Famous Temples in India: List of Famous Temples in India PDF

By PARUL RISHI|Updated : May 5th, 2023

Famous temples in India: India, known for its rich cultural and religious heritage, is home to numerous famous temples that are revered by millions of people. These famous temples in India are not only places of worship but also architectural marvels that showcase the craftsmanship, art, and spirituality of the country. Being an Indian citizen, one must know about the temples and their significance. Moreover, you must also learn about the important temples in India if you are planning to appear for competitive exams like UPSC, SSC, Railway, etc. This is because such questions are asked in the General Awareness section, and thus, aspirants must brush up on their knowledge of important temples in India for competitive exams.

In this article, we have listed the most famous temples in India as well as the places they are situated in. So, keep reading to find out about these fascinating monuments that play an essential role in our noteworthy history. Check out the complete list of famous temples in India with states and the nearest water body below.

Table of Content

Famous Temples in India

India is known for its beautiful architecture and religious and historical structures that are famous around the world. Many of these famous monuments are the ancient Hindu temples that have been a part of our legacy and heritage for centuries. But what makes these temples important in the first place? The answer is history. Most of the famous temples in India have some unique history and mythological significance associated with them. This unique fact or prominent feature has added these temples to the list of famous temples in India.

Famous Temples in India PDF

If you are preparing for any competitive exams, you can learn about the important temples in India in a comprehensive PDF format. We have added all the relevant information in the form of a PDF for your convenience. This way, you can learn about the ancient history of our country through the list of important temples in India that trace back to our golden heritage.

> Temples in India PDF

In the PDF, you will find the list of temples and their locations as well as some other information about these fascinating and holy monuments. It will not only help you prepare for the exam but will also improve your overall knowledge of the famous temples in India and help you stay updated.

Famous Temples in India State-wise

Every state in India is known for its unique features and ancient history, which is reflected in its beautiful architecture and its religious structures. Since India is referred to as the land of temples, every state has multiple temples with amazing architecture and some mythological and historical significance. In the below section, you will find a list of the most important temples in India state-wise that people visit from around the world.

Also Read: 

Famous Temples in India List

Here is a list of famous temples in India with states. We have also added the names of the nearest rivers or lakes that these temples are located near. Go through the list of important temples in India for SSC and RRB exams.

Important Temples in India

SNo.

Temples in India

Location

Nearest River/Lake

1.

Badrinath Temple

Badrinath, Uttarakhand

Alaknanda River

2.

Kedarnath Temple

Kedarnath, Uttarakhand

Mandakini River

3.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Ganga River

4.

Golden Temple

Amritsar, Punjab

Ravi River

5.

Amarnath Temple

Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir

Amaravati River

6.

Vaishno Devi Temple

Jammu & Kashmir

Devika River

7.

Akshardham Temple

New Delhi

Yamuna River

8.

Konark Sun Temple

Konark, Odisha

Chandrabhaga River

9.

Brihadeeswara Temple

Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu

Kollidam River

10.

Lingaraj Temple

Bhubaneshwar, Odisha

-

11.

Somnath Temple

Saurashtra, Gujarat

-

12.

Jagannath Temple

Puri, Odisha

Chilika Lake

13.

Kamakhya Temple

Guwahati, Assam

Brahmaputra River

14.

Shani Shingnapur Temple

Ahmednagar, Maharashtra

-

15.

Shirdi Sai Baba Temple

Shirdi, Maharashtra

-

16.

Mundeshwari TempleBihar-

17.

Khajuraho Temples

Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh

-

18.

Tirupati Balaji Temple (Tirumala Venkateshwara)

Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh

Pushkarini River

19.

Virupaksha Temple (Pampapathi temple)

Hampi, Karnataka

Tungabhadra River

20.

Siddhivinayak Temple-(Dedicated to Lord Ganesha)

Mumbai, Maharashtra

Bhima River

21.

Meenakshi Temple

Madurai, Tamil Nadu

Vaigai River

22.

Vitthala Temple

Hampi, Karnataka

Tungabhadra River

23.

Ramanathaswamy Temple

Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu

Rameswaram

24.

