Pilgrimage in South India
Spirituality and India are the two faces of the same coin and while
talking about the southern part of India, we find this statement to be
absolutely indisputable. While the rise of dynasties like the Cholas,
Pandyas or Pallavas led to the construction of unprecedented variety of
temples, on the other hand emergence of Bhakti Movement gave birth to a
new era of religious purity. Islamic Sufism was flourishing side by
side and significantly influencing the religious scenario of Southern
India. Further the foundation of Colonial Era glorified Christianity to
the utmost level resulting in the growth of numerous churches that are
treats to the eyes. A communion of all these beliefs purified the soil
of South India and as a result, today a huge number of temples, churches
and durgahs are found in this part of the country which call upon the
followers of all religious beliefs to take a plunge in their sanctified
charm. Let us take you on a spiritual tour of South India. Here is the
list of the best religious places to visit in South India that we have
sorted out for you.
[ Click here for Detailed Itinerary for South India Temple Tour ]
Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh
Popular among the tourists for the golden habitat of Lord Venkateshwara Swami,
Tirupathi is a temple city in Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh. A
city covered with lush green vegetation and not-so-high hills, Tirupati
is visited by Hindus from across the world irrespective of their castes
and beliefs. Tiru in Telugu means Shri (Laxmi) and Pati denotes husband.
So the literal meaning of Tirupati is the husband of Laxmi, i.e.
Vishnu. There are several myths and legends associated with the
formation of the Tirumala Venkateswara Devasthanam and it is claimed to
be the most reputed religious sites in the world in terms of visitors visiting the temple and the amount of donation it gets every year.
Did You Know:
Even though Hindu married women are not supposed to shave their head,
but out of devotion they often donate their hair in Tirupati.
Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu
A
popular town in the heart of Ramanathpura District of Tamil Nadu,
Rameswaram is associated with innumerable myths. The major attraction of
this city is the Ramanathaswamy Temple which is considered to be one of
the most popular Hindu pilgrimage sites in South India. Rameshwaram along with the other three temples of Dwarkadish, Puri and Badrinath complete the famous circuit of Chardham Yatra of India. Lord
Shiva is the presiding deity of this temple. He is worshiped here in
the form of Jyotirlinga. Thus the temple of Ramanathaswamy is counted
among the Dwadash Jyotirlinga, (12 Pillars of Light). It is
believed that Rama worshipped Shiva here in Rameshwaram to do the
penance of killing Ravana, the Brahmin.
Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu
Located
on the Vegavathy River, Kanchipuram is a city in the state of Tamil
Nadu, India, and counted among the seven Indian cities where one can
attain moksha. One of the most important pillars of spiritual tourism in
south India, Kanchipuram houses some of the most revered Hindu temples
found in India. Kanchi Matha, the headquarter of Hindu monastic
institution is the most religious site of Kanchipuram and claimed to be
founded by Hindu Saint Adi Shankara.
Other popular pilgrimage sites in kanchipuram are Varadharaja Perumal
Temple, Ekambareswarar Temple, Kamakshi Amman Temple, and Kumarakottam
Temple.
Did You Know: Among the 108 temples of Lord Vishnu, 14 are found in Kanchipuram.
Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu
Popular
among the believers for the auspicious Kumari Amman Temple and
astonishing Vivekanda Rock Memorial, Cape Comorin or Kanyakumari is one
of the most famous pilgrimage travel destinations in South India.
Kanyakumari is a district of Tamil Nadu and attracts people from across
the globe for being situated at the southern-most tip of Indian
peninsula. The city gets its name from the temple of Devi Kanyakumari
(Kumari Amman Temple), an incarnation of goddess Durga. The temple of
Kanyakumari is counted among the 108 Shaktipeethas dedicated to the
female form of supreme energy, Goddess Durga and visited by the
unmarried girls in large numbers to get their desired life partner.
However, to see the variety of temple architecture, you should explore
the temples of Nagaraja Temple, Thanumalayan Temple in Suchindram, and
the statue of Thiruvalluvar (next to Vivekananda Rock Memorial).
