Top 10 temples of Bihar

Bihar has been The Enlightenment state, equally revered by Jains and Buddhists as this state played a very important role in the life of both of these gods and shaped the destiny of the country and to an extent, the world as well. Magadha throughout history had been at the centerstage of the happenings in India and though much has changed since then, only little has changed towards the devotion which these temples evoke.The top 10 lists are in order.

1. Mahabodhi Temple, Gaya:- Mahabodhi temple is the site where Buddha attained enlightenment and hence the star attraction is the Bodhi Tree. The temple complex also houses patron images of Surya , Shiva and Vishnu. It is one of the most replicated Buddhist structures with replicas existing as Mahabodhi Temple, Myanmar; Zhenjue Temple, China; Wat Chet Yot Temple, Thailand. One can browse www.bodhgayatemple.com which is the official website by the committee.

Mahabodhi Temple: PC-besttourismplaces.com

2. Vaidyanath Temple, Deoghar:- One of the twelve Jytorilingas dedicated to Lord Shiva, it is the most visited Shiva temple in Eastern India. The legend states that the temple was the site for post- funeral rituals and a center of Tantra. This is also the site where Ravana is said to have worshiped Shiva to receive a boon and he sacrificed his heads as a token of his penance. Here Lord Shiva acted as a doctor and hence the name "Vaidyanatha". The official website babadham.org/ provides better information.

Baidyanath: PC-jharkhanddarshan.com

3. Jalmandir, Pawapuri :- The last of teerthankaras Lord Mahaveer, attained his nirvana here and was cremated which created a rush to collect the cremation soil at such an unprecedented scale that it created a pond. Now, a great lotus temple stands at the site. There is also a dedicated temple known by the name Samaroshan temple where Lord Mahaveer delivered its last sermon here.

Jalmandir: PC- jaindharmaonline.com

4. Patna Sahib, Patna :- Patna sahib is one of the five Takhts , i.e. the holiest shrines of Sikhism. It was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh as a remembrance of the tenth guru of Sikhs namely Guru Gobind Singh as it said to be built over his birthplace. The Takht was also graced by the presence of Guru Nanak and Guru Tegh Bahadur. There is more info on the official website of the Takht  www.takhtsripatnasahib.com/

Patna Takht: PC- sikhmissionarysociety.com

5. Vishnupad Temple, Gaya :- Gaya holds a position of special significance in Hinduism. It is the center for offering post-funeral rites and hence tragically is the places which is a mute witness to the scores of suffering and languish of its devotees. Prapitamaheshwar temple stands smack dab in the centre of all this as the last tendril of connection to this world and yonder. Look here for more info only if you absolutely need it. 

Vishnupad Temple: PC- wikimedia commons

6. Garib Sthan Mandir, Muzaffarpur :- If one has nothing he atleast has Lord Shiva, this aspect of the supreme god of our pantheon forms the basis of this shrine to him. It is also known as the Baba Garibsthan Mandir and is one of the most archaic religious structure in the city. More information can be obtained at the official site http://www.garibnathdham.in/

Baba Garibsthan: PC - subhumi.com

7. Mangalagowri Temple, Gaya :- The Manglagowri temple is one of 18 Mahashaktipeethas of India and is the epicentre of devotion of the women-only festival Mangla Gauri Vrat. The temple situated atop the Mangla hill  presiding deity Maa Mangla is the worshiped as the incarnation of benevolence.

Maglagauri: PC-epuja.in

8 .Mandargiri Temple, Banka :- The Mandargiri is extremely sacred as it formed the main instrument for the extremely famous Samudra Manthan story of Skanda Puran, The oldest temple at the site is said to be dedicated to Lord Narsimha or Narhari and in memory of 12th Jain Tirthankara Vasupujya a Mandargiri Digambar Jain Temple is also located in the complex.

