The Top 8 India's Most Incredible Temples

Famous, ancient, and inexplicable! In India, there are numerous well-known temples. The vast quantity of gods in Hinduism is one of the reasons for this. Despite the fact that there are 330 million gods and goddesses, there are only 33 known gods and goddesses. 

Each has a plethora of avatars. Nonetheless, the entire number can be staggering. As a result, ancient monarchs went to great lengths to build the most ornate and magnificent temples possible to honour the gods they revered.

This custom has survived the years and is still practised today. As a result, you'll come across some of India's most magnificent temples. They're all different styles and have interesting stories to go along with them!

Here is a list of some of India's most incredible temples that you should visit when in the country

1. Badrinath Temple - Chamoli, Uttarakhand

The Badrinath temple is located at the base of the Garhwal Himalayas, about 12km from the town of Joshimath. The temple was originally constructed by Pandavas who are part of Mahabharata.

This temple is devoted to Lord Vishnu and is one of the four temples that are considered to be most sacred among Vaishnavites. The other three temples are Jagannath Temple in Puri, Dwarka Temple in Gujarat and Krishna's birth place, Guruvayur Temple in Kerala.

Badrinath Temple is also known as "Dham" or "Darsana" which literally means “the House of God” or “God's Presence” respectively.

2.  Sun Temple – Konark Odisha

Sun Temple is one of the most famous temples in India and is famous for its enormous size and exquisite stone carvings.

The temple was built by King Narasimhadeva I (1238-1264 CE) and his Queen, Lakhsmi Devi. It is situated at a distance of around 25 km from Puri.

King Narasimhadeva  made this temple as the most important shrine in his capital city Puri with the purpose of reminding himself that he was just a human being, not God.

3. Somnath Temple – Somnath, Gujarat

This temple is located in the town of Somnath in northern Gujarat. It’s one of the Jyotirlinga shrines which are considered to be very holy.

Somnath Temple is believed to be one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, referring to Shiva Temples. This temple is located in the town of Somnath, a coastal town in southern Gujarat, which was then a part of Saurashtra region during 5th-6th century A.D.

The Somnath Temple is one of the oldest temples in India. It is located in the Prabhas Kshetra city on the Gujarat coast. The temple has been destroyed many times by various invaders and rebuilt each time by Hindu kings.

The Somnath Temple was first constructed by Yajna, the son of Lord Shiva, during Treta Yuga (around 2000 BC). This temple was then renovated by Ravana, the king of Lanka (Sri Lanka), during Dwapara Yuga (around 2000 years ago).

The first Somnath temple was again razed to the ground around 500 years later by Mahmud Ghazni, an invader from Afghanistan around 1000 AD.

4. Sanchi Stupa – Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh

One of the most significant temples is the Sanchi Stupa. The stupa was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

The temple complex is located in the town of Sanchi, 65 km south-east of Bhopal, capital city of Madhya Pradesh.

If you are not familiar with Buddhism, it is a religion that believes Gautama Buddha was born, lived and taught mainly in northeastern India, especially Bihar state.

The Buddhist tradition regards him as one who achieved full Enlightenment or Nirvana under the Bodhi Tree at Bodh Gaya in modern-day Bihar state.

5. Vaishno Devi Temple – Katra, Jammu and Kashmir

Vaishno Devi Temple in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir in India is a famous temple in India. It is situated in the Himalayas and this temple is one of the most visited shrines in India.

The Vaishno Devi Temple complex includes a number of mandaps (halls), temples and shrines, with the central shrine dedicated to goddess Vaishno Devi. The complex also has several natural spring water sources which are believed to have healing powers. Thousands of people visit the temple every day.

6. Siddhivinayak Temple – Mumbai, Maharashtra

The Siddhivinayak Temple is a temple dedicated to Ganesha, the Hindu god of success and prosperity. It is located in Prabhadevi, Mumbai. The temple was built around 18th century and it has been rebuilt many times. The most recent one was built in 1996.

The Siddhivinayak Temple is a vibrant and colorful place with the deity of Ganesha in gold on display at the center of the temple. There are also many other deities like Hanuman and Mumbar Devi inside the temple which add to its beauty and religious feel.

7. Golden Temple – Amritsar, Punjab

The Golden Temple in Amritsar is the most well-known site in Amritsar. It is a Sikh holy shrine and considered to be one of the holiest sites for Sikhs.

The temple itself is covered in gold, hence the name. It was completed in 1604 and has been expanded many times since then.

The temple is located on a man-made island that is connected to the mainland by an arched bridge called "tow path". The temple has four entrances facing different directions around it, signifying that it welcomes visitors from all sides of the world.

8. Meenakshi Temple – Madurai, Tamil Nadu

Meenakshi Temple is one of the most popular Hindu temples in South India. Dedicated to goddess Parvati, Meenakshi temple is located in the ancient city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu. The temple has a mixture of Dravidian and North Indian styles of architecture.

The Meenakshi Temple is a Hindu temple in the southern Indian city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu. It was built by Pandya King Sundara Pandyans in the year 648 CE, making it one of India's oldest temples.

Our monuments and architectural wonders are antiquity because we are an ancient nation. Let us conserve it, not for religious or political purposes, but to be able to share it with future generations so that they, too, can wonder at the majesty of these structures.