Temple Trails of South India -
Top 10 Temple Towns

Belur & Halebidu
Early capitals of the 12th century Hoysala
Empire, which ruled most of modern day
Karnataka, Belur is also known as South
Banaras for its temples. Halebidu, literally
“old city”, which was previously called
Dwarasamudra (gateway to the seas) is
home to one of the best examples of
Hoysala architecture in the Hoysaleswara
and Kedareswara temples. Dating back to
the 1121 AD, the temple complex is a
treasure of sculptural detail. Belur also has
the famous Chennakesava temple complex,
which is another fine example of Hoysala
architecture. The intricate pillars and
sculptures within the temple complex are
mesmerizing. According to legends, it took
over 100 years to complete this 1117 AD
temple. These temples are being proposed
as UNESCO world heritage sites.

Hampi
Sometimes, the ruins tell you the tale of how
strong the foundation was. Located in the
ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of
Vijayanagara Empire, Hampi ruins are a
UNESCO world heritage site. Situated on the
banks of the river Tungabhadra, the ruins at
Hampi and the hundreds of boulders
surrounding it will tell you about the rich
and vibrant history of the magnificent
Vijayanagara Empire. Do check out the
Hampi Utsav, a cultural extravaganza of
dance and music, which is held every year
during first week of November.

Thanjavur
The kingdom of Thanjavur rose to
prominence during the reign of Chola
dynasty and the temple is one of the
most remarkable pieces of Dravidian
history. The construction of the
Brihadeeswarar Temple, dedicated to
Lord Shiva, is considered a landmark in
evolution of building art in the South
India. The magnificent structure, which
is covered with the paintings from the
Chola and Nayak periods, is also a
designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Do visit the Thanjavur Royal Palace and
the museum to live like royalty for a few
moments.

Kanchipuram
Historically, a centre of
education, Kanchipuram was also a
religious centre of advanced
education for Jainsim and Buddhism
between the 1st and the 5th
centuries. According to Hindusim,
Kanchipuram is one of the seven
Indian cities to reach final attainment
and is a holy pilgrimage site for both,
Shaivites and Vaishnavites. Of the 108
holy temples of Lord Vishnu, 14 are
located in Kanchipuram. With temples
like Sri Ekambeswara Temple, Sri
Kailasanathar Temple, Sri Vardaraja
Perumal Temple, etc., Kanchipuram is
also known as a city of thousand
temples which reflect the glorious
traditions of South India.

Rameshwaram
Situated 572 km away from
Chennai, Rameshwaram, along
with Varanasi, it is considered one of the
holiest places for Hindus in India. According
to the Hindu epic Ramayana, Rama, the
seventh avatar of Vishnu, prayed here to
Lord Shiva to absolve him of any sins he
might have committed during his war
against the demon-king Ravana in Sri Lanka.
Located in the centre of the town, the
Ramanathanswamy temple is the most
notable historic landmark in the town.
Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this is also one of
the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines. According to
Hindu mythology, if one visits
Rameshwaram and prays to Lord Shiva, one
will be relieved of all the sins. The
Ramanathanswamy temple is known for
the magnificent corridor of thousand pillars
and beautifully sculpted pillars.

Tiruchirappalli
Situated at the Kaveri delta, Tiruchirappalli
boasts of exquisite temples and fortresses built
by the Chola dynasty. Most temples, like the
Ranganathanswamy Temple and the
Jambukeswarar Temple, are built in the
Dravidian style of architecture. This current day
bustling, noisy city was a capital of the Cholas
in the early 3rd century BC. The
Ranganathanswamy Temple complex with 49
shrines, all dedicated to Lord Vishnu, is so huge
that it is like a city within itself. Perched 83 m
high on a massive outcrop with rock cut cave
temples, the Rockfort temple, is also a fine
example of Dravidian architecture. Originally
built by the Pallavas, the Rockfort fortress is
listed as a monument of national importance
by the Archeological Survey of India.

Mahabalipuram
Located around 60 km south of Chennai in
Tamil Nadu, Mahabalipuram is the ancient
historic town which was a bustling port
during the times of Periplus and Ptolemy in
1 BC and 140 BC respectively. According to
the legends, Lord Shiva killed the demon
king Mahabali here. The temple is a fine
example of Dravidian architecture with a
huge influence of Buddhist elements of
design. The Shore Temple, built in 700 AD, is
the oldest structure in that area. Hire a bike
and enjoy the country side or just relax on
the sandy beach or take a fishing trip to the
sea. Local artisans also teach stone carving.
If you drive down from Chennai, the road
runs parallel to the Bay of Bengal, making it
a scenic drive.

Tirupati
This ancient Vedic temple of Sri
Venkateswara is located on the Tirupati
Hill in Andhra Pradesh. Sri Venkateswara
is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu and is
also known as Balaji, Govinda and
Srinivasa. The sanctum sanctorum
houses the awe inspiring idol of the lord
and is one of the most visited holy-places
in the world. The temple has its
origins in Vaishnavism, one of the main
branches of Hinduism along with
Shaivism, Smartism and Shaktism. Many
devotees get their heads tonsured as an
offering to the God. According to one of
the legends, the Venkateswara idol in
the temple shall remain here for the
entire duration of Kali Yuga, the last of
the four stages the world goes through
according to Indian scriptures.

Madurai
The oldest city of Tamil
Nadu, Madurai is one of the major
settlements for two millennia and one
of the oldest continuously inhabited
cities in the world. Madurai is built
around the Meenakshi Amman Temple,
a temple dedicated to Parvati, known
as Meenakshi, and her consort, Shiva,
named Sundareshwara. The temple,
which is believed to be founded by
Indra, is one of the brilliant examples of
Dravidian architecture.

Somnathpura
Built in 1268 AD on the river
Kaveri, Somnathpura temple complex
dedicated to Lord Krishna, is situated about 40
km from the historic city
of Mysore in Karnataka. It is considered to be
the last major temple of the Hoysala dynasty,
and is one of the best preserved monument of
the Hoysala architecture as a protected
heritage site by the Archeological Survey of
India. The expertly carved panels with animals
in various positions are a lesson in
architecture.

Photographic Attribution
• Thank you all for your contributions!
• Belur & Halebidu: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sissssou/4007486071
• Hampi: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dalbera/14250876721
• Thanjavur: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dalbera/14354574611
• Kanchipuram: https://www.flickr.com/photos/balaji_shankar/8429703302
• Rameshwaram: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pabloneco/7805363340
• Tiruchirapalli: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kshathriya/3786918573
• Mahabalipuram: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kshathriya/284548964
• Tirupati: https://www.flickr.com/photos/082007/7723883260
• Madurai: https://www.flickr.com/photos/65640806@N02/6969618697