Temples were important sites of social centers in ancient times. Temples were the only places where the arts of dance, music, and warfare were honored. Even today there are many such temples in the country, which remind us of the excellent craftsmanship of the artisans of the past. Well, there are many places to visit in India But these are the oldest temples in India.
1. Brihadeeswarar Temple, Tanjore, Tamil Nadu: This temple was built by Rajaraja Chola in 1002 AD. The temple is dedicated to Shiva and is a fine example of Dravidian art. Brihadeeswarar Temple is a unique amalgamation of the best tradition of temple construction. Which includes architecture, painting, and other allied arts. It is composed of several interconnected structures, such as the Nandi Mandapa, a pillared portico, and a large hall (Sabha Mandapa). The height of its top is 66 meters.
2. Kailashnath Temple, Ellora: This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, the destroyer of evil. This temple is a tribute to greatness. Despite this, our educational system did not give it a proper place in the course of history. It was sculpted in perfect proportion and alignment with its surrounding structures. All the pillars, fly bridges, stone arches, sculptures, and buildings are made of a single piece of stone.
3. Chennakeshava Temple, Karnataka: Situated on the banks of the Yagachi River, this temple is an early masterpiece of the Hoysala period. It was built by the Vijayanagara rulers to mark their victory over the Cholas. This temple is completely dedicated to Vishnu. Most of the iconographic carvings in this temple depict aspects of Vishnu and here, especially Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi are enshrined together.
4. Tungnath Temple, Uttarakhand: Tungnath Temple is situated at the highest altitude (3680 meters above sea level) among all Panch Kedar Madhyamashwar, Kedarnath, Rudranath and Kalpeshwar. The temple is also associated with the Ramayana, where Lord Rama did penance after killing Ravana to avoid the curse of Brahmacharya. This temple is so small that only 10 people are allowed to enter here at a time.
5. Adi Kumbeswar, Tamil Nadu: Kumbakonam located in India is called the city of temples. Adi Kumbheshwar temple is located here. This temple belongs to the Vijayanagara period. Adi Kumbheshwar is the presiding deity of the temple and his sanctum is in the center of the temple. Kumbheshwar is in the form of Lingam (Shivalinga), which is believed to have been created by Lord Shiva himself by mixing nectar with sand.
6. Jagat Pita Brahma Temple, Rajasthan: The structure of this temple dates back to the 14th century, but this temple is said to be 2000 years old. The temple is mainly made of marble and stone slabs. Its pinnacle is red in color and a bird figure is also present on its pinnacle. In the center of the temple are the idols of Brahma and his second wife Gayatri. A festival dedicated to Lord Brahma is organized here at the time of Kartik Purnima.
7. Varadaraja Perumal Temple, Tamil Nadu: Varadaraja Perumal Temple is a Hindu temple located in Kanchipuram, the holy city of Lord Vishnu. The 108 temples of Vishnu are believed to have been visited by 12 poet saints or Alvars, of which this is also a Divya Desam. It is also believed that all the sins of your past life are washed away by just touching the idols of lizards that adorn the ceiling of the temple.
8. Konark Sun Temple, Odisha: This temple was built around 1250 AD by King Narasimha Deva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. The temple is in the shape of a huge chariot with stone wheels, pillars, and walls. A major part of its structure is now in ruins. This temple is also included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
9. Dilwara Temple near Mount Abu, Rajasthan: This temple is located about 2.5 km from Mount Abu and each one of these five temples is unique in itself. They were built between the 11th and 13th centuries (AD). These temples are famous for their wonderful use of marble. These five temples (Vimal Vasahi, Luna Vasahi, Pittal Har Mandir, Parshwanath Temple, and Mahavir Swami Temple) are considered to be the most beautiful Jain pilgrimage sites in the world.
10. Pancharatna Temple, Bankura, West Bengal: This temple was built by Raja Raghunath Singh in 1643. This temple is built on a small square platform. There is a verandah on all four sides of the temple with three arched doorways. The walls are richly decorated with terracotta carvings depicting the pastimes of Lord Krishna.
11. Badami Cave Temples, Karnataka: The Badami Cave Temples are a complex of temples located in the city of Badami in the Bagalkot district in the northern part of Karnataka. These are considered examples of Indian rock-cut architecture, especially Badami Chalukya architecture.
12. Vittala Temple, Hampi, Karnataka: This temple is perhaps the most popular of all the temples in the Hampi complex. There are famous musical pillars from which wonderful sound emanates. The British wanted to know the secret of this sound. For this, they cut two pillars, but they found nothing there except hollow pillars. The road leading to the temple once had a market where horses were traded.
Even today we can see the remains of the market on both sides of the road. Sculptures of Persians selling horses are still present in the temple.
13. Orchha Temple, Madhya Pradesh: Orchha is another famous tourist place which is situated near the famous Khajuraho temple. The city has Chaturbhuj Temple, Lakshmi Temple, and Ram Raja Temple. The high peak of the Chaturbhuj temple built at a height is the center of attraction for the people. Its exterior is decorated with lotus symbols. The Raja Ram temple is built like a palace. Here Rama is worshiped as the king.
The Lakshmi Temple is a unique amalgamation of a temple and a fort. Inside this triangular temple is an octagonal central tower. Due to its uniqueness, its entrance has been installed in a corner instead of the middle.
India has been a tourist attraction since time immemorial. Here Ajanta caves and Ellora caves are very ancient and major places to visit.