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.

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 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 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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.