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Hindu temples were not meant for large congregational worship. Pillared Mandapas with elaborate sculptures, sadas for dancing & wide circumbulating passages with other deities placed around the main deity constitute a temple complex.

The prominent forms of temple designs are the North Indian Temples & Southern Indian Temples. There were changes in styles, but certain basic rules fundamental to Hinduism were followed regarding the position of the garba griha, directions of the other deities, etc.


Classification of Hindu Temples
North Indian Style
Western Indian & the Deccan Style
South Indian Style

Temple listing regionwise
Temples in Tamilnadu
Temples in Karnataka


Temple Architecture and its Symbolism (pdf)
- Purushottama Bilimoria
email: pbilimoria@gtu.edu



Siva Temples
Jyotir Linga Sthalams
Somanath - Somanathar, Gujarat
Sri Sailam - Mallikarjuna, Andhra Pradesh
Ujjain Mahaakaaleshwar, Madhya Pradesh
Omkareshwar - Omkaareshwar, Madhya Pradesh
Vaidyanatham - Vaidyanathar, Bihar
Bhimashankaram - Bhimashankar, Maharashtra
Rameswaram - Ramalingeswarar, Tamilnadu
Nagesam - Nageshwar, Gujarat
Viswanatham - Viswanathar, Uttar Pradesh
Triyambagam - Triyambageshwar, Maharashtra
Kedaram - Kedareswar, Uttar Pradesh
Kusmesam - Kusmeswara, Maharashtra


Pancha Bootha Sthalangal, Tamilnadu
Aadi Kumbeshwara temple - Kumbakonam, Tamilnadu

Mahaamaham festival in Kumbakonam

Airavateshwara Temple - Darasuram near Kumbakonam, Tamilnadu

Ardhanaareeswarar Koil - Thiruchengodu, Tamilnadu

Arunachaleswarar (Annamalaiyar) temple - Thiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu

Layout of Arunachaleswarar temple
arunachalasamudra...

Temple Walkthrough by Meenakshi Ammal
arunachalasamudra...

Arunajadeswarar temple, Thirupananthal, Tamilnadu

Brihadeeswarar Koil - Thanjavur, Tamilnadu

Brihadeeswarar Koil - Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Tamilnadu

For details on the temple visit tamilartsacademy.com

Dhaathreeswarar Koil, Thirumanam village, Sidharkadu, Tamilnadu

Jambukeswar temple - Thiruvaanaikaaval, Tamilnadu

Kadambavaneswarar temple - Kulithalai, Tamilnadu

Kampahareswarar temple - Tribhuvanam, Tamilnadu

Kapaleeswarar temple - Chennai, Tamilnadu

Kapaleeswarar temple Panguni Thiruvizhaa, 2004

Kowpeeneswara Swamy Temple - Thane, Maharashtra

Mahalingam temple - Thiruvidaimarudur, Tamilnadu

Jan 2012
Mahendeshwar Mahadev temple - Hisar, Haryana

Malleeswarar Koil - Chennai, Tamilnadu

Kamakshi Amman Sametha Marundeeswarar and Anjaneyar Temple - at Vada Iluppai near Kanchipuram, Tamilnadu

Nageswara temple - Kumbakonam, Tamilnadu

Natarajar temple - Chidambaram, Tamilnadu
Images carved on the temple chariot, Chidambaram .....
Panchalingams - Talakadu, Karnataka - Pathaleshwara, Maruleshwara, Arkeshwara, Vaidyanatheeshwara and Mallikarjuna temples

Sahasralingam, Skandhashramam - Chennai, Tamilnadu

Sattanathaswamy temple - Sirkali, Tamilnadu

Swarnapureeswarar (Padikaasunaadar Koil) - Azhagaaputhur, Tamilnadu

Thirukannaar Koil - near Mylaaduthurai, Tamilnadu

Vaanchinaathar temple - Sri Vaanchiyam, Tamilnadu

Vaideeswaran temple - Vaideeswaran Koil, Tamilnadu

Vathanyeswarar temple - Mayiladuthurai, Tamilnadu

Vedagiriswarar temple - Thirukazhukundram, Tamilnadu

Related Links - Web site on Temples
shaivam.org/




Vishnu Temples
108 Vaishnava Divya Desangal

Chakrapani temple - Kumbakonam, Tamilnadu

Jaganmohini Kesavaswami temple - Ryali, Andhra Pradesh

Naachiyaarkovil - Thirunaraiyur, 10 km from Kumbakonam, Tamilnadu
(also listed under 108 Vaishnava Divya Desangal - Thiru Naraiyur in Chola Naadu)

Narasimha temple, Penukonda, Ananthapur District, Andhra Pradesh, South India (Photos)

Parthasarathy Swamy Temple - Chennai, Tamilnadu
(also listed under 108 Vaishnava Divya Desangal - Thiruvallikeni in Thondai Naadu)

