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The flight of spirituality is not measured in inches, metres or kilometers, otherwise
none would have matched the heights of Himalayas in India or place of worship
like a temple, a mosque, a church, a synagogue, a stupa/pagoda situated any place
on this earth. But spiritualism is the journey of soul that travels within to
attain the proverbial distance or height.
Visit India South is
pleased to bring you the
South India temple tourism with compact details
on few of the prominent temples where interested overseas tourists make a curious
visit while there are others who undertake the journey to these
places of pilgrimage
in South India.
Badami Cave Temple
Badami
is an interesting place to visit in Karnataka. Badami is picturesquely situated
at the mouth of a ravine between two rocky hills. The place has an artificial
lake, ancient temples, Museum and Hindu and Jain caves carved in the Sandstone
hills. It was once the Capital of the erstwhile Chalukya Empire. They built
many temples and monuments, marking the beginning of the Hindu style of architecture.
The examples of Chalukyan style can be seen in cave temples of Badami, Aihole,
Pattadakal and many other Buddhist and Jain monasteries in the region.
More About Badami Cave
Temple....
Guruvayoor Temple
Guruvayoor Temple is one of the biggest like Tirupati, Badami,
and Puri. The presiding deity is four armed Lord Maha Vishnu, while his reincarnation
Lord Krishna is worshipped by devotees here. The devotees have unflinching faith
in the wish fulfilling that makes the greatness and glory of this temple special.
The legend has it that the temple was erected by Guru and his disciple Vayudeva
(Air) on receiving the recommendations of Lord Paramashiva who conjoining the
names of Guru and Vayu named the place as Guruvayoor.
More About
Guruvayoor Temple....
Kanchipuram
Temple
Kanchipuram is a small, rural town about 75-km from Chennai in
the state of Tamil Nadu. Kanchipuram was under the Pallavas from the 6th to 8th
century AD and later became the citadel of the Cholas, Vijayanagar Kings, the
Muslim and the British. It has been a center of Tamil learning, cultural and religious
background for centuries. Kanchipuram has magnificent temples of unique architectural
beauty bearing eloquent testimony to its glorious Dravidian heritage. With the
Sankara Mutt acting as the hub of Hindu activities and the temples, Kanchipuram
is one of the most highly visited pilgrimage spots in India, and can rightfully
be called the "Religious Capital of South India".
More About
Kanchipuram Temple....
Mahabalipuram Temple
Mahabalipuram Temple The history of Mahabalipuram dates back to
two thousand years, it contains nearly forty monuments of different types including
an "open air bas relief" which is the largest in the world, for centuries
it has been a centre of pilgrimage, it figures in the early annals of the British
search for the picturesque in India in the 18th century, today it attracts shoals
of foreigners in search of relaxation and sea bathing, and most strange of all,
it has an atomic power plant for neighbours. A small library has been written
on it. Over its history and that of its monuments a number of scholarly controversies
rage. Sri Lanka's national chronicle, the "Mahavamsa" testifies to this
fact.
More About Mahabalipuram
Temple....
Meenakshi
Temple
Meenakshi Temple in Madurai is one of the most ancient in India.
Although its origins in times are not conclusively assigned, it is believed to
be more than 2500 years old. The soaring and exquisitely carved nine storeys high
towers enclosing the temple are one of the best in temple architectures in India.
There are twin temples at south gateways dedicated to Lord Shiva and Meenakshi.
On looking up the south gateways you would see the four mythical beasts called
Yalis glaring downwards. The structures occupy a vast space, 258 m by 241m that
rise out of the teeming streets of the city center.
More About
Meenakshi Temple....
Murugan Temple
There are in all 33 major temples in Tamil Nadu where Lord Muruga
or Murugan is worshipped. Murugan Temples at Palani and Tirupporur find place
of prominence among others.
More About Murugan
Temple....
Rameshwaram
Temple
Rameshwaram is an island situated on the tip of the Indian peninsula.
