10 Beautiful Shiva Temples, You Must Visit in Your Lifetime
Shiva is the Hindu religion’s greatest force and a major deity who is fervently revered by believers all throughout the country. There are various Shiva temples in India, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, that have been built and dedicated to this Lord and are visited by pilgrims from all over the country and the world.
To help you plan your visits to numerous Shiva temples across India, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 most beautiful Shiva temples that you must visit once in your lifetime:-
Amarnath Shiva Temple
Amarnath pilgrimage, one of India’s most famous Shiva temples, is a tough but desirable pilgrimage for all Shiva enthusiasts. The Amarnath Yatra is a prominent and pious religious trek that pilgrims make to worship the Lord. It is located at a gigantic height of 3888m in a cave in Jammu and Kashmir. The temple is notable for the once-a-year ice Linga of Lord Shiva that forms spontaneously.
Best time to visit: End of June to August.
How to Reach: Amarnath is not served by any direct trains. The nearest stations are Udhampur and Jammu, which are 219 and 255 kilometres apart from Pahalgam and Baltal, respectively, from where pilgrims journey to the Amarnath caves. It will take you roughly 34 hours to get there by rail.
Kedarnath Shiva Temple
Kedarnath is known for being the home of one of India’s 12 Jyotirlingas as well as a well-known Shiva temple. Pilgrims visit this lovely temple hidden in the Garhwal Himalayan Range as part of their Chota Char Dham or Char Dham Yatra of Uttarakhand, which includes visits to Badrinath, Gangothri, and Yamunotri, as well as this sacred shrine of Lord Shiva. The temple can’t be reached by road because it’s at such a high height, so pilgrims must hike 22 kilometres upwards from Gaurikund.
Best time to visit: April to November
How to Reach:
By Air. The nearest domestic airport is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, about 239 km from Kedarnath and operates daily flights to Delhi.By Train. The nearest railhead is at Rishikesh,221 km away.
By Road. Visitors can board regular buses from Rishikesh and Kotdwar to Kedarnath
Kashi Vishwanath Shiva Temple
It is widely believed that breathing your final breath in Kashi absolves you of all future reincarnations and allows your soul to attain Moksha, as Lord Vishwanath provides sanctuary for all devout Shiva believers. The Kashi Vishwanath Temple, which is located in the holy city of Varanasi, is a prominent Shiva temple in India that attracts pilgrims from all across the country. You can pay a visit to this temple during Maha Shivratri when it will be gorgeously decked in honour of this major Shaivaite holiday.
Best time to visit: November to February
How to Reach:
Air: The Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Babatpur is the closest airport to the temple. The temple is just 25 kilometres away, or less than an hour by car. There are private and public cabs and buses that may take you right to the temple from the airport.Rail : The city of Varanasi is well-connected by rail, and the temple is close to a number of stations. Varanasi City station is only 2 kilometres distant, while Varanasi Junction is around 6 kilometres away. Mughalsarai Junction station is the farthest away, at 17 kilometres, whereas Maduadih station is only 4 kilometres away.
Road: Varanasi has a large and extensive road network, with frequent private and public buses and other forms of road transportation to all of Uttar Pradesh’s major cities and towns.
Kailasnath Shiva Temple
Kailasnath Temple, one of India’s best Shiva temples, is located in Ellora and is a popular tourist destination near Aurangabad. The temple is a magnificent example of Rashtrakuta architecture, which dominated India between the 6th and 10th centuries AD. Ellora has a total of 34 temples, and this one is one of them. It is the country’s largest rock-cut temple, with a megalith carved out of a rock cliff. It served as an inspiration for many subsequent temples in India.
Best time to visit: June to March
How to Reach :
Aurangabad is the nearest city to Kailasa temple and it is well connected with them by road. From Aurangabad bus and taxi services available to reach Kailasa temple. Aurangabad is also well connected by state transport buses from major cities of Maharashtra like Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Satara, Kolhapur and Ahmednagar.
