Kala Ram temple is located at Nashik in Maharashtra. The name derives from the colour of the stone used to carve the deities, pitch black. The deity is believed to be 2000 years old. An old temple, estimated between 7th and 11th centuries was destroyed by muslim invaders. The deity had been left in the Godavari river by the priests to save it from destruction. After the deity was salvaged a new temple was built in late 18th century. The temple marked one of the places where Ambedkar protested for entry of Dalits into temples.

Adalaj step well is on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, about 20 kms from the city centre. The step well is about 600 years old. It was started by Queen Rudabai and completed by the conqueror of her kingdom Mahmud Begada.

The Bateshwar temples are a cluster of almost 200 mini grandeurs made of sandstone, devoted to lords Shiva and Vishnu. Spread over 25 acres, these shrines were built across slanted hills near Padavali. The temples were constructed in the 8th to 10th century AD probably during the Gurjara-Pratihara Dynasty. The complex was dilapidated. About 60 temples were restored by ASI beginning in the year 2005.

Srivilliputtur in Tamil Nadu has twin temples. Its 63 m. high gopura, was once the tallest in Southern India. It represents the climax of the gopura form as developed by the Madurai Nayakas in the 17th
century. It serves today as the official emblem for the state of Tamil Nadu.

Udupi near Mangalore is a popular pilgrimage. The Sri Krishna temple in Udupi is believed to house the deity of Krishna from Dwarka after the town was submerged in the sea. Krishna is worshipped as a child in Udupi and is seen through a small latticed window with nine holes.

The offshore memorial to Swami Vivekananda is 400 metres from the shore. It is believed that Swami Vivekananda meditated here before setting out for one of the most crucial religious campaigns in 1982. The idea of Vivekananda Memorial was conceptualised on his birth centenary in 1962.

Vishnuprayag is the last Prayag before Badrinath. Dhauliganga joins Alaknanda at this secluded confluence. There is no permanent settlement. Vishnuprayag is believed to mark the place where Narada prayed to Vishnu and was released from his human form.

The Padmanabhaswamy temple of Trivandrum is built with a Dravidian style gopuram, unlike other Kerala temples. The Gopuram is seven storeys high. The deity is magnificent and in a reclining pose and has to be worshipped through three separate doorways due to the size. The deity is made of Shaligram, a fossil believed to Mahavishnu. The temple hosts murajapam, a once in six year reciting of Vedas followed by feasts for Brahmins. The festival culminates in the lighting of one hundred thousand lamps – Laksha Deepam. An interesting annual ritual called Palli Vetta is held during which the deity leaves the temple for a royal hunt.

The Gwalior Fort is atop a cliff. The Jain community had carved immense sculptures on the vertical rock faces of the hill. These are spread over five locations around the fort. These sculptures date to 15th century AD though some of them are believed to be from the 7th Century AD. These are immense in size but were destroyed by the army of Babur. Jains continue their worship in some of the sites.

The Thrissur Pooram is held in April/May and is one of the largest and most famous of festivals in Kerala. Pooram is a congregation of deities. Ten deities around the Vadakkunathan temple participate in the Thrissur Pooram. It involves ritual procession of the deities to the Vadukkunathan temple, a rhythmic performance called Panchavadyam, exchange of parasols, elephant procession and fireworks.

Guptkashi is considered as a very sacred site. After the Kurukshetra war, Pandavas wanted to atone for the sins committed during the war. They sought Shiva who was not willing to meet them and disappeared from Kashi. Pandavas pursued him to Guptkashi where he was hiding as a Nandi. When Pandavas recognised the Nandi it disappeared and went into the ground. Guptkashi is set high above the banks of the Mandakini river on the way to Kedarnath.

Karkala is near Mangalore. It attained political and cultural importance from the time of Kalasa-Karkala or Bhairarasa Odeyas (13th to 16th century AD). Jainism gained popularity during this period in centres such as Moodibadri and Karkala. The Chaturmukha Basti was built around 1586 AD. This is the most celebrated structural temple in Karkala and is referred to as Tribhuvana-tilaka-Jina-Caityalaya. The basti has four identical looking entrances from the four quarters leading to the garbhagriha and hence is popularly known as ‘Chaturmukha Basti’.  The Chaturmukha Basti is built in the form of a square mandapa. It has life size statues of three Tirthankaras besides small images of 24 Tirthankaras and Padmavati Yakshi in black stone.

