Temples in India
Also referred to as Delhi Akshardham or Swaminarayan Akshardham, the Ashardham Temple complex displays millennia of traditional Indian and Hindu culture, spirituality and architecture. The building was inspired and moderated by Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the spiritual head of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, whose 3,000 volunteers helped 7,000 artisans construct Akshardham Temple. Go to the Akshardham Temple Page.
The Bahai House of Worship in Delhi, popularly known as the Lotus Temple due to its flowerlike shape, is a Baha'i House of Worship and also a prominent attraction in Delhi. Inspired by the lotus flower, the design for the House of Worship in New Delhi is composed of 27 free-standing marble clad "petals" arranged in clusters of three to form nine sides. The nine doors of the Lotus Temple open onto a central hall capable of holding up to 2,500 people. Along with its nine surrounding ponds and the gardens, the Lotus Temple property comprises 26 acres. Go to the Bahai (Lotus) Temple Page.
This older water palace, built in 1620 by Karan Singh, played an important role in Udaipur’s history. The Mughal prince, Khurram, exiled by his father, Emperor Jahangir, chose to seek refuge here. Jag Mandir owes its name to Jagat Singh, Khurram’s some, who was announced as the new Emperor Shah Jahan upon his father’s death in 1627, and transformed the palace quite considerably.
Go to the Jag Mandir Page.
You may want to tour the famous 15th Century marble temple that is still an active place of worship. Although it is a 2.5 hour to 3 hour drive (each way) from Udaipur, most tourists visiting Udaipur devote a day to this excursion. Part of the attraction is the great drive through the hills and rural communities. Go to the Jain Temple, Ranakpur Page.
In a holy city filled to bursting with temples and religious monuments, Vishwanath Temple stands apart as a beacon to the devout. Dedicated to the Hindu deity Lord Shiva, Vishwanath on the banks of the Ganges River in the city of Varanasi is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India that function as the most sacred pilgrimages points on the Indian subcontinent for Hindus.
Go to the Vishwanath Temple Page.
One of the most popular tourist destinations in India, Khajuraho has the largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples, famous for their erotic sculpture. The Khajuraho group of monuments has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is considered to be one of the "seven wonders" of India. Of the 85 original temples-most constructed of hard river sandstone about 20 are still reasonably well preserved. Go to the Khajuraho Temples Page.
Kandariya Mahadeva is one of the 25 remaining temples in Khajuraho’s Word Heritage Site.
The largest and tallest of the temples, Kandariya Mahadeva is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The walls of the temple feature hundreds of carved statues the lives and escapades of the Chandela Rajput dynasty that used Khajuraho as the epicenter of its religious rites. Go to the Kandariya Mahadeva Page.
Duladeo Temple is one of the 25 Hindu temples in the World Heritage city of Khajuraho, India.
Originally part of a much larger temple city containing an estimated 85 distinct structures dedicated to various gods in the Hindu pantheon, Duladeo is dedicated to the god Shiva.
Go to the Duladeo Temple Page.
Devi Jagadambi is one of the 25 remaining temples in Khajuraho's World Heritage site.
World renowned for the decorative carvings, many of them erotic in nature, that wrap the structure's walls in bands, the temples are a frequent stop on tours of India.
Go to the Devi Jagadambi Temple Page.
Lakshmana is the oldest and most intricately decorated of the many Hindu temples in the city of Khajuraho, India. Each of the 22 temple structures in the city is dedicated to a different deity, and is all that remain of a sprawling temple city that once contained 85 separate structures.
Go to the Lakshmana Temple Page.
The Lakshmi - Narayan Temple, also known as Birla Mandir, is a modern architectural wonder. The grand temple is located on an elevated ground at the base of Moti Dungari hill in Rajasthan. Built entirely in the finest quality white marble, the temple has some beautifully carved sculptures and idols. It is dedicated to Lord Lakshmi Narayan also known as Lord Vishnu of the Hindu trinity. The three main domes of the temple represent a very clear picture of secular India as they portray different approaches to the religions of the nation. The temple has some of the most beautifully crafted idols of Lord Ganesh and other Hindu Gods. Go to the Birla Lakshmi-Narayan Temple Page.
A vital part of the City Palace complex, this Krishna temple has been highly revered by the royal family. Sawai Jai Singh installed the image of Govind Dev ji (an incarnation of Lord Krishna) after it was brought from Vrindavan. Housed within the sanctum of this spireless temple, the patron deity of the royal family is worshipped by most of the Hindus in the city and nearby areas. The image is unveiled seven times daily for prayers and offerings. The idols of Radha-and Krishna are dressed in different styles each time for the procession where thousands of devotees gather around the courtyard.
