Sun temple

Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century CE (year 1250) Sun temple at Konark about 35 kilometres
(22 mi) northeast from Puri city on the coastline in Puri district, Odisha, India.[1][2] The temple is
attributed to king Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty about 1250 CE.[3][4]
Dedicated to the Hindu Sun God Surya, what remains of the temple complex has the appearance of a
100-foot (30 m) high chariot with immense wheels and horses, all carved from stone. Once over 200
feet (61 m) high,[1][5] much of the temple is now in ruins, in particular the large shikara tower over the
sanctuary; at one time this rose much higher than the mandapa that remains. The structures and
elements that have survived are famed for their intricate artwork, iconography, and themes,
including erotic kama and mithuna scenes. Also called the Surya Devalaya, it is a classic illustration of
the Odisha style of Architecture or Kalinga architecture.[1][6]

Somnath
The Somnath temple, also called Somanātha temple or Deo Patan, is a Hindu temple
located in Prabhas Patan, Veraval in Gujarat, India. It is one of the most sacred pilgrimage
sites for Hindus and is believed to be first among the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva.[1]
The temple was reconstructed several times in the past after repeated destruction by multiple
Muslim invaders and rulers, notably starting from an attack by Mahmud Ghazni in the 11th
century.[2][3][4][5] It is unclear when the first version of the Somnath temple was built with
estimates varying between the early centuries of the 1st-millennium to about the 9th-century
CE.[6][7]

The Somnath temple was actively studied by colonial era historians and archaeologists in the
19th- and early 20th-century, when its ruins illustrated a historic Hindu temple in the process
of being converted into an Islamic mosque.[8][9][10] After India's independence, those ruins
were demolished and the present Somnath temple was reconstructed in the Māru-Gurjara
style of Hindu temple architecture.

Kedarnath

Kedarnath Temple (Sanskrit: केदारनाथ मंदिर, IAST: Kēdāranātha Mandira, lit. 'temple of

the lord of the field') is a Hindu temple (shrine) dedicated to the lord [Shiva]]. The temple is
located on the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river, in the state of
Uttarakhand, India. Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple is open to the general
public only between the months of April (Akshaya Tritiya) and November (Kartik Purnima,
the autumn full moon). During the winters, the vigraha (deity) from Kedarnath temple is
carried down to Ukhimath where the deity is worshiped for the next six months. Kedarnath is
seen as a homogenous form of Shiva, the 'Lord of Kedarkhand', the historical name of the
region.[1]

The temple is not directly accessible by road and has to be reached by a 22 kilometres (14 mi)
uphill trek from Gaurikund. Pony and manchan service is available to reach the structure.
According to Hindu legends, the temple was initially built by Pandavas, and is one of the
twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest Hindu shrines of Shiva.[2] Pandavas were supposed to have
pleased Shiva by doing penance in Kedarnath.[3][2] The temple is one of the four major sites in
India's Chota Char Dham pilgrimage of Northern Himalayas and is the first of the Panch
Kedar pilgrimage sites. This temple is the highest among the 12 Jyotirlingas.[4] Kedarnath was
the worst affected area during the 2013 flash floods in North India. The temple complex,
surrounding areas, and Kedarnath town suffered extensive damage, but the temple structure
did not suffer any "major" damage, apart from a few cracks on one side of the four walls
which was caused by the flowing debris from the higher mountains. A large rock among the
debris acted as a barrier, protecting the temple from the flood. The surrounding premises and
other buildings in the market area were heavily damaged.[5]

Ramanathanswamy
Ramanathaswamy Temple (Rāmanātasvāmi Kōyil) is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva
located on Rameswaram island in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is also one of the twelve
Jyotirlinga temples. It is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams, where three of the most revered
Nayanars (Saivite saints), Appar, Sundarar and Tirugnana Sambandar, have glorified the temple with
their songs. The temple was expanded during the 12th century by the Pandya Dynasty, and its
principal shrine’s sanctum was renovated by Jeyaveera Cinkaiariyan and his successor Gunaveera
Cinkaiariyan, monarchs of the Jaffna kingdom. The temple has the longest corridor among all Hindu
temples in India. It was built by King Rebel Muthuramalinga Sethupathiy. [1] [2] The temple, located in
Rameswaram, is considered a holy pilgrimage site for Shaivites, Vaishnavites and Smarthas.
Mythological accounts depict the presiding deity, the Lingam of Ramanathaswamy (Shiva), as having
been established and worshiped by Rama, before he crossed his bridge to the present-day island of
Sri Lanka.