Unakoti means less than a koti (or crore) in Bengali. The site is in Tripura along its eastern border with Bangladesh.

Karkala is near Mangalore. It attained political and cultural importance from the time of Kalasa-Karkala or Bhairarasa Odeyas (13th to 16th century AD). Jainism gained popularity during this period in centres such as Moodibadri and Karkala. The monolith of Bahubali was erected by King Virapandya of Kalasa-Karkala dynasty in 1432 AD Measuring 12.8 m in height, it stands on a 1.5 m high moulded platform. The statue of Bahubali, second in importance only to the massive monolith at Sravanabelagola, is rendered striking by its situation on the margin of a picturesque lake called Ramasamudra.

The Bijli Mahadev temple is situated at the edge of a cliff overlooking the confluence of the rivers Beas and Parvati. It is regularly struck by lightning breaking the Shiv Ling, which is then put together by application of ghee. The name Bijli Mahadev is a result of these events. A tall staff with a metallic tip serves as a lightning attraction. There are signs warning the visitors not to touch the staff. It is a short trek from the road head approachable from Kullu.

The Kullu Dussehrah starts on Vijayadasami, the day when it ends in rest of India, and continues for a week after that. Each year about 225 Devtas arrive on foot to Kullu, carried by their own villagers. They are invited by the presiding deity of the region, Lord Raghunathji. The Rath Yatra of Lord Raghunathji kicks off the week long celebration. Each Devta has a designated area in the city centre and the villagers accompanying the Devta create a makeshift tent with kitchen and staying area. For a week, the entire city centre resembles a massive temple complex.

The temple is in Ambernath, a suburb of Mumbai which is connected by the local train network. It was built by King Mahamandaleshwar of the Shilahar dynasty at the beginning of the last millennium. It is built in the style of Hemadpanthi temples which is a subset of the Vesara style. The temple has a mandapa with entrance on three sides. The Shivling is considered Swayambhu (naturally formed) and is set about 8 feet below.

The Dhankar monastery is on a mud cliff, all sides and edges ragged by raging winds. Dhankar has a monastery and a fort. They overlook the spectacular and broad confluence of two great rivers, Pin and Spiti, which eventually become the Sutlej.
The Dhankar fort has at least three separate structures. In each structure there are chambers one above the other. Several windows look out into the Spiti valley and the confluence of the rivers.

The deity in Guruvayoor is Lord Mahavishnu, in the form of Krishnavatara. (No Suggestions) is called as the Dwarka of the south, as the original image is believed to be from Dwarka. When Dwarka was submerged, Guru and Vayu were tasked by Krishna to install the deity in a spot equally holy and eventually located Guruvayoor. It is extremely popular for Annaprasana, where infants are fed their first solid meal. The temple has elaborate rituals throughout the day and is one of the most visited temples of South India.

The Hoysala era is one that contributed enormously to the development of several creative fields as well as spiritual and humanistic thought. During their reign, the Hoysalas built more than 1500 temples all across their empire of which only a little over 100 survive today. Belur was the first capital city of the Hoysalas. The Chennakeshava temple complex was at the centre of the old walled town located on the banks of the Yagachi River. Construction of the temple commenced in 1117 AD and took a 103 years to complete. A total of 118 stone inscriptions have been recovered from the temple complex.
The Chennakeshava temple was devoted to Vishnu. The richly sculptured exterior of the temple includes sculptures and iconography and horizontal friezes that depict scenes from daily life, music, and dance, and narrate scenes from the life of Vishnu and his reincarnations and the epics, Ramayana, and Mahabharata. However, some of the representations of Shiva are also included. Consecrated on a sacred site, the temple has remained continuously worshipped since its establishment and remains until today as a site of pilgrimage for Vaishnavites.

The Kashi Vishwanath temple is in Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand. It is considered as a very sacred temple, equivalent to Kashi. It is on the way to Gangotri from Rishikesh and the Char Dham pilgrims stop and pray at Uttarkashi temple.

The Harmandir Saheb or Golden Temple is the holiest of the Sikh temples and is in Amritsar.

The original Char Dham Yatra covers Badrinath, Puri, Rameswaram and Dwarka. The Char Dhams of Himalayas are called Chota Char Dhams. Dham means the abode of God. Yamunotri is a short trek of 5 kms form the nearest road head Janki Chatti.

