All India Famous Hindu Temples: A Complete Guide to Sacred Places

Contents

• 12 Jyotirlingas of India
• Char Dham pilgrimage
• Famous temples in North India
• Famous temples in West India
• Famous temples in South India
• Famous temples in East India
• Famous temples in Central India
• Temple visit tips
• Frequently asked questions

12 Jyotirlingas of India

Jyotirlingas are highly revered shrines of Lord Shiva. Hindu tradition recognises twelve principal Jyotirlingas, each associated with sacred legends and pilgrimage. Here are their commonly recognised locations.

Travel note: Traditional lists and regional interpretations can differ over the identification of some Jyotirlinga locations. Verify the destination and temple arrangements before travelling.

Char Dham Pilgrimage in India

The term Char Dham is used for more than one pilgrimage circuit. The Himalayan Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand includes four sacred destinations in the Garhwal Himalayas.

For official pilgrimage information, routes and seasonal updates, visit Uttarakhand Tourism’s Char Dham guide.

Famous Hindu Temples in North India

Uttar Pradesh

• Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi: A major shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva.
• Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir, Ayodhya: Associated with the birthplace tradition of Lord Ram.
• Krishna Janmabhoomi, Mathura: An important pilgrimage destination associated with Lord Krishna.
• Banke Bihari Temple, Vrindavan: Famous for devotion to Lord Krishna.
• Vindhyavasini Temple, Vindhyachal: A popular shrine dedicated to Goddess Vindhyavasini.
• Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, Varanasi: A prominent Hanuman temple.

Uttarakhand

• Kedarnath Temple
• Badrinath Temple
• Gangotri Temple
• Yamunotri Temple
• Mansa Devi Temple, Haridwar
• Neelkanth Mahadev Temple, near Rishikesh
• Jageshwar Dham, Almora region

Jammu and Kashmir

• Vaishno Devi Temple, Katra
• Amarnath Cave Shrine
• Kheer Bhawani Temple, Ganderbal

Himachal Pradesh

• Jwala Ji Temple, Kangra
• Chintpurni Temple, Una
• Naina Devi Temple, Bilaspur
• Bhimakali Temple, Sarahan
• Baijnath Temple, Kangra district

Punjab, Haryana and Delhi

• Shri Durgiana Temple, Amritsar, Punjab
• Mata Mansa Devi Temple, Panchkula, Haryana
• Birla Mandir, Delhi
• Jhandewalan Hanuman and Devi temples, Delhi
• Akshardham Temple, Delhi

Famous Hindu Temples in West India

Gujarat

• Somnath Temple, Prabhas Patan
• Dwarkadhish Temple, Dwarka
• Ambaji Temple, Banaskantha
• Akshardham Temple, Gandhinagar
• Nageshwar Jyotirlinga, near Dwarka

Maharashtra

• Siddhivinayak Temple, Mumbai
• Trimbakeshwar Temple, Nashik district
• Bhimashankar Temple, Pune district
• Grishneshwar Temple, near Ellora
• Shirdi Sai Baba Temple, Shirdi
• Mahalakshmi Temple, Kolhapur
• Vitthal Rukmini Temple, Pandharpur

Rajasthan

• Shri Khatu Shyam Ji Temple, Sikar district
• Brahma Temple, Pushkar
• Govind Dev Ji Temple, Jaipur
• Mehandipur Balaji Temple, Dausa district
• Eklingji Temple, near Udaipur
• Shrinathji Temple, Nathdwara

Goa

• Mangeshi Temple, Ponda
• Shantadurga Temple, Kavale
• Mahalasa Narayani Temple, Mardol

Famous Hindu Temples in South India

Tamil Nadu

• Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai
• Brihadeeswarar Temple, Thanjavur
• Ramanathaswamy Temple, Rameswaram
• Arunachaleswarar Temple, Tiruvannamalai
• Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Chennai
• Palani Murugan Temple, Dindigul district
• Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam

Andhra Pradesh

• Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, Tirupati
• Srisailam Mallikarjuna Temple
• Kanaka Durga Temple, Vijayawada
• Srikalahasti Temple, Tirupati district
• Simhachalam Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Visakhapatnam

Telangana

• Yadadri Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Yadadri
• Bhadrakali Temple, Warangal
• Raja Rajeshwara Temple, Vemulawada
• Chilkur Balaji Temple, Hyderabad