Somnath Shiva Temple
The Somnath Shiva temple in Gujarat is one of India’s most well-known temples. It is also regarded as the country’s first Jyotirling temple, as well as a significant Shiva temple in India. The temple was restored multiple times as a result of repeated Muslim conquests, the most recent being in Chalukya-style construction, completed in 1951. The Banasthamba or arrow pillar, which is placed on one of the temple walls, is a notable building in this temple. Pilgrims go to this temple because of the panoramic view of the sea and the massive edifice.
Best time to Visit : October to March
How to reach:
Air: Somnath itself does not have an airport, but the Aerodrome in Diu in the union territory of Daman and Diu connects it to a number of towns. Air India Regional, on the other hand, only operates one flight every day. Other airports nearby include the Porbandar airport, which is around 120 kilometres distant, and the Rajkot Civil Airport, which is about 160 kilometres away. Flights to Porbandar are available from Mumbai and other locations. Rajkot has a considerably larger airport that is served by a number of airlines, including Air India and Jet Airways.Road: Buses are the most convenient way to go to Somnath from adjacent cities, as there are several possibilities. Many minor villages and cities around Somnath, which are well connected by bus services, including non-AC and luxury AC buses. The cost of air-conditioned buses from Diu to Somnath is 300 rupees per passenger. Bus prices from nearby towns like Rajkot, Porbandar, and Ahmedabad are commonly available and run by private bus companies. These are moderately priced and differ only in terms of the number of kilometres travelled and the bus quality.
Train: The Veraval Railway Station is the closest train station to Somnath, and it is well connected to the region’s major towns, including Mumbai and Ahmedabad, with 14 pairs of trains running daily. The Veraval station, which is barely 5 kilometres from Somnath, has daily trains from all major cities.
Brihadeeshwara Shiva Temple
The Brihadeeshwara Temple, located on the banks of the river Kaveri in Tanjore, Tamil Nadu, is a magnificent architectural gem of the Dravidian era. The renowned ruler Raja Raja Chola built this temple between 1001 and 1010 AD, making it one of India’s finest Shiva temples. The temple has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the massive vimana tower, which stands above the sanctum and is made of granite, is the highest in South India. The temple is also known for having one of India’s largest Shiv Lingas and Nandi, as well as a gigantic prakhara (corridor). Among the Chola Dynasty’s temples and monuments, this temple stands out for its immaculate architecture and design.
Best time to Visit: October to March
How to Reach :
Plane. Trichy, around 55 kilometres from Thanjavur, has the nearest airport. Flights to Indian and international locations are available from the airport.Train. Trichy is also the closest significant railhead.
Car. Thanjavur is well connected to neighbouring Tamil Nadu cities by road.
Kalahasteeshwara Shiva Temple
Lord Shiva is worshipped as Kalahasteeshwara in this temple, which is also recognized as one of the country’s Panch Bhuta Sthalas. This famous Shiva temple in India, located in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, is frequently visited by pilgrims after they have completed their pious trek to Tirupati Lord Venkateshwara’s temple. According to legend, it was here that the great devotee Kannappa planned to donate both of his eyeballs to Lord Shiva in order to stop the blood seeping from the Shiv Linga, but was stopped by the Lord himself and awarded mukti.
Best time to Visit : October to March
How to Reach:By Air: The Srikalahasti Temple is only twenty-five kilometres from Tirupati Airport, which is the closest airport. From Hyderabad, Delhi, and Bangalore, there are daily flights to Tirupati. The nearest major airport to Srikalahasti Temple is Chennai Airport, which is ninety-nine kilometres distant. To reduce travel fatigue, book hotels in Kalahasti near the temple.
By Railway: Sri Kalahasti has a railway station. It has direct connections to all of the cities in India’s southern region. Trains are available from Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Vijayawada.