This is the Ganga Aarti at Har Ki Pauri. Haridwar is one of the holiest pilgrimage destinations in India. It is considered as the gateway to the land of Vishnu as well as Shiva. The Ganga levels out into plains at Haridwar and thus it is also called Gangadwara. Haridwar is one of the locations of Kumbh and is also considered one among the seven locations that give Moksha.

Renukaji is set in the secluded Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh. Renukaji is the birthplace of Lord Parashurama. His mother, Renukaji, took permanent refuge in the lake and is said to rise from the lake once a year to fulfil Parashurama’s request. The large Renuka lake is named after her and there is a smaller lake for Parashuram. The overflow of Renuka lake feeds Parashuram lake.

This is the Tryambakeshwar temple near Lakshman Jhula in Rishikesh. It is a popular temple with several deities and is thirteen storeyed.

The Raja Rani temple is in Bhubaneswar is dated to the 11th century AD. It has a number of pillars and is profuse with decoration. The Jagmohana consists of a pair of pillars entwined with Nagas resting on a base of gaj-simhas. It is a unique entrance torana. The red and yellow stones with which the temple is constructed is called RajaRani locally.

The Lord Venkateshwara temple is one of Hyderabad’s holiest temples. The temple was built in 1976 on Neeladri hills of Hyderabad at an elevation of about 300 feet.. A towering, nine-and-a-half feet high idol of Lord Venketshwara in black granite is enshrined in the main Garbhagriha. The imposing 51 feet Rajagopuram, designed with South Indian influences, is an added attraction.

The temple projects the concept of universality and unity of religions and universal brotherhood among all religions through panels devoted to Guru Nanak Dev, Guru Gobind Singh, Lord Buddha, Bhagawan Mahaveera and Jesus Christ. People of all religion, race, caste and creed are free to visit the temple.

Le Pakshi is about 120 kms from Bangalore and is believed to be the site where Jatayu fell after its wings were clipped by Ravana. When Rama reached the site, he is believed to have uttered the words Le Pakshi meaning “rise bird” in Telugu language. The earliest inscriptions in the temple date to 1583 CE. The temple is renowned for its pillared corridors, sculptures, murals and a hanging pillar. The temple also has the sculpture of a seven hooded Naga within the complex.

The Thrissur Vadakkunathan temple is a unique and ancient temple of Kerala. It is set on circular ground called Tekkinkadu referring to the teak forests in the ground in the past. It is spread over 9 acres and has three shrines dedicated to Shiva, Rama and Shankaranarayana. Two of the shrines are circular in shape. The deities are believed to have been installed by Parasurama. The Shiv Ling is covered with ghee from time immemorial and the ghee does not melt or decay in spite of the hot tropical temperature.

Nandaprayag marks the confluence of Nandakini with Alaknanda. It is the fourth prayag on the way to Badrinath from Rishikesh. Unlike other Prayags, the two rivers flow gentle and wide, the confluence is broader.

The Ganpati festival is one of the most public celebrations in India. Ganpati is welcomed to households; and to neighbourhoods. Some deities are small and made of clay while giant Ganpatis are made out of plaster of paris. The deities are worshipped for several days starting Vinayak Chaturthi and then immersed in lakes or in the Sea. The last day of immersion is ten days after Vinayak Chaturthi.

The original Char Dham Yatra covers Badrinath, Puri, Rameswaram and Dwarka. The Char Dhams of Himalayas are called Chota Char Dhams. Dham means the abode of God. Badrinath is part of the original Char Dham as well as the Chota Char Dham of Himalayas.

The Jakhoo temple is at the top of the ridge and is the highest point in Shimla. It marks the place where Hanumanji heard Sage Yakoo’s chanting and stopped, before resuming his search for Sanjeevini. The temple complex has a 108 feet tall Hanumanji who looks down at the mall road and Shimla ridge below. The sunrise and the sunset are fabulous at Jakhoo. The slanting rays break through the tree leaves to light up the saffron coloured temple walls from different angles.

The colossal monolith deity of Gomateeswara is in Sravanabelagola near Hassan in Karnataka. It is 17.5 meters high and is sculpted from a single piece of granite. It was sculpted in the late 10th century and the complex was gradually expanded since then.

The Ranakpur temple is dedicated to the first Tirthankara – Adinatha. The temple is designated as Caumukha, with four faces. It was built in the early 15th century. It covers an area of 3716 square meters and contains twenty nine halls. It contains four hundred and twenty pillars and no two are alike. The temple is full of exquisitely carved marble sculptures. It inspired other Caumukha temples like the Dilwara Caumukha temple dedicated to Parsvnatha and Palitana.

