The states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have a fair share of palaces characterized by their elegance and grandeur. Some of the palaces that you should not miss when traveling in these states are: Continue Reading

Pandava Caves:

In addition to natural wonders, historical places, hills, Ghats and waterfalls, Karnataka is home to a number of caves. A tour of the caves can be fascinating and can leave you awestruck with the exemplary architecture and surrounding scenic beauty.

Badami Caves:

Famous for its cave temples, Badami in Bagalkot has the earliest known examples of temples dating back to the 6th century. The rock-cut cave temples are a combination of four cave temples consisting of Hindu, Jain and Buddhist deities.

Aihole Caves:

Situated to the east of Pattadakal, along the Malaprabha River, Aihole has an incredible total of nearly 125 stone temples. They date back to 5th century CE and boast of the finesse of Chalukyan architecture.

Nellitheertha Caves:

The Nellitheertha Cave houses a Shiva temple and a natural cave which is about 200 metres long. The cave has restricted access and visitors have to crawl through to get to a Shiva Linga and a lake at the end. Belief is Sage Jabali worshipped Goddess Durga in this cave and she promised him to kill the demonArunasara. She fulfilled herpromise on the banks of River Nandini. This is now the famous place of Durgaparameshwari Temple, Kateel.

Hulimavu Caves:

Found in South Bangalore on Bannerghatta Road, the Hulimavu Caves are a pre-historic monolithic granite cave. It is possibly a 2000 year old single rock cave. The shrines in the natural cave are dedicated to God Rama, God Shiva and Goddess Rajarajeshwari. Numerous other cave temples are also seen here, of which the Gavi Gangadhareshwara Cave Temple is most popular.

Reshwara Caves:

One among the Hulimavu Caves, Gavi Gangadhareshawara Caves has a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Built by the founder of Bangalore, Kempe Gowda in 16th century AD, the temple is a fine example of architectural expertise. The deities of Nandi and Linga are precisely positioned for the sunlight to pass through an arc between Nandi and fall on the Linga illuminating the sanctum on

Located near Kadri Manjunath Temple in Mangalore, the Pandava Caves has a Buddhist monastery called Kandarika Vihara. It is believed that the Pandavas spent time here during their exile to avoid detection by the Kauravas.

Maharashtra is a popular tourist destination and the state of India most visited by foreign travelers. In addition to beautiful beaches, beautiful mountain resorts and national parks and shrines, there are several historical monuments. Four of them are classified by UNESCO as “World Heritage Sites”.

Ajanta Caves:

The Aurangabad Ajanta Caves, dating back to the second century BC, were recognized by UNESCO in 1983 as a heritage of Maharashtra. The Buddhist troglodyte monuments are in a group of 30 and were built in two phases. The caves show rock carvings and sculptures that are among the best examples of ancient Indian art that see and appreciate the world. The caves have monasteries and churches. On a wall 250 feet high, various Buddhist traditions can be seen. A carved statue of the reclining Buddha, a table door with the seven Manushi Buddha (human form), frescoes and well-protected paintings are the highlights of the Ajanta Caves.

Ellora caves:

Also in Aurangabad are the Ellora Caves in the immediate vicinity of the Ajanta Caves. Built by the Rashtrakuta Dynasty, the Ellora Caves are a mixture of Hindu, Jain and Buddhist art, with a series of 34 monasteries and temples that lead to about two kilometers. The caves of Ellora date from the 6th to the 10th century and were declared heritage of UNESCO in 1983 by Maharashtra.

Elephanta caves:

Elephanta Caves are located on Elephanta Island in Mumbai Harbor. The first group has five Hindu caves and the second has two Buddhist wineries. One hour ferry ride from Mumbai Harbor, the Elephanta Caves are a fine example of the art and architecture of medieval India. The caves belong to the 7th century and show daring mythical themes. It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987 and named “World Heritage Site of Maharashtra”.

Chhatrapati Shivji Terminus:

It was formally named Victoria Terminus in honor of Queen Victoria and inaugurated in 1887 on the occasion of its Golden Jubilee. It was renamed Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and today serves as the headquarters of Central Railways. It was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List of Maharashtra in 2004.

Telangana has a fair share of the temples where the faithful flock in large numbers. On top of that, temples make an interesting tourist destination either because of their location or architecture. Some of the temples are listed below:

Temple of Yadagirigutta:

Located on a beautiful hill in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, this temple is dedicated to Lord Narasimha. It is built in the Dravidian architectural style.

Bhadrakali Temple:

One of the oldest temples of the goddess Bhadrakali, this Warangal temple sits at the top of a hill, on the shores of Bhadrakali Lake, between the towns of Warangal and Hanamkonda.

Temple of Bhadrachalam:

One of the popular temples in India dedicated to Lord Rama, the Bhadrachalam Temple is located in Bhadrachalam in Khammam District. The temple is located on the banks of the picturesque Godavari River.

Keesaragutta Temple:

Sivadurga and Bhavani, the temple of Keesaragutta is located in Rangareddy district of Telangana. It is also called Ramalingeshwara Swamy Temple when Lord Rama installed a linga there.