Airavateswara Temple

Darasuram, Tamil Nadu

Kollidam River

25.

Sanchi Stupa

Raisen, Madhya Pradesh

-

26.

Yamunotri Temple

Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand

Yamunotri River

27.

Bahai Temple

New Delhi

-

28.

Padmanabhaswamy Temple

Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

-

29.

Dakshineswar Kali Temple

Kolkata, West Bengal

Hooghly River

30.

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple

Madhya Pradesh

-

31.

Gomateshwara Bahubali Temple

Hassan district, Karnataka

-

32.

Nataraja Temple

Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu

-

33.

Sabarimala Temple

‎Pathanamthitta, Kerala

Pamba River

34.

Mahakaleshwar Temple

Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh

Shipra River

35.

Dwarkadhish temple

Dwarka, Gujarat

Gomti River

Ancient Temples in India

Temple which is called “Mandira” in Sanskrit is a house of worship. Temples in India reflect the cultural glory and history of a place. In India, a temple is considered as a place where humans spiritually connect with God. Temples in India are built on the principles of Vastu shastra, known as “Shilpa Shashtra”. It is a symbolic, miniature representation of the cosmos. Check out some of the ancient temples in India with interesting facts.

Temples in India

State

Features/facts

Virupaksha Temple

Karnataka

It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Hampi district of Bellari.

Lakkana Dandesha, a chieftain under the Vijayanagara Empire's monarch Deva Raya II, built it.

Lord Venkateswara Temple

Andhra Pradesh

Tirumala Hills Temple is also known as Tirupathi Balaji.

The temple is built in the Dravidian architectural style.

Somnath Temple

Gujarat

Prabhas Patan and Deo Patan are two more names for Prabhas Patan. It is one of Lord Shiva's 12 jyotirlinga shrines.

From Somnath temple to Antarctica, there is no land between the waters.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel refurbished the temple in 1947.

Chalukya-style construction

Dwarkadhish Temple

Gujarat

Jagat Mandir is another name for it. It's one of four Hindu pilgrimages (Char Dham).

Mahmud Brgada demolished the original building in 1472.

Currently, in the Chalukya architectural style.

Mahabodhi Temple

Bihar

It is a Buddhist Stupa in Bodhgaya that was founded about 260 BC.

The Mahabodhi Central Tower stands 180 feet (54 meters) tall.

The brickwork represents Buddha's life.

Vaishno Devi Temple

Jammu & Kashmir

Trikuta Hills, 5200 feet above sea level. It's a Cave temple.

Amarnath Temple

Jammu & Kashmir

A cave temple at an elevation of 3888 meters.

Amarnath is one of the 51 Shakti Peeths, and Bhrigu Muni was the first to discover it.

Sabarimala Temple

Kerala

Largest annual pilgrimage sites in the world with an estimate of over 40 to 50 million devotees visiting every year

The temple is situated on a hilltop amidst eighteen hills at an altitude of 1260 m (4,134 ft) above sea level and is surrounded by mountains and dense forests.

The temple is dedicated to a Hindu Brahmachari (Celibate) deity Ayyappan

Check out:

Top 10 Famous Temples in India

As you know, there is a whole range of important temples in India. In fact, the temples in India form an integral part of our rich heritage, and we must learn about them. Listed below are the top 10 famous temples in India.