Vaishnav devi
Vaishno Devi (also known as Durga, Mata Rani, Trikuta, Ambe and Vaishnavi) is a folk
manifestation of the Supreme Hindu Mother Goddess, Adishakti also referred to as Durga.
The words "Maa" and "Mata" are commonly used in India for mother, and thus are often
heavily used in connection with Vaishno Devi. Vaishnavi was formed from the combined
energies of Parvati, Lakshmi, and Saraswati having the principal energy of Durga overall.[1]
The temple is located in Katra, jammu India

Shri siddhivinayak
The Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Mandir is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shri
Ganesh. It is located in Prabhadevi, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.[1] It was originally built by
Laxman Vithu and Deubai Patil on 19 November 1801. It is one of the richest temples in
India.[2]
The temple has a small mandap with the shrine for Siddhi Vinayak ("Ganesha who grants
your wish"). The wooden doors to the sanctum are carved with images of the Ashtavinayak
(the eight manifestations of Ganesha in Maharashtra). The inner roof of the sanctum is plated
with gold, and the central statue is of Ganesha. In the periphery, there is a Hanuman temple
as well. The exterior of the temple consists of a dome which is lit up with multiple colors in
the evenings and they keep changing every few hours. The statue of Shri Ganesha is located
exactly under the dome. The pillars are carved out with the images of ashtvinayak.

Golden temple
The Golden Temple (also known as the Harmandir Sahib, lit. 'abode of God', Punjabi
pronunciation: [ɦəɾᵊmən̪d̪əɾᵊ saːɦ(ɪ)bᵊ], or the Darbār Sahib, 'exalted court', or Suvaran
Mandir[2] [d̪əɾᵊbaːɾᵊ saːɦ(ɪ)bᵊ]) is a gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab, India.[3][4]
It is the preeminent spiritual site of Sikhism.[3][5]

The man-made pool on the site of the temple was completed by the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru
Ram Das, in 1577.[6][7] In 1604, Guru Arjan placed a copy of the Adi Granth in Harmandir
Sahib.[3][8] The Gurdwara was repeatedly rebuilt by the Sikhs after it became a target of
persecution and was destroyed several times by the Mughal and invading Afghan armies.[3][5]
[9]
Maharaja Ranjit Singh, after founding the Sikh Empire, rebuilt it in marble and copper in
1809, and overlaid the sanctum with gold leaf in 1830. This has led to the name the Golden
Temple.[10][11][12]

The Golden Temple is spiritually the most significant shrine in Sikhism. It became a centre of
the Singh Sabha Movement between 1883 and 1920s, and the Punjabi Suba movement
between 1947 and 1966. In the early 1980s, the Gurdwara became a centre of conflict
between the Indian government and a radical movement led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
[13]
In 1984, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi sent in the Indian Army as part of Operation Blue
Star, leading to deaths of over 1,000 soldiers and civilians, as well as causing much damage
to the Gurdwara and the destruction of Akal Takht. The Gurdwara complex was rebuilt again
after the 1984 damage.[5]

The Golden Temple is an open house of worship for all people, from all walks of life and
faiths.[3] It has a square plan with four entrances, and a circumambulation path around the
pool. The four entrances to the temple symbolises the Sikh belief in equality and the Sikh
view that all people are welcome into their holy place.[14] The complex is a collection of
buildings around the sanctum and the pool.[3] One of these is Akal Takht, the chief centre of
religious authority of Sikhism.[5] Additional buildings include a clock tower, the offices of the
Gurdwara Committee, a Museum and a langar – a free Sikh community–run kitchen that
offers a vegetarian meal to all visitors without discrimination.[5] Over 100,000 people visit the
holy shrine daily for worship.[15] The Gurdwara complex has been nominated as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site, and its application is pending on the tentative list of UNESCO.[16]
Kasha vishvanath
The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is
located in Vishwanath Gali of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh in India. The temple stands on the
western bank of the holy river Ganga, and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest of
Shiva temples. The main deity is known by the names Shri Vishwanath and Vishweshwara
(IAST: Vishveshvara or Vishveshvur) literally meaning Lord of the Universe. Varanasi was
called Kashi ("shining") in ancient times, and hence the temple is popularly called Kashi
Vishwanath Temple.

