India is a land of religious diversity, with Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism all having significant followings. As such, there are a large number of important religious places scattered throughout the country. Here are some of the most important ones:
- The Golden Temple (Sikhism’s holiest shrine) in Amritsar
- The Ajmer Sharif Dargah (a shrine to the Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti) in Ajmer
- The Sagar Island Beach (a site of Hindu pilgrimage) in West Bengal
- The Meenakshi Amman Temple (a Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Parvati) in Madurai
- The Ramanathaswamy Temple (a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva) in Rameswaram
We must admit here that India is a truly secular country and followers of all religions live peacefully here. As a travel guide, we would classify the places based on faith; this would help our readers make more sense of this article.
Top Temples in India
Here are the top temples of India that one must visit while here.
1. Brihadeeswarar Temple, Tamil Nadu
The Brihadeeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva, located in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. It is also known as RajaRajeswara Temple Rajaraja Chozhan Naalaya, and Peruvudaiya Kovil. The Chola king built the temple Raja Raja Chola I in the 11th century CE, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
2. Kedarnath Temple, Uttarakhand
Kedarnath Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva, located in the Himalayan Mountain range in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The temple is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga temples, which are said to be the most sacred sites of worship for Hindus. It is also one of the Char Dham, a group of four pilgrimage sites in Uttarakhand that are considered to be of great religious importance.
3. Konark Sun Temple, Odisha
The Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century Hindu temple dedicated to the god Surya, located in Konark, Odisha. The temple is also known as the Black Pagoda due to its dark color. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of India.
4. Khajuraho temples, Madhya Pradesh
The Khajuraho temples are a group of Hindu and Jain temples located in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. They were built between the 9th and 13th centuries CE, during the reign of the Candela dynasty. The temples are famous for their erotic sculptures, which depict scenes from daily life as well as scenes from Hindu mythology.
5. Mahabodhi Temple, Bihar
The Mahabodhi Temple is a Buddhist temple in Bodh Gaya, Bihar. It is said to be the site of the Buddha’s enlightenment and is thus one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Buddhists. The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Top Churches in India
Here are the top churches in India that one must visit while here.
1. Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa
About Basilica of Bom Jesus: The Basilica of Bom Jesus is a 16th-century Catholic church in Old Goa, India. The church is dedicated to Infant Jesus and contains the tomb of St. Francis Xavier, canonized in 1622. The basilica is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
2. St. Cathedral Church, Tamil Nadu
The St. Cathedral Church is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Madras-Myla pore and is one of the authority churches in India.
3. Santa Cruz Cathedral, Kerala
The Santa Cruz Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Kochi, Kerala. It was built by the Portuguese in1505 and is one of the oldest churches in India.
4. Rosario Cathedral, Mangalore
The Rosario Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Mangalore, Karnataka. It was built in 1568 by the Portuguese.
5. St. Mary’s Church, Kerala
St. Mary’s Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Kottayam, Kerala. It was built in 1579 by the Portuguese and is one of the grandest churches in India.
Top Shrines in India
Here are the top shrines in India that one must visit while here.
1. Vaishno Devi, Jammu & Kashmir
Vaishno Devi is a Hindu shrine in the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir. It is dedicated to the goddess Vaishno Devi and is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Hindus.
2. Tirupati Balaji Temple, Andhra Pradesh
The Tirupati Balaji Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu, located in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Hindus and the wealthiest temple in India.
3. Siddhivinayak Temple, Maharashtra
The Siddhivinayak Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Ganesha, located in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is a pilgrimage site that attracts millions of Hindus.
4. Kamakhya Temple, Assam
The Kamakhya Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Kamakhya, located in Guwahati, Assam. It is one of the most important tantrik pilgrimage sites for Hindus.
5. Jagannath Temple, Odisha
The Jagannath Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Jagannath, located in Puri, Odisha. It is a main Vaishnav pilgrimage site for Hindus.
Top Mosques in India
Here are the top mosques in India that one must visit while here.
1. Taj-ul-Masajid, Bhopal
The Taj-ul-Masajid is a mosque located in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the largest mosques in India and one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Muslims.
2. Jama Masjid, Delhi
The Jama Masjid is a mosque located in Delhi, India. It was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan between 1650 and 1656 and inaugurated by its first Imam, Syed Abdul Ghafoor Shah Bukhari.
3. Mecca Masjid, Hyderabad
The Mecca Masjid is a mosque located in Hyderabad, Telangana. It can house 10000 people and is a state-protected site.
4. Adina Mosque, Pandua
It was the biggest mosque in the Bengal region. This mosque was built by Sikandar Shah, buried inside the premises.
5. Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, Delhi
The mosque is known for its victory tower, which depicted the foreign conquest of India. It is an ancient site.
Why visit these places?
India is a land where people of all religions have been living together for centuries, which is reflected in the architecture and design of these places of worship. So go ahead and explore the religious side of India! Each site is essential to a particular religion, and visiting them will give you a better understanding of the respective religion.
India is truly a land of religious tolerance, and there are important places of worship for almost every religion. We hope this article was of help in understanding the diversity of India’s religious landscape.
Conclusion
Pinfare can be your preferred travel agent if you are planning to come over. We can help you with all the arrangements, like booking your flight tickets, getting you a comfortable hotel room, and providing a tour guide who will show you around famous religious places in India. So contact us now and let us help you plan a fantastic trip to India!
This article was written by our team of experts at Pinfare.