Mandargiri: PC- jainoutlook.com

9. Janki Mandir, Sitamarhi :- The temple holds immense significance as this is the slated place where Goddess Sita was abandoned the material world and went back to her mother-Goddess Prithvi. It is from here that Lord Rama took his two princes Luv and Kush back to Ayodhya. The official website can be found at sitasamahittemple.in/

Sitamarhi: PC-sitamarhi.bih.nic.in

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10. Maa Patan Devi Temple, Patna :- The city of Patna derives its name from this patron goddess. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Sati and is one of the 51 Shaktipeethas of the country. The religious life of the city revolves around the temple. One can browse for more information at the official site www.maapatneshwari.org/

Pataneshwari: PC- meerasoftech.com

Top 10 temples of Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu has long been the bastion of Hinduism and Hindu culture and this gets reflected amply in the amount of incredible sites of worship dotting the landscape. Hence it becomes extremely difficult to narro

1. Ramanathswami Temple, Rameshwaram : Located in the Ramnathpuram district the temple is the only religious structure in India which is both a Jyotirlinga and a Char Dham site. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this is the southern dhama and is said to be the place of worship of Shiva by Lord Rama before embarking on his quest of Lanka. The temple boast of the largest corridors in the world and has multiple wells where various saints and kings have performed penance. The official website can be visited here

2. Meenakshi Temple, Madurai : Located on the banks of river Vaigai, the temple is situated in the holy city of Madurai is dedicated to goddess Parvati who is worshiped in the form of Meenakshi. The annual Meenakshi Tirukalyanam festival attracts more than a million visitors across the country. The official websites can be visited at www.maduraimeenakshi.org  and  www.maduraimeenakshitemple.com

Meenakshi temple: PC-maduraixpress.com

3. Brihadeshwara Temple, Thanjavur : One of the oldest and the biggest temples dedicated to Shiva was built by the Chola dynasty which showcases the heights reached by their empire. It is also a Unesco World Heritage site and is more than a millenium old. One can visit the official website for more information about the legends, effort, architecture and styles.

Brihadeshwar: PC-insightsindia.blogspot.com

4. Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram : The temple has been one of the icons of Hinduism across the world and is said to be over two millenia old. The presiding deity is Lord Shiva and has 108 Bharatnatyam poses sculpted over the gopurams. Visit the www.chidambaramnataraja.org for further details.

Nataraj Temple: PC-flickr.com

5.  Kapaleeshwara Temple, Chennai: The capital city can be proud of its cultural heritage and one of the crowing pieces in its glory is the Kapaleeshwara temple where Shiva is worshiped alongside Parvati who is known by the name Karpagambal. The temple has multiple daily rituals and four yearly festivals. Visit the kapaleeswarartemple.com for further information 

Kapaaleshwara: PC-flickr.com

6. Ekambareswarar Temple, Kanchipuram : Kanchipuram is one of the seven cities where one can attain salvation and hence the town comprises of multiple awe-inspiring temples. Amongst those the ekambareswarar temple stands out from the crowd. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, is one of the five Panch Bhootams and houses one of the tallest gopurams in India. Click here for more information

Ekambareshwar: PC-yatrastotemples.com

7.Annamaliayar Arunachaleshwar Temple, Tiruvannamalai : The uniqueness of the temple lies in the fact that it is one of the Panchtatva temples in India, dedicated to the element of fire. Shiva remains the presiding deity of the complex and hence the temple enjoys its seat on the high pedestal within the followers of Shiva. It is one of the largest temples in India and its hall of thousand pillars built during the Vijaynagar kingdom is a sight to behold.

Arunachalam: PC-Sonuprabha for Sulekha.com

8 Rangnathaswamy Temple, Tiruchirapalli : It has the distinction of being the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world, Angkor being the largest religious structure ever built. The entire temple complex isn't religious in nature , 3 out of the 7 parkrimas are used for commercial purposes and hence they reduce the size to make the complex contestable in size with Brihadeshwara and Annamaliayar temple.

