Ancient Temples in India

India is defined by its rich history and culture, of which temples form a huge part of its heritage. Carved beautifully out of rock, stone, and mortar, in a time when ‘precise architectural planning’ was a thing of the future, ancient temples with beautiful carvings and unimaginable grandeur were built with precision and expertise, and we’re in awe of how these have stood the test of time, even today. So, if you’re interested in a spiritual and cultural walk down history, we’ve got a list of 14 of the most ancient temples to exist in India today.

Meenakshi Temple, Tamil Nadu (2,500+ Years Old)

Meenakshi Temple is arguably one of the most culturally significant temples in all of South India. It is believed that the spot where the temple stands today, was where Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati (Meenakshi) got married, hence the temple is dedicated to the two deities. Meenakshi Temple’s foundation dates back to the 1st Century after which it was torn down, restored, and renovated innumerable times by rulers of various dynasties throughout the millennia. The temple covers a massive area of 14 acres and houses marvellous stone-carved shrines dedicated to several deities. The pillared halls, or ‘Mandapas’, and the colossal gateways, or ‘Gopurams’, depict the finest architectural elements one could find.

Location: Meenakshi Temple - Madurai, Tamil Nadu

Maa Mundeshwari Temple, Bihar (2,000+ Years Old)

Maa Mundeshwari Temple is by far one of the oldest functional temples to have existed in the world, let alone India. Adorning the summit of Piwara hill at a height of 600 m, it’s dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Shakti. The uniqueness of the temple also stems from its distinctive hexagonal shape, making it stand apart from the rest!

Location: Maa Mundeshwari Temple - Mundeshwari Dham Road, Bhabua, Bihar

Brahmaji Temple, Rajasthan (2,000+ Years Old)

This Brahma temple is situated in Pushkar, very close to the sacred Pushkar Lake that has close links to the temple through legends. Dating back to the 14th century, this temple is also one of the few prominent temples, solely dedicated to worshipping the Hindu god Brahma. Beautifully carved out of marble and stone slabs, it is distinguished by the red pinnacle (shikhara) and a hamsa bird motif on its facade. The best time to visit would be during the Kartik Purnima, to fully immerse yourself in the huge festival that is held during this time to honour God Brahma!

Location: Brahmaji Temple - Brahma Temple Rd, Ganahera, Pushkar, Rajasthan

Sree Virupaksha Temple, Karnataka (2,000+ Years Old)

Located in the Hampi District, this UNESCO World Heritage site is another temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, in the form of Lord Virupaksha, and has survived the test of time. Built even before the Vijayanagar empire, and once a small shrine, it grew and flourished into a huge temple complex under the reign of Vijayanagara rulers. It is to date, an important pilgrimage site in Hampi and has been considered one of the most sacred sanctuaries over centuries.

Location: Sree Virupaksha Temple - River Road, Hampi, Karnataka

Badami Cave Temples, Karnataka (1,500+ Years Old)

Badami Cave temples are a huge network of Hindu and Jain temple caves, located in Badami, Karnataka. These are considered fine examples of Indian Rock-cut architecture that dates back centuries. These sandstone cave temples are situated on the west bank of a man-made lake ringed by earthen walls with stone steps and make for a picture-perfect serene atmosphere. If you’re on the lookout for a mind-blowing experience, then do go and check out these caves with fine carvings of idols, and various sculptures of Hindu divinities and bask in all its glory!

Location: Badami Cave Temples - Badami, Karnataka

Mahabalipuram Temples, Tamil Nadu (1,300+ Years Old)

Recognised by UNESCO as a world heritage site, the cluster of temples in Mahabalipuram represents the foundation of Tamil Nadu’s vibrant culture. The noteworthy commonality of these temples is the intricate stone-carved designs that portray eminent personalities, deities, and scenes covering a myriad of themes. This 7th-century cluster of monuments comprises chariot-shaped temples or “Rathas”, rock-cut cave temples called Mandapas, and rock reliefs carved on isolated boulders and temples situated on the Bay of Bengal seashore. All in all, these temples are absolute delights for history buffs owing to the plethora of ancient niches to observe here!

Location: Mahabalipuram Temples - Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu

Shree Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand (1,300+ Years Old)

Situated in the town of its namesake, Badrinath temple is a majestic religious edifice, dedicated to the worship of Lord Vishnu. The temple is a constituent of the four major ‘Char Dham’ pilgrimage sites; owing to this, it regularly hosts oodles of patrons from all over the world. The origin of this holy abode of Lord Vishnu is associated with varying folklore, one popular story of which says that Lord Shiva and Parvati used to live here, and later it was conceived as a temple by Ancient Philosopher Adi Shankaracharya. The temple as we see it today - a glorifying edifice flocked with snow-capped hillocks all over, is the result of several restoration works, which began as early as the 16th century by a Garhwal king.

