11 temples in South India that will captivate you with their majestic architecture

Featuring a unique fusion of British and Indian architecture, several South Indian cities are adorned with intricate style elements from bygone eras. The city of Pondicherry is the best example of the same. The same can also be seen in various South Indian temples and other monuments of great historical importance, as these architectural wonders are based on Dravidian architecture, a Hindu temple architecture that emerged in South India. The article tells about some prominent temples in South India and their history.

Virupaksha Temple

Located in Hampi, Karnataka, this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is part of the group of monuments in Hampi that has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Consisting of a shrine, three antechambers, a colonnaded hall and an open hall with columns, this temple is popular with common people as the holiest for centuries. It is surrounded by entrance portals, courtyards and sanctuaries. The nine-level eastern entrance houses many other smaller structures and provides access to the outer court. The most fascinating sight is the narrow channel of the Tungabhadra River that flows along the temple terrace and down to the temple kitchen and outer courtyard. The most notable feature of the temple is the use of the mathematical concept of Fractals, giving the main triangular shape to the temple which keeps dividing and repeating itself.

meenakshi temple

Located on the south bank of the Vagai River in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, this historic Hindu temple is dedicated to Meenakshi (Parvati) and Sundareshwar (Shiva). This temple was built by the survivors of Kumari Kandam in the 6th century BC. It was built and rebuilt several times after invasions by multiple rulers over a period of time. This temple complex is located in the center of the ancient city of Madurai and consists of concentric precincts. It consists of shrines, mandapas and a rectangular courtyard. After careful examination of the plan of the temple, it was concluded that it is a comic diagram based on the principles of symmetry and loci. The mighty walls and enigmatic sanctuaries are a sight to behold.

Ventakeshwara Temple

This Vaishnavite temple is situated at Tirumala in Tirupati in the Chittor district of Andhra Pradesh. Commonly known as the Temple of the Seven Hills, this temple is dedicated to an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and is the richest temple in the world in terms of wealth and donations received. The temple has 3 entrances leading to the Garbhagriha and has a thick wooden door covered with gilded gold plates. Circumambulation is a common devotional practice among Hindu devotees and this temple consists of 2 circumambulation paths. These roads have mandapas, dwajasthambam, prasadam range and sub shrines, main kitchen, golden well. The temple houses wonderful sculptures of deities and has Garbhagriha as its Sanctum Sanctorum.

Ramanathaswamy Temple

This Hindu temple, located on the island of Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples. This temple, with the longest corridor among all Hindu temples in India, is believed to have been established by Lord Rama. The temple has 2 lingams, one brought by Hanuman God and the other made by Sita. There are long corridors that run on platforms about 5 feet high. The corridors also combine to form a unique chessboard-like structure where Utsava deities are adorned. With the longest set of corridors in the world, this temple was built by many people over the centuries. Realistic sculptures of deities are worshiped separately at different shrines.

hole

Aihole in North Karnataka consists of temples and monuments, built between the 4th and 12th centuries AD, where many deities are worshiped. Part of a pending UNESCO World Heritage Site, this medieval-era Hindu temple worships the goddess Durga. The oblong and apsidal plan allows worshipers to perform parikrama. The shape of the temple resembles the back of an elephant. The large pillars give an opening to the outside and there is also a tower that crowns the heart of the sanctuary.

pattadakal

This is a complex of temples built in the 7th and 8th centuries CE in northern Karnataka. With the Malaprabha River running alongside, this UNESCO World Heritage Site has Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. The most notable of all is the Kashi Vishwanatha or Kashivishweswara Temple. It has a square shrine that houses a linga and in front of it is a sculpture of Nandi. It has proper arrangements for draining the water collected during devotional activities. Since the site is ancient, the numerous sculptures of the deities’ poses, forms, and incarnations have been damaged and defaced.

Airavateswara Temple

This Hindu temple is located in Darasuram, Tamil Nadu and is a Hindu temple of Tamil architecture. In addition to eighteen great Hindu temples from the medieval era in the Kumbakonam area, this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This is a chariot structure stone temple incorporating many Vedic and Puranic deities such as Ganesha, Rati, Saraswati and many more. It has very intricate stone carvings detailing the architecture and some elegant sculptures.

The Brihadeshwara temple

This Hindu temple is located in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu and is one of the largest in South India. With its amazing Tamil architecture, this iconic temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site called “The Great Living Temples of Chola”. The rectangular temple complex consists of 5 main sections using the rules of axial and symmetrical geometry. There is a large pillared courtyard and a covered terrace giving plenty of room for the driveway. The alignment of the shrines has been very well taken care of with the smaller shrines, dedicated to Lord Shiva, aligned axially.

Suchindram Temple

Located in the southernmost district of Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, the Suchindram temple from a distance as it stands 134 feet tall. The 24-foot-tall entrance is adorned with a beautifully carved doorway and has a covered area right in front of it. Along the outer wall runs a corridor with the inner area consisting of scattered shrines. Idols of Vishnu, Hanuman and a large lingam are present in the complex and have been well preserved. The 18 foot tall figure of Hanuman represents Visuvarooopam. Also present are the carvings and sculptures on the pillars and panels throughout the temple.

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Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple

The Thiruvarangam is located at Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu and has been dedicated to Ranganatha. Its location is on an island between the Kollidam and Cauvery rivers, further enhancing its beauty. Occupying an area of ​​155 acres, this temple has 50 shrines, 21 towers, 39 pavilions, and many water tanks in the complex. This temple is the largest temple complex in India and one of the largest religious complexes in the world. It is delimited by 7 concentric enclosures with patios, the two exterior patios being houses and markets. The shrines of Vishnu and his avatars are present in the 5 inner courts along with those dedicated to goddess Lakshmi. This sanctuary is based on the planimetric geometry of the Hindu temple.

Sabarimala Temple

This Hindu pilgrimage center is located in the Western Ghat ranges in Kerala. There is a sanctum sanctorum with a copper-clad roof and four gilt finials on top, two mandapams, and the belikalpura. This temple complex has several temples where deities are worshiped as parents of Lord Ayyappa. There is also a Serpent Lord shrine where offerings are given afterwards. In many other shrines, Ganapathi Homam and cracked coconut are given as offerings.

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