Rangnathaswamy: PC-thelostlander.wordpress.com

9. Varadraja Perumal Temple, Kanchipuram: Kanchipuram isn't one of the seven Sapta-puris just riding on its fame. It also houses some of the most revered sites as well as architectural marvels present in modern India. The temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu is one of the sites where 12 Alwars or the saint poets visited. It is the second most visited temple in the city and one of the largest temple complexes in the country

Varadaraja Perumal: PC-divinetraveller,net

10. Rajgopalaswami Temple, Mannarrgudi : The temple is also known as Dakshin Dwarka along with Guruvayoor which indicates the reverence which this site evokes. It also houses one of the most preserved and largest temple tanks in the country which alone makes it a place worth visiting.

Rajagopalaswami: PC-wikimedia.com

Top 10 temples of Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand or Uttaranchal as it also known is The Holy Land for Hindus where millions of tourists flock every year to visit one of the most venerated and revered temples in the country. This hilly state relies heavily on religious tourism, where people from each state of the country congregate.  The top 10 list of the temples situated in this state are:-

1. Badrinath Temple, Badrinath : The Northern Dham of the four Char Dhams, this temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu is the centrepiece of religious attraction in this holy-land. This temple is also one of the four sites which are known as the Chota Char Dhams. The temple is located in the Chamoli district on the banks of river Alaknanda. The statue of Vishnu is believed to be one of the 8 self manifested statues in the country. Visit the official website here

Badrinath: PC-indiandevidevta.blogspot.com

2. Kedarnath Temple, Kedarnath : One of the twelve Jytorilingas dedicated to Lord Shiva, this is the second most visited and revered temple within the state of Uttarakhand. This is also the second in the list of the 4 temples known as Chota Char Dhams. The town was recently destroyed in the flash floods but the temple was miraculously able to preserve itself. Visit the official website at badarikedar.org

Kedarnath: PC-marthoormahadevan.blogspot.com

3. Gangotri Temple, Gangotri : The third piece of the Chota Char Dhaam yatra, the temple is dedicated to Goddess Ganga and is the most revered site for the goddess despite the origin of the river takes place at Gomukh. Situated on the banks of river Bhagirathi, the temple is said to be the site where Goddess Ganga descended from heavens. More info here.

Gangotri: PC-indianinsights.blogspot.com

4. Yamunotri Temple. Yamunotri : The temple is dedicated to goddess Yamuna which is the grandest tributary to the river Ganga. The last of the four Chota Char Dhaams in Uttarakhand. Find out more about the source of river Yamuna here

Yamunotri: PC- tourservicesindia.blogspot.com

5.  Nanda Devi Temple, Almora : The most popular temple dedicated to the Devi in the state, the temple attracts lakhs of visitors in its premises.Fairs at Ranikhet, Almora and Nainital take place in her honour where thousands participate. More information here

Nandadevi: PC- uttarakhandpravasi.blogspot.com

6. Rudranath Temple, Rudraprayag: One of the five Kedars in the state, situated at the confluence of the rivers Mandakini and Alaknanda, the temple is surrounded by sacred Kunds and is said to the place where Devarshi Narad meditated. Rudranath temple is said to be the place where the soul of the dead cross the Vaitarini river.

Rudranath: PC-flickr.com

7. Mansadevi Temple, Haridwar : One of the 51 Shaktipeethas of India, the place is said to be the venue where the heart of lady Sati fell hence the veneration and devotion it invokes is unparalleled. This is also the centre of attraction during the Kumbh mela which takes place once in twelve years.

Mansadevi: PC-hindugodwallpaperz.com

8. Hemkund Sahib Temple, Joshimath : The revered Gurudwara situated at near Gobindghat in the Chamoli district devoted to Guru Gobind Singh. The adjoining glacial lake is surrounded by seven surrounding peaks each adorned by a Nishan Sahib. More information at the official website

Hemkunt: PC- indiantouristspots.blogspot.com

9. Chandidevi Temple, Haridwar : Perched atop a hill in the city of Haridwar, a huge pilgrimage centre in itself, the temple can easily be reached via a ropeway. This is one of the three Siddha Peetha in the state, the other two being Mansadevi and Mayadevi, is dedicated to goddess Chandika.