Rameshwaram is significant for the Hindus. It is an important south India pilgrimage
centre of nationwide importance for the Indians. Both the Vaishnavites and Shaivites
visit this pilgrimage, as it is the place from where Lord Rama had built a bridge
across the sea to rescue his consort Sita. This is the place where Rama worshipped
Lord Shiva to cleanse away the sin of Ravana on his way back from Sri Lanka. The
entire area of Rameshwaram is associated with various incidents from the Ramayana.
More About Rameshwaram
Temple....
Sabarimala Temple
The holy shrine of Sabarimala is dedicated to Lord Ayyappa. Sabarimala
is one of the most important Hindu temples of Kerala. The renowned south India
pilgrimage center of Sabarimala is situated 914 m above sea level atop the rugged
hills of the Western Ghats. The place is amidst the virgin forest wilderness of
the Western Ghats. The temple dome is covered with gold and the devotees break
the coconuts before climbing the steps. Shabari is said to have done severe penance
in order to meet Rama, who granted her wish for her devotion and faith during
her penance. The village Sabarimala is named after her.
More About
Sabarimala Temple....
Somnathpur
Temple
"Nowhere else in India there is such a profusion of monuments
as in Karnataka. It is no wonder Karnataka has been called the cradle of stone
architecture. These peerless wonders are eloquent reminders of a fertile heritage.
"There is a stillness and everlastingness about the past, it changes not
and has a touch of eternity," wrote Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru in his "Discovery
of India." These words somehow hold true when one arrives at Somnathpur,
a tiny village on the banks of the Kaveri, 140 kms south-west of Bangalore.
More About
Somnathpur Temple....
Thousand Pillar Temple
Noted today for its beautiful lakes, magnificent temples
and wildlife, the ancient city Warangal possess the marvelous thousand pillared
temple, built by King Rudra Deva in the 12th century. Thousand Pillar Temple is
4-km from Hanumakonda crossroad in Warangal district. The temple is a fine specimen
of 'Kakatiya' architecture and sculpture. It is the main attraction of Hanumakonda.
More About Thousand
Pillar Temple....
Tirupati Tirumala
Balaji Temple
Tirupati Balaji temple is famous for Lord Venkateshwara
Deity. The Cupola over the sanctorum is covered entirely with gold plate and is
known as "the Ananda Nilayam". The town of Tirupati-Balaji is one of
the most sacred places in India. The name Tirupati-Balaji means the 'lord of Lakshmi'.
The shrine is located 853m above the sea level on Tirumala hill range, a cluster
of seven hills known as Venkatachalam, and lies on the southern banks of Sri Swami
Pushkarini. He is also called the Lord of the Seven Hills. The epics like Rig
Veda and Asthadasa Puranas describe Sri Venkateswara as the great bestowed of
boons.
More About
Tirupati Tirumala Balaji Temple....
Kanyakumar
Temple, Kanyakumari
It is at the confluence of the Bay of Bengal, the
Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Sea where the sacred pilgrimage site of Kanyakumari
is situated. It is the southernmost tip and land’s end of Indian Peninsula.
Kanyakumari is also known as Cape Comorin.
More
About Kanyakumar Temple, Kanyakumari....
Bull
Temple, Bangalore
Constructed in 16th Century by Kempe Gowda, the
Bull Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. As per the legend once a bull entered
the fields of a well-grown crop and started grazing. On seeing his crop being
destroyed by the bull, the farmer hit it with a club. The Bull suddenly transformed
into a stone. It was quite a shock for the farmers who thought that the atonement
was possible only by building a temple for the bull. The decision so taken was
immediately implemented.
More
About Bull Temple, Bangalore....
Kalpathy
Temple, Palakkad
The Kalpathy Vishwanatha Swamy shrine at 3 Kms
from Palakkad is the oldest Shiva temple. Kombi Achan, the then Raja of Palakkad
built this temple around 1425 A.D. It is the oldest temple in Malabar dedicated
to Shiva. It is famous for the annual Chariot Festival, and this gala event lasts
for seven days. Kalpathy Car Festival is based on Vedic Tamil Brahmin Culture.
