Famous Temples in India with States: Complete GK Guide

India is home to some of the world’s most iconic and ancient temples, each telling a story of rich heritage and devotion. These topic “Famous Temples in India with States” not only reflect the country’s vibrant arts & culture but also play a vital role in the Static GK section of competitive exams like SSC, RRB, Bank, and UPSC.

In this guide, we take you on a journey through India’s most famous temples, from the sacred Mahabodhi Temple in Bihar to the shimmering Golden Temple in Punjab. Learn about their historical significance, the deities they honor, and the kingdoms that built them. Expand your knowledge of Indian culture and religion with this comprehensive guide to India’s renowned temples.

List of Famous Temples in India with States

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Famous Temples in India Map

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Famous Temples in India: Brief Description

Ram Temple

• The Ram Temple is located in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India, and is believed to be the birthplace of Lord Rama.

• The temple was inaugurated on January 22, 2024, after a special consecration ceremony.

• The site was earlier occupied by the Babri Masjid, which was demolished in 1992, leading to tensions between Hindus and Muslims.

• In 2019, the Supreme Court of India gave the disputed land to Hindus for building the temple and allotted land in Dhannipur for Muslims to build a mosque.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the temple on August 5, 2020.

• The construction is overseen by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

• Modi also participated in the consecration ceremony on January 22, 2024.

• The project has faced controversies, including claims of misuse of donations, sidelining of activists, and allegations of political use by the BJP.

Venkateswara Temple

• The temple is located in the hill town of Tirumala, Tirupati, in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, India.

• It is dedicated to Venkateswara, a form of Lord Vishnu.

• The temple is also known by other names, including Tirumala, Tirupati, and Tirupati Balaji.

• Lord Venkateswara is revered by various names such as Balaji, Govinda, and Srinivasa.

• The temple’s architecture follows the traditional Dravidian style.

Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple

• Ramappa Temple, also known as the Rudreshwara Temple, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Telangana, India.

• The temple is dedicated to Lord Ramalingeswara.

• The construction of the Ramappa Temple began in the year 1213 CE.

• The temple was built by Recharla Rudra, a General under the Kakatiya ruler Ganapati Deva.

• The temple is named after its designer and architect, Ramappa.

• Marco Polo is said to have called the temple “the brightest star in the galaxy of temples” during his visit to the Kakatiya empire.

• The temple follows the Kakatiya style and features Bhumija/Vesara architecture.

Mahabodhi Temple 

• The Mahabodhi Temple is located in Bodh Gaya, in the Gaya district of Bihar, India.

• The temple is dedicated to Lord Buddha, who is believed to have attained enlightenment at this site in Bodh Gaya.

• The term Mahabodhi means “Great Awakening.”

• The Mahabodhi Temple has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• The site also contains a descendant of the Bodhi Tree, under which Buddha attained enlightenment.

• The temple is built from brick and is one of eastern India’s oldest surviving brick structures, showcasing excellent Indian brickwork.

Somnath Temple

• The Somnath Temple is located at Prabhas Patan, Veraval, in Gujarat, India.

• This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

• It is said to be the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Shiva.

• The original Adi Somnath Temple has been destroyed several times by different Muslim rulers, with the most brutal attack by Sultan Mahmud.

• The current temple has been rebuilt in the Maru-Gurjara style of Hindu architecture.

• Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, is currently the chairman of the Shree Somnath Mandir Trust.

Dwarkadhish Temple

• The Dwarkadhish Temple is located in Dwarka city, in Gujarat, India.

• This Hindu temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna, worshipped here as Dwarkadhish, meaning King of Dwarka.

• The Dwarkadhish Temple is also known as the Jagat Mandir.

• It is one of the important destinations of Char Dham, a Hindu pilgrimage circuit.

• As a Pustimarga temple, it follows the rituals and guidelines established by Vallabhacharya and Bithaleshnath.

• The original temple was believed to have been built by Krishna’s grandson, Vajranava.

• The original structure was destroyed in 1472 by Mahmud Begada, also known as Mahmud Shah I.

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Vaishno Devi Temple

• The Vaishno Devi Temple is located at Katra in the Trikuta Mountains in the Indian Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

• It is an important Hindu temple dedicated to Vaishno Devi.

