The temples in India are architectural marvels that people worldwide are impressed with. You can see vibrant sanctum sanatoriums, spacious waiting halls, intricate carvings on the thick walls, and tall spires that seem like they are touching the skies! Visiting these spiritual places makes us feel like we almost got a glimpse of heaven’s excellence. The true wealth of Indian temples is their spiritual riches but it is hard to ignore the eye-boggling opulence of the treasures in the richest temples of India. Be it their gold-based construction or embedded precious gems in idols, everything will make you stand in awe!
Are you planning to take a tour of the richest temples in India? Then we have made a list for you to consider before you curate your itinerary. These 12 gorgeous places in India are believed to be the most powerful spiritual homes where wishes and desires do come true!
Let’s get started!
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12 Richest Temples of India to Visit Today
1- Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple Thiruvananthapuram
Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple is one of the richest temples in India and is located in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The grandeur of the place is visible even from a distance. The architecture is a perfect blend of Dravidian and Kerala temple construction styles. Padmanabhaswamy temple is so famous that the entire place ‘Thiruvananthapuram’ is named after this spiritual abode. ‘Thiruvananthapuram’ means the home of ‘Anantha’ or the home of ‘Lord Vishnu’. What makes this temple so rich? The idol in the sanctum sanctorum is made of pure gold with embedded gems and the Lord is seen seated on Sesha Naga or the big snake.
The temple is shrouded in mystery. It is said that a treasure worth $1 trillion is hidden behind Vault-B. No one wants to open the door because it is believed that two enormous, most venomous cobras guard the wealth. It belongs to God and God only.
Location: West Nada, Fort, East Fort, Pazhavangadi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695023
Timings: 3:15 AM – 12:00 PM; Reopens evening – 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM
2 – Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam
If you are an Indian, you must have heard of the Tirumala Tirupati Temple at least once in your lifetime. People here believe that you will attain ‘moksha’ or salvation if you get the blessings of Lord Venkateshwara from Tirumala. The main idol is about 8 feet tall and stands under the golden dome that is carved beautifully with intricate outer design. The idol also has rich gems embedded along the clothing outline and eyes of Lord Venkateshwara.
The golden dome is called the Ananda Nilaya Divya Vimana and is visible as soon as you enter the outer gate. It is believed to be spiritually powerful and even getting a glimpse of this dome from afar is considered auspicious. Remember that you need to visit the Varahaswamy temple first before seeking blessings from Lord Venkateshwara in the main Tirumala complex.
Location: Tirumala 7th Hill, Tirumala – Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, 517504
Timings: 1:30 AM – 12:00 AM
3 – Meenakshi Temple – Madurai
The Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai is believed to be not only one of the richest temples of India but also the most powerful one. Every day, you will see at least 15-30 thousand people visiting the place to seek the Goddess’s blessings. With the most remarkable Dravidian temple architecture style and colourful external appearance, the temple is undoubtedly a visual treat. If you pay keen attention, you will notice that there are at least 33,000 sculptures both within the temple, on the walls and outside the premises. The temple receives a hefty revenue every year and also has two carts made of pure gold.
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Location: Madurai Main, Madurai, Tamil Nadu 625001
Timings: 5:00 AM to 12:30 PM; 4:00 PM to 9:30 PM
4 – Sai Baba Temple – Shirdi
Shirdi is Maharashtra’s pride and a place which is popular not only in India but overseas as well. Thanks to the magnificent Shirdi Sai Baba temple that is known for its immense spiritual energy. It is also popular as one of the richest temples of India. As soon as you enter the main sanctum sanctorum, you will see that the idol of Sai Baba is decorated on all sides with gleaming gold intricate carvings. His crown is made of gold along with the throne that he sits on. Sai Baba Temple in Shirdi is also the third richest temple in the world! You must definitely pay a visit to witness the positive spectacle.
Location: QF8G+J6Q, Mauli Nagar, Shirdi, Maharashtra 423109
Timings: 4:00 AM to 12:00 PM; 4:00 PM to 10:30 PM
5 – Siddhivinayak Temple – Mumbai
Ganapathi Bappa Mourya!
The Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai houses the statue of Lord Shiva’s dear son, Lord Ganesha. This is the place where all your wishes come true, especially if you are preparing to take an exam or start a new journey in your career path. What makes this one of the richest temples of India? It is the funds that the committee receives from devotees who are very generous with what they offer. Celebrities, politicians, and foreign delegates also come here to seek blessings and give donations. The money is used for temple development and philanthropic purposes. It has a pristine white outer structure with golden mini domes.
Location: Shree Siddhivinayak Temple, SK Bole Rd, Prabhadevi, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400028
Timings: 5:30 AM to 9:50 PM, the temple opens at 3:15 AM and closes at 11:30 PM on Tuesdays.
