Top 10 temples of Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh, the heart of incredible India also hides a treasure-trove of religious places in its closet. The call is heard far and wide by the devotees who come to pay respects to the myriads of deity of the heartland. The following list tries to enumerate the most-well known, some of the most visited and the shrines commanding great devotion and respect of its adherents. The list is by no means exhaustive but tries to provide a glimpse of the religious landscape of the state. The article lists down the temples in their decreasing order of importance in the current scenario and they should strictly be live i.e there should be a daily prayer ritual in the temple premises and hence temples of Khajuraho and Sanchi aren't considered.

1. Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ujjain:- This without any contest is the richest,most visited and most veneered shrine in the state. The temple is a must visit for every religious and non-religious tourist alike once he steps within the state boundaries. It is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas and is the centre of attention for the lakhs of Kumbh devotees which gather every once in twelve years on the banks of river Shipra to celebrate Simhastha. Find more details about the Kumbh Mela here.More details about the temple, deity, darshan timings can be found at the following site

Mahakaleshwar:PC- ashish-allinoneplace.blogspot.com

2. Omkareshwar Temple, Omkareshwar: - The more accurate name for this massive temple on the banks of river Narmada is Mamleshwar which is also a part of the 12 Jyotirlingas of the country. Legend says that when Narmada is in its full vigorous form, the main shivlinga oozes Narmada's water. More details about the temple,ashrams,events and hotels can be found here

Omkareshwar: PC-prashantghotikar.wordpress.com

3.Ramraja Temple, Orchha :- The temple where Lord Rama is worshiped as the reigning monarch. The temple has a plethora of interesting stories behind its origin and wasn't designated as the original resting place for the idol. The icon of devotion was to be seated at the nearby Chaturbhuj Temple. More details about the temple can be found here.

Ramraja Temple: PC orchaa.wordpress.com

 4. Sharda Temple, Maihar:- There are various myths and legends associated with the temple specially with regards to the mysterious presence of Alha and Udal. The devotion to the temple is said to be extreme and historical evidences exist of the same. Have a look at the legends at this link.

Sharda Temple: PC- abhishekk-telang.blogspot.com

5.  Narmada Udgam Temple, Amarkantak:- The town of Amarkantak is known as Tirthraj indicating its place at the zenith of all religious centers. There are legends which established the ancient nature of the river one of them being that even Ganga comes to Narmada once a year to purify herself. Best place to find about amarkantak is (Click here)

Mata Narmada: PC- hindutemplesindia.blogspot.com

6. Kamta Nath Temple. Chitrakoot :-The city of Chitrakoot lies in Uttar Pradesh but Madhya Pradesh is fortunate enough to contain most of the centers of devotion. The village is located in the Satna district and is considered one of the most important religious structure dedicated to Lord Rama. More about Chitrakoot at Chitrakoot District Website

Kamadgiri: PC- Suryakamal via flickr.com

7. Chamunda Tekri, Dewas:- Dewas is known as the city of goddesses, the centre of the city is dominated by a conical hill which is dedicated to goddess Chamunda, goddesss Kalika and goddess Tulja Bhavani. The hill has a built parikrama track and offers specatular views of the city and beyond. More details here

Chamunda Tekri: PC-pics2.this-pic.com

8. Peetambara Peeth, Datia:- This is one of 51 Shaktipeeths of India and is dedicated to goddess Bagulamukhi. It also houses temples dedicated to goddess Dhoomavati and follows a strict dress for all the devotees.The temple is maintained by a trust overseen by political bigwigs. More details can be found here

Peetambara: PC-Avinash88Gupta via panoramio.com 

9. Pashupatinath Temple, Mandsaur:- Situated on the banks of river Shivna, the temple worships Lord Shiva in the form of Pashupatinath. The temple is modeled on the basis of its more famous cousin,the Pashupatinath temple at Kathmandu. More details can be obtained at Pashupatinath Official Website

Pashupatinath: PC- Hinduism123.blogspot.com

10. Ratangarh Mata Temple, Rampura:- The legend states that the temple dedicated to goddess Durga was erected by Chhatrapati Shivaji maharaj after his victory over Mughals. The temple is situated near the city of Datia (Approx 55 kms away). A more detailed description about the temple complex can be found at Ratangarhmata.org

Ratangarh: PC-ratangarhmata.org