Chandidevi: PC-myharidwar.com

10. Madmaheshwar Temple, Mansoona : Madmaheshwar or Madhyamaheshwar temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is one of the five Kedars and is believed to be built by the Pandavas. These five temples are also known as the Panch Kedar located in the Garhwal region of the himalayas, the other four being Kedarnath, Rudranath, Tunganath and Kalpeshwar.

Madmaheshwar: PC-flickr.com

Top 10 temples of Karnataka

The first South Indian state in the series, (find more Top10 temples list archive here), the state of Karnataka boasts of a myriad of temples dedicated to a multitude of gods and goddesses. The list as always only included live temples i.e. the places of worship where Pujas are still performed and excludes pure architectural sites.

1. Krishna Mutt, Udupi : The temple town of Udupi is known for its delicious vegetarian cuisine. Located on the Arabian sea coast, dedicated to Lord Krishna is one of the most sacred Vaishnavite sites in the country.  Visit the official website udipikrishnamutt.com to know more details.

Udupi: PC-tulunadunews.com

2. Manjunath Temple, Dharmasthala : Located on the banks of river Netravati in the Belthangadi taluka  of Dakshin Kannada district, the temple is dedicated to Lord Manjunath and also houses idols of Shiva, Chandranath and Ammanavaru. The temple on average receives 10,000 devotees a day. Truly a marvelous site to behold is the annual Lakshdeep festival which takes place in November-December. Visit the official site shridharmasthala.org for further details

Dharmasthala: PC-myjourniesinindia.blogspot.com

3. Chamundeshwari Temple, Mysore : It is one of the 18 Mahashaktipeethas and is situated atop Chamundi hill, at the outskirts of the Mysore city. The temple premises also houses a huge statue of Mahishasura and a huge Nandi statue in the form of a bull. One can obtain more information about the temple at mysorechamunditemple.com and chamundeshwaritemple.kar.nic.in

Chamundeshwari: PC-populartemplesinindia.blogspot.com

4. Gomteshwar Temple, Sravanabelagola: The town is situated close to Chennarayapatna which in turn is approx 140 kms from the state capital at Bangalore. The statue of Bahubali Gomteshwara is truly a towering site which reached its zenith under the Ganga dynasty. Chandragupta maurya is said to have obtained his nirvana here. This is also the site for the mahamastakabhisheka festival which is held once every twelve years.

Bahubali: PC-sacredsites.com

5. Virupaksha Temple, Hampi : The town of Hampi boasts of several magnificent structures built during the Vijaynagar kingdom but the Virupaksha temple dedicated to Lord Shiva tops them all. One can also embrace live elephants who also bless the devotees as per their offerings. It is also believed to be functioning uninterruptedly since its inception in 7th A.D.  For more info click here

Virupaksha: PC-pinterest.com

6. Srikanteshwara Temple, Nanjangud : Located in the Mysore district 25 kms from the city , situated on the banks of river Kapila it is said to be one of the most beautiful temples in the state and rightly it has earned the nickname of Dakshin Kashi. Visit here for further information.

Nanjangud: PC-inmysore.com

7. Mangladevi Temple, Mangalore : This temple has provided the town with its name and is hence is integral to the city's culture and heritage.The temple is dedicated to Shakti and is built in a Kerala style architecture. The festival of Dusshera is the time when the rathyatra commences which is worth a visit alone. More on mangaldevi at the www.mangaladevitemple.com

Mangladevi: PC-aneelanike.blogspot.com

8. Sharda Peetham, Sringeri : First and the foremost of the four mathas established by Adishankaracharya ,located in the Chikmangalur district on the banks of river Tunga it is one of the most authoritative religious sites dedicated towards codecs of Hinduism.  Visit www.sringeri.net for further details

Sringeri Mutt: PC-flickr.com

9. Murdeshwara Temple, Murudeshwar : The picturesque Shiva temple has single-handedly catapulted Murudeshwar onto the tourist map, the presence of scuba diving at Netrani is also a welcome addition. The statue is said to be a part of Atma lingam which provided gods with the nectar of immortality More info here.

