Temples of India - Part 1

India is a multi-cultural and multi-religious country. There are thousands of temples in India. In every nook and corner of India, there are temples. A temple is the place of worship of Hindus. Each temple is dedicated to different Gods like Krishna, Ram, Shiva, Hanuman, Durga, etc. Some temples are not only known as places of worship but are also very famous for their architecture and stories. Some temples are hundreds of years old and have lots of historic significance. Because of these reasons, many temples have become the famous destinations for tourists. Lets read about some of the famous places of pilgrimage in this article series.

Tirupati Balaji - Tirupati Balaji temple is one of the most famous temples of India. It is the richest temple. The temple is located on the hill of tirumala at approximetly 2800 feet height above the sea level in the town of Tirupati in the state of Andhra pradesh in South India. It is dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara. It is famous for its architectural beauty. Thousands of people queue here for a visit every day. In fact, if you queue up today, your turn may come up the next day. Devotees offer gold, silver and diamonds to the deity and many people also shave their heads in obeisance.

The Balaji temple opens with the Suprabhatam prayer (waking up the God) at 3 AM and closes with Akanth seva (putting the lord to sleep) at 1 AM at night. There is an annual festival called Brahmotsavam celebrated for nine days in September every year. You can go to Tirupati by air as there is an airport in Renigunta which is 15 km away from Tirupati. Bus and train services are also available from the major cities/towns.

Dwarkadhish Temple - The Dwarkadhish temple is located in the town of Dwarka in Jamnagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat on the west coast. It is one of the most ancient temples in India and boasts of classic architecture. It is one of the important places of worship for Hindus. The temple is dedicated to Dwarkadhish (lord of Dwarka) Lord Krishna. Dwarka town was founded thousands of years ago as the capital of lord Krishna according to the Mahabharata. The temple was built in the 16th century. It is widely believed that the ancient Dwarka town founded by lord is submerged in the sea. The city was created by lord Vishwakarma - the god of architecture.

The Dwarka temple is made of stone. 60 beautifully designed pillars support the structure. The temple is also known as the Jagad mandir. The temple has two main gates, one is the entrance which is called 'Swarga Dwara' and the other is the exit gate called as 'Moksha Dwara'. In Dwarka town, there are many more places to visit like Bhet Dwarka which is a short distance away from temple. Also see the Rukmani devi temple dedicated to Rukmani - wife of lord Krishna. There are many modes of transport available to visit the city. Jamnagar airport is the nearest airport. You can travel by train as Dwarka railway station is linked up with major cities of India. Going by car/bus is also a viable option.

Read more about temples of India in further parts of this article series.

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