A multi-tired temple dedicated to the demon goddess belonged to the clan of Rakshasa. The powerful Pandva, Bhim, married to Hidimba. Later she rose to status of goddess of being worshipped by the people in high esteem. An inscription on a wooden plank on the door says about the present structure. The temple was built by Raja Bahadur Singh (A.D.1532-1569). The temple Architecture belongs to pagoda style in four tiers raised to the height 20.50 meter.

Ki Monastery forms the grand trio of Spiti monasteries with Dhankar and Tabo. Ki is 1000 years old. It appears much larger than the other monasteries in size. It also houses the largest number of monks. From Kaza, it presents its vertical face in full glory, It looks like a building pinched out of worn out rock and mud face. White and dark brown structures stick out of the mountain face. It follows the contour of the rock and mud face and has several levels sliding one down the other.

Tabo is the oldest and continuously functioning Buddhist Monastery in the Himalayan region. The history of this Monastery goes back to 10th century A.D. In this period the most of the monasteries in the Himalayan region were founded by the members of the dynasty of the kings of western Tibet. They were called Purang by the Historians of ancient India and Tibet, as their political centre was in Purang and the religious centre was in Guge. Among these many establishments were of the great Lotsaba Rinchen Sangapo. Tabo Monastery was founded in A.D. 996.

Jwalamukhi in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh is one of the Maha Shaktipeeths of India. It is one of the rare Hindu temples without a deity. Blue Flames leap out of crevices in the rock and they are worshipped as Shakti. Jwalamukhi is close to Dhamramshala and two other Shaktipeeths, Kangra and Chintapurni.

The temple site was a location for Navratri celebration and devotees used to worship Durga on a temporary platform. When a decision was taken to build a permanent temple, disputes arose and the local Government imposed curfew in the area. The movement to build a temple continued and eventually the temple was built and consecrated amidst curfew. The locals named the temple Curfew Wali Mata Mandir and the name continues till date. The temple, though small, is very popular and there is a steady stream of worshippers at all times.

The Mukteshwara temple is regarded as a gem of Orissa architecture. The temple has an elaborate makara torana which is a unique entrance torana among temples in India. The temple is exquisitely ornate and well proportioned. The Shikara is five storeys high and is intricately carved. It is considered to have been built in the 10th century AD.

The Saas Bahu temples were built in 1093 AD. The temple has a two storeyed entrance and three storeyed mandapa. It is exquisitely carved. It has lost its Shikara. The temple is noted for its extravagance of ornamentation which covers its exterior and ever inch of its interior.

Bharmour is surrounded by 16,000 feet high mountains on three sides. It is set deep within Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh and is one of the remotest locations of India. The Chaurasi temple complex at Bharmour is at a remarkable setting, open on five sides. It is a collection of temples, 84, believed to represent Lord Shiva’s 84 companions on his journey to Manimahesh. Many temples are tiny and many deities share a common space. The central temple of Manimahesh stands alongside a deodhar tree, almost double its height. The present temple structure is atleast 1100 years old.

The Yogini temples are form of temples believed to belong to the Tantric sect. These are rare temples in India. The Hirapur temple was discovered only in 1953 though it is very near Bhubaneswar. Generally in circular form, the Yogini temples are called Chausat Yogini temples due to 64 Yoginis installed in some of them, though others have varying numbers such as 81 or 42. The Hirapur temple sculptures are exquisite in spite of having been damaged. It is on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.

Manikaran Gurudwara is located on the banks of the Parvati river near Kullu in Himachal Pradesh. Manikaran is the place which Guru Nanak is believed to have visited and pointed to a stone from under which hot springs came forth to cook the Langar. The Parvati valley is also believed to be the playground of Shiva and Parvati. Manikaran is sacred to both Sikhs and Hindus.

The temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram is a short distance away from the Big Temple at Tanjore. It is built by Rajendra Chola, the son of Raja Raja who built the Big Temple. Is commemorates the conquest of the gangetic region by Rajendra Chola. Its architecture is similar to that of the Big Temple and it slightly shorter than the Big Termple, in deference to Raja Raja. Both these temples, along with Darasuram temple, are part of the Living Chola Temples in the UNESO World Heritage list.

