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in Mount Abu, Rajasthan. This temple is one of the most important temples in India.

This temple was built by King Madan Mohan who was the ruler of the Sirohi state, over 1100 years ago. The temples are carved out of marble and offer an excellent example of Indian architecture.

 

10. Mahabalipuram Temples, Tamil Nadu

Mahabalipuram is a town in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is also known as Mamallapuram, which means "The Town of Mahabali". Mahabalipuram has beautiful rock-cut temples that date back to the 7th century AD.

Mahabalipuram is an ancient and once-prosperous port town, which served as a major seaport in the south of India. The city is known for its well-preserved temples, the most well-known of which is the Shore Temple.

 

11. Mundeshwari Devi Temple, Bihar

The Mundeshwari Devi Temple is situated in the town of Baidyanath near Dehri-on-Son, in the Indian state of Bihar.

The temple is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Mundeshwari, known as "The Lord of Munga", and is believed to be one of the 18 Shakti Pithas. The temple was built during the Gupta Empire and contains a 5.5 feet tall statue of the goddess that was consecrated during Shivaratri in 1630. The temple also houses a 10 feet tall statue and a stone image of Shiva and Parvati seated on Nandi; both were consecrated during Shravan month in 1510.

 

12. Konark Sun Temple, Odisha

The Konark Sun Temple, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, was built in the 13th century by the Kings of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. The massive edifice, which is now in ruins, is missing the vimana, or main sanctum, which was 229 feet tall.

The temple was designed to seem like a chariot, complete with 12 sets of wheels and seven horses. It was a Kalinga architecture example made of Khondalite rocks.