Vedic recitals are held in the temple throughout the festival.
More
About Kalpathy Temple, Palakkad....
OTHER SIGNIFICANT TEMPLES IN SOUTH INDIAN STATES: Temples
in Tamil Nadu (South India Temples): Parthasarathy Temple, Chennai; Varadaraja
Temple, Chennai; Kapaleeswara Temple, Chennai; Sri Viswaroopa Panchmukha and Adhivyadhihara
Temple, Chennai; Meenakshi Temple, Madurai; Sri Ranganathaswami Temple, Srirangam;
Rock Fort Temple, Trichy; Murugan Temple, Palani; Rameshwaram Temple, Rameshwaram;
Chidambaram Temples, Chidambaram; Kanchipuram Temples, Kanchipuram; Ekambareswarar
Temple, Kanchipuram; Kailasnathar Temple, Kanchipuram; Mahabalipuram Temples,
Mahabalipuram; Perur Patteeswararswamy Temple, Coimbatore.
Temples
in Karnataka (South India Temples): Bull Temple, Bangalore; Cave Temple,
Badami; Virupaksha Temple / Pampapathi Temple, Hampi; Vithala Temple, Hampi; Chamundeswari
Temple, Mysore; Channakeshva Temple, Belur; Krishna Temple, Hampi; Hazara Temple,
Hampi; Kishkindha Temple, Hampi; Adi Sankara Shrine, Chikmagalur; Kalaseshwar
Temple, Chikmagalur; Ananthasana Temple, Udupi; Sri Mahishamardini Temple, Udupi;
Sri Janardana & Sri Mahakali Temples, Udupi; Annapoorneshwari Temple, Kudremukh;
Biligiri Ranganna Temple, Mysore; Chamundi Hill Temple, Mysore; Gomateswara Temple,
Mysore; Keerthinarayana Temple, Mysore; Keshava Temple, Mysore; Mahadeshwara Temple,
Mysore; Jaganmohana Ranganatha Temple, Mysore; Panchalinga Shrine, Mysore; Ranganathaswami
Temple, Mysore; Shankara Simhasana Temple, Mangalore; Subramanya Temple, Mangalore;
Devi Mookambika, Mangalore; Durga Parameshwari Temple, Mangalore; Hoysaleswara
Temple, Hassan; Mahaballeswara Temple, Karwar; Manjunathaswamy Temple, Mangalore;
Subramanya Temple, Mangalore; Narasimhavana Temple, Chikmagalur; Vidya Sankara
Temple, Chikmagalur.
Temples in Kerala (South India Temples):
Guruvayoor Temple, Thrissur; Sabarimala Temple, Pathanamthitta; Malayalapuzha
Temple, Pathanamthitta; Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple, Trivandrum; Sivagiri Temple,
Trivandrum; Ambalapuzha Temple, Alappuzha (Alleppey); Tiruvalla Temple, Alappuzha;
Vaikom Temple, Kottayam; Oachira Temple, Kollam; Thirunelli Temple, Wayanad; Chottanikkara
Temple, Ernakulam; Lokanarkavu Temple, Kozhikode; Thali Temple, Kozhikode; Vadakkumnathan
Temple, Thrissur; Ananthapura Lake Temple, Kasaragod; Koodalmanickyam Temple,
Thrissur; Thriprayar Temple, Thrissur; Valliyoorkkavu Temple, Wayanad; Aranmula
Temple, Tiruvalla; Chettikulangara Temple, Alappuzha; Thirunakkara Mahadev Temple,
Kottayam; Attukal Devi Temple, Trivandrum; Ganapathi Temple, Kottarakkara.
Temples
in Andhra Pradesh (South India Temples): Tirupati Tirumala Balaji, Tirupati;
Thousand Pillar Temple, Warangal; Birla Mandir, Hyderabad; Iskcon Temple, Hyderabad;
Srikalahasti Temple, Chittoor; Suryanarayana Temple, Srikakulam.
