PRELIM BITS

Important Temples in India

Both Current + Static

P. Roman
3/5/2022

Join My Telegram Channel https://t.me/prelimbits

 1

Contents
Lord Venkateswara Temple (Andhra Pradesh) ........................................................................................ 3
Mahabodhi Temple (Bihar) .............................................................................................................................. 3
Somnath Temple [Gujarat] .............................................................................................................................. 3
Dwarkadhish Temple [Gujarat] ...................................................................................................................... 4
Vaishno Devi Temple [Jammu & Kashmir] ............................................................................................... 4
Amarnath Temple [Jammu & Kashmir] ...................................................................................................... 4
Virupaksha Temple [Karnataka] .................................................................................................................... 5
Gomateshwara Temple [Karnataka] ............................................................................................................ 5
Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple ................................................................................................................ 5
Khajuraho Temples → Madhya Pradesh ................................................................................................... 6
Kandariya Mahadeva Temple ......................................................................................................................... 6
Lingaraja Temple ................................................................................................................................................. 7
Siddhivinayak Temple → Maharashtra ...................................................................................................... 7
Konark Sun Temple ............................................................................................................................................ 7
Jagannath Temple → Odisha ......................................................................................................................... 8
Golden Temple → Punjab................................................................................................................................ 8
Ramanathaswamy Temple (Rameswaram,Tamil Nadu) ...................................................................... 8
Meenakshi Temple (Tamil Nadu) .................................................................................................................. 9
HOYSALA Temples .............................................................................................................................................. 9
Chennakeshava Temple, Belur (Karnataka) .............................................................................................. 9
Hoysaleshwara Temple, Halebidu (Karnataka) ........................................................................................ 9
Keshava Temple, Somanathapura (Karnataka) ..................................................................................... 10
Laxmi Devi Temple: Hoysala ......................................................................................................................... 10
Ranganathaswamy Temple → Tamil Nadu ........................................................................................ 11
Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple ................................................................................................................ 11
Mahamritunjaya Temple ................................................................................................................................ 12
Sri Govindarajaswamy Temple ..................................................................................................................... 12
Govindaraja Perumal Temple ....................................................................................................................... 12
Brihadeeswara Temple → Tamil Nadu ..................................................................................................... 12
Rajagopalaswamy Temple ............................................................................................................................. 13
 2

Martand Sun Temple [Pandou Laidan] .................................................................................................... 13

Kashi Vishwanath Temple → Uttar Pradesh .......................................................................................... 13
Vittala Temple ..................................................................................................................................................... 14
(Chidambaram) Nataraja Temple → Tamil Nadu .................................................................................. 15
Kamakhya Temple ............................................................................................................................................. 15
Vishwa Shanti Stupa (World peace pagoda) ......................................................................................... 16
Markandeshwar temple .................................................................................................................................. 16
Ramappa Temple / Rudreshwara Temple ............................................................................................... 16
Bhagyalakshmi temple .................................................................................................................................... 17
Veerabhadra Temple, Lepakshi ................................................................................................................... 18
Thousand Pillars Temple ................................................................................................................................ 19
Bhimeswara Swamy Temple (Draksharama) .......................................................................................... 19
Rajarani Temple.................................................................................................................................................. 20
Modhera Sun Temple, Gujarat ..................................................................................................................... 20
Chamundeshwari Temple .............................................................................................................................. 21
Mahakaleshwar Temple .................................................................................................................................. 22
Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha temple, Simhachalam ...................................................................... 22
Angkor Wat temple .......................................................................................................................................... 22
Other Temples that India restores outside India ............................................................................ 23
Unakoti - Angkor Wat of North East......................................................................................................... 23
Rock Sculptures ............................................................................................................................................. 23
Jatar Deul temple .............................................................................................................................................. 24
 3

Lord Venkateswara Temple (Andhra Pradesh)

 The temple on Tirumala hills is also known as Tirupathi Balaji temple. It is also called a
temple of seven hills.
o Tirumala Hills are part of Seshachalam Hills range
(remember Pushpa movie)
 Dedicated to Venkateswara a form of Vishnu.
 The temple is in Dravidian Architecture style.