Temple of the thousand pillars:

Built by King Rudra Deva, the thousand pillar temple of Warangal is home to a thousand pillars. The temple is also called Rudreshwara Swami temple and is dedicated to Vishnu, Shiva and Surya. Architectural styles are followed by the Chalukyan and Kakatiya dynasties.

Ramappa Temple:

Warangal, Ramappa temple is located in the village valley Palmpet. Also called Ramalingeshwara temple, it is the testimony of Karkatian architecture with floating bricks and intricate carvings.

Temple of Gnana Saraswati:

Located in Basar on the banks of the Godavari River, Gnana Saraswati Temple is one of the two most famous temples in India, dedicated to the goddess Saraswati. The other temple is in Jammu and Kashmir.

Temple of Birla Mandir:

The Birla Mandir temple in Hyderabad is one of 18 in India. It is a beautiful temple located on a hill 280 feet high and a popular tourist attraction.

Temple of Karmanghat Hanuman:

This temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman is one of the oldest temples in the city of Hyderabad. It spans three acres. The sanctuary of Anjaneya is called Dhyana Anjaneya.

Narasimha Temple Nampally Gutta:

Located in Nampally Gutta, 32 kilometers from Karimnagar, this temple dedicated to Lord Narasimha is located on the hill of Vemulawada. It is modeled after a snake and the snake statue is the largest in India.

A temple town in Chikmagalur, Karnataka, Sringeri is located on the banks of the Tunga River along the Western Ghats. It is popular as a spiritual goal. He is also known for Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham founded by Adi Sankaracharya. It is one of the four main temples of the philosophy of Advaita Vedantha and one of the Shakthi Sthalams of India. Sringeri also attracts tourists for its cultural and cultural activities as well as its many temples. Some places to visit in Sringeri are:

Sringeri Mutt:

Also known as Sringeri Sharadha Peetham and Dakshinamnaya Sringeri Sharadha Peetham, this mother is on the banks of the Tunga River. He has a vidyathirthalinga in accordance with the traditions of Yajur Veda. The architecture is followed by Dravidian and Hoysalan. The skillful style can be seen in the twelve zodiacal columns, which are arranged so that the rays of the sun fall on the pillar of the month of the respective zodiac. The main sanctuary stands on the circular platform in the shape of a high star.

Sharadha Temple:

It was dedicated to the goddess Sharadamba and was founded by Acharya Sri Shankara Bhagvatpada. It is built in the typical style of the temples of southern India. One of the highlights of the temple are the many stone pillars with sculptures of various goddesses.

Temple of Malayala Brahma:

Near the temple of Sharadha is this temple. It is dedicated to Malayala Brahma or KshetraPalaka, which means janitor. According to legend, a scholar Malayala Brahmana was cursed because he did not share his knowledge and became a Brahma Rakshasha. In order to get rid of the curse, he was advised to act as the goalkeeper of Mutt by Vidyaranya Rishi.

Temple of Vidyasankara:

A rectangular temple dedicated to Vidyashankara who resided here in the 14th century. Built in many styles such as Dravidian, Vijayanagaran and Chalukyan, the temple has many inscriptions that speak of the leaders of Vijayanagara. The main shrine has the deities of the goddess Durga and Lord Vidya Ganesha with the idols of the Trimurthis and their wives. The central ceiling, the sloping roofs in fluted slabs and the sculptures of gods and goddesses on the base of the sanctuary are exemplary and dazzling.

Torana Ganapathi Temple:

The temple dedicated to Ganapathi adores Ganapathi in various forms such as Kshipra Varaprasadhi and VaraPrasadi. The coconut and mods of Sugar and Jaggery, which are the favorites of Ganesha, are offered. The Padukas of Vriddha Narasimha Bharati Swamy are another important element of the temple.

Temple of Kere Anjaneya:

To the west of Sringeri Math is the KereAnjaneya Temple. It is believed that this temple of Hamuman is an Anjaneya temple, which was consecrated and built by Adi Shankaracharya. With a huge idol of Hanuman, the temple also has shrines for Lord Ganesha and Lord Shiva. 27 steps to reach the temple.

Horanadu:

Horanadu is about 20 kilometers from Sringeri. It is attractive with lush landscapes of Western Ghats. A temple dedicated to the goddess Annapoorneshwari is another attraction. The deity is represented as Shankha and Chakra and sits on a Peetha. An idol of Sri Chakra Gayathri Devi is also present.

Kigga:

At a distance of ten kilometers from Sringeri is the village of Kigga with green trails and hiking. A trekking route leads to Narasimha Parvatha summit. A temple dedicated to Saint Rishyasringa, made famous by the Ramayana, is a major attraction of the village. The others are Srimane Falls and Rishi Vasishthas Ashram. Spoil yourself with countless activities such as rock climbing, hiking, hiking, camping and Kigga exploration.

Hariharapura:

Main for two temples, Hariharapura is a town about 20 kilometers from Sringeri. The Hari temple is dedicated to Lord Hari and the Hara Temple to Lord Shiva. The Hara Temple is about 400 years old and stands on the banks of the Tunga River. A 110-year-old bridge over the Tunga River linking Hariharapura to Koppa is a major attraction.