Vellore, Tamil Nadu The Srilakshmi Golden Temple is one of the newest major temples in India, and the most important modern temple in the south of the country. Constructed less than ten year ago, much of the temple is covered in copper plate which is in turn covered in layer upon layer of magnificent gold leif artwork. Dedicated to the goddess Lakshmi, it is popular with the … [Read more...]

Sevagram, Maharashtra India is home to many Ashrams, monastic communities (of sorts) which function as centers of religious and academic learning as well aspious retreat. Ashrams throughout India covering centuries of history can be found everywhere, but few, if any, have achieved the prominence of the Sevagram Ashram outside of the town of Wardha. It was here, from 1936 to … [Read more...]

Madurai, Tamil Nadu The Meenakshi Temple in Madurai is the largest and most magnificent temple in India dedicated to one of the female Hindu deities, in this case, Parvati, the wife of Shiva. It may also be one of the oldest temples in Tamil Nadu (or at least a descendent of one of the oldest). The temple also hosts one of the largest annual pilgrimages to a female deity … [Read more...]

Badami, Karnataka The Badami Cave Temples, also known as the South Fort Cave Temples, are a series of four rock-cut temples that date back to the height of the Chalukya Empire. They are the finest and best known cave temples in south India, and are arguably third in popularity in the entire country after the cave temples in Ajanta and Elora. Long abandoned, the caves of Badami … [Read more...]

Hampi, Karnataka The Vijayanagar Ruins in the city of Hampi is home to one of the best collections of decaying old temples in Southern India. Once the capital of one of the wealthiest kingdoms in Indian history, the city of Hampi at its height boasted some of the most splendind temples constructed after the Middle Ages. There are dozens of amazing temples here in various … [Read more...]

Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh The Sri Venkateswara Temple is one of India’s stellar religious attractions. It is estimated that over 30 million pilgrims visit this temple every year, making it the most visited Hindu site in the world and puts it in the running for one of the most visited sacred places in any religion anywhere. Dedicated primarily to Vishnu, its claim to fame is … [Read more...]

Srirangapatna, Karnataka The Sri Ranganatha Temple is one of five sacred shrines along the Kaveri River dedicated to Vishnu. The most upstream of the five, it is considered the most important, and is a popular starting point for pilgrims traveling along the river. Architecturally it boasts one of the finest pyramid dome towers in Karnataka, and is a popular destination for … [Read more...]

Belur & Somnathpura, Karnataka The Chennakeshava Temples are a trio of temples constructed in the 12th and 13th centuries under the auspices of the Hoysala kings in Southern India. All three honor Chennakeshava, a form of the deity Vishnu, and are among the best preserved and awe-inspiring temples in Karnataka. Of the three, two are considered among the best (and most … [Read more...]

Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu The Shore Temple is one of southern India’s most unique temples, both historically and architecturally. It gets its name from the fact that its stands on the shore of the Bay of Bengal, and it might have once served a dual purpose as a light house. Unlike virtually every other major temple in India, which are generally rock cut and involve intricately … [Read more...]

Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu The Sabhanayaka Nataraja Temple is one of the most religiously important in the the South of India. According to legend, it was here that the Lord Shiva descended to Earth in primordial times and first performed the Cosmic Dance. Because of this it draws a particularly large number of Hindus specifically on pilgimrage (whereas most other temples in … [Read more...]