Murudeshwara: PC-indianreligioustemple.blogspot.com

10. Talakaveri Temple, Coorg : Dedicated to goddess Kaveri, which is one of the seven Sapt Sindhus, which has provided the region with the elixir of life-water. Located at a distance of 45 kms from Madikeri the temple is situated on the slopes of Brahmagiri hills and contains a Kund which is the origin of the Kaveri river.  Visit here for further information

Talakaveri: PC-dreamysap.wordpress.com

Top 10 temples of Gujarat

The westernmost state of India has been known since ancient times for its wealth and devotion. It has been a site of plunder, reconstruction, affluence, depravity and revival. It houses some of the most famous and venerated temples in the country some of which definitely deserve a Top10 list of their own.

1. Dwarkadheesh Temple, Dwarka: One of the Char Dhams in India , or the Western Dham, the temple dedicated to Lord Krishna draws lakhs of pilgrims in  a single year and why not, after all a Hindu is expected to visit this temple at-least once in his lifetime.  Find more about this Jagat Mandir at the official site www.dwarkadhish.org

Dwarkadheesh: PC - populartemplesofindia.blogspot.com

2. Somnath Temple, Somnath : The first Jytoriling dedicated to Lord Shiva is said to have been rebuilt 16 times in its amazing course through history. The temple stands at the seashore where one can directly gaze into the deep blue waters of the Arabian sea. www.somnath.org is your official source of further information on history, devotion and live Darshan.

Somnath: PC- rajyash.blogspot.com

3. Akshardham Temple, Gandhinagar : One of the most well crafted temples in India, this temple once has had the misfortune of being the target of a terrorist activity. Dedicated to Swaminarayan, this temple is said to be the precursor of the temple built at the National Capital Region. One can browse official site for more information

Akshardham: PC-rahulbemba.blogspot.com

4. Krishna Temple, Bet Dwarka : Located 30 kms at the Bet Dwarka island off the coast of Okha, the temple-island is said to be the remaining site of the submerged city of Dwarka. It is believed that here Lord Krishna stayed with his wife. Click here for further info about the temple.

Bet Dwarka: PC- panoramio.com

5. Nageshwar Temple, Nageshwar : The temple is said to be one of the twelve Jyotirlingas dedicated to Lord Shiva but the claim is stated to be controversial. The temple boasts of a massive Lord Shiva idol placed at the entrance to the temple and also houses an Akhand Jyoti,  the ashes of which are believed to be extremely sacred. This is a better source of information about the temple

Nageshwar: PC-indianstemples.blogspot.com

6. Shatrunjaya Hill Temples, Palitana : Located near Bhavnagar this temple complex boasts of 863 Jain temples and is said to be a marvel of engineering. One of the most sacred Jain sites in India the temple also is a major attraction for international tourists visiting Gujarat. More information here

Palitana: PC-indian-temple-photo.blogspot.com

7. Bahuchara Mata Temple, Mehsana : Located at Bahuchara town of the Mehsana district the deity also serves as the patron goddess of the Hijra community of India. The legends related to the temple are also said to contain the cure for sexual defects and diseases. More info here.

Bahuchara mata: PC-nxview.blogspot.com

8. Kashtabhanjandev Temple, Salangpur : Dedicated to Lord Hanuman, located in the Botad district, this temple is visited by multitude of devotees suffering more psychosomatic disorders.  http://salangpurhanumanji.com/ is the official site for more information about the temple which the devotees may give a browse.

Salangpur: touchmeworld.blogspot.com

9. Ambaji Temple, Banaskantha : One of the 51 Shaktipeethas in India, dedicated to Lord Amba. One of the most revered site dedicated the goddess throughout the country, the temple deserves a special mention for its wealth and tech-savviness. The official site provides further information

Ambaji: PC-travelindianhistory.blospot.com

10 Ranchhordraji Temple, Dakor : Dedicated to Lord Krishna when he fled Jarasandha during battle, the temple is in close proximity to the Ambaji temple and draws millions of devotees every year. The official website provides appropriate information about the temple and tour itineraries. 

Dakor: PC-sfes.learnfighting.org