Top 5 Famous Temples in India – Indian Culture and Heritage. With Some More

We are well aware of the fact that there are innumerable famous temples in India. The culture of India is such that there are some incredible pieces of art laid back by the artist 1000’s of years ago. These pieces of art are recognized within India and also globally making them the famous temples in India and some in the world. 

Such famous temples in India were earlier built for the purpose of worship but over the years they have become places of historical importance because each of the temples has their own story for which they were built. As we already know that India is well known for all the famous temples in India that it shelters, but we are still not aware of some important facts about the temples.

What is the origin of such a Famous“Temple”? 

The term temple has been derived from a Latin term, “Templum”, which means a structure with a purpose. Thereby the purpose of the structure is that it is dedicated to the purpose of religious activity or spiritual activity. Such spiritual activity could include, worship or prayer, and meditation. 

It was considered to be the purest place where the priest dwelt as well as the gods they wanted to worship. Surprisingly this concept of temples is thought to be predominant in the Indian culture but history says it is adverse since ancient times. We are mostly aware of the Hindu temples being famous in India but there are different different types of temples.

Types of  Famous Temples Globally 

There are different types of temples globally, which are famous and recognized all over the world namely they are: 

Gobekli Tepe Temple: Found in Southeastern Turkey

Mesopotamian Temple: Found in Eridu

Judaism Temple: Found in Jerusalem

Greek Temples: Found in Eleusis

Famous Temples in India

India is famous for all the temples it shelters under the umbrella of the country. It is very enthusiastic to know about their origin and existence with all historical importance. The famous temples in India represent the aesthetic values of Indian art and ideals of dharma and their beliefs related to a particular temple.   

1. Famous Golden Temple, Amritsar

All of us must have heard of the Golden Temple, in Amritsar, but there are some interesting facts about the Golden temple which many of us are not aware of today. The Golden temple is one of the most famous temples in India which is highly admired and believed by the Sikh community in India. This famous temple is the pride of North India.

Famous Temple in India: About Golden Temple, Amritsar

• Lord Buddha is believed to have meditated in the Golden Temple of Amritsar. During those time periods, the temple used to be surrounded with thick forests and this place was declared to be the best site for meditation of the sadhus and the saints.  
• The Golden temple is covered with a layer of gold foil which was blown out using the gunpowder in 1762. Maharaja Ranjit Singh rebuilt this heritage with marble and gold together. 
• The foundation stone of the famous Golden Temple was laid by Sufi Saint Milan Mir. This was done to make the Gurudwara open to all caste and creed.
• The water body which surrounds the Golden temple is known as Amrit Sarovar, the water of which is considered to be very sacred. This water is said to be so sacred that people take a dip in it but in ancient times this water used to cure ailments.  

How to Reach the Famous Golden Temple, Amritsar?

By Flight: If you are in Delhi, fly from Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi to Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport, 10 km away from Amritsar. You can make the stay at the nearby hotels at cheap price. 

By Railway: The Golden Temple is in Amritsar, which is 2km away from the Amritsar railway station.   

2. Famous Vaishno Devi Temple and Cave, Jammu & Kashmir

Another famous temple in India is the Vaishno Devi Temple and Cave of Jammu and Kashmir. There are 33 Hindu gods who have made their place here in the temple of Vaishno Devi. More than 10 million pilgrims visit this famous temple every year. Jammu and Kashmir which is also known as Paradise on Earth. 

Famous Temple in India: About Vaishno Devi Temple and Cave, Jammu & Kashmir

• The mythical Hindu believes are said to be true in Vaishno Devi, it is believed that Vaishno Devi Mata observed “Navaratri” here to pray for the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana. The existence of Lord Rama, Ravana, and Vaishno Devi has been believed to be true in this temple.
•  Vaishno Devi Mata also has an ashram at the foothills of Trikuta and the ashram was constructed on the instructions of Lord Rama. 
• It is believed that the caves of Vaishno Devi preserve the body of Bhairo Nath, who was killed by the goddesses with her weapon Trishul. 
• It is also said that the Ganga flows through this cave in which the devotees wash before entering the temple in the mountains.  

How to Reach the Famous Vaishno Devi Temple and Cave, Jammu & Kashmir?

By Flight: This place is near Katra so you can fly directly to Jammu Airport and get a cab from there to Katra. 

By Railway: There is no railway station at Vaishno Devi, the nearest station is the Jammu station from where Vaishno Devi is 33km away. 

3. Famous Kedarnath Temple, Kedarnath

You must have heard of the “Char Dham Yatra”, and this temple is situated in a high altitude. This is another famous temple in India. The Kedarnath is believed to have been created by the Pandavas of Mahabharata while the present temple has been designed by Adi Guru Shankaracharya. This is one of the most famous temples in India which is worth the visit. 

