Nomad Saikat
India is a land holding on to its history and culture. And the valuable assets that the country has will give you a glimpse of its rich traditions. Here you will find some of the oldest constructions dating back to 1000 years ago. And when it comes to temples you can find some significant temples here that are as old as 1000 years. Imagine how brilliant the construction must have been for a structure to survive that long, right? These magical century old temples in the country definitely deserve some special mention. In this article I will therefore mention some of the oldest temples in India.
Oldest Temples in India
For a country like India that gives so much importance to worship and spirituality the temples hold a significant part of the culture. And these ancient temples are even more important for the devotees and they visit here from different parts of the world. They are marvelous when it comes to the architecture. And they are significant in terms of the religious values that they hold. It would be an exciting activity to explore these temples whenever you are around these locations. Keep on reading as here I will mention the top 10 oldest temples in India that deserves all the attention. This will be a helpful article for you so note down the oldest temples in India list.
Dwarkadhish Temple
Located in the holy location of Dwarka in the state of Gujarat this is one of the oldest temples in India. The temple dates back to 2200 years ago and it has its history dating back to the Mahabharata. According to legends the temple was built by Vajranabha on the same land that was reclaimed from the sea by Lord Krishna. Also popular as the Jagat Mandir, this is a temple reflecting the Chalukyan style of architecture. From intricate carvings to sculptures the details of this architecture will leave you mesmerized.
Thousands of devotees visit this temple on a regular basis to pray to the Lord. Especially during the festival of Janmashtami even more people visit here. This is a five story structure built with limestone and sand. And it is truly a wonder that this ancient structure dating back to so many centuries is still standing tall in all its glory. If you are ever visiting Dwarka or Gujarat you must make it a point to visit this ancient temple there.
Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Located in the holy town of Varanasi in the state of Uttar Pradesh the Kashi Vishwanath temple is an ancient temple in India. This is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in the country and the presiding deity here is Lord Shiva in the form of Vishwanath or Vishweswarar. There has been mention of this temple in the Skanda Puranas that shows how old the temple is. In 1194 Qutb ud din Aibaik’s army destroyed this temple for the first time. In later times also the temple was destroyed a number of times that followed with rebuilding of this structure. The temple is basically a collection of some smaller shrines that make up the temple complex. It is the most revered shrine of Lord Shiva in Varanasi and people from all over the world visit this temple.
Konark Sun Temple
The Sun Temple in Konark is again one of the most significant temples. It is located in the north eastern corner of Puri and is one of the oldest temples in India. In addition the temple is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites as well and therefore attracts a huge number of tourists. The temple architecture here resembles a huge chariot dedicated to the Sun God. Furthermore it reflects 7 houses pulling this grand chariot. Here the temple has three deities of the Sun God. And in the morning, afternoon as well as evening each of these sides faces the direct rays of the sun.
This is ideally an architectural marvel and it is one of the last surviving structures that date even before the 15th century. This temple has been standing in all its glory for the last 2000 years. Even though a major chunk of this temple is currently in ruins, this is an architectural marvel that you cannot miss out on.
Sri Jagannath Temple
Located in the sacred location of Puri in the state of Odisha the Sri Jagannath Temple in Puri is another oldest temple. It dates back to the 11th century and is the holy abode of Lord Jagannath along with his brother Lord Balarama and sister Subhadra. This is a major site of pilgrimage in the country and one of the sites of the Char Dham Yatra. The splendid Oriya architecture of this temple is elaborate and is one of the major attractions here. This is a spectacular construction that covers a huge area of 4,00, 000 sq feet. A lot of legends and myths are there about the temple in Puri which further makes it so important. For the devotees the temple and the God hold huge importance. Especially the festival of Rath Yatra is a major festival here that attracts the most number of visitors.