• Vaishno Devi is also known as Mata Rani, Trikuta, Ambe, and Vaishnavi.

• It is believed that Vaishnavi was formed from the combined energies of Parvati, Lakshmi, and Saraswati.

Amarnath Temple

• The Amarnath Temple is a Hindu shrine located in Jammu and Kashmir, India.

• The temple is situated at an altitude of 3,888 meters (12,756 feet), about 141 km (88 miles) from Srinagar.

• The deity worshipped here is Lord Shiva.

• The Amarnath Cave Temple is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas temples across South Asia, which mark the locations where the body parts of the Hindu deity Sati fell.

• According to legend, Sage Bhrigu was the first to discover Amarnath.

Virupaksha Temple

• The Virupaksha Temple is located in Hampi, in the Ballari district of Karnataka, India.

• The temple is dedicated to Lord Virupaksha, a form of Shiva.

• It is part of the Group of Monuments at Hampi, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• The temple was built by Lakkan Dandesha, a nayaka (chieftain) under the ruler Deva Raya II, also known as Prauda Deva Raya of the Vijayanagara Empire.

Gomateshwara Temple

• The Gommateshwara Temple is located in Shravanbelagola, in the Indian state of Karnataka.

• The Gommateshwara statue is dedicated to the Jain figure Bahubali.

• This temple is built by carving a single block of granite.

• The Gommateshwara statue is the tallest monolithic and most giant freestanding statue in the world.

• It was built around 983 CE during the Western Ganga dynasty.

Padmanabhaswamy Temple

• The Padmanabhaswamy Temple is located in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.

• Lord Vishnu is worshipped in the Padmanabhaswamy temple.

• It is considered the wealthiest place of worship in the world.

• In Malayalam, the city of Thiruvananthapuram means “the city of Lord Ananta” (the city of Lord Vishnu).

• The temple is built in an intricate fusion of the Chera style and the Dravidian style of architecture.

Kamakhya Temple

• The Kamakhya Temple is situated on Nilachal Hill in the western part of Guwahati city, Assam, India.

• The Kamakhya Temple is a Sakta temple dedicated to the mother goddess Kamakhya.

• It is one of the oldest of the 51 Shakti Pithas.

• The main temple is part of a complex of individual temples dedicated to the ten Mahavidyas of Saktism, namely: Kali, Tara, Tripura Sundari, Bhuvaneshwari, Bhairavi, Chhinnamasta, Dhumavati, Bagalamukhi, Matangi, and Kamalatmika.

• This temple is built in the Nilachal architectural style.

Siddhivinayak Temple

• The temple is located in Prabhadevi, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

• It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shri Ganesh.

• The temple was originally built by Laxman Vithu and Deubai Patil on 19 November 1801.

Konark Sun Temple

• Location: The Konark Sun Temple is located in the Puri district, Odisha, India.

• Dedication: The temple is dedicated to the Hindu Sun God, Surya.

• Construction: Built in 1250 CE by King Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty.

• Architecture: The temple is based on the Kalinga architectural style.

Golden Temple

• The Golden Temple is located in Amritsar, Punjab, India.

• It is dedicated to the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhs.

• The Golden Temple is also known as Harmandir Sahib or “abode of God.”

• It is the leading spiritual site of Sikhism.

• The construction of the Gurdwara was completed by the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das, in 1577.

• Founder of Amritsar: Guru Ram Das also founded the city of Amritsar.

Meenakshi Temple

• The Meenakshi Temple is located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.

• The temple is dedicated to goddess Meenakshi and Sundareshwar. Meenakshi is a form of Parvati, and Sundareshwar is a form of Shiva.

• According to Tamil Sangam literature, the temple is at the center of the ancient temple town of Madurai.

• The temple is one of the Paadal Petra Sthalam, a collection of 275 temples of Lord Shiva revered in the verses of the Tamil Saiva Nayanars.

• The temple follows Vijayanagara and Dravidian architectural styles.

Ranganathaswamy Temple

• The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is located in Srirangam, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India.

• The temple is dedicated to Ranganatha, a form of Vishnu.

• The temple is constructed in the Dravidian architectural style.

• It is one of the most important of the 108 (Divya Desam) Vishnu Temples.

• It is the first temple to be awarded by a UN body for protecting and conserving cultural heritage.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple

• The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is located in Vishwanath Gali, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

• The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

• It is situated on the western bank of the holy river Ganga.

