India is a land of many temples. They range in size from tiny structures located in the middle of roads to massive ancient temples carved out of rock. Some are famous and accented in gold, while others are much more modest. There are even some temples in India that are covered with erotic carvings. If you decide to visit a temple, please remember, no matter the size or condition, all are equal before god.
1. Golden Temple
The Golden temple is famous for its full golden dome, it is one of the most sacred pilgrim spots for Sikhs. The Mandir is built on a 67-ft square of marble and is a two storied structure. Maharaja Ranjit Singh had the upper half of the building built with approximately 400 kg of gold leaf.
2. Meenakshi Amman Temple
3. Virupaksha Temple
Virupaksha Temple is the main center of pilgrimage (ತೀರ್ಥಯಾತ್ರೆ )at Hampi, and had been considered the most sacred sanctuary over the centuries. It is intact among the surrounding ruins and is still used in worship .
4. Khajuraho Temples
The temples at Khajuraho were built during the Chandella dynasty, which reached its apogee between 950 and 1050. Only about 20 temples remain; they fall into three distinct groups and belong to two different religions – Hinduism and Jainism. They strike a perfect balance between architecture and sculpture.
5. Lotus Temple
While most of the emperors built monuments to glorify themselves or their respective faiths. The Lotus temple, on the other hand, has a unique purpose. It is shaped in the form of a flower which is considered a sacred symbol by most Indians. It symbolizes all those things that people of the Baha’i faith believe in.
6. Kailasa Temple
A megalith carved from a rock cliff face, it is considered as one of the most remarkable cave temples in the world because of its size, architecture and sculptural treatment, and “the climax of the rock-cut phase of Indian architecture”.
7. Akshardham Temple
Akshardham Temple of Delhi is one of the prime attractions in Delhi where one can witness exclusive architectural charm with more than 234 beautifully carved pillars, 9 elaborate domes, 20 quadrangle spires and 20000 sculptures of spiritual personalities from India.
8. Ranakpur Temple
The Ranakpur temple complex in Rajasthan comprises of 1444 intricately carved pillars, 24 pillared halls accompanied by 80 domes which are borne by 400 columns. The apogee of this entire temple architecture is the fact that no two pillars in here are the same
9. Mahabodhi Temple
In the context of philosophical and cultural history, Mahabodhi Temple Complex is of great relevance as it marks the most important event in the life of Lord Buddha, the moment when Prince Siddhartha attained Enlightenment and became Buddha, an event that shaped human thought and belief.
10. Ramanathaswamy Temple
The Holy abode of the Hindu God, Shri Ram (addressed so with all respect & humility) is a virtual paradise for the devout. No Hindu’s journey is complete without a pilgrimage to both Varanasi and Rameswaram for the culmination of his quest for salvation and is hallowed by the epic ‘Ramayana’.