Location: Shree Badrinath Temple - Badrinath, Chamoli District, Uttarakhand

Kailasa Temple, Maharashtra (1,200+ Years Old)

Kailasa Temple, AKA Kailashnath Temple is the largest temple built and carved out of a single piece of rock! How absolutely astonishing is that?! And the crazy part is that it has almost perfect measurements and alignment, which is practically unheard of, considering the time period in which it was established. This massive structure was carved out of cave 16 of the Ellora Caves in Aurangabad, full of intricate carvings, mind-boggling architecture, and portraits of animals and deities carved into the stone.

Location: Kailasha Temple - Ellora, Aurangabad, Maharashtra

Mottai Gopura Vasal Athi Kumbeshwarar Temple, Tamil Nadu (1,200+ Years)

Here’s another ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and we’ve realised that there seems to be a pattern here. Built during the years when Shaivism was at its peak this temple continues to be revered in Tamil Nadu, considered to be the birthplace of Shaivism. The temple complex houses four getaways known as gopurams, and one of its main hallways consists of 16 pillars, built during the Vijayanagar period, and has all 27 stars and 12 zodiacs sculpted in a single stone.

Location: Mottai Gopura Vasal Athi Kumbeshwarar Temple - Thanjavur Main Road, Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu

Tungnath Temple, Uttarakhand (1,000+ Years Old)

If that one was the oldest, this one’s the highest Shiva Temple in existence throughout the world, standing at a height of 3,680 m. What’s more, according to legends, it is also considered to be one of the Panch Kedar temples built by the Pandavas! The temperatures are pleasant in this region, but during the winters, it drops down to sub-zero temperatures, and the temple gets covered in mounds of snow. The temple remains closed for 6 months during the winter because of this reason, so we’d suggest you visit only during the summers!

Location: Tungnath Temple - Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand

Lingaraja Temple, Odisha (1,000+ Years Old)

One of the oldest temples in the state, Lingaraja Temple is a massive shrine dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva. Built-in the 11th century by King Jajati Keshari, this temple exhibits some of the finest elements of Kalinga architecture, the most notable of which are Redstone construction and stone-carved sculptures and adornments on the building. The temple complex is spread over a sprawling area and houses more than 150 smaller shrines apart from the main Shiva temple structure that stands at a massive height of 180 feet. One should definitely visit the place during Shivaratri to indulge in the divinity of the purest form!

Location: Lingaraja Temple - Lingaraj Nagar, Old Town, Bhubaneswar, Odisha

Chennakeshava Temple, Karnataka (900+ Years Old)

This 900-year-old Chennakeshava Temple in Karnataka is said to have taken around 103 years to make! The temple has been repeatedly damaged and plundered during wars that broke out and have been repeatedly built again from the wreckage. What’s interesting is that even though the temple is dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu, you get to see motifs and carvings that evidently include many themes from Shaivism and Shaktism, as well as images of a Jina from Jainism, and Buddha from Buddhism!

Location: Chennakeshava Temple - Temple Road, Belur, Karnataka

Dilwara Temples, Rajasthan (900+ Years Old)

If you’re looking for an awesome holiday in the lush green mountains of Mount Abu, Rajasthan as you fulfill all your pilgrimage plans, then this is where you need to be. These are a cluster of Jain temples situated a few km from the only Hill Station Settlement in Rajasthan and are a sight to behold, with their white marble arches and finely carved pillars. Exuding a feeling of opulence and grandeur because of the use of very pure white marble - these temples are well-known for their style of Māru-Gurjara architecture.

Location: Dilwara Temples - Delwara, Mount Abu, Rajasthan

Konark Sun Temple, Odisha (800+ Years Old)

Built somewhere around the 1200s, this enchanting temple is dedicated to the sun god Surya, the temple is built in the shape of a chariot, with 7 horses and 24 huge wheels added (representing the 24 hours of a day) carved out of stone. Once built over 200 m high, much of the temple is now in ruins, but the structure and elements that have survived are famed for their exquisite artwork, themes, and iconography. We’d say that this one’s a must-visit!

Location: Konark Sun Temple - Konark, Puri, Odisha