Mahabodhi Temple (Bihar)

 The Mahabodhi Temple Complex is one of the four sacred locations associated with the
life of the Lord Buddha, particularly his ENLIGHTENMENT (BODHI).
o Lumbini (Birth) in Nepal,
o Sarnath (Dharma-Chakra-Pravartana - 1st Sermon) in
Uttar Pradesh, and
o Kushinagar (Mahaparinirvana-death) in Uttar
Pradesh are the other three.
 The Mauryan emperor Ashoka erected the original
building. It was, however, completely rebuilt in brick during
the late Gupta dynasty. The current temple was built in the
fifth or sixth centuries.
 Temple site contains outstanding records of the events
surrounding Buddha's life and subsequent adoration.
 Near the temple, a descendent of the Bodhi tree, under which the Buddha is claimed to
have sat until he attained enlightenment.
 The Buddha's Vajrayana (meaning "diamond throne" or "thunder seat") is a stone slab
erected by Ashoka to indicate the exact location where the Buddha sat.
 In 2002, it was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Somnath Temple [Gujarat]

 It is lso known as Deo Patan.
 It is one of the 12 jyotirlinga shrines of Lord Shiva.
 Constructed in Chalukyan style.
 In 1026, Mahmud Ghazni lent the precious jewels and property of Somnath temple &
destroys it.
 Somnath was destroyed when Delhi Sultanate occupied Gujarat in 1299. Afzal Khan,
the commander of Ala-ud-din Khilji, plundered it.
 In 1394 it was destroyed again.
 In 1706, Mughal ruler Aurangzeb again demolished the temple.
 4

 1947 – Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel ordered the reconstruction of the temple that completed
in 1951.

 The first President of India Dr Rajendra Prasad installed the Jyotirling in the new temple
on May 11, 1951.
 He was criticised by the then Prime Minister for displaying personal faith in public while
being on the highest constitutional post of a secular nation.

Dwarkadhish Temple [Gujarat]

 It is also known as Jagat Mandir.
 Dedicated to the god Krishna
 It has mythological origin but it was In 800
AD, the temple was renovated by philosopher
and theologian Adi Shankaracharya, and a
memorial of his visit is placed within the
temple‟s complex.
 It is one of the four Hindu pilgrimages (Char
Dham).
 The original structure was destroyed by Mahmud Brgada [most prominent Sultan of Gujarat
Sultanate ] in 1472.

 Presently, in the Chalukya architecture style.

Vaishno Devi Temple [Jammu & Kashmir]

 Formed from the combined energies of Parvati, Lakshmi, and Saraswati.
 it is 5200 feet above sea level atop Trikuta Hills.
 It is a Cave temple.

Amarnath Temple [Jammu & Kashmir]

 A cave temple situated at an altitude of 3888 metres.
 Deity: Shiva as in Lingam from
o Here, the stalagmites considered as the lingam, a physical manifestation
of Shiva, form a solid-dome-shape. Parvati and Ganesha are also
present here as two smaller stalagmites
 It is one of the 51 Shakti Peeths.
o Temples throughout South Asia that commemorate the location of
fallen body parts of the Hindu deity Sati.
 It is believed that Bhrigu Muni (A great sage) was the first to have discovered
Amarnath.
 5

Virupaksha Temple [Karnataka]

 Virupaksha Temple is located in Hampi in the Vijayanagara district of Karnataka.
 It is part of the Group of Monuments at Hampi, designated as a UNESCO World
Heritage Site.
 The temple is dedicated to Lord Virupaksha, a form of Shiva.
 The temple was built by Lakkan Dandesha, a nayaka (chieftain) under the ruler Deva
Raya II also known as Prauda Deva Raya of the Vijayanagar Empire.
 Hampi, capital of the Vijayanagar empire, sits on the banks of the Tungabhadra River
(Pampa hole/Pampa river).
 Virupaksha Temple is the main center of pilgrimage at Hampi, and had been considered the
most sacred sanctuary over the centuries. It is intact among the surrounding ruins and is still
used in worship .

 There is also a Virupakshini Amma temple (mother goddess) in a village called

Nalagamapalle, Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, approximately 100 km from
Tirupati
 In the month of February the annual chariot festival is celebrated here every year.

Gomateshwara Temple [Karnataka]

 It is also known as Bahubali temple.
 The tallest monolithic statue (Of Gomateshwara son of
lord Rishabhanatha) in the world carved out of a single
block of granite.
 It is a Jain temple that is 57 feet high.
 Bahubali statue is one of the largest free-standing statues
in the world depicting the prolonged meditation of
Bahubali.
 The construction of the statue was commissioned by
the Ganga dynasty minister and commander,
 The Mahamastakabhisheka Mahotsava is an anointing
[Abhisheka] ceremony of the statue of Lord Bahubali. Only once in 12 years

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple

 Location : Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
 History : The temple dates back to the 8th century but the present structure was built in
the 18th century by the then Travancore Maharaja Marthanda Varma.
 The temple was initially made of wood but later it was constructed with granite.
 Feature : unique Chera style of architecture
 6

 Deity : Lord Vishnu who is found in the Anantha Shayana posture (reclined posture of
eternal yoga) on Adishesha or king of all serpents.
 Significance : It is known to be one of the 108 holy temples associated with Vaishnavism
in India

Khajuraho Temples → Madhya Pradesh

 They are a group of temples built by the rulers of Chandela Dynasty (950-1050 AD).
 Hindu and Jain temples.
 Famous for nagara style architecture and known for extensive erotic sculptures.
 UNESCO World Heritage Site.
 The first recorded mention of the Khajuraho temples is in the accounts of Abu Rihan al
Biruni in AD 1022 and the Arab 6traveller Ibn Battuta in AD 1335.

