Whether you are an ordinary tourist or a pilgrim, you will love to explore the religious places in South India. The religious places or temples of South India are extremely popular not only among the Indians, but also among foreigners. There are several religious destinations to visit in India that attract pilgrims from all over the country. You will find important spiritual destinations in each state of South India. Visiting these religious places will be highly rewarding as they have the power to transform you as a person. A journey to these places also helps you change your perspective on life. Hence, do not wait and choose the best South India tour packages to experience the spiritual aura of these places.
Tirupati is an ancient city of India and is mentioned in the old Puranas and Vedas. It is one of the most famous tourist places to visit in South India. Located in the Chittoor district, Tirupati is home to the world-famous Lord Venkateshwara Temple. This is one of the richest temples in the world and is also known by other names such as Tirupati Temple, Tirumala Temple, Tirupati Balaji Temple, etc. If you are on a Tirupati tour, you must not forget to visit this temple. Dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara, the Tirupati temple is visited by a large number of devotees from all over the country.
This temple is located at Tirumala, which is one of the hills in Tirupati. People believe that Lord Venkateshwara appeared as an idol here. Do not forget to visit the Tirupati Temple when you are on a Tirupati tour. Devotees offer their prayers at the temple and seek blessings from the deity. One of the popular rituals of the temple is Thulabaram. In this ritual, a devotee sits on one side of the weighing scale. Coins, gold, banana, tulsi leaves, and jaggery are placed on the other side of the scale. You can also view other temples in Tirupati, such as the Kondandarama Temple, Sri Govindarajaswami Temple, Sri Kalahasti Temple, ISKCON Temple, etc.
Madurai is one of the best religious places to visit in South India. This city is known as the ‘Lotus City’ as it is designed as a lotus flower. It is best known for its Meenakshi Amman Temple, which is dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi. Goddess Meenakshi is the form of Parvati, who is the wife of lord Shiva. This temple is the best example of Dravidian architecture and is visited by a large number of people from all over the country. The temple is adorned with intricate carvings that depict several important mythological tales. The architecture of the temple is the reason why visitors come here from different corners of the country. Madurai Temple was constructed by King Kulasekhara, who was a powerful Pandyan King. This is also one of the largest temples in India.
You will find other temples in Madurai. One of them is the Thiruparankundram, which is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Muruga. Located on a small hill, the temple is approximately 8 km away from the main city. Madurai had trade ties with Rome in the past. It is also known for its delectable street food and vibrant bazaars.
Samalkota has a unique charm attached to it. Located in Andhra Pradesh, this is one of the best religious places to explore in southern India. Devotees of Lord Shiva consider it to be a sacred place and visit it in large numbers. The place is popular for being the site of a Panchkarma Temple. Devotees of Lord Shiva visit this beautiful town during the Shivratri festival. The town is not only a religious place in South India, but also a home to many industries. Some of the big companies that have opened their offices here include Palm-Tech India Limited, Orient Ceramics India Limited, Reliance Energy Limited, etc. The glorious past and the lush green surroundings of Samalkota make your trip fulfilling.
Some of the temples that you can visit in Samalkota are Sri Raja Rajeswari Temple and the Sri Someswara Swamy Temple. You can enjoy the festival named Abhishekam once you are in Samalkota. This festival is celebrated in November and December. During this festival, people offer ghee, milk, honey, and yogurt to the God. One of the features of this festival is the ritual of praising the Gods. During the Abhishekam festival, the Lord and his consorts are decorated with beautiful attire.
Sabrimala is 72 km away from Pathanamthitta town and is known to be the holy abode of Lord Ayyappa. People believe that Ayappan used to meditate here. It is among the best religious places to visit in South India for Hindu pilgrims. Sabrimala is immensely popular for its holy shrine, which is situated in the dense forests. Pilgrims visit the shrine in large numbers during the celebration of many festivals here, such as Vishu Vilakku, Mandalapooja, and Makaravilakku. The Sabrimala Shrine or Temple is one of the most visited temples in the country.
The temple is open on the first 5 days of the Malayalam month. It is said that people need to observe a fast for 41 days before visiting Sabrimala. This helps in cleansing their minds. Men of any age can enter the Sabrimala Temple. However, the women whose fertility age has passed and the ones who are not at the stage of puberty can also enter the temple without any restriction. If you want to experience the divinity of this place, you must visit Sabrimala Temple once during your South India tour. You can halt at Pamba during your journey to Sabrimala. After arriving here, you need to trek for approximately 4 km to reach the temple.
Located in Thrissur, Guruvayur is one of the best religious places to see in South India. This pilgrimage destination is popular for its Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple. Guruvayur is 29 km away from Thrissur city and is visited by a large number of Hindu devotees. Most of the pilgrims visit Thirussar to worship Lord Krishna. The Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple is a testament to the devotion of pilgrims who come here to seek spiritual solace. The temple is popular for its intricate carvings and vibrant festivals that attract pilgrims from all over the world.
