Top 5 Famous Temples in India: Know The Indian Culture and Heritage

The culture of India is such that some incredible pieces of art were laid back by the artist thousands of years ago in the form of temples.

Such famous temples in India were earlier places of worship, but over the years, they have become places of historical importance. Further, from the Golden Temple of Amritsar to the Hoysala Sacred Ensemble, every temple tells tales of different dynasties, art forms, and religious practices. 

So, let’s learn about this rich and diverse country through its beautiful ancient temples.

Famous Temples in India: Knowing The Culture And Heritage Of The Country 

India is famous for all the temples, which represent the aesthetic values of Indian art and the ideals of dharma.   

Further, many of these temples are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Brihadeeswara Temple in Tamil Nadu, the Konark Sun Temple in Odisha, and the Khajuraho Temples in Madhya Pradesh are some of these prestigious places of worship. 

Moreover, the latest one to feature on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites is the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas or the Hoysala Temple Complex in Karnataka.

However, it is impossible to enlist all the temples in a guide, considering India has 53 temples for every lakh of the population. Further, the number is even growing every day. 

Still, I have curated the temples that speak of architectural excellence and have amazing stories to share. 

1. Famous Golden Temple, Amritsar

The Golden Temple is one of the most famous temples in India for the Sikh community.  Also, this famous temple is a source of pride for North India.

Famous Temples In India: About Golden Temple, Amritsar

1. Lord Buddha meditated in the Golden Temple of Amritsar. During those time periods, the temple was surrounded by thick forests, and this place was the best site for the meditation of the sadhus and the saints.  
2. Further, the Golden Temple is covered with a layer of gold foil, which was blown out using gunpowder in 1762. Maharaja Ranjit Singh rebuilt this heritage with marble and gold together. 
3. Also, Sufi Saint Milan Mir laid the foundation stone of the famous Golden Temple. This was done to make the Gurudwara open to all caste and creed.
4. In addition, the water body that surrounds the Golden Temple is known as Amrit Sarovar, and the water is sacred and is believed 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 a cheap price. 

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

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.