Kandariya Mahadeva Temple

 The Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, is the largest and most ornate Hindu temple in the
medieval temple group found at Khajuraho, Chhatarpur district in Madhya Pradesh.
 It is considered one of the best examples of temples preserved from the medieval period in
India
 Khajuraho was once the capital of the Chandela dynasty.
 The Kandariya Mahadeva temple was built during the reign of Vidyadhara (r. c. 1003-
1035 CE)

Various features of the temple marked on the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple.

 7

Lingaraja Temple
 Lingaraja Temple is a temple DEDICATED TO SHIVA.
 Built in 7th C. by King Jajati Keshari of Soma Vansh.
 It is built in RED STONE and is a classic example of KALINGA STYLE of architecture.
 It signifies the syncretisation of Shaivism and Vaishnavism sects in Odisha
 Bhubaneswar is called the Ekamra Kshetra as the deity of Lingaraja was originally under a
mango tree (Ekamra) as noted in Ekamra Purana, a 13th-century Sanskrit treatise.
 Located to the north of the temple is Bindusagar Lake

Siddhivinayak Temple → Maharashtra

 It is one of the richest temples in India.
 Dedicated to Lord Shri Ganesh.
 It was constructed by Laxman Vithu & Dubai Patil in 1801.

Konark Sun Temple

 Konark Sun Temple, located in East Odisha near the sacred city of Puri.
 Built in the 13th century by King Narasimhadeva I (Eastern Ganga dynasty
bout 1250 CE) and is dedicated to the Sun God.
 It marks the highest point of achievement of Kalinga architecture.
 It was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1984.
 The temple is designed in the shape of a colossal chariot.
 There are two rows of 12 wheels on each side of the Konark sun temple.
 Some say the wheels represent the 24 hours in a day and others say the 12
months.
 The seven horses are said to symbolise the seven days of the week.
 8

 Sailors once called this Sun Temple of Konark, the Black Pagoda because it
was supposed to draw ships into the shore and cause shipwrecks.
 Great poet Rabindranath Tagore wrote of Konark: “Here the language of
stone surpasses the language of man.”
 Chandrabhaga Mela around the month of February.

Jagannath Temple → Odisha

 Dedicated to Jagannath, a form of Sri Krishna
 The temple is believed to have been constructed in the 12th century by King
Anatavarman Chodaganga Deva of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty.
 Jagannath Puri temple is called „Yamanika Tirtha‟ where, according to the Hindu beliefs,
the power of „Yama‟, the god of death has been nullified in Puri due to the presence of
Lord Jagannath.
 This temple was called the “White Pagoda” and is a part of Char
Dham pilgrimages (Badrinath, Dwaraka, Puri, Rameswaram).
 This temple in Puri is famous for its annual chariot festival, Ratha Yatra, where Jagannath,
Balabhadra and Subhadra are a trio of deities worshipped.

Golden Temple → Punjab

 It is a gurudwara, built in the 15th century. It is also known as Harmindar Sahib.
 Temple was plated in Gold in 1980 from the wealth and material donated by Maharaja
Ranjit Singh.
o He is also credited with funding Hazoor Sahib gurudwara at the final resting place
of Guru Gobind Singh in Nanded, Maharashtra.
 Guru Ram Das, fourth of the 10 gurus, founded the city of Amritsar. He started the
construction of the Golden Temple at Amritsar, the holy city of the Sikhs. He requested the
Muslim Sufi, Mian Mir to lay the cornerstone of the Harmandir Sahib

Ramanathaswamy Temple (Rameswaram,Tamil Nadu)

 One of the twelve Jyotirlinga temples built in the 12th Century.
 Dedicated to the god shiva
 It has the longest corridor among all Hindu temples in India.
 It is built in the Dravidian style of architecture.
 Creators – Pandyas and Jaffna Kings
 There are 64 Tīrthas i.e. holy water bodies in and around the island of
Rameswaram.
 9

 It is also one of the Char Dhams. [other three @ Badrinath, Dwarka & Puri]

Meenakshi Temple (Tamil Nadu)

 Southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city of Madurai
 Dedicated to Meenakshi, a form of Parvati, and her consort, Sundareswar, a form of
Shiva.
 The temple is at the center of the ancient temple city of
Madurai mentioned in the Tamil Sangam literature,
with the goddess temple mentioned in 6th-century-CE
texts. This temple is one of the Paadal Petra Sthalams.
o The Paadal Petra sthalams are 275 temples of
lord Shiva that are revered in the verses of Tamil Saiva Nayanars of 6th-9th century
CE.
 The west tower (gopuram) of the temple is the model based on which the Tamil Nadu State
Emblem is designed.
 Chithirai Festival: It is an annual festival celebrated at Meenakshi Temple