Gaumukh is the mouth of river Baghirathi. It is about 18 kms away from Gangotri and requires a long walk on glacial moraine. At Gaumukh, Baghirathi emerges from the glacier as a river. Gaumukh is a sacred pilgrimage.

The Rajagopala Swamy temple in Mannargudi is about 1000 years old and went through major expansion during the Nayak period in 17th century. The temple takes its name from the deity Rajagopala who is depicted holding a whip in the right hand and leaning on a cow with the left hand. The deity is considered as one of the most beautiful bronze sculptures of India. The temple has a 154 feet high, 11 tiered Gopuram and has seven enclosures. The temple tank covers an area of 25 acres and is considered one of the largest in India.

Originally Char Dham Yatra referred to Badrinath, Puri, Dwarka and Rameswaram. The Char Dham Yatra of Himalayas is referred to as the Chota Char Dham Yatra. It covers Gangotri and Yamunotri, the farthest points of access to the rivers, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Gangotri and Badrinath have a motorable road, while Yamunotri and Kedarnath require a trek.

Tenkasi is about 150 kms north of Kanyakumari alongside the western ghats. It is considered as sacred as Kashi and is thus named Tenkasi earning southern Kashi in Tamil. The temple gopuram is 190 feet tall and was constructed as late as 1990.

The Hoysala era is one that contributed enormously to the development of several creative fields as well as spiritual and humanistic thought. During their reign, the Hoysalas built more than 1500 temples all across their empire of which only a little over 100 survive today. Belur was the first capital city of the Hoysalas. The Chennakeshava temple complex was at the centre of the old walled town located on the banks of the Yagachi River. Construction of the temple commenced in 1117 AD and took a 103 years to complete. A total of 118 stone inscriptions have been recovered from the temple complex.
The Chennakeshava temple was devoted to Vishnu. The richly sculptured exterior of the temple includes sculptures and iconography and horizontal friezes that depict scenes from daily life, music, and dance, and narrate scenes from the life of Vishnu and his reincarnations and the epics, Ramayana, and Mahabharata. However, some of the representations of Shiva are also included. Consecrated on a sacred site, the temple has remained continuously worshipped since its establishment and remains until today as a site of pilgrimage for Vaishnavites.

Sarahan marks the killing of King Banasur by Lord Krishna and the kingdom that Krishna’s son, Pradyumna, started. It is deemed to have had an uninterrupted reign till modern times. The Bhimkali temple is one of the 51 Shaktipeeths (as per local belief though it is not formally recognised as one) and Sati’s ear is supposed to have fallen here. The temple also has a fearsome reputation of human sacrifice until 17th century, which travellers have written about. The temple is mix of stone, wood and slate, it both stands out and blends into the landscape.

The Tiruchendur shore temple dedicated to Lord Karthikeya is one among the oldest temples in Tamil Nadu with references dating to the 9th century, It is one of the six abodes of Lord Karthikeya and is set on a small rock on the sea shore. It has an impressive temple tower that is 45 mts high. The site marks the place where Lord Karthikeya slayed demon Surapadma in an intense six day war.

Prasumrameshwara temple in Bhubaneswar is one of the earliest of Orissa temples, dated to the 7th century AD. The shikara has an excellent carving of Kartikeya. The temple complex also houses a linga in which innumerable smaller lingas are carved. It is the earliest example in Orissa of a temple with a Jagmohana.

Moodibidri is about 35 kms northeast of Mangalore. It was a Jain centre of importance and several Jain temples, known as bastis were constructed. The largest and most elaborate monument at Moodibadri is the Chandranatha Basti of 1429. This is also called the thousand pillared Basadi capturing the innumerable granite pillars with which it is built.

The Hateshwari temple is at Hatkoti between the Uttarkashi and the Shimla districts. There are five near identical stone temples that are called Pandavas’ toys. These are in the Nagara style. The temples of Hateshwari (Mahishasuramardini) and Shiva are in the pent roof style. The deity and inscriptions are dated around 1300 years old. The varying styles themselves indicate centuries of history around this temple complex.

The Lingaraja temple dated to 11th century is the loftiest temple with the Vimana reaching upto 36.5 mts height and a Jagmohana which itself reaches to 29 mts in height. The complex has a number of other temples.

