Experience Temple Tour to South India

Pristine backwater beauty, charm of sun-kissed beaches, ancient cultural heritage, aroma of spice and coffee plantations and enticing wildlife sanctuaries, Kerala offer something for all kinds of travellers. Especially those with a little religious bend of mind and those keen on learning about Indian architectural heritage, temple tours to South India has a lot on offer. Southern part of the country is dotted with a plethora of exquisite temple architecture which has been applauded by the world for its intricate designing and captivating festivities. These temples are of great cultural, religious and emotional relevance to the people and thus one must respect the traditional practices while exploring temples on a South India tour.

Apart from the geographical splendour the architecturally brilliant and religiously significant temples are also a must visit attraction on South India tours. Some of the must visit temples of South India include:

Balaji Temple of Tirupati

Dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, famous Balaji Temple is built on the Venkatadri hill. One of the significant pilgrimages of Hindus, the temple is the most visited place of worship in the world with about 50,000 to 100,000 pilgrims visiting daily. The temple renowned worldwide is also the richest temple in the world. As common belief goes, the temple has self manifested idol of lord Vishnu who is believed to have lived here for a long period of time.

Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram

Overlooking the Bay of Bengal, Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram catches eyes of all on South India temple tours. A structural temple, built with granite blocks, it was constructed in the 8th century. It is one of the oldest stone temples of South India and is designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The temple has an assortment of three shrines two of which are dedicated to Lord Shiva and the third one to Lord Vishnu. The temple is renowned more for its architectural brilliance than religious reasons and the excavations are still going on and recently revealed new structures under the sand.

Ramanathaswamy Temple in Tamil Nadu

Any religious quest on South India tours is incomplete without a visit to Ramanathaswamy Temple. A part of holiest of journeys of Hindus- Char Dham, Ramanathaswamy Temple is one of the Jyotirlingas (a shrine of Lord Shiva). As per mythology, Lord Rama prayed to Lord Shiva here to absolve the sins he might have committed during the war against Ravana. The elaborate exteriors create stunning compound walls and have sprawling corridors. The outer set of corridor being about 400 feet is known for being longest in the world and there are about 1200 pillars in the outer corridor itself which constructs for a captivating sight.

These temples are reminiscent of the glorious past of Indian architecture and are well preserved for generations to get a glimpse of the country's rich heritage and inspired. These temples are impressive with their ornamental designs are enlivening with their religious practices and thus are a must while on a South India tour.