There are surreal and mysterious places in the world that are believed to be charmed by a higher power. These destinations are open to visitors from all walks of life. It doesn’t matter if you are a believer or an atheist, anyone can come here, make a wish and sometimes those wishes come true.It is important to acquaint ourselves with the mythology behind a temple, its significance, and legends related to it.
Let’s discover famous temples that grant your wishes to come true.
1. Ajmer Sharif
It is widely believed that no prayer at the Ajmer Sharif goes unanswered. According to the historical records, the Mughal emperor Akbar visited this Dargah from Delhi (on foot) to pray for an heir. Soon enough his prayer got answered. This Dargah is the oldest in South Asia and a place for the diffusions of different religions.
2. Tirupati Balaji Temple
Lord Venkateshwara is a benign avatar of Vishnu and grants boon to all those who come to the Tirupati Balaji temple. It is the oldest in India going back to the 9th century. Many devotees make an offering of hair in this temple in hopes of getting their wished fulfilled.
3. Kashi Vishwanath Temple
The Vishwanath temple in Kashi is one of the jyotirlingas of Shiva. Kashi was supposed to be Lord Shiva’s favorite city and thus, it is a must visit pilgrimage for Shiva’s devotees.
4. Neelkanth Mahadev Temple, Uttarakhand
According to Hindu mythology, this temple is situated on the exact spot where Lord Shiva consumed blue poison to save the world. Thus, the temple is known as Neelkanth Mahadev meaning the Blue Throated One. It is surrounded by dense forest and is in close proximity to the mountain ranges of Nar-Narayan in Uttarakhand.
5. Kedarnath Temple
The Kedarnath temple sits atop the great Himalayan mountains. This temple of Shiva is one of the sacred Char Dhams in Hinduism. This is supposed to be one of the places that the Pandavas visited to seek the divine.
6. Vaishno Devi Temple
In the treacherous caves of Jammu resides the Goddess who is called ‘Sherawali Mata’. Sitting atop a tiger, Vaishno Devi is a form of Shakti. It is said that only the pure and worthy can make this dangerous trip to the caves and get Darshan.
7. Badrinath Temple
Badrinath is another temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. This high-flying temple in the Garhwal range of mountains is also one of the Char Dhams.
8. Siddhi Vinayak Temple
Bang in the middle of a busy metropolis we have the Siddhi Vinayak temple dedicated to Ganesha in Mumbai. This temple is patronized by many Bollywood celebrities and is known for granting wishes.
9. Golden Temple
The Golden Temple in Amritsar is actually a Gurudwara. This temple is one of the holiest sights for the Sikhs. The brilliant golden color of the temple gives it the famous name.
10. Sai Baba Temple
Sai Baba was a prophet revered both by the Hindus and Muslims. That is why His temple in Shirdi is one of the unique pilgrimages that is patronized by both these communities.
11. The Konark Sun Temple
The Sun temple is situated in the small town of Konark, which is situated in the Puri district of Odisha. This marvel of architecture is dedicated to Lord Sun. And resembling his carriage, the temple has been built in the shape of a chariot, which has twelve wheels and is shown as being dragged by the seven horses.
The temple is believed to be constructed in the 13th century by a king called Narasimhadeva. Like with most things in India, this temple too has connections with a few legends. As per one of the legends, God Krishna cursed, one of his own sons with leprosy. To seek penance, Samba worshiped Lord Sun (Surya) for a period of twelve years. Pleased with his devotion, Surya healed him. Samba made the Sun temple in return to express his gratitude.
The mesmerizing beauty of the place was best summed up by the Rabindranath Tagore through these words: ‘Here the language of stone surpasses the language of man.’
12. Brihadeeswara Temple
Also known as Peruvudaiyar Kovil and RajaRajeshwaram, this 11th-century temple was given shape by Chola Emperor Raja Chola I. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva; Brihadeeswara Temple is India’s largest temple located in Thanjavur city of Tamil Nadu.
Cholas, known for their majestic and spectacular structures. The grandeur and artistic efficiency of the Cholas are highlighted in the magnificent and spectacular architecture of the temple. Made completely of granite stone, it was built according to the principles of Vaastu Shastras and Agamas.
The most notable thing about the architecture of this UNESCO World Heritage Site is that it doesn’t leave any shadow on the ground at noon.
13. Somnath Temple
It is one of the oldest pilgrimage sites in India and it is mentioned in ancient books like Shivpuran, Skanda Purana, and Shrimad Bhagvat. Som refers to ‘Moon God’, therefore, Somnath means ‘Protector of Moon God‘. According to a legend, Som temple was built in respect of Lord Shiva, because it was Shiva who had cured the disease, which was delivered to him due to the curse of his father-in-law.
This is one of the most prestigious Jyotirlingas, out of the 12 most famous Jyotirlingas of India. The temple is situated in the Prabas Kshetra in Saurashtra (Gujarat). The Prabhas Kshetra is also the region in which it is believed that Lord Krishna left his mortal body.
Another interesting thing about the place is that it is built on the banks of the Arabian Sea and there is no land area in the middle of the temple and the South Pole, in a straight line. The Somnath temple was destroyed and rebuilt many times. This place is loaded with Somnath museum, Junagadh gate, beach, and a sound, and light show to attract the pilgrims.
14. Lord Jagannath Temple
Built in the 12th century, Jagannath Temple is located in Puri (Orissa) and is famously called Jagannath Puri. Dedicated to Lord Krishna, the temple is one of the four holy places (Char Dhams) of India. Inside the main temple, along with idols of Lord Krishna (Jagannath), there are idols of Lord Balabhadra (brother) and Goddess Subhadra (sister).
Non-Hindu temples are not allowed to enter the premises of the temple. They can see a good view of this magnificent temple with a rooftop of the Raghunandan Library, situated right in front of the temple.
An annually and world famous Rath Yatra held in Puri gives a beautiful and good glimpse of Lord Jagannath alongside Balabhadra, and Subhadra riding on chariots. Thousands and thousands of people pull the divine chariot for a mesmerizing event.
15. Yamunotri Temple
Built in the 19th century, Yamunotri temple is in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. The temple was destroyed and rebuilt twice because of the damages caused by natural disasters. The temple is made in the honor of Yamuna River, which is the second holiest river of India. The temple is also considered to be a part of the four Chota Char Dham sites.
Nestled at an elevation of 3291 meters, the temple of Mother Yamuna is holding the idol of Goddess, which is built in black marble. The temple opens on Akshaya Tritiya and closes after Diwali day celebration.
Mother Yamuna spends her winter at a neighboring village, village Kharsali. There are no motorable roads in the vicinity of Yamunotri temple, so, it can be reached by trekking for a few kilometers. There are many hot water springs for the pleasure of pilgrims around the Yamunotri temple.