HOYSALA Temples
Chennakeshava Temple, Belur (Karnataka)
 Construction of the temple commenced in 1117 AD and took 103 years to complete.
 Dedicated to Lord Vishnu known as Chennakesava, which means beautiful (chenna)
Vishnu (Keshava).
 The richly sculptured exterior of the temple narrates scenes from the life of Vishnu and
his reincarnations and the epics, Ramayana, and Mahabharata.
 However, some of the representations of Shiva are also included.
 It was commissioned by King Vishnuvardhana in 1117 CE, on the banks of the Yagachi
River
 Proposed to be listed under UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Hoysaleshwara Temple, Halebidu (Karnataka)

 Most exemplary architectural ensemble of the Hoysalas extant today.
 10

 Built in 1121CE during the reign of the Hoysala King, Vishnuvardhana Hoysaleshwara.
 The temple, dedicated to Shiva
 Most well-known for the more than 240 wall sculptures that run all along the outer wall.
 Halebid has a walled complex containing three Jaina basadi (temples) of the Hoysala
period as well as a stepped well.
 Proposed to be listed under UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Keshava Temple, Somanathapura (Karnataka)

 Magnificent Hoysala monument, perhaps the last.
 On the banks of River Kaveri
 This is a breathtakingly beautiful Trikuta Temple dedicated to Lord Krishna in three forms
– Janardhana, Keshava and Venugopala.
 Unfortunately, the main Keshava idol is missing, and the Janardhana and Venugopala
idols are damaged.
 The temple was consecrated in 1258 CE by Somanatha Dandanayaka, a general of the
Hoysala King Narasimha III.

YiN:
Recently, the Union Ministry of Culture has nominated Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas
temples for consideration as a World Heritage site for the year 2022-2023.
The 'Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala' have been on UNESCO's Tentative list since 15th April,
2014 and stand testimony to the rich historical and cultural heritage of India.

Laxmi Devi Temple: Hoysala

 Built by the Hoysalas in the year 1114 CE during the rule of king Vishnuvardhana.
 Building material is Chloritic schist, more commonly known as soapstone.
 11

 The main deity is Goddess Lakshmi whereas all Hoysala temples are dedicated to
either Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva and in some cases to Jains.

Ranganathaswamy Temple → Tamil Nadu

 One of the most important of 108 (Divya Desam) Vishnu Temples.
 Its location, on an island between the Kollidam and Kaveri rivers
 The inscriptions in the temple belong to the Chola, Pandya, Hoysala and Vijayanagara
dynasties who ruled over the region. These inscriptions range in date between the 9th and
16th centuries
 The temple complex has been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is in
UNESCO's tentative list
 Its Gopuram is the biggest Gopuram in Asia. Also, it is the largest functioning Hindu
temple in the world.
 It was one of the hubs of early Bhakti movement with a devotional singing and dance
tradition, but this tradition stopped during the 14th century and was revived in a limited
way much later.

Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple

 Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka.
 The temple derives its name from the combination of topographical features and
mythology: gavi (cave) and Gangadhareswara (shiva) means the Lord who adorns
the Ganga.
 It is believed to have been built by Kempe Gowda I in its present form.
 Architecture Features:
o Celestial Oriented Architecture: Built in Vijaynagar style, it has unique celestial
oriented rock cut architecture due to which Surya majjana occurs
on Sankranti every year.
o Surya Majjana: Every year on the Makar Sankranti, the sun rays fall on the Shiv
linga located in the cave (gavi) making it shine for ten minutes.
 Two Monolithic Structures
o In the forecourt stand two monolithic structures, named Suryapana and
Chandrapana – each consisting of a massive disc atop a supporting pillar.
o They have engravings of sitting bulls on the discs face each other.
 Iconography of Shiva
o The compound of the temple is adorned with monolith structures associated with the
iconography of Shiva – the trishula (trident) and the damaru (an hourglass-shaped,
two-headed drum).
 12

Mahamritunjaya Temple
 Hindu Temple dedicated to Hindu God Shiva, situated in Nagaon, Assam
 This Temple is special in its architectural sense as it is built in a form a
Shivling.
 It is the World's largest Shivalinga, at the height of 126 foot.

 The construction of the temple started in 2003 with the help of Acharya
Bhrigu Giri Maharaj.
 Bhrigu Giri Maharaj chose this place afte r performing meditation.
 According to the Maharaj, in ancient times, demon guru Shukracharya
performed Yagna at the site of the temple.
 Massive earthquake reported on 28 April 2021 in Assam resulted some minor crack

Sri Govindarajaswamy Temple

 Sri Govindarajaswamy Temple is an ancient Hindu-Vaishnavite temple situated at the
heart of the Tirupati city in Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh
 The temple was built during 12 century and was consecrated in the year 1130 AD by Saint
Ramanujacharya.
 The temple is one of the earliest structures in Tirupati and also one of the biggest temple
complex in Chittoor district. The Tirupati (down hill) city is built around this temple.
 The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, who is referred to as Govindarajaswamy.