• The temple is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest Shiva temples.

• The city of Varanasi was called Kashi in ancient times, and the temple is popularly known as Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

Badrinath Temple

• The Badrinath or Badrinarayana Temple is situated in Badrinath, Uttarakhand, India.

• The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

• It is one of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu.

• People following the Jain religion also worship the temple and the idol of Rishabhdev (Rishabhanatha) or Adinath, the first Tirthankar of Jainism.

• The temple is mentioned in ancient religious texts like the Vishnu Purana and Skanda Purana.

Yamunotri Temple

• Yamunotri Temple is located in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand.

• It sits in the western part of the Garhwal Himalayas.

• The temple is situated at an altitude of 3,291 meters (10,797 feet) above sea level.

• The temple is dedicated to Goddess Yamuna, the river goddess in Hindu mythology.

Gangotri Temple

• The Gangotri Temple is situated on the left bank of the Bhagirathi River in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand.

• The Gangotri Temple is dedicated to Goddess Ganga.

• The Gorkha General Amar Singh Thapa built the Gangotri Temple.

• It lies close to the holy rock, the Bhagirath Shila, where King Bhagirath worshipped Lord Shiva.

Kedarnath Temple

• The temple is located in the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini River in Uttarakhand, India.

• It is dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva.

• According to Hindu legends, the temple was initially built by the Pandavas and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest Hindu shrines of Shiva.

• The temple is based on North Indian Himalayan Architecture.

Dilwara Temples

• The Dilwara Temples are located in the Sirohi District of Rajasthan, India.
• They are a group of exquisite Svetambara Jain temples, famous for their intricate architecture and artistic beauty.
• The temples are dedicated to Jain Tirthankaras (spiritual leaders) and represent the rich heritage of Jainism.

The Tirthankaras:

• Rishabhanatha: The first Tirthankara of Jainism.
• Neminatha: Also known as Nemi and Arishtanemi, the twenty-second Tirthankara.
• Parshvanatha: The twenty-third Tirthankara.
• Mahavira: The last Tirthankara, also known as Vardhamana.

Architectural Marvels:

• The Dilwara temple complex is built in the ‘Maru-Gurjara’ architectural style and consists of five distinct temples:
  • Vimal Vasahi: Dedicated to Adinatha, the first Jain Tirthankara.
  • Luna Vasahi: Dedicated to Neminatha, the twenty-second Tirthankara.
  • Parshvanath: Dedicated to Parshvanatha, the twenty-third Tirthankara.
  • Mahavir Swami: Dedicated to Mahavira, the last Jain Tirthankara.

Dakshineswar Kali Temple

• Dakshineswar Kali Temple is located on the east bank of the Hooghly River in Dakshineswar, West Bengal, India.

• The temple’s main deity is Bhavatarini, a Parashakti Adya Kali form, also known as Adishakti Kalika.

• The temple was built in 1855 by Rani Rashmoni, a social worker and devotee of Kali.

• The temple is well known for its association with Ramakrishna and Ma Sarada Devi, the mystics of 19th-century Bengal.

Previous Year’s Questions

Q1. Where is Brihadeeswara Temple situated? (SSC CGL l Prelim 2002)

 ▪ Answer: Tanjore

Q2. Which rulers built the Ellora temples? (SSC CGL Prelim 2003)

 ▪ Answer: Rashtrakuta

Q3. The famous rock-cut temple of Kailasa is at __ (SSC CPO Sub-Inspector 2003)

 ▪ Answer: Ellora

Q4. Most of the Chola temples were dedicated to __ (SSC CPO Sub-Inspector 2006)

 ▪ Answer: Shiva

Q5. Where do you find the temple of Angkor Wat? (SSC Section Officer (Audit) 2006)

 ▪ Answer: Cambodia

Q6. The caves and rock-cut temples at Ellora are: (SSC CGL Prelim 2008)

 ▪ Answer: Hindu, Buddhist and Jain

Q7. The famous Kailasanath Temple at Kanchi was built by— (SSC CML (PRE) 1999)

 ▪ Answer: Narasimhavarman II

Q8. Where is the Lingaraja Temple located? (SSC CML (PRE) 2000)