The Chidambaram Nataraja temple in Tamil Nadu is about thousand years old and has been continuously restored, expanded and renovated. The deity is a rare representation of Shiva in his dancing form, and not as a traditional Linga. The temple is also renowned for its representation of the 108 poses of Bharatanatyam in sculpture and for the Malabar style Vimana. The temple is also one of the five Shiva temples in south India which represent the five elements of the Universe. Chidambaram represents space. The other four temples of the group represent water, fire, air and earth.

Devprayag is the first Prayag from Rishikesh on the way to Badrinath. At Devprayag, Alaknanda and Baghirathi merge to form Ganga. A temple of Raghunathji is at the confluence and is believed to be under worship for 2000 years.

Puri is one of the Char Dhams of India, the other three being Rameswaram, Badrinath and Dwarka. Puri is a revered pilgrimage destination for all Indians and is especially revered in Orissa. It is also one of the Shakti Peeths with the Goddess Vimala within the temple complex. The annual Jagannath Rath Yatra is grand and attracts several lakhs of pilgrims. The deities in the Puri temple are made of wood and are replaced regularly with fresh carvings.

The first Walkeshwar Temple was constructed in 1127 AD by a GSB minister, Lakshman Prabhu, in the court of Shilahar Kings in Thane. It was reconstructed by the then famous Rama Kamati in 1715 AD.

The Kandriya Mahadev temple is the largest of the temples in Khajuraho and is considered as the best example of Indian temple architecture. The temple was built by Chandela rulers in early 11th century. The Shikara rises to 102 feet and has 84 mini spires. It is richly sculpted. The roof consists of a series of graded peaks that resemble a mountain range with which an Indian temple is frequently likened.

The Big Temple or the Brahadeeswara Temple is the grandest architectural achievement of the Chola dynasty of Tamil Nadu. The temple was consecrated in the year 1010 by Rajaraja I, the most prominent of the Chola kings. It is built entirely of granite and the Vimana of the temple consists of 13 storeys and is 66 mts tall. The Linga continues to be under worship and is 4 mts tall.

Kumbakonam is the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu and came into prominence during the Chola period from the 9th century. The Mahamakam Tank serves as the ritual core of Kumbakonam, the site of a great festival held here every 12 years. The waters of all the sacred rivers of India are believed to unite here.

Tunganath temple in Chamoli district is considered as one of the Panch Kedars of Uttarakhand. When the Pandavas sought out the blessings of Shiva after the Kurukshetra war, Shiva hid from them and assumed the form of a Nandi. Bhima recognised the Nandi and tried to hold it by its tail as it was diving into the ground to hide. Later the Nandi is supposed to have appeared in five different locations. Tunganath is one of them.

Triloknath is small, but it is the primary temple in the Lahaul valley of Himachal. It is set along the Chenab river, which is called Chandrabagha in Himachal. Its original identity is claimed as both Hindu and Buddhist, 1000 or 2000 years old. The deity is worshipped as Shiva by Hindus and as Avalokiteswara by Buddhists. There are both Hindu and Buddhist priests sitting together. The pujas alternate between the traditions every few hours. The festivals also keep alternative between Hindu, Buddhist and common festivals.

The Nandi at Le Pakshi is known as Basavanna. It is not in the temple complex but about 200 mts from it. It faces the temple. It is 27 feet in length and is the largest monolith Nandi in India. It is renowned for perfect proportions and fine decorations and jewellery.

The Nandi at Chamundeswari is about 16 feet in height and 24 feet long and is the third largest in India. It is not a part of the temple complex but is in its vicinity. The Nandi is more than 350 years old and was built by the then Maharaja of Mysore.Originally white in colour, repeated offering of oil and its oxidation resulted in the Nandi looking pitch black. The Nandi was cleaned by the ASI and was restored to its original white colour recently.

Sri Ranganatha Swamy temple was built in 984 AD and improved by many others later. The main deity in the garbhagriha is the colossal image of Vishnu in form of Ranganatha reclining on the coils of adisesha whose widespread seven hoods form a canopy. The temple is set on the banks of the river Cauvery.

The Srrangam temple in Tamil Nadu is the largest living temple complex in the world. The temple was built in the Chola period and was expanded in the Hoysala period. It faced destruction by the sultanates in the 14th century. It has been continuously restored since then. The Gopuram which was the tallest in India when it was completed was constructed as late as 1987.

Karnaprayag is where Karna meditated and worshipped the Sun God, his father. He is also believed to be cremated here. Karnaprayag connects the two distinct regions of Uttarakhand – Garhwal and Kumaon. Here the Pindar river joins Alaknanda.