Famous Temple in India: About Kedarnath Temple

• The weather condition of Kedarnath is so extreme that it does not allow pilgrims to reach Kedarnath very easily.  Natural disaster of Cloud burst had already affected this place immensely in 2013 and after that, it has been remade again.  
• The Religious protectors of Kedarnath, the famous temple of India believe that Lord Shiva, the mythical god saves the shrine from all possible natural disasters and destructions. This belief of the priests and other religious heads of Kedarnath can not be questioned because in the deadly disaster of 2013 when the death toll had raised like anything, this temple remains almost unaffected. Later on, the government invested in the temple and all that was destructed in Kedarnath for the welfare of the residents of Kedarnath and also the pilgrims and visitors.   
• Lord Shiva is said to have escaped to Uttarakhand during Kurushetra, so we can not deny mythology completely. 
• It is said that if you pray with a pure soul at Kedarnath, you will be able to wash away all your sins in life.

How to Reach the Famous Kedarnath Temple?

By Flight: The nearest airport is Jolly Grant which is situated 239km away from Kedarnath. So from Jolly Grant, you can reach the famous temple of India, Kedarnath by roadway. Travelling is made easy with access to flights. 

By Train: The Rishikesh Railway station is the closest to the Kedarnath. The railway route which reaches Kedarnath is well connected to major railway stations in the country. So from almost all parts of the earth, you will be able to reach Kedarnath via train. 

4. Famous Sri Venkateshwara Temple

The statue of Tirupati placed in this famous temple in India might seem to be in the center but it is actually not so. The statue is correctly placed on the right side of the Sanctorum, but it seems to be in the middle the Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam is one of the richest temples in South India. There are supposedly very many mystical things about this temple which most of us are unaware of. This temple is another famous temple in India which is visited by lakhs of people. 

Famous Temple in India: About Sri Venkateshwara Temple

• It is said that Lord Balaji has silky smooth hair which is tangle-free, and it is real. There is some mythical story behind but believe it or not, the hair is for real. 
• It is said that if one hears carefully then one can hear the sound of waves behind the place where the deity is placed in the temple. 
• The lamps that are lit in front of the Tirupati are said to have never blown out. They are the earthen lamps that never extinguish irrespective of the weather. There is no such time definition when they been lit up in the past. 
• The back of the deity remains moistured while the priests always try hard to keep it dry as much as possible. 

How to Reach the Famous Sri Venkateshwara Temple

By Train:  You will have to reach the Tirupatii station and it is 15km away from the railway station. 

By Flight: The closest airport to this place is Renigunta, from where Tirupati or Venkateshwara Temple is 16km away. 

5. Famous Konark Temple, Puri

The Konark temple is also known as the Sun Temple. This is one of the most famous temples in India is situated in a small town of Odhisha. The architecture of this temple is so excellent that it is dedicated to the Son god directly. The temple of Konark looks similar to the chariot of Lord Sun. The Konark Temple has 12 wheels which are dragged by 7 horses. 

Famous Temple in India: About Konark Temple, Puri

• Every single piece of the Konark Sun Temple is covered with sculpture consisting of deities, dancers, scenes of life at court, etc.
• When all the sun rays reach the Nata Mandir from the coasts and reflect at the center of the shrine. It shows the diamond shining in the middle of the temple. 
• There is a lot of depiction, there are two tigers which are crushing the elephant. They have already attacked two men. This means that pride and money are the major problems faced by a human being. 
• The temple has been made with magnet plates and unique arrangement of magnet smake the idol float inside the temple. This is believed to be magical, although it is clearly scientific. 

How to Reach the Famous Konark Temple

By Train: You will have to reach Puri station which is in Bhubaneshwar, and it is 30 km away from the Puri railway station. 

By Flight: Reach the Bhuwaneshwar airport and take a taxi from Bhuwaneshwar to reach Puri or the Konark Temple.

The trip to the heritage of India and the culture of India is dead without the famous temples in India. India would not have been incredible without this heritage.

Honorable Mentions

Being one of the oldest civilizations in the world, India is already riddled with many temples and places of worship. We have already listed five very famous religious places of the country, but the list is far from over. Here is another list of all the famous temples of India that were considered by our team to be put on the list, but were not for some reasons or the other. Not mentioning them felt criminal therefore, here is an extensive list of all those religious places that we believe that you need to check out at least once. 

Final Thought

And with that, we have reached the very end of our article exploring some of the best religious places in India that you can check out on your next visit to this mesmerizing country. Apart from the religious aspect, all these places that we have listed are artistically significant as well. They will make you realize the magnanimity of Indian art and culture that the world seems to have forgotten.

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