Apart from the Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple, the tourists can also visit an elephant sanctuary, which is close to the temple. This sanctuary is known as Punnathurkotta, and it is one of the world's largest sanatoriums of elephant sanctuaries. You can take part in the annual Guruvayur Festival, which is celebrated in the months of February and March. The festival is celebrated with full enthusiasm by the devotees. It showcases the rich cultural heritage of the region. You can experience the divine power of Guruvayur and know about the cultural and religious essence of the temple. Other religious places that you can visit here include Mammiyoor Shiva Temple, Parthasarathy Temple, Devaswom Museum, etc.
Kanchipuram is another religious place that you can visit during your South India tour. Known for the Kanchipuram sarees, it is one of the best religious destinations to visit in South India. Innumerable visitors come here to explore its temples and culture. The place is not only visited by Indians but also by foreigners who want to know about the Hindu culture. Kanchipuram city is popular for Kanchi Kamakshi Temple, which is the abode of Kamakshi, the consort of Lord Shiva. Another temple that is popular here is Kailasanathar Temple. This temple is best known for its impressive architecture.
Puttaparthi is the holy abode of Sathya Sai Baba, who was one of the greatest spiritual teachers of the country. Due to this legendary figure, Puttaparthi gained fame not only in India but also in the whole world. Although you will not find any tourist attractions in Puttaparthi, the town is extremely popular due to its spiritual significance and ideologies. Some of the religious places in Puttaparthi are Sri Sathya Sai Space Theatre, Sathya Sai Ashram, Anjaneya Swamy Temple, etc.
Bhadrachalam is another place in South India that is worth exploring. This place lures tourists with its mystical surroundings. It is popular for the Sita Ramachandraswamy Temple. Dedicated to Lord Rama, his consort Sita, Lakshmana, and the 7th avatar of Lord Vishnu, the temple is one of the important pilgrimage sites in South India. There is a legend attached to the temple. According to it, the hill on which the temple is located was once the home of Bhadratha. He was the King of the Ikshvaku dynasty and used to worship Lord Rama. Pleased by his devotion, Lord Rama appeared in front of him along with Lakshmana and Sita. Bhadratha was quite happy to see them and requested them to live permanently on this hill.
Bhadrachalam Temple is the best example of Dravidian architecture. The sculptures and intricate carvings depict the scenes from the epic Ramayana. The temple has several shrines, including the main shrine that houses Lord Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita. Other notable shrines that you will find here are dedicated to Lord Shiva, Lord Hanuman, and Goddess Lakshmi. The gopuram of the temple is the perfect example of the craftsmanship of the ancient era. Other temples that you can visit in Bhadrachalam are Abhaya Anjaneya Temple, Muthyalama Temple, Subrmanya Swamy Temple, Sri Lalitha Parmeswari Temple, etc.
Located on an island in Tamil Nadu, Rameswaram is also one of the most visited religious destinations in South India. According to the mythology, Lord Rama created a sea bridge here to reach Srilanka. This is also a popular religious place and is visited by pilgrims from all over the country. People say that Lord Rama sanctified this spot by worshipping Lord Shiva. It is said that a pilgrim’s journey is not complete without visiting Varanasi and Rameswaram. Due to this, Rameswaram is considered one of the major pilgrim centers of the country.
You can explore Ramanathaswamy Temple once you are here. The temple attracts tourists from all over the country with its intricately carved pillars, long corridors, and magnificent structure. The temple is decorated with a 38-metre ‘Gopuram’, which looks quite impressive to the visitors. The construction of the temple started in the 12th century. Sethupathy Maravar started the construction of the Ramanathaswamy temple. It is said that Swami Vivekananda offered his prayers at the temple in the year 1897. It is also one of the 12 Jyothirlinga temples where Lord Shiva is worshipped. Other famous temples that you can visit in Rameshwaram include Jada Tirtham, Panchmukhi Hanuman Temple, Gandhamadhana Parvatham, etc.
This is a beautiful temple town in the heart of the Thanjavur district. This town is perfect for those who are interested in learning about the cultural roots of the country. It is extremely popular for the celebration of the Mahamaham Tank. This is one of the oldest towns in the history of India and is quite popular for its temples. Kumbakonam is known as the ‘City of Temples’. The town has as many as 188 Hindu temples. Adi Kumbeswarar Temple is a popular temple in Kumbakonam and was constructed in the seventh century by the Cholas. It is one of the oldest Shiva temples in the town. The largest Vaishnava temple in the town is Sarangapani Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Apart from the temples, Kumbakonam town has many monasteries or mathas. Some of the famous monasteries in Kumbakonam include Raghavendra Matha and Sri Sankara Matha.
South India has no dearth of the best religious places. If you are a Hindu pilgrim, you can explore the prominent religious places during your South India tour. From Madurai to Sabrimala and Bhadrachalam, there are many places that you can explore during your South India trip. If you are planning to visit the best religious places in South India, you can easily book the right South India tour package for you.