Mysore, Karnataka
Very popular among the devotees of South India as well as other parts of the country for its Dusshera festival, Mysore is claimed to be the residence of Devi Mahishmardini. Chamundi Hills, 13km east of Mysore is the actual place where the temple of Chamundeshwari has been attracting pilgrims since ages. It is believed that the demon Mahishasura was killed here by Goddess Chamundi after a fierce and long-drawn-out battle. It is said that the name of the city, Mysore is derived from the name Mahishasur. Some of the best temples to visit in Mysore are Prassana Krishanswamy Temple, Shewtavarahaswamy Temple, and Trineswaraswamy Temple.
Madurai, Tamil Nadu
Called the Athens of the East, Madurai is a city in the state of Tamil
Nadu in India. Located on the banks of the Vaigai River, Madurai houses
awe-striking religious sites that are worth visiting by the believers
as well as the lovers of architecture. Meenakshi Amman Temple, one of
the major sites for making spiritual journey to South India is the major
attraction of this city. Shiva is worshipped here as Sundareswarar
along with Goddess Minakshi. Koodal Azhagar Temple is a sacred shrine
for the Vaishnavites where one can see the statue of Navagraha. Other
prominent temples found in Madurai are Thiruparankundram, Koodal Azhagar
Temple, Pazhamudhir Solai are some of the most famous temples in
Madurai.
Did You Know: There are around 33,000
sculptures in Meenakshi Amman Temple and it was on the list of top 30
nominees for the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu
Well
followers of religious beliefs other than Hinduism might think it a bit
biased, as we have not discussed anything about Christianity or Islam
so for. So, you might think South-India hardly has any prominent
Non-Hindu religious site. But, if you are travelling to Nagapattinam
district of Tamilnadu in Southern India, then you will feel amazed
seeing the number of international devotees gathering here. The town
houses one of the most popular churches in South India called Basilica
of Our Lady of Good Health or Valankanni Church. Another major
pilgrimage site in Nagapattinam District is Nagore Durgah or Nagore
Sharif which was built over the tomb of Nagore Shahul Hamid. Kanduri
Festival is a 14 day annual festival taking place during the Urs (death
anniversary) of the saint.
Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu
Popular
among the Shaivite sects of Hinduism, Thiruvannamalai is a district in
Tamil Nadu. The most sacred religious site in this district is the
Annamalaiyar Temple, which is counted among the Pancha Bhuta Sthalas.
The lingam of Shiva, worshipped in this temple, is known as
Arunachaleshwar whereas his consort Parvati is known as Unnamulai Amman.
Karthigai Deepam Festival is the most auspicious occasion to be here
and is celebrated during the full moon between November and December.
The entire temple is decorated with thousands of lights during this
festival and looks majestic from far distant areas. Tirulmalai is a
popular Jaina Temple that is constituted of three ancient caves where
the largest Jain sculpture of Neminatha can be seen.
Pondicherry
This union territory might have bewitched you for its picturesque natural settings, but I am sure, you haven’t explored all its religious destinations other than the ones like Aurobindo Ashram and Auroville. If you are seeking mental peace and have already planned to explore the most peaceful ones in south India then go exploring the temples of Kanniga Parameshwari Temple, Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Manakula Vinayagar Temple or Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Temple.
Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu
A typical South Indian city bearing the imprints of ancient Chola
Dynasty, dotted Thanjavur or Tanjore is located in Tamil Nadu. One of
the most popular travel destinations in South India, the city is known
among the religious souls for the magnificent Brihadeswara Temple,
dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple not only carries religious
significance, but gains immense importance among the history buffs for
being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The superb style of sculpture
engraved on this temple brings it the sobriquet of “Great Living Chola
Temples”. Other then this temple, Thanjavur also houses quite a few
spiritually enriched sites such as Thirunallar Temple, Gangaikonda
Cholapuram, Keelaperumpallam Temple etc.