Suseendram is just 13 km from the southern top of India, Kanyakumari. The Sthanumalaya linga in the temple represents Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The temple is set picturesquely alongside a large square tank. The temple is dated to the 13th century. The temple also has an impressive pillared corridor with intricate carvings.

Mitaoli is near Morena and Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh. It is one among the few surviving Yogini temples of India. Circular in shape, it has 64 chambers along the inside circumference of the outer wall, each to host a Yogini which have all been removed now. Each of the chambers were supposed to have been capped by a Shikara but were then flattened later. It was built in the 11th century and is commonly believed as the inspiration for the parliament building in New Delhi.

Darasuram is a small settlement on the outskirts of Kumbakonam. It is just 34 kms from the Big Temple at Tanjore. The Airavateshvara temple is considered one of the finest monument of the Chola era. Though not of the same size as the Big Temple, the Darasuram temple is famous for its fine sculptures. The temple was conceived in the form of a chariot. Prancing horses pulling wheels are carved on the basement.

The Hoysala era is one that contributed enormously to the development of several creative fields as well as spiritual and humanistic thought. During their reign, the Hoysalas built more than 1500 temples all across their empire of which only a little over 100 survive today. The Hoysaleshwara temple at Halebidu is the most exemplary architectural ensemble of the Hoysalas extant today. Built in 1121CE during the reign of the Hoysala King, Vishnuvardhana Hoysaleshwara. The temple is dedicated to Shiva. More sculpturally and artistically sophisticated than any other Hoysala temple, the Hoysaleshwara temple is most well-known for the more than 240 wall sculptures that run all along the outer wall. Invaders from North India finally succeeded in pillaging the city in 1310.

Ajanta caves are near Aurangabad in Maharashtra. The caves, famous for their murals, are also great examples of sculptures. The caves were excavated in different periods (circa. 2nd century B.C. to 6th century A.D.) In all, total 30 excavations were hewn out of rock. The caves were both living quarters and worship areas.

The original Char Dham Yatra covers Badrinath, Puri, Rameswaram and Dwarka. The Char Dhams of Himalayas are called Chota Char Dhams. Dham means the abode of God. Kedarnath is on the banks of the river Mandakini, a short distance downstream from its source. It requires a trek of about 16 kms from the nearest road head, Gaurikund.

Kakanmath is at Sihoniya near Morena and Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh. The Shiv temple was constructed in early 11th century. The temple is in ruins now and is believed to have been damaged by an earthquake. But its dilapidated condition also reveals the intricacies of temple construction.

This is the Ganga flowing along Varanasi. It is one of the most recognised riverfronts of India. Since 2014, these ghats have undergone a major clean-up and rehabilitation along with control of pollution along the river Ganga.

Beas Kund is tiny and is almost like a private bath that has been chiselled for Ved Vyas. It is hard to believe how much wisdom poured out of this lake to narrate the humungous Mahabharata. But one look at the Hanuman Tibba and Pir Panjal range clears those doubts. They are massive and rise up vertically from the Beas Kund valley.

Lord Rama is supposed to have shot an arrow into the ground to make Ganga spring forth. Banganga was also the location of the hermitage of Sage Gautam. He advised Lord Rama to worship Lord Shiva to get back his wife. Accordingly Lord Rama made a shivling from the sand (Valuka in Sanskrit) and so the word Walkeshwar Mahadev of the Walkeshwar temple.

The Sun Temple of Konark was built in the 13th century. It was conceived as a gigantic solar chariot with 12 pairs of exquisitely ornamented wheels dragged by seven horses. It originally consisted of a Shikhara and Jagmohana. The Shikara is now collapsed and only the Jagmohana is intact though with severe damage.

Baijnath in Himachal Pradesh is set against the backdrop of Dauladhar mountains. It is a stone temple built in 1204 at a site where worship was already being practiced. It is built in the Nagara style of temple architecture. It has wonderful carvings on the periphery and two delightful balconies on either side of the main temple. It is close to Dharamshala, the paragliding hotspot of Bir Biling and the tea gardens of Palampur.

Badrachalam is on the banks of the river Godavari. It is considered as one the places where Lord Rama lived. It is also believed that Sita was abducted by Ravana from Badrachalam, a belief which is also attributed to Nashik. Unlike in other places, Lord Rama appears with four hands, carrying traditional bow and arrow; and also Sankha and Chakra, characteristic of Lord Vishnu.