The temple is considered a central part of worship in the Shaiva culture by Hindu scriptures.
It had been demolished by many Muslim rulers many times, most recently by Aurangzeb, the
sixth Mughal emperor who constructed the Gyanvapi Mosque on its site.[1] The current
structure was built on an adjacent site by the Maratha ruler, Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore in the
year 1780.[2]

Shri jagannath
The Jagannath Temple is an important Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath, a form of
Vishnu - one of the trinity of supreme divinity in Hinduism, in Puri in the state of Odisha on
the eastern coast of India. The present temple was rebuilt from the 10th century onwards, on
the site of pre existing temples in the compund but not the main Jagannatha temple, and
begun by Anantavarman Chodaganga, the first king of the Eastern Ganga dynasty.[1]

The Puri temple is famous for its annual Ratha Yatra, or chariot festival, in which the three
principal deities are pulled on huge and elaborately decorated temple cars. Unlike the stone
and metal icons found in most Hindu temples, the image of Jagannath (which gave its name
to the English term 'juggernaut') is made of wood and is ceremoniously replaced every twelve
or 19 years by an exact replica.[2] It is one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites.

The temple is sacred to all Hindus, and especially in those of the Vaishnava traditions. Many
great Vaishnava saints, such as Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, Nimbarkacharya,
Vallabhacharya and Ramananda were closely associated with the temple.[3][4] Ramanuja
established the Emar Mutt near the temple and Adi Shankaracharya established the
Govardhan Math, which is the seat of one of the four Shankaracharyas. It is also of particular
significance to the followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, whose founder, Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu, was attracted to the deity, Jagannath, and lived in Puri for many years.[5][6]

Amaranth
Amarnath Temple is a Hindu shrine located in Jammu and Kashmir, India. The cave is
situated at an altitude of 3,888 m (12,756 ft),[1] about 141 km (88 mi) from Srinagar, the
summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, reached through Pahalgam town. The shrine
represents an important part of Hinduism.[2][3] The cave, located in Lidder Valley, is
surrounded by glaciers, snowy mountains and is covered with snow most of the year, except
for a short period of time in summer when it is open to pilgrims. In 1989, pilgrims numbered
between 12,000 and 30,000. In 2011, the numbers reached a peak, crossing 6.3 lakh
(630,000) pilgrims. In 2018 pilgrims numbered 2.85 lakh (285,000). The annual pilgrimage
has varied between 20 and 60 days.

The Amarnath cave, abode of the Mahamaya Shakti Peetha, is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas,
temples throughout South Asia that commemorate the location of fallen body parts of the
Hindu deity Sati.[4]

Tirupati
Sri Venkateswara Swami Vaari Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the hill town of
Tirumala at Tirupati in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The Temple is dedicated to
Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu, who is believed to have appeared here to save mankind
from trials and troubles of Kali Yuga. Hence the place has also got the name Kaliyuga
Vaikuntha and the Lord here is referred to as Kaliyuga Prathyaksha Daivam. The temple is
also known by other names like Tirumala Temple, Tirupati Temple, Tirupati Balaji Temple.
Venkateswara is known by many other names: Balaji, Govinda, and Srinivasa.[3] The temple
is run by body Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) which is under control of Andhra
Pradesh Government. The head of TTD is appointed by Andhra Pradesh Government. The
revenue from this shrine is used by Andhra Pradesh government.[4][5]

Tirumala Hills are part of Seshachalam Hills range. The hills are 853 metres (2,799 ft) above
sea level. The Hills comprises seven peaks, representing the seven heads of Adisesha. The
temple lies on the seventh peak -Venkatadri, on the southern banks of Sri Swami Pushkarini,
a holy water tank. Hence the temple is also referred to as "Temple of Seven Hills". Tirumala
town covers about 10.33 sq mi (26.75 km2) in area.

The Temple is constructed in Dravidian architecture and is believed to be constructed over a

period of time starting from 300 CE.[6] The Garbhagruha (Sanctum Sanctorum) is called
Ananda Nilayam. The presiding deity, Venkateswara, is in standing posture and faces east in
Garbha Gruha. The temple follows Vaikhanasa Agama tradition of worship. The temple is
one of the eight Vishnu Swayambhu Kshetras and is listed as the 75th Divya Desam. The
Temple premises had two modern Queue complex buildings to organise the pilgrim rush,
Tarigonda Vengamamba Annaprasadam complex for free meals to Pilgrims, hair tonsure
buildings and a number of pilgrim lodging sites.