 ▪ Answer: Bhubaneswar

Q9. Which Rashtrakuta ruler built the famous Kailasha temple of Siva at Ellora? (SSC CML (PRE) 2000)

 ▪ Answer: Krishan-I

Q10. The Virupaksha Temple was built by the: (SSC CML (PRE) 2000)

 ▪ Answer: Chalukyas

Q11. Who built the Brihadeeswara Temple at Tanjore? (SSC CML (PRE) 2002 Eastern Zone, Guwahati)

 ▪ Answer: Raja Raja Chola

Q12. The famous Kailasa temple cut out of the solid rock at Ellora was built under the patronage of the_ (SSC C ML (PRE) 2002

 ▪ Answer: Rashtrakuta

Q13. Rath temples at Mahabalipuram were built in the reign of which Pallava ruler? (SSC CML (PRE) 2008)

 ▪ Answer: Narasimhavarman I

Q14. Most of the Chola temples were dedicated to _ (SSC Data Entry Operator 2008)

 ▪ Answer: Shiva

Q15. The seashore temple at Mahabalipuram was built by_____ (SSC 10+2 Level Data Entry Operator & LDC 2012)

 ▪ Answer: Narasimha Varman II

Q16. Who built the Kailasanatha Temple at Ellora? (SSC CGL Tier-I 2014)

 ▪ Answer: Krishna I

Q17. Who built the famous Vaikunta Perumal temple at Kanchipuram? (SSC CHSL 10+2) DEO & LDC 2014)

 ▪ Answer: Nandi Varman II

Q18. Chalukya temples (Jain temples) at Dilwara are situated in________(SSC CGL Tier-I (CBE) 2016)

 ▪ Answer: Rajasthan 

Q19. Where is the Brihadeeswara temple, built during the Chola period, located? (SSC CGL Tier-I (CBE) 2016)

 ▪ Answer: Kanyakumari

Q20. The Dilwara temple at Mount Abu in Rajasthan was built by the Followers of _ (SSC Section Officer (Audit) 2001)

 ▪ Answer: Jainism

Q21. Who built the Khajuraho temples? (SSC CGL Prelim 2002)

 ▪ Answer: Chandela Rajputs

Q22. The temple was built in 1 100 A. D. and dominating all other temples in Bhubaneshwar is (SSC Combined Matric Level (PRE) 2001)

 ▪ Answer: Tribhuvaneswara Lingaraja

Q23. Which is the tallest of all Medieval Indian temples? (SSC Combined Matric Level (PRE) 2006)

 ▪ Answer: Brihadeswara Temple at Tanjore

Q24. Krishnadevaraya built the Krishnaswami temple in Hampi, which is situated in the present State of: (SSC 10+2 Data Entry Operator & LDC 2012)

 ▪ Answer: Karnataka

Q25. Who among the following attacked the Somnath temple? (SSC Delhi Police Sub-Inspector 2012)

 ▪ Answer: Mahmud of Ghazni

Q26. The ‘Sun Temple of Konark is in the State of __ (SI Exam 2012 )

 ▪ Answer: Odisha

Famous Shiva Temples in India: 12 Jyotirlinga

• Jyotirlingas are sacred symbols of Lord Shiva, representing his divine presence.

• There are 12 Jyotirlingas in India, and they are deeply significant for Shiva devotees.

• Each Jyotirlinga represents a different form of Lord Shiva and has unique importance in Hindu mythology.

• The Somnath Temple is one of the most famous temples dedicated to Shiva.

• It is located in Veraval, Gujarat, and is considered the first of the 12 Jyotirlingas.

• According to Hindu mythology, it holds immense spiritual significance for devotees.

• People from across India and the world visit these Jyotirlingas to seek blessings and experience spiritual peace.

List of 12 Jyotirlinga Name and Place

▪ The table below provides detailed information about the 12 Jyotirlingas and their locations/States.

The meaning of Jyotirlinga is the radiance of the Linga or Radiance of Shiva. Mahadev or Shiva is of foremost importance in Hinduism. He is the main pillar of the Holy Trinity in Hinduism. The representation in the phallus form is known as linga. Jyotirlinga is something that pic.twitter.com/A1AtHVtpLs

— Vedic Gyaan (@vedicgyaanindia) February 10, 2021

 Jyotirlinga Images with Names and Places Map

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