Sacred Temples

Discover India's most revered temples — their deities, history, timings and how to visit.

Kedarnath TempleShiva

Kedarnath Temple

Kedarnath, Uttarakhand

One of the twelve Jyotirlingas, Kedarnath is an ancient Shiva temple set amid the Garhwal Himalayas at 3,583m. Built by the Pandavas and revived by Adi Shankaracharya, it is among the holiest pilgrimage sites.

4:00 AM – 9:00 PM (seasonal)

Maha Shivaratri, Shravan Month

Siddhivinayak TempleGanesh

Siddhivinayak Temple

Mumbai, Maharashtra

Built in 1801, Shree Siddhivinayak is one of the richest and most visited temples in Mumbai, dedicated to Lord Ganesha. The black stone idol with a right-tilted trunk is considered especially auspicious.

5:30 AM – 9:50 PM

Ganesh Chaturthi

Vaishno DeviDurga

Vaishno Devi

Katra, Jammu & Kashmir

Nestled in the Trikuta Mountains, the Vaishno Devi shrine honours the Mother Goddess in the form of three natural rock formations (pindis). Millions undertake the sacred trek each year.

Open 24 hours

Navratri

Golden TempleGuru Granth Sahib

Golden Temple

Amritsar, Punjab

Sri Harmandir Sahib, the holiest gurdwara of Sikhism, is renowned for its gold-plated facade reflected in the sacred Amrit Sarovar. It welcomes people of all faiths and serves the world's largest free community kitchen.

Open 24 hours

Vaisakhi, Gurpurab

Meenakshi TempleParvati

Meenakshi Temple

Madurai, Tamil Nadu

The Meenakshi Amman Temple is a historic temple dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar. Famed for its towering, vividly coloured gopurams covered in thousands of sculptures.

5:00 AM – 12:30 PM, 4:00 PM – 9:30 PM

Meenakshi Thirukalyanam

Somnath TempleShiva

Somnath Temple

Prabhas Patan, Gujarat

The first among the twelve Jyotirlingas, Somnath stands on the western coast of Gujarat. Destroyed and rebuilt many times through history, it symbolises resilience and eternal faith.

6:00 AM – 9:30 PM

Maha Shivaratri

Guruvayur TempleKrishna

Guruvayur Temple

Guruvayur, Kerala

Known as Bhuloka Vaikunta (Heaven on Earth), Guruvayur is one of the most sacred Krishna temples in Kerala, famed for its disciplined rituals and the deity Guruvayurappan.

3:00 AM – 1:30 PM, 4:30 PM – 9:15 PM

Janmashtami, Guruvayur Ekadasi

Jakhu TempleHanuman

Jakhu Temple

Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

Perched atop Jakhu Hill, the highest peak in Shimla, this ancient Hanuman temple is marked by a towering 108-foot statue visible across the town, surrounded by deodar forests.

5:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Hanuman Jayanti

Ram MandirRama

Ram Mandir

Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh

Built at Ram Janmabhoomi, the believed birthplace of Lord Rama, the grand Nagara-style Ram Mandir was consecrated on 22 January 2024. Its intricately carved sandstone shikhara and pillars make it one of India's most significant modern pilgrimage sites.

6:30 AM – 9:30 PM (darshan with breaks)

Ram Navami, Diwali

Mahakaleshwar TempleShiva

Mahakaleshwar Temple

Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh

One of the twelve Jyotirlingas, Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain is renowned for its swayambhu (self-manifested) south-facing lingam and the famous predawn Bhasma Aarti, where the deity is adorned with sacred ash.

3:00 AM – 11:00 PM (Bhasma Aarti at 4:00 AM)

Maha Shivaratri, Nag Panchami