Govindaraja Perumal Temple

 Govindaraja Perumal Temple or Thiruchitrakoodam in Chidambaram in the South Indian
state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Vishnu.
 The temple is inside the premises of Thillai Nataraja Temple, constructed in the Tamil
architecture.
 The temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the
Azhwar saints from the 6th–9th centuries AD.
 It is one of the 108 Divyadesam dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Govindaraja
Perumal and his consort Lakshmi as Pundarikavalli Thayar.
 The Govindaraja idol is believed to have been uprooted outside the temple complex
during the period of Kulothunga Chola II. The Govindaraja idol was later found and
reinstated later by king Krishnappa Nayak (1564–1572).

Brihadeeswara Temple → Tamil Nadu

 Also known as Raja Rajeswara Temple located at Thanjavur.
 Dedicated to Shiva
 13

 This Dravidian style temple was built by the Chola emperor

Raja Raja Chola I.
 One of the tallest temples in India that is completely made
of Granite.
 It is one of the Great Living Chola Temples, along with
Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple and Airavatesvara
temple.
 It is also called Dakshin Meru and is situated on the bank of Cauvery river.
 It is a part of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Rajagopalaswamy Temple
 Tamil Nadu
 Dedicated to Vishnu
 It is created in Dravidian style; it is also called Dakshina Dwaraka.
 It has one of the largest temple tanks in India called Haridra Nadhi.

Martand Sun Temple [Pandou Laidan]

 Location- Jammu and Kashmir.
 is a Hindu temple dedicated to Surya (the chief solar deity in Hinduism) and built during
the 8th century CE.
 Built by the third ruler of the Karkota Dynasty, Lalitaditya Muktapida, in the 8th century
CE. It is said to have been built during 725-756 CE.
 It is now in ruins, as it was destroyed by the orders of Muslim ruler Sikandar Shah Miri.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple → Uttar Pradesh

 Dedicated to Lord Shiva.
 On the western bank of the holy river Ganga, and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the
holiest of Shiva temples.
 The temple is considered a central part of worship in the Shaiva philosophy by Hindu
scriptures.
 14

 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.
 The current structure was built on an adjacent site by the Maratha ruler,
Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore in the year 1780.
 Since 1983, the temple has been managed by the government of Uttar
Pradesh.

Vittala Temple
 The Vitthala temple and market complex is over 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) north-east of the
Virupaksha temple near the banks of the Tungabhadra River.
 It is the most artistically sophisticated Hindu temple in Hampi, and is part of the sacred
centre of Vijayanagara.
 It is unclear when the temple complex was built, and who built it; most scholars date it to a
period of construction in the early-to-mid-16th century
 Some of the books mention that its construction began during the time of Devaraya II and
continued during the reign of Krishnadevaraya, Achuytaraya, and probably Sadasivaraya
and it stopped probably due to the destruction of the city in 1565.
 The inscriptions include male and female names, suggesting that the complex was built by
multiple sponsors.
 The temple was dedicated to Vitthala, a form of Krishna also called Vithoba.
 The temple opens to the east, has a square plan and features an entrance gopuram with
two side gopurams. The main temple stands in the middle of a paved courtyard and several
subsidiary shrines, all aligned to the east.
 The temple is a unified structure in a courtyard measuring 500 by 300 feet which is
surrounded by a triple row of pillars. It is a low structure of one storey with an average
height of 25 height.
 The temple has three distinct compartments: a garbhagriha, an ardhamandapa and a
mahamandapa (or sabha mandapa).
 The Vitthala temple has a Garuda shrine in the form of a stone chariot in the courtyard;
it is an often-pictured symbol of Hampi

Garuda shrine in the form of stone chariot at Vitthala temple

 15

 In the front of the stone chariot is a large, square, open-pillared, axial sabha mandapa,
or community hall.
 The mandapa has four sections, two of which are aligned with the temple sanctum. The
mandapa has 56 carved stone beams of different diameters, shape, length
and surface finish that produces musical sounds when struck
 The mandapa links to an enclosed pradakshina patha for walking around the sanctum.
Around this axial mandapa are (clockwise from east); the Garuda shrine, the Kalyana
mandapa (wedding ceremonies), the 100-columned mandapa, the Amman shrine and
the Utsav mandapa (festival hall).

