India is a land of diversity marked by varied religions, cultures, rituals, traditions and ideologies. From mountains of Himalaya and Ladakh to the lost villages of south India or the barren deserts of Rajasthan, India has temples and shrines in every corner. Every temple has its own history and story to tell. The massive structure and intricate and artistic carvings are enough to leave you awestruck. Every year people from all over the world visit these temples to gain spiritual enlightenment. Here we are providing you with a list of best temples in India.

Meenakshi Temple, Andhra Pradesh

Situated on the banks of Vaigai River in Madurai, Meenakshi temple is considered as the ancient and largest temple in India in terms of size and the area. The temple dates back to the sixteenth century (originally in the sixth century) and is dedicated to the goddess Parvati in the form of Meenakshi and Lord Shiva as Sundareshwar. The temple boasts magnificently carved 14 gopurams or gateways. The walls are adorned with numerous paintings with around 33,000 sculptures. There is a giant sculpture of Nataraja enclosed in a big silver altar. The main idol of goddess Meenakshi has a parrot holding in her right hand. The south Indian tourism is trying its best to bring forward the majestically built temples standing from ages.

Vaishno Devi Mandir, Katra

Vaishno Devi temple is situated on the top of Trikuta Mountains of Katra in the valley of Jammu and Kashmir. It is a cave temple and is considered as one of the holiest pilgrim tourist sites in India. Devotees walk for about 12 km from Katra to the main temple. The temple does not have any idol. Instead, there are three rock heads that are naturally formed known as ‘pindies’. These are said to be three forms of Vaishno Devi— Maha Lakshmi, Maha Saraswati, and Maha Kali.

Kamakhya Devi Temple, Assam

Kamakhya temple is one of the most popular tourist places of Assam. Located on the Nilachal Hill in the city of Guwahati in Assam, Kamakhya temple is among the 51 shakti pithas. The temple is considered the most powerful shakti piths as yoni of the goddess Sati had fallen in this place. The temple complex boasts ten maha vidya temples and also several temples dedicated to Shiva. The annual festival is the Ambubachi Mela that celebrates the yearly menstruation cycle of the goddess.

Tirupati Balaji Temple, Andhra Pradesh

Tirupati Balaji temple is one of the most popular and sought after travel destinations in south India. It is considered as the second richest temple in India because of the donation amount received from the devotees. The temple is situated on the seventh peak of the Tirumala hills in Tirupati and is dedicated to Venkateshwara, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

Jagannath Temple, Odisha

Jagannath temple is one of the four holiest places (char dham) in India. The temple is located in the coastal city of Puri and is devoted to Lord Krishna in the form of Jagannath who sits in between his sister goddess Subhadra and brother Balaram. The temple was built by Raja Anantavarman in the twelfth century. The height of the temple is 65 meter and it is surrounded by a 20 feet high wall. The complex temple structure includes 120 temples and most of the idols are made of either stone. People often plan a short trip to Puri to attend the annual Rath Yatra.

India is considered as one of the most spiritual and religious places in the world due to its varied cultures and several temples. Though the list is endless, we have tried to compile a list of popular temples in India that you must visit once in your lifetime.