The Temple of Galtaji is an ancient pilgrimage site famous for its natural water springs. Temples, pavilions and holy kunds (natural springs and water tanks) can be found among the lush landscape of the complex. In all, there are seven tanks, the holiest being the Galta Kund, which never goes dry.
Go to the Galtaji Temple Page.
Somnath Temple is one of the most holy sites in the Hindu religion. One of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines dedicated to the Hindu deity Lord Shiva, Somnath Temple is one of the most important pilgrimage points in India.
Somnath has been destroyed and rebuilt repeatedly since the 8th century by invaders from varying kingdoms and nations. The current temple structure was completed in 1950 after a mosque that had been built over previous ruins was moved a few miles away. Somnath’s propensity to be destroyed only to rise again has earned the temple the nickname "The Shrine Eternal."
Synonymous with Madurai is the Meenakshi Temple. The Meenakshi Temple complex is literally a city on its own. It is one of the largest of its kind in India and undoubtedly one of the oldest too. The temple grew bigger with the contributions of each dynasty and victorious monarchs, into an enormous complex spanning 45 acres. The temple was first built 2000 years ago and was substantially expanded during the reign of Thirumalai Nayak between the years 1623-55 AD. Go to the Meenakshi Temple Page.
This ancient and acclaimed Vaishnavite temple is noted for its remarkable architectural and sculptural magnificence. The Lord here is in the sitting or asana, standing or sthanaka and reclining or sayana postures, all enshrined in one vertical plane.
The celebrated Saiva temple at Thanjavur, appropriately called Brihadisvara and Daksinameru, is the grandest creation of the Chola emperor Rajaraja (AD 985-1012). It was inaugurated by the king himself in his 19th regnal year (AD 1009-10) and named it after himself as Rajesvara Peruvudaiyar. Architecturally, it is the most ambitious structural temple built of granite. It has been regarded as a ‘landmark in the evolution of building art in south India’ and its vimana as a ‘touchstone of Indian architecture as a whole’. The temple is within a spacious inner prakara of 240.9 m long (east-west) and 122 m broad (north-south), with a gopura at the east and three other ordinary torana entrances one at each lateral sides and the third at rear. The prakara is surrounded by a double-storeyed malika with parivaralayas. The temple with its massive proportions and simplicity of design provided inspiration for future designs in constructions not only in south India but also in south-east Asia.
Go to the Chola Temples Brhadisvara Page.
This is one of the oldest temples in South India. It belongs to the 8th Century AD and is a good example of the first phase of structural temples constructed in Dravidian style.
Go to the The Shore Temple Page.
The Kapaleeswarar temple located at Mylapore is the defining landmark of Chennai’s religious landscape. It is an amazing symbol of how Hindu spiritual traditions have coexisted with modernity. This temple is visited by thousands, especially during Shivaratri and the famed Arupattu Moovar festival. The Teppam (float) festival, and the biweekly Pradosham festival also draw huge crowds here. This 7th century Pallava temple is known for its architecture. The temple gopuram, or tower, is made in the characteristic Dravidian style of architecture. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple has some beautiful sculptures, including bronze idols of 63 Saivaite saints adorning the outer courtyard. Also in the courtyard under the old Punnai tree is a small shrine depicting Goddess Parvath in the form of a peacock, worshipping Lord Shiva. The form of Shiva's wife Parvati worshipped at this temple is called Karpagambal (Goddess of the Wish-Yielding Tree). Go to the Kapaleeswarar Temple Page.
The Jagannath Temple in Puri is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath (Vishnu). The temple is an important pilgrimage destination for many Hindu traditions, particularly worshippers of Krishna and Vishnu. The temple is famous for its annual Rath Yatra (chariot festival) in which the three main temple deities-Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra-are hauled on huge and elaborately decorated temple cars. Non-hindus are not allowed at the Jagannath Temple, however, they may view the complex from the roof of the nearby Raghunandan Library.
The Konarak Sun Temple Complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the eastern Indian state of Odisha (formerly known as Orissa).
The structures at the Konarak Sun Temple Complex are famous around the world. This is due to the magnificence of the temple’s design as well as the intricate detailing of the sculptures at the site. While the present day Konarak Sun Temple Complex is grand in its own right, one needs to understand that it comprises of only the remnants of a once massive temple, much of which was destroyed during the 17th century.