(Chidambaram) Nataraja Temple → Tamil Nadu

 Temple dedicated to Lord Nataraja is one of the form of Lord Shiva as the lord of dance
and his consort Parvati as Shivakama Sundari (also called as
Shivagama Sundari).
 The temple wall carvings display all the 108 karanas from the
Natya Shastra by Bharata Muni, and these postures form a
foundation of Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance.
 Temple was built in the 10th century when Chidambaram was
the capital of the Chola dynasty, making it one of the oldest
surviving active temple complexes in South India
 A good number of metal images in the Nataraja temple of
Chidambaram belong to the age of Chola king Kulotunga-I.
Naralokavaira, who was the commander-in-chief under Chola
emperors Kulotunga I who participated in many wars, has contributed immensely to many
temples, particularly in Chidambaram, where he set up some metal images.

Kamakhya Temple
 It is located atop the Nilachal Hills, in outskirts of Guwahati, Assam.
 It is one of 51 shaktipeeths or seat of Shakti followers.
 The main temple is surrounded by individual temples dedicated to the ten Mahavidyas:
o Kali, Tara, Sodashi, Bhuvaneshwari, Bhairavi,
Chhinnamasta, Dhumavati, Bagalamukhi, Matangi
and Kamalatmika.
 It is a centrepiece of Tantrik Shaktism cult in India
 Being the centre for Tantra worship this temple attracts
thousands of tantra devotees in an annual festival known as
the Ambubachi Mela. Another annual celebration is the
Manasha Puja.
 It had been modelled out of a combination of two different styles, namely, the traditional
nagara or North Indian and saracenic or Mughal.
 16

 Thus, being an unusual combination which came into its existence on this famous sakti
shrine of India, it has been named as the Nilachala Style of Architecture.
 The reason behind development of this new type by transgression of the orthodox nagara
tradition is stated in the Darang-raj vamsavali, a compilation of 17th century A.D.
Four Major Shakthi Peeths in India
 Jagannath Temple, Puri
 Kamakhya Temple near Guwahati
 Dakshina Kalika in Kolkata
 Tara Tarini near Brahmapur, Odisha.

Vishwa Shanti Stupa (World peace pagoda)

 Location : Rajgir, Nalanda District, Bihar
 Constructed atop the Ratnagiri Hill, it is the world‟s highest peace
pagoda.
 Conceptualised by renowned Buddhist monk Nipponzan Myohoji
and built by Japanese monk Fujii Guruji
 Built completely with marble, the stupa comprises Four Golden
Statues of Lord Buddha with each representing his life periods of birth, enlightenment,
preaching and death.
 There are 7 Peace Pagoda or Shanti Stupas in India, other Stupas are Global Vipassana
Pagoda Mumbai, Deekshabhoomi Stupa Nagpur and Buddha Smriti Park Stupa Patna.

Markandeshwar temple
 Known as the “Khajuraho of Vidarbha”, the temple of Markandadeo is situated on the
bank of River Wainganga in district Gadchiroli of Maharashtra.
 The temples belong to the Nagara group of temples of North
India.
 On stylistic grounds, their date ranges in between 9- 12th
centuries CE.
 The temples belong to Saiva, Vaishnava and Sakta faith. Most
of the temples have a simple plan, with ardhamandapa,
mandapa, antaralaand garbhagriha forming the component of the entire set up.

Ramappa Temple / Rudreshwara Temple

 Location : Telangana near Warangal. Located in the vicinity of Ramappa Lake
 Was constructed in the year 1213 CE by Recharla Rudra - a General of Kakatiya
ruler Ganapati Deva 1199–1262.
 It was built using sandstone and its construction believed to have continued for
over four decades.
 The temple is a Sivalayam, where Lord Ramalingeswara is worshipped.
 17

 Marco Polo, during his visit to the Kakatiya empire, allegedly called the temple "the
brightest star in the galaxy of temples
 It is UNESCO World Heritage Site

What is special about Temple

 UNESCO notes on its website that, “The building features decorated beams and
pillars of carved granite and dolerite with a distinctive and pyramidal Vimana
(horizontally stepped tower) made of lightweight porous bricks, so-called „floating
bricks‟, which reduced the weight of the roof structures. The Main structure is in a
Reddish Sandstone.
 Mythical animals or female dancers or musicians, and are "the masterpieces of
Kakatiya art, notable for their delicate carving, sensuous postures and elongated
bodies and heads

Bhagyalakshmi Temple

 The temple is a small shrine dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, adjacent to the southeast
minar of the iconic Charminar, the late 19th century monument located in the heart of the
Old City of Hyderabad.
 The southeast minar constitutes the back wall of the temple, which is made of bamboo
poles and tarpaulin, and has a tin roof.
 There is no definitive history of how and when the temple came up, but it has been there
since at least the 1960s, when the current idol of the goddess is said to have been
installed.
 18

 The construction of the Charminar was begun in 1591 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah,
apparently to commemorate the end of the plague in his dominions.