6 – Vaishno Devi Temple – Jammu
After Tirumala’s Venkateshwara Swamy Temple, Vaishno Devi Temple is the most visited holy temple in the country. Once you reach the gorgeous Jammu valley, you will have to trek for a certain distance to reach the main sanctum sanctorum of Vaishno Devi Temple. The holy shrine has about 1.2 tonnes of gold that you will find around the Goddess’s idol or the main temple complex. Seeing how so many devotees visit the place, the donations are huge and people also donate gold here as it is considered to bring them more riches in the future!
Location: Shree Mata Vaishno Devi, Toph Sherkhanian, Jammu, 181121
Timings: 5:00 AM to 12:00 PM; 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM. In WInters, the temple opens at 6:00 AM and closes at 8:00 PM.
7 – Ayyappa Temple – Sabarimala
The Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Kerala is one of the richest temples in the world! When it was constructed way back in 2005, it cost about $150 million to establish everything. Today, its value is anywhere near 500 crores! The peaceful shrine of Lord Ayyappa is standing might tall on the bank of River Pampa. Lakhs of people who don the ‘Ayyappa Mala’ come here to offer their prayers and break their vrat. However, it is important to note that only men can visit the temple because Lord Ayyappa is known to have embraced ‘Brahmacharya’ or celibacy.
Location: Swamy Ayyappan Rd, Sannidhanam, Sabarimala, Kerala 689662
Timings: 3:00 AM to 1:00 PM; 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM
8 – Golden Temple – Amritsar
The richness of the Golden Temple is visible as soon as you lay your eyes on it. The place is of great spiritual significance to the Sikhs and also holds the holy book ‘ Guru Granth Sahib’. It has a peaceful environment with a rippling water body right next to the main worship space. The upper floor of the Golden Temple is made out of 400 kg of gold and sees a large influx of devotees from across the country! Do you see why we call this one of the richest temples of India? There is a museum opposite the temple where you can learn the complete history and origins of the Sikh religion and get a glimpse of their living style.
Location: Golden Temple Rd, Atta Mandi, Katra Ahluwalia, Amritsar, Amritsar Cantt., Punjab 143006
Timings: 4:00 AM to 10:00 PM
9 – Jagannath Temple – Puri
Not only Jagannath temple is one of the richest temples of India but has an intriguing architectural style that still astonishes industry experts! The temple stands on an elevated platform and measures 65 meters in length. It is built according to the Kalinga temple architecture and never casts a shadow on earth! You read that right! No matter where the sun is in the sky, the temple has no shadow. Its 20-foot-high chakra is visible from anywhere in the city and whenever you glance at it, you will see that the chakra is always facing you. The temple receives huge donations every day and the number only increases during festivals. Foreign visitors usually give donations in crores! It is estimated that the bank account associated with Jagannath temple must easily have more than 150 crores in it.
Location: Shree Jagannatha Temple Puri, Bali Sahi, Puri, Odisha 752001
Timings: 5:30 AM – 9:00 PM
10 – Vishwanath Temple – Kashi
We have discussed the first jyotirlinga, Somnath temple, previously. The Kashi Vishwanath temple is another prominent jyotirlinga in India and is believed to be the place where you will attain salvation. The temple is also popularly known as the ‘Golden Temple of Lord Shiva’. This is because the temple complex has a total of three domes, out of which two are gold-plated. Moreover, the shrine also receives generous donations from devotees. About 30 lakh Indian and close to 3 lakh foreign visitors come to the temple annually. On the bank of River Ganga, this is one of the most famous temples in the country.
Location: Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Lahori Tola, Varanasi, Domari, Uttar Pradesh 221001
Timings: 3:00 AM to 11:00 PM;
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11 – Somnath Temple – Gujarat
The Somnath Temple is a gorgeous site in Gujarat. This is where you will see cream-coloured outer domes with precise carvings. It is the first jyotirlinga shrine so you can expect many people to come to the holy place. This in itself generates a huge annual revenue. Somnath temple is known to have a vast collection of gold and silver artefacts, and pooja collections. This is one of the richest temples of India since 1200 AD and still remains the most powerful abode of Lord Shiva. You will be surprised to see that in the early mornings, the chirping birds come and sit on the temple steps, gopuram, and window sills as if they are offering prayers of their own.
Location: Somnath Mandir Rd, Somnath, Prabhas Patan, Gujarat 362268
Timings: 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM
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12 – Akshardham Temple – Delhi
Delhi tourism is incomplete without the mention of Akshardham, where you will find the idol of Swaminarayan. The entire construction is so marvellous that it appears less like a temple and more like a palace that celebrates positive spiritual energy! You will find the main temple complex that is almost 141 feet tall and the statue of Swaminarayan is made of pure gold. There is a separate theatre complex called Niklanth Darshan, the Hall of Values or Sahajanand Darshan, a boating area and a musical fountain too! The garden around the temple is well-maintained with neatly cut trees, bushes and plants. You can feel the peace at every corner and spending at least an hour in this place will prove to be the best experience for you! Looking at the sheer magnificence of the complex, it is hard not to see why it is considered one of the richest temples of India.
All these marvellous temples are India’s cultural heritages and symbols of ethereal holy presence. So, which of these richest temples of India are you going to visit first?
Let us know in the comments section!
