Indian Temples and their Historical Significance

India, for ages, has been the land of spirituality and mysticism. We have a marvelous history and rich culture of pilgrimages and religious places. These pilgrimages are proof of a prominent architectural design designed by ancient sages and saints of India.

Well, India is a land of vibrancy as it is home to people from different religions, creeds, caste, etc. Every religion has its religious places in various parts of India. This cultural and religious heritage includes temples alluring a lot of people from all over the world.

The Indian temples take us down memory lane as they have a rich legacy. Also, the energy levels these temples possess attract the ones who are walking on a spiritual path.

In the following article, we will have look at the most renowned and beautiful Indian temples which one must see before death.

• Kedarnath Temple: Known for its dazzling beauty, Kedarnath temple is situated amid Himalayan Glaciers. This Indian temple is dedicated to Adiyogi- Lord Shiva. In winters, it gets covered with snow caps all over due to which tourists can only visit Kedarnath in summers. It is a popular trekking location for youngsters. Well, its historical significance unravels that it is claimed to be made by Pandavas 2000 years ago.
• Rameshwaram Temple: Rameshwaram temple is one of the biggest religious attractions in the Southern Part of India in the state of Tamil Nadu. It has a sensational architectural design that makes people spellbound. It is considered to be immensely holy as it is one of the sacred Char Dhams of India. The name Rameshwaram includes “Ram” as its historical roots go back to Treta yuga as it is said that Lord Rama came here after defeating the demon Ravana.
• Badrinath Temple: The list of Indian temples can’t be completed without the holy shrine of Badrinath. Interestingly, it is one of the 108 temples built for Lord Vishnu placed in the adorable hills of Uttrakhand. Tourists throughout the globe visit this temple from April to November as after that the visit is not possible to immense snow.
• Somnath Temple: Somnath temple has an ancient significance as it is believed to be built by Lord Shiva himself as it is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India. The ancient Indian temple is dedicated to Lord Moon and is situated in the state of Gujarat. Somnath temple has been rebuilt sometimes because Some Asian invaders came to India with intentions to loot this temple. With these evil intentions; they destroyed the temple several times.
• Jagannath Temple: Most prominent attraction in the state of Orissa is the holy temple of Jagannath Temple in Puri. The temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and it is one of the most ancient temples of India. Every year, the infamous Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath is orchestrated to pay obeisance. People chant devotional names and dance to the holy tunes. The gigantic kitchen in the temple to serve food to people is a sure shot to explore.
• Amarnath Cave Temple: Situated at 3900ft height above sea level amidst the hills of Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian temple of Amarnath is 5000 years old. Amarnath temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva but interestingly the temple is not a man-made one. It is a natural cave made of ice that resembles the linga of Lord Shiva. Every year in summers, devotees trek for 5 days to reach the ice linga temple.
• Kashi Vishwanath Temple: It is also one of the Jyotirilinagas dedicated to Lord Shiva and located on the banks of the Ganges. Kashi or Varanasi is said to be the first city in the world. So, it is one of the oldest temples in India. One of the richest temples, Kashi Vishwanath has 800 kg of Gold plated on its tower. Besides the main temple, there are also other temples present in it like Kalbhairava, Vinayaka, Vishnu, etc.
• Brihadeshwara Temple: Significantly known as Big Temple, Brihadeshwara Temple is an Architectural Masterpiece built during the reign of Raja Raja Chola of the famous Chola dynasty. The idol inside the holy shrine is itself a 216 ft structure which makes devotees astounded. Also, there are paintings dedicated to Chola and Pandya dynasty present.
• Sri Venkateshwara Temple: This holy Indian temple is one the richest and immensely sacred temples of India. It presents an enthralling architectural design filled with white marbles. One of the most revered temples; it attracts a staggering number of devotees i.e. 50000 every day.
• Vaishno Devi Temple: The auspicious temple of Devi is among the Indian temples of Shaktipeeths and is situated in the hills of Jammu and Kashmir. It is considered extremely holy by the devotees as it attracts lakhs of devotees every year. A lot of people walking on a spiritual path visit this temple as it is believed to have an energy that makes people grow spiritually. Reaching the holy shrine takes 12 km of the journey by foot which is quite relishing.
• Golden Temple: Last but not the least, the auspicious Golden temple which is the biggest pilgrimage of the Sikh religion is situated in the ancient city of Amritsar. The interesting fact is that the lion’s share of the temple is made up of pure gold. A fascinating attraction of the Golden Temple is its colossal kitchen which feeds thousands of people every single day. Golden Temple is one of the most significant attractions for foreigners.

These Indian temples hold a rich diversity and sacred place in the hearts of devotees. Devotees come in large numbers every day to bow in front of Almighty.

Besides the religious aspect, if we see the architectural counterpart, these Indian temples are breathtaking masterpieces of art and have historical significance. The soothing part is that these temples do not differentiate between religions. It attracts people from every religion, caste, or creed. It demonstrates the holiness of the Indian culture and its temples.

Do visit all these temples in your life.