Veerabhadra Temple, Lepakshi

 Veerabhadra temple is a Hindu temple located in the Lepakshi, in the state of Andhra
Pradesh
 The temple is dedicated to the Virabhadra, a fierce incarnation of Lord Shiva.
 Built in the 16th century, the architectural features of the temple are in the Vijayanagara
style with profusion of carvings and paintings at almost every exposed surface of
the temple.
 It is one of the centrally protected monuments of national importance and is considered
one of the most spectacular Vijayanagara temples.
 The fresco paintings are particularly detailed in very bright dresses and colours with
scenes of Rama and Krishna from the epic stories of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata
and the Puranas and they are well preserved.
 There is a very large Nandi (bull), mount of Shiva, about 200 metres (660 ft) away from
the temple which is carved from a single block of stone, which is said to be one of the
largest of its type in the world.
 The temple is home to many Kannada inscriptions as its located close to Karnataka border.
 History →
o The temple was built in 1530 AD (1540 AD is also mentioned) by Virupanna
Nayaka and Viranna , both brothers who were Governors under the Vijayanagar
Empire during the reign of King Achutaraya, at Penukonda who were native to
Karnataka.
 19

Thousand Pillars Temple

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/sculptors-from-tn-craft-the-restoration-of-1000-
pillar-shrine/article66247445.ece

Sculptors from Tamil Nadu involved in the restoration of the colossal mandapa of the
Rudreshwara Temple at Hanumakonda.

 The Thousand Pillars Temple is also called as Rudreshwara Swamy temple and the main
deity is Lord Shiva.
 It is located at the base of Hanumakonda hills in Warangal district, Telangana.
 The temple was built in 12th century by Rudra Deva(aka. Prataparudra), the first
independent king of the Kakatiya Dynasty.

 Its structure resembles the shape of a star and houses three major shrines of Lord Shiva,
Lord Vishnu and Lord Surya, known as Trikutalayam.
 Thousand Pillar Temple was constructed by using the sandbox technique and is known
for intricately carved pillars.
 The mandapa leads to the main temple with a majestic monolith Nandi seated on
the pathway.
 In the medieval period, the mandapa was used for holding the meeting of village
councils (Gram Sabhas) and dance performances.
 The mandapa was destroyed during the invasion by Muhammad Bin Tughlaq, who ruled
over the Delhi sultanate in 1323 AD.
 The restoration project of the temple mandapa is taken up by the Archaeological Survey of
India (ASI).

Bhimeswara Swamy Temple (Draksharama)

 Draksharama is one of the five Pancharama Kshetras that are sacred to the Hindu god
Siva.
 20

 The temple is located in Draksharamam town of Konaseema district in the Indian state of
Andhra Pradesh.
 Bhimeswara Swamy refers to Lord Siva in this temple.
 Inscriptions in the temple reveal that it was built between the 9th and 10th centuries CE
by the Eastern Chalukyan king, Bhima.
 The big Mandapam of the temple was built by Ganga Mahadevi ,daughter-In-Law of
Eastern Ganga Dynasty king Narasingha Deva I of Odisha.
 Architecturally and sculpturally, the temple reflects a blend of Chalukyan and Chola styles.

Rajarani Temple
 11th-century Hindu temple located in Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha (Orissa
previously)
 The temple is believed to have been known originally as Indreswara. It is locally known as
a "love temple" because of the erotic carvings of women and couples in the temple.
 Rajarani Temple is built in the pancharatha style on a raised platform with two structures:
a central shrine called the vimana (sanctum) with a bada (curvilinear spire) over its roof
rising to a height of 18 m (59 ft), and a viewing hall called jagamohana with a pyramidal
roof.
 The temple was constructed of dull red and yellow sandstone locally called "Rajarani".
 There are no images inside the sanctum, and hence it is not associated with a specific sect
of Hinduism but broadly classified as Saivite based on the niches.

Modhera Sun Temple, Gujarat

 The Sun Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the solar deity Surya located at Modhera
village of Mehsana district, Gujarat.
 21

 It is situated on the bank of the river Pushpavati.

 It was built after 1026-27 CE during the reign of Bhima I of the Chaulukya dynasty.
 No worship is offered now and is protected monument maintained by Archaeological
Survey of India.
 The temple complex has three components:
o Gudhamandapa, the shrine hall;
o Sabhamandapa, the assembly hall and
o Kunda, the reservoir.
 The halls have intricately carved exterior and pillars. The reservoir has steps to reach bottom
and numerous small shrines.