By Road: The drive from Bangalore to Tirupati takes almost five hours. State-run buses, such as the KSRTC and APSRTC, run throughout the day and night. To Tirupati, APSRTC buses run every half-hour. Yatra darshini and Divyadarshini are two special packages available. To have a hearty stay in Andhra Pradesh, book the best hotels in Srikalahasti.
Vadakunnathana Shiva Temple
The Vadakunnathana Shiva Temple in Thrissur, Kerala, is one of South India’s most prominent Shiva temples. Lord Shiva is worshipped as Vadakunnathan in this temple, which is said to be the first temple established by the legendary sage Parasurama. The temple is constructed in a traditional Kerala style utilising wood and stone, with massive towers on all four sides and a kuttambalam. It is an important Shiva shrine and one of the greatest locations to visit in Thrissur. An unusual truth about this temple is that the shiva linga has been smeared with so much ghee over the years that devotees can only see a mound of ghee in the shape of the linga. After the pooja, the temple priests distribute a part of the ghee to devotees as prasadam. Apart from Maha Shivratri, Thrissur Pooram is another festival held in this temple with much pomp.
Best time to Visit : April-May
How to Reach:
You can go to your location for a few dollars because the temple is located in the heart of the city and is easily accessible via cabs and auto rickshaws.The nearest train station is about 2 kilometres from the temple, while the nearest airport is at Cochin, about 50 kilometres distant and well-connected to neighbouring cities such as Mumbai, Chennai, and Delhi.
Murudeshwara Shiva Temple
Murudeshwara, in North Karnataka, is home to the world’s second-tallest Shiva statue, which stands magnificently with the Arabian Sea splashing behind it. The picturesque environment, combined with the deity’s towering statue, is enough to make you fall in love with the location. A 20-story temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is also being built near the monument. The temple administrators built a lift to carry visitors and pilgrims to the top of the Raja Gopura to give them a fantastic view of the huge statue and the surrounding gorgeous scenery in order for devotees and tourists to get a good look at the Shiva monument.
Best time to Visit : October to May
How to Reach:Air : The nearest airport is Mangalore International Airport, which is about 153 kilometres to the south. It has connections to all of the country’s major cities as well as a few international destinations. Murudeshwar may be reached by taxi from the airport.
Rail : Mangalore and Mumbai are both served by Murudeshwar railway station. Mangalore is the main rail hub, with connections to all of India’s major cities. Buses and auto-rickshaws can take you to Murudeshwar railway station, which lies slightly over 2 kilometres east of the town.
Road : Murudeshwar is connected to Mumbai, Kochi, and Bengaluru by private and government-run buses. Regular buses run between Mumbai and Kochi and pass through Mangalore, which is located on the NH17 that connects the two cities. Bengaluru is well connected to the rest of the region’s major cities.
Chidambara Nataraja Shiva Temple
Chidambara Nataraja Temple, also known as Thillai Nataraja Temple, is one of South India’s most beautiful Shiva temples. It is a work of art by the Chola Dynasty, who built this colossal temple in the 10th century. The 108 karanas of Natyashastra are intricately engraved on the temple walls, and Shiva is depicted as Nataraja (or Lord of Dance). The temple building portrays a vivid picture of the wonderful relationship between art and spirituality, and it emits an aura, a distinct vibration sensed only in the temple’s inner chambers. On the celebration of Maha Shivratri, an annual Nrityaanjali is held to praise and honour Nataraja, the Lord of Dance.
Best time to visit: October to March.
How to Reach:Road : By car Chidambaram is located between Cuddalore and Sirkali on the east coast road. As a result, you may get there in 4 hours by car from Chennai. Pondy is 1–2 hours away, Mayavaram and Kumbakonam are an hour apart, Tanjore and Trichy are 2 hours away. All of these locations have frequent bus service.
Air: Chennai and Trichy are the closest airports.
Rail: Regular trains run from Chennai to the south, stopping in Chidambaram, making it well linked.