  1. Tirupati Balaji Temple, Andhra Pradesh: This temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara and is one of the most visited temples in the world. It is known for its grandeur, intricate carvings, and spiritual significance.
  2. Golden Temple, Punjab: Also known as Harmandir Sahib, this temple is the holiest place of worship for Sikhs. It is known for its unique architecture, beautiful golden facade, and peaceful sarovar (pool) surrounding it.
  3. Vaishno Devi Temple, Jammu and Kashmir: Situated in the Trikuta Mountains, this temple is a popular pilgrimage destination for Hindus. Pilgrims trek through the mountains to reach the temple and seek blessings from the Hindu goddess Vaishno Devi.
  4. Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Uttar Pradesh: Kashi Vishwanath Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the holiest temples in Hinduism. It is known for its religious significance, intricate architecture, and spiritual ambiance.
  5. Meenakshi Temple, Tamil Nadu: Located in Madurai, Meenakshi Temple is dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi, an avatar of Parvati. It is known for its elaborate gopurams (gateway towers), stunning sculptures, and vibrant festivals.
  6. Somnath Temple, Gujarat: Located in Prabhas Patan, Somnath Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas (sacred abodes of Lord Shiva).
  7. Jagannath Temple, Odisha: This temple is dedicated to Lord Jagannath, a form of Lord Vishnu. It is known for its Rath Yatra (chariot festival), elaborate rituals, and cultural significance.
  8. Amarnath Temple, Jammu and Kashmir: Situated in the Himalayas, this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is a popular pilgrimage destination for Hindus. The ice stalagmite formed inside the cave is considered to be a form of Lord Shiva and attracts devotees from all over the world.
  9. Akshardham Temple, Delhi: Akshardham Temple is a masterpiece of modern architecture and showcases the rich cultural heritage of India. It is known for its intricate carvings, multimedia shows, and spiritual exhibits.
  10. Brihadeeswara Temple, Tamil Nadu: Located in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is known for its towering gopuram, stunning sculptures, and historical significance. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is considered a masterpiece of Chola architecture.

We hope to have covered the most important temples in India for SSC Exams and other competitive exams in this article. You can add to the list and leave your queries regarding this topic in the comments.

State-wise Famous Temples in India
Famous Temples in KarnatakaFamous Temples in Andhra Pradesh
Famous Temples in KeralaFamous Temples in Tamil Nadu

Comments

write a comment

FAQs on Famous Temples in India

  • There is a whole range of famous temples in India. Out of these, some of the most famous and ancient temples reside in the state of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, such as the Badrinath Temple, Kedarnath Temple, and the holy Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

  • In order to prepare for competitive exams, you must learn about the important temples in India for SSC and Railway exams. We have compiled a detailed list of famous Indian temples along with their locations in the article above. You can go through the table and also do your own research on the topic.

  • Although there are many famous temples in India, some of the most ancient and important temples are the Khajuraho temple of Madhya Pradesh and the Padmanabhaswamy Temple from Kerala, which is referred to as God’s own country.

  • When preparing for any competitive exam such as SSC, candidates must brush up on their General Knowledge about important temples in India and other monuments. We have added a list of the most famous Indian temples, including the Kedarnath temples, the Golden temple, the Amarnath temple, the Konark sun temple and more.

  • One of the oldest and most ancient temples in India is the Mundeshwari Temple which is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga. It is considered the oldest functional Hindu temple and consists of inscriptions that are believed to be dated the 4th Century AD.

  • Candidates can download the famous temples in India PDF for GK preparation in this article. We have also provided the list of the top 10 most important temples in India which are likely to be covered in the upcoming exams.

  • Tamil Nadu is known as the temple state of India. It is also popularly known as the 'Land of Temples' in the country. It is home to famous temples in India like Brihadeeswara Temple, Meenakshi Temple, etc.

  • Göbekli Tepe in modern-day Turkey is considered one of the oldest known religious sites, dating back to approximately 9600 BCE. It is known as the first temple in the world due to its ceremonial and ritualistic features.

  • India is home to thousands of temples, each with its own historical, cultural, and religious significance. It is difficult to determine the exact number of famous temples in India, however, it is believed that there are around 2 million temples in India. Tirupati Balaji Temple, Vaishno Devi Temple, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Golden Temple, and Meenakshi Temple are a few famous temples in India.

  • The Srirangam Temple is considered the largest temple in India. It is located in Srirangam, a small island town in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is believed to be one of the oldest temples in South India.

  • The Mahabodhi Temple, located in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, is one of the most famous Buddhist temples in India. It is considered a sacred site as it marks the place where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment. The temple complex includes a giant statue of Buddha, a Bodhi tree, and a series of shrines and meditation areas.

SSC & Railway

CGLSSC GDDFCCILCHSLCPONTPCMTSStenoGroup DDelhi PoliceOthersCoursesMock Test

Follow us for latest updates