Kedarnath Temple
One of the major sites of the Char Dham Yatra, the Kedarnath Temple located in Uttarakhand is one of the oldest temples in India. This is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva and is one of the most important Jyotirlinga temples as well. According to legends the construction of this temple dates back to a few thousand years and the Pandavas had built it. But later Adi Shankaracharya reconstructed this temple. According to beliefs a journey to Kedarnath will provide the devotees with Moksha. And because of that it is one of the most visited temples as well. Annually more than lakhs of devotees visit this temple to seek the blessings of the deity. Due to extreme weather conditions the temple remains inaccessible from November to May.
Badrinath Temple
This is another revered shrine of the Char Dham Yatra for the Hindus and it is a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Located in Uttarakhand the temple is perched at a height of 10, 279 feet. According to beliefs Adi Shankaracharya established this temple back in the 9th century. For extreme weather conditions you cannot visit the temple from November to April. This is also one of the most revered shrines of pilgrimage for the devotees so the temple witnesses huge footfall annually.
Sri Venkateswara Temple
One of the top 5 oldest temples in India is the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati. This is a revered shrine for the Hindus and annually a huge number of devotees visit here. Each day more than 50, 000 pilgrims visit this temple to seek blessings of the deity. To tackle the huge number of devotees there is a special Darshan procedure that you will have to follow. The Darshan here happens through the Queue Complex and it is a series of interconnected halls. This is one of the wealthiest temples in the world as well along with being one of the oldest.
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Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
Located in Srirangapatna in the state of Karnataka this is one of the most popular as well as one of the oldest temples that you can visit in India. Dedicated to Lord Ranganatha, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, the temple is one of the top 5 most important shrines of Lord Vishnu. There is an inscription in the temple that says that the temple was first sanctified back in 984 AD. Later around 1210 AD, King Veera Ballala II of the Hoysala Dynasty made some additions to the structure of the temple. It is a beautiful temple complex with majestic carvings in it.
The River Kaveri flows by this temple that adds a different charm to its beauty. The temple is also under the supervision of the Archeological Survey of India for being such a rich archeological structure. This architectural masterpiece should definitely be in your list of must visit locations whenever you are visiting this area.
Brihadeeswara Temple
Located in Thanjavur in the state of Tamil Nadu, this is yet another oldest temple and a significant temple in the country. Also popular as the Big Temple, this temple dates back to the reign of the Great Chola Emperor, Raja Raja Chola. The temple is huge and has a shrine which is itself 216 feet tall. It is ideally an architectural marvel that makes it a popular attraction in this area. You can find many paintings here dating back to the Chola and Nayak periods. If you are ever in that area make sure you are definitely visiting and exploring this significant temple.
Lingaraj Temple
The Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneshwar is again one of the most significant and one of the oldest temples to visit in India. Dedicated to Lord Shiva the temple dates back to the 7th century. King Jajati Keshari constructed this temple back in the times. And till today it is one of the most significant sites of pilgrimage for the devotees. Here the Shiva Linga is self manifested and rises up to a height of 8 inches above floor level. And the Lingam is also 8 feet in diameter. You can witness a beautiful Oriya style of architecture that looks extremely fascinating in its appearance.
Every day the temple attracts around 6000 visitors that goes up to 20, 000 during major celebrations like Maha Shivaratri. For the Hindus this is one of the most significant temples in Bhubaneshwar. If you are visiting Bhubaneswar then you can definitely include this temple as one of the must visit temples there.
Wrapping Up!
So that was all about the top 10 oldest temples in India that deserves a special mention. India is a country that holds on to its beliefs and culture. And the rich past of the country along with its traditions are some of the things that the country takes pride in. If you are interested in the history of this land then nothing can be better than exploring some of the popular ancient temples here. The breathtaking architecture, the ancient customs and traditions along with the legends and history associated with these temples will totally win over your heart.
Next time you are searching for some of the oldest temples in India you must keep this article handy. Here I have mentioned some of the most popular oldest temples in India. Some of these temples are as old as 2000 years, and I guess you can understand how fascinating that is. So when are you planning a trip to any of these oldest temples in India? Also do let me know if this article is helpful for you in knowing about the ancient temples in this country.