Karnataka

• Virupaksha Temple, Hampi
• Murudeshwar Temple, coastal Karnataka
• Udupi Sri Krishna Matha
• Chamundeshwari Temple, Mysuru
• Kukke Subramanya Temple, Dakshina Kannada
• Gokarna Mahabaleshwar Temple

Kerala

• Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram
• Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple
• Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple
• Vadakkunnathan Temple, Thrissur
• Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram

Famous Hindu Temples in East India

Odisha

• Jagannath Temple, Puri
• Lingaraj Temple, Bhubaneswar
• Konark Sun Temple, Konark
• Samaleswari Temple, Sambalpur
• Tara Tarini Temple, Ganjam district

West Bengal

• Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Kolkata
• Kalighat Kali Temple, Kolkata
• Tarapith Temple, Birbhum
• Belur Math, Howrah
• Mayapur ISKCON Temple, Nadia district

Jharkhand

• Baba Baidyanath Dham, Deoghar
• Rajrappa Chhinnamasta Temple, Ramgarh district
• Jagannath Temple, Ranchi

Bihar

• Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya (Buddhist sacred site)
• Vishnupad Temple, Gaya
• Patna Sahib, Patna (Sikh sacred site)
• Mundeshwari Devi Temple, Kaimur

Famous Hindu Temples in Central India

Madhya Pradesh

• Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, Ujjain
• Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga, Mandhata
• Khajuraho temples, Chhatarpur district
• Maihar Sharda Devi Temple, Satna district
• Pitambara Peeth, Datia
• Chintaman Ganesh Temple, Ujjain

Chhattisgarh

• Maa Bamleshwari Temple, Dongargarh
• Danteshwari Temple, Dantewada
• Rajiv Lochan Temple, Rajim
• Chandrahasini Devi Temple, Chandrapur

More Famous Temples Across India

Several other destinations are important to India’s diverse religious heritage. These include:

• Assam: Kamakhya Temple, Guwahati; Umananda Temple, Guwahati.
• Arunachal Pradesh: Parshuram Kund, Lohit district.
• Manipur: Shree Govindajee Temple, Imphal.
• Tripura: Tripura Sundari Temple, Udaipur.
• Meghalaya: Nartiang Durga Temple, West Jaintia Hills.
• Sikkim: Kirateshwar Mahadev Temple, Legship.
• Mizoram and Nagaland: Visitors can explore local religious and cultural heritage, noting that Hindu temple availability varies by area.

Popular Hindu Temples by Deity

Important Tips Before Visiting a Temple

• Check the temple’s official website for current opening hours and darshan arrangements.
• Confirm seasonal opening dates before planning a Himalayan pilgrimage.
• Check dress codes, photography rules, security restrictions and mobile phone policies.
• For crowded festivals, look for official online booking or registration facilities where available.
• Plan transport and accommodation ahead of time for major pilgrimage destinations.
• Respect local customs, temple traditions and the environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Which are the most famous Hindu temples in India?

Some of India’s best-known Hindu temples include Kashi Vishwanath, Mahakaleshwar, Somnath, Kedarnath, Badrinath, Tirumala Venkateswara, Jagannath Puri, Meenakshi Amman and Vaishno Devi.

2. How many Jyotirlingas are there in India?

Hindu tradition recognises twelve principal Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.

3. Which temples are included in Uttarakhand Char Dham?

The four destinations are Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.

4. Which is a famous Shiva temple in Ujjain?

Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is the most prominent Shiva pilgrimage temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.

5. What is the best time to visit Indian temples?

The best time depends on the destination, weather, festivals and temple calendar. Check official information before travelling, especially for high-altitude shrines.

6. Can temple darshan be booked online?

Some temples offer official online darshan, puja or entry bookings, while others use on-site arrangements. Use the relevant temple trust or official tourism website.

Conclusion

India’s temples reflect a rich heritage of faith, architecture, mythology and regional culture. Whether you want to visit the twelve Jyotirlingas, undertake the Char Dham Yatra, seek darshan at famous Devi temples or discover sacred places in your own state, planning ahead makes the journey easier and more meaningful.

Explore more spiritual stories, temple histories, festival guides and pilgrimage information on MahakalTemple.com.

Editorial note: Temple names, traditions and pilgrimage classifications may vary across regional and religious sources. Check official temple and tourism authorities for current travel information.