India's Largest Temples With Outstanding Architecture

It's not just spirituality that draws people to these magnificent constructions, the brilliant architecture, peaceful atmosphere and an opportunity to embrace our culture; all these are elements that attract millions to Indian temples. Let us take a look at some of the largest comprehensive Hindu temples, as listed by Walk Through India-

Akshardham Temple

 

Akshardham, also known as Delhi Akshardham or Swaminarayan Akshardham is a Hindu temple complex in Delhi. It is a beautiful blend of architecture, tradition and spirituality. The temple developed by Pramukh Swami Maharaj with the support of 3,000 volunteers and 7,000 artisans was officially opened in the year 2005.It is an important landmark in Delhi and majority of the tourists who visit Delhi, make it a point to grasp the charm of this outstanding shrine as well.

Meenakshi Amman Temple

 

Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple or Meenakshi Amman Temple, devoted to Parvathi(known as Meenakshi) and Shiva, is situated on the banks of river Vaigai, in Madurai. 14 gateway towers, more popular as gopurams, ranging from 45-50m in height can be found in the temple complex. It is one of the most prominent landmarks in the temple city of Madurai, drawing 15,000 visitors a day and around 25,000 on Fridays. There are 33,000 sculptures in the temple and the shrine also made it to the list of top 30 nominees of the ''New Seven Wonders of the World''. Meenakshi Tirukalyanam festival, a 10 day celebration which is held during the months of April and May, attracts more than 1 million visitors. 

Annamalaiyar Temple

The shrine is situated at the base of Annamalai Hill in the town of Thiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu. The main deity is Lord Shiva and the temple is associated with the five elements, the Pancha Bhoota Stalas, and specifically the element of fire, or Agni. The Karthigai Deepam is one of the main festivals celebrated here, during the day of the full moon between November and December. An enormous fire is lit at the top of the hill, which denotes the Shiva lingam of fire joining the sky and nearly 3 million pilgrims visit the temple to witness this charm. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu. 

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple

A beautiful construction of the 1987 AD, Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is the largest temple in India and one of the largest religious complexes in the world. Frequently listed as the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world, it has the second tallest Gopuram. The temple is located in Tiruchirapalli(Tamil Nadu), on an island in Cauvery River and the architecture has been inspired by Dravidian style. During the Tamil month of Margazhi (December-January), a 21-day festival is celebrated here, drawing around 1 million visitors.
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, a renowned Vaishnava temple in South India has a total of 21 gopurams (towers), 39 pavilions, fifty shrines, Ayiram kaal mandapam (a hall of 1000 pillars) and numerous small water bodies inside.

There are numerous large and beautiful Hindu temples in the country, from which a selected few are mentioned in the article.

Courtesy :http://travel.siliconindia.com/news/Indias-Largest-Temples-With-Outstanding-Architecture-aid-2131.html