Ramaswamy temple - Kumbakonam, Tamilnadu

Sarangapani temple - Kumbakonam, Tamilnadu

Feb 2012
Sri Boomi Neela Devi sametha Sri Sundaraja Perumal kovil - Pachapperumalpatti, Thuraiyur taluk, Trichy, Tamilnadu

 Sri Prasanna Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple, Hari-Hara Kshethram - Devuni Gutta near Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh

Tirupati - Chitoor district, Andhra Pradesh

Ulagalanda Perumal temple - Tirukkoilur, Tamilnadu
(also listed under 108 Vaishnava Divya Desangal - Thirukkovalur in Nadu Naadu)

Uppiliyappan Koil - Thiruvinnagaram, 6 kms from Kumbakonam, Tamilnadu
(also listed under 108 Vaishnava Divya Desangal - Thiru Vinnagar)



Temples for Goddesses
Aadi Parasakthi temple - Melmaruvathur, Tamilnadu
Annapoorneshwari temple - Horanadu, Karnataka
Ashta Lakshmi temple - Chennai, Tamilnadu
Bramaraambigai, Durga Parameswari temple - Kateel, Karnataka
Kamakshi Amman Temple Utsavam, Kancheepuram, Tamilnadu
Kamakshi Temple near North Street, Tiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu
arunachalagrace....
Mahalakshmi Temple, Kolhapur, Maharashtra
Meenakshi Amman Temple - Madurai, Tamilnadu

Photographs of sculptures in 1000 pillared Hall, Meenakshi Temple
Nemili Sri Bala Peetam, Vellore, Tamilnadu
Shree Baleshwari Devi temple, New Delhi
Sri Lakshmi Narayani Temple near Vellore, Tamilnadu
Sri Oushadha Lalitha Maha Tripurasundari, Sreepeedam, Sembakkam (Village), Kancheepuram, Tamilnadu
The three Sakthi Temples - Chennai, Tamilnadu
Ichchaa Sakthi - Thiruvudai Naayagi
Gnana Sakthi - Vadivudai Naayagi
Kriyaa Sakthi - Kodiyidai Naayagi
Related Links - Shri Naina Devi Ji Temple situated on hill top in Bilaspur Distt. of Himachal Pradesh
nainadevi.com



Murugar Temples
Aru Padai Veedu - Chennai, Tamilnadu
Balasubramania Swami temple, Siruvapuri, Tamilnadu
Sri Kumara Subramanyar temple, Odimalai, near Kovai, Tamilnadu
Murals in the Swamimalai temple near Kumbakonam, Tamilnadu
Information about Palani temples, siddhas, siddhi, Hindu culture, famous temples in Tamilnadu, & Kerala, Kodaikanal and Online pooja in Palani temple.
palanitemples.com



Temples for other deities
Navagraham Temples - Tamilnadu

Thirukollikaadu Agneeswarar temple (Pongu Sani sthalam) - Tamilnadu
Basavangudi Nandi temple - Karnataka
Char Dham is referred to the four Hindu religious sites in Uttarakhand state of India. These are Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath, nestled in the lap of majestic Himalayas.
Amongst the four Char Dhams, Yamunotri and Gangotri are dedicated to goddesses Yamuna and Ganga respectively. On the other hand, Kedarnath is dedicated to Lord Shiva while Badrinath is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
char-dham.com/
Saidham Sola - Ahmedabad
saidhamsola.org
(The temple is maintained in the same manner as in Shirdi)
Viswaroopa Panchamukha Hanuman - Tiruvallur, near Chennai
panchamukha.org
The face towards the East is Sri Hanuman Mukha,Sri Karala Ugravira Narasimha Swami, facing the South,the face facing the west is that of Lord Sri Mahavira Garuda, Sri Lakshmi Varahamurthy facing the North, the Urdhva Mukha Facing upwards of Sri Hayagriva Swami.



Temple Murals

Sketches of temple idols, sculptures by Sumathi



Links
Information on temples, particularly Tamilnadu temples at dinamalar.com
temple.dinamalar...

Dhivya Dharsanam
Information on interesting temples, their history, facts and importance posted by Saravanan in his blog.
dharsanam....

Sri. Lakshmi Narayanan of Nanmangalam, Chennai has been meticulously arranging to light the lamps in many Shiva temples which are in the state of neglect, without even the funds to light a lamp.
You can also get involved.
Visit lightingdeepam...

Renovation of temples
vagraharam...

Temples in India
bharatonline.com/...

Rural Education and Conservation of Heritage Foundation
The fundamental objective of R.E.A.C.H. is increasing the awareness about our villages and the rich heritage. R.E.A.C.H visualizes that the built heritage at present is fast threatened by the sheer negligence about heritage and symbolic value. R.E.A.C.H will canalize its resources in this area.
conserveheritage.org
templesrevival...
reachhistory...