India the ancient land known forgods,goddesses and saints houses many temples. The various kings and dynasties that ruled over India built several magnificent temples. The temples of India depicts the rich culture and architectural splend our of its past. Indian temples not only attract the pilgrims or devotees but also the people of all religion. From Himalayas in the North to the southern most Kanyakumari, India is dotted with thousands of temples, dating back to hundred of years. Most of the ancient temples depict the images of deities and people’s day-to-day to life. Among the most famous temples in India are :
Khajuraho Temple :
The temple located in the Khajuraho city of Madhya Pradesh remained unknown till the last century. The temples are fine reminders of India’s glorious past. Khajuraho Temples represents the most graphic, erotic and sensuous sculptures of India. The temples of Khajuraho have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Badrinath Temple :
Dedicated to Lord Vishnu the Badrinath Temple lies on the right bank of Alaknanda river. Situated at an altitude of 3,133 metres above the sea level the temple is surrounded by beautiful valley. It is believed that Adi Shankarcharya- the philosopher-saint of the 8th century have installed the deity inside the temple.
Pushkar Temple :
Pushkar houses Jagat Shri Brahma Temple, which is the only standing Hindutemple in India dedicated to Lord Brahma. The temple stands on a highplatform near the Pushkar lake. The structure around the temple wasdeveloped in the 14th century.
Tirupati Temple : The temple situated in Tirupati is considered as the most sacred and therichest temple in the world. The temple located on a hill at Tirumala alsoknown as Tirupati Balaji Temple. The temple is a conglomeration of sevenhills known as Seshachalam or Venkatachalam, which attracts large number ofpilgrims.
Bhubaneswar Temple : Bhubaneswar the capital city of Orissa, is famous for many ancients templessuch as Lingaraja Temple, Parashurama Temple, Mukteshwar Temple and TheRajarani Temple.
Konark Sun Temple :Konark Sun Temple or the Black Pagoda, is the magnificent temple dedicatedto the Sun God. One of the major tourist attractions in Orissa, Konark Suntemple forms the Golden triangle of temples namely Bhubaneswar, Konark andPuri. The temple was built in 1278 A.D by King Narasimha, but the ruins ofthe temple were found in excavation in late 19th century.
Meenakshi Temple :
The Meenakshi temple located at Madurai is dedicated to Goddess Meenakashi.The temple considered as the south gateway consists of the twin temples of God Shiva and Goddess Meenakshi. The temple built in between 12th to the18th century is a fantastic example of sculpture and magnificent architecture.
Dilwara Jain Temple :
One of the finest Jain Temples in India, Dilwara Jain Temples have been built in between 11th - 13th century. The two temples Vimala Vasahi and LunaVashi are considered architecturally most outstanding structures. The temple architecture is marked by finest carvings on the marbles.
Kedarnath Temple :
The temple dedicated to Lord Shiva(the protector & the destroyer) is located 92 kms from Rudraprayag. Kedarnath is one of the four main Hindu pilgrim centres in Uttaranchal and also one of the 12 Jyotir lingas of Lord Shiva. The temple stands in a scenic spot against the backdrop of the Kedarnath mountains.