Chamundeshwari Temple

 The Chamundeshwari Temple is a Hindu temple located on the top of Chamundi Hills
about 13 km from the palace city of Mysuru in the state of
Karnataka in India.
 The temple was named after Chamundeshwari or, the fierce
form of Shakti, a tutelary deity held in reverence for centuries b
y the Maharaja of Mysuru.
 Chamundeshwari is called by the people of Karnataka as
Naada, which means state Goddess. It is situated at the
elevation of around 3300 ft from the mean sea level.
 It is believed that Goddess Durga slayed the demon king
Mahishasura on the top of this hill which was ruled by him. The place was later known as
Mahishooru (Place of Mahisha). The British changed it to Mysore and later Kannadized into
Mysuru.
The Chamundeshwari Temple is considered as a Shakti Peetha and one among the 18
Shakti Peethas. It is known as Krouncha Pitha as the region was known in Puranic times as
Krouncha Puri. It is said that the hair of Sati fell here
 22

Mahakaleshwar Temple

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/what-is-the-rs-600-crore-redevelopment-plan-for-
ujjains-mahakaleshwar-temple-8179285/

 Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva and is one of the twelve
Jyotirlingas, shrines which are said to be the most sacred abodes of Shiva.
 It is located in the ancient city of Ujjain in the state of Madhya Prades
 The temple is situated on the side of the holy river Shipra.
 The presiding deity, Shiva in the lingam form is believed to be Swayambhu, deriving
currents of power (Shakti) from within itself as against the other images and lingams that
are ritually established and invested with mantra-shakti.

Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha temple, Simhachalam

 Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha temple, Simhachalam is a Hindu temple situated on the
Simhachalam Hill Range, which is 300 metres above the sea level in Visakhapatnam,
Andhra Pradesh
 It is dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped there as Varaha Narasimha.

Angkor Wat temple

 Angkor Wat temple complex is located at Angkor, Cambodia.

 23

 Angkor Wat is the world‟s largest religious structure, covering some 400 acres.
 The temple is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu.
 The temple was built in the 12th century by King Suryavarman II, one of the greatest
kings of the Khmer dynasty.
 Angkor Wat has unusual orientation of facing west, rather than the traditional east.
 Theravada Buddhist monks maintained Angkor Wat after it was abandoned in early
15th century.
 Angkor Complex including Angkor Wat is an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992.

Other Temples that India restores outside India

 Thiruketheeswaram Temple in Mannar, SriLanka.
 One of the five sacred Ishwarams dedicated to Lord Shiva.
 This temple was closed for 12 years.
 Shreenathji Temple in Manama, Bahrain.
 It is a 200-year-old Sri Krishna temple in Bahrain.
 India launched $4.2 million project for the redevelopment of the temple.

Unakoti - Angkor Wat of North East

Unakoti, the chiselled „Angkor Wat of the North-East‟ is competing for a UNESCO world
heritage classification.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/travel/unakoti-the-angkor-wat-of-the-north-east-is-
vying-for-world-heritage-tag-101670680601782.html

https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/destination-of-the-week/tripura-unakoti-angkor-wat-
north-east-unesco-world-heritage-tag-8319590/

 Unakoti means one less than a crore in

Bengali and in the local Kokborok
language, it is called Subrai Khung.
 Unakoti is a Saivite pilgrimage site with
marvellous rock carvings, murals with
their primitive beauty and waterfalls.
 The site is nestled in the Raghunandan
hills in Unakoti District of Tripura.
 The site dating back to the 7th-9th centuries is now under Archaeological Society of India
(ASI).

Rock Sculptures
 There are two types of images found at Unakoti
o Rock-carved figures
o Stone images
 24

 Among the rock-cut carvings, the CENTRAL SHIVA head and GIGANTIC GANESHA
FIGURES are prominent.
 The central Shiva head - Also known as Unakotiswara Kal Bhairava.
o The head is about 30 feet high, including an embroidered head-dress which itself
is 10 feet high.
o On each side of the head-dress of the central Shiva, there are two full-size female
figures - one of Durga standing on a lion and another female figure on the other
side.
o In addition, 3 enormous images of Nandi Bull are found half-buried in the ground.
o Hindu mythology says that Lord Shiva once spent a night here on way to Kashi.
Unakoti or one less than a crore gods and goddesses followed him.
 Ashokastami Mela
o Thousands of pilgrims visit this site every year during „Ashokastami Mela‟ which
takes place in the month of April.
 Angkor Wat of North-East
o The structures of the rock-cut sculptures are gigantic and have distinct mongoloid
features.
o They display almost the same mystical charm as in the Angkor Wat temple of
Cambodia and hence got the name.

Jatar Deul temple

 It is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.
 Location: Located at Kanakan Dighi Village in South 24 Parganas District in West Bengal.
 The Temple stands on a small hill in the landscape of the southern Sundarbans
settlements.
 A copper plate found near the temple in 1875 suggests that Raja Joychandra
constructed the temple in 975 AD.
 The temple has been classified as a Monument of National Importance by the
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
 Structure →
o This temple is facing towards the east and follows the Kalingan style of
architecture.
o The temple is built over a raised platform.
o It has an arched gateway leading to the sanctum.
o The sanctum is situated below the ground level.
o The sanctum houses Lingas, pictures and idols of various gods & goddesses of
Hindu pantheon.
o The walls of the temple were intricately decorated with decorative bricks, but
most of it is lost due to unplanned reconstruction.