Famous Pilgrimage Destination of South India

From extraordinary religiousness to excellence of Dravidian architecture and stunning natural beauty to amazing wildlife; South India boasts a pleasing array of tourism attractions and draws travelers from far and wide. And when it comes to the places of religious importance, South India is just matchless; nowhere else in the world you’ll find more beautiful temples than South India’s. There are several towns in the region which are referred as ‘temple town’. This region was ruled by a number of notable kings of varied dynasties, who created splendid temples everywhere. Following are some most popular sanctified places of South India.

Tirupati Balaji: Situated on the seventh hill of Tirumala, this temple is dedicated to Sri Venkateswara who is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The temple is believed to be built during 9th century, though numerous renovations have been made to it periodically. Tirupati is the most-visited pilgrimage center in India with over 50,000 visitors coming here daily to pay homage to the deity. It’s believed that someone who donates here assists lord Vishnu to repay his debt. And perhaps that’s why Tirupati e is the richest temple in the world.

Rameshwaram: A beautiful peninsula on the Gulf of Mannar, Rameshwaram is a holy and scared destination for Hindus. This is the place where Lord Rama worshiped the immortal deity Shiva before heading on to Lanka. A big jyotirlinga is placed here, which is the main attraction for pilgrims. Alongside, there is the Ramanathaswamy temple that has 22 holy wells. Really, this city is a holy adobe of God and a must-visit place if you love to explore Hindu religion and history.

Kanchipuram: The place is renowned for producing the finest silk sarees, but its spectacular temples are other delights which can leave anyone spellbound. Adjacent to the Bay of Bengal and the city of Chennai, Kanchipuram is one of the seven sacred towns of Tamil Nadu. Beautiful built temple Kamakshi Amman, dedicated to Goddess Parvathi, is the must-visit religious spot here. Apart from that, Kachapeshwara Temple, Ekambaranatha temple and Kachi Kamakshi are other popular temples in Kanchipuram.

Jangannath Puri: The adobe of Lord Jagananth, Puri is one of the holy ‘char dhams’ in India. Nestled in the Indian state of Orissa, the city is far-famed for magnificent Jagannath Temple, the annual Rath Yatra, lively festivals and beautiful Puri beach. The main temple of Jagannath was built during 12th century, and is the finest example of Orissan style of architecture. This giant structure is spread over an area of 40,000 sq ft, and inside the main complex, there is a wooden idol of Lord Jagannath. Every year, in the month of June, the famous Rath Yatra takes place in Puri that invited pilgrims from far and wide.

Moreover, Navagrahah Sthalas in Tamil Nadu, Konark, Bhuvneshwara, Sirdi and Mahabalipuram are also famous pilgrimage destinations of South India.