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If you want to create a list of top tourist places in South India, you cannot keep the temples, churches, and other religious places out of it. The temples of South India are so intricately designed that they amaze the tourists. Also, South India has a rich history of pilgrim destinations that captivate devotees across the world. Each state of South India i.e. Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu have several such pilgrim destinations. We have created a list of top tourist places in South India that pilgrims can visit. You can check out this list whenever you wish to visit the holy abodes of South India!
Tirupati has to be one of the most visited and famous tourist places in South India. Located in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district, the temple is dedicated to Balaji or Lord Vishnu. Tirupati means the husband of Tiru i.e. Goddess Laxmi in Telugu. The pilgrims who visit this place need to shave their heads as a token of gratitude and respect towards the lord. The main temple is based on Tirumala Hill’s peak (there are 7 in total). People of all faiths and castes visit this place to pay their homage to Lord Vishnu who is considered to be one of the main deities in the Hindu religion. The natural vistas surrounding Tirupati city are also quite exquisite.
Sabarimala is considered to be one of the most ancient temples in India. It is dedicated to Lord Ayyappa, the son of Lord Mahadev. Located in Kerala, Sabarimala is kept open for pilgrims only for some days of the year. The pilgrimage starts in November and closes in January. Thousands of pilgrims visit this place and observe a strict vegetarian diet and celibacy for at least 40 days during