It is the richest temple in the world in terms of donations received and wealth.[7][8][9] The
temple is visited by about 50,000 to 100,000 pilgrims daily (30 to 40 million people annually
on average), while on special occasions and festivals, like the annual Brahmotsavam, the
number of pilgrims shoots up to 500,000, making it the most-visited holy place in the world.
[10]
In 2016, it was reported that 27.3 million pilgrims visited the temple.[11]
Khajuraho
The Khajuraho Group of Monuments are a group of Hindu and Jain temples in Chhatarpur
district, Madhya Pradesh, India, about 175 kilometres southeast of Jhansi. They are a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.[1][2] The temples are famous for their nagara-style
architectural symbolism and a few erotic sculptures.[3]

Most Khajuraho temples were built between 885 AD and 1050 AD by the Chandela dynasty.
[4][5]
Historical records note that the Khajuraho temple site had 85 temples by the 12th century,
spread over 20 square kilometers. Of these, only about 25 temples have survived, spread over
six square kilometers.[2] Of the surviving temples, the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple is
decorated with a profusion of sculptures with intricate details, symbolism and expressiveness
of ancient Indian art.[6]

When these monuments were built, the boys in the place lived in hermitages, by being
brahmcharis (bachelor) until they attained manhood and these sculptures helped them to
learn about the worldly role of 'householder'.[7][8] The Khajuraho group of temples were built
together but were dedicated to two religions, Hinduism and Jainism, suggesting a tradition of
acceptance and respect for diverse religious views among Hindus and Jains in the region.[9]

Shri sai baba

Shirdi ( pronunciation (help·info); also known as Sainagar) is a city in the Indian state of
Maharashtra. It is located in the Rahata taluka of Ahmednagar District. It is accessible via the
Ahmednagar–Malegaon State Highway No.10, approximately 83 km (52 mi) from
Ahmednagar and 15 km (9.3 mi) from Kopargaon. It is located 185 km (115 mi) east of the
Western Seashore line (the Ahmednagar–Manmad road), a very busy route.

Shirdi is famously known as the home of the late 19th century saint Shirdi Sai Baba.[1] The
Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust located in Shirdi is one of the richest temple organisations.[2]

Dwarka
The Dwarkadhish temple, also known as the Jagat Mandir and occasionally spelled
Dwarakadheesh, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Krishna, who is worshiped here by the
name Dwarkadhish, or 'King of Dwarka'. The temple is located at Dwarka city of Gujarat,
India, which is one of the destinations of Char Dham, a Hindu pilgrimage circuit. The main
shrine of the five-storied building, supported by 72 pillars, is known as Jagat Mandir or Nija
Mandir. Archaeological findings suggest the original temple was built 2,200 years ago at the
earliest.[1][2][3] The temple was enlarged in the 15th- 16th century.[4][5] The Dwarkadhish
Temple is a Pushtimarg temple, hence it follows the guidelines and rituals created by
Vallabhacharya and Vitheleshnath.[citation needed]

According to tradition, the original temple was believed to have been built by Krishna's
grandson, Vajranabha, over the hari-griha (Krishna's residential place). The original structure
was destroyed by Mahmud Begada in 1472, and subsequently rebuilt in the 15th-16th
century.[citation needed] The temple became part of the Char Dham pilgrimage considered sacred
by Hindus in India. Adi Shankaracharya, the 8th century Hindu theologian and philosopher,
visited the shrine. The other three being comprising Rameswaram, Badrinath and Puri. Even
today a memorial within the temple is dedicated to his visit. Dwarakadheesh is the 98th
Divya Desam of Vishnu on the subcontinent, glorified in the Divya Prabandha sacred texts. it
was rebuilt by Raja Jagat Singh Rathore.[6] The temple is at an elevation of 12.19 metres
(40.0 ft) above mean sea-level. It faces west. The temple layout consists of a garbhagriha
(Nijamandira or Harigraha) and an antarala (an antechamber).[7] However, the existing
temple is dated to 16th century.

Iskon
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), known colloquially as
the Hare Krishna movement or Hare Krishnas, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious
organization. ISKCON was founded in 1966 in New York City by A. C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupada.[1]

Its core beliefs are based on Hindu scriptures, particularly the Bhagavad Gita and the
Bhagavata Purana. ISKCON is "the largest and, arguably, most important branch" of
Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition,[2] which has had adherents in India since the early 16th century
and American and European devotees since the early 1900s.[3] ISKCON was formed to spread
the practice of Bhakti yoga, the practice of love of God in which those involved (bhaktas)
dedicate their thoughts and actions towards pleasing Krishna, whom they consider the
Supreme Lord.[4] Its most rapid expansion in membership have been within India and (after
the collapse of the Soviet Union) in Russia and other formerly Soviet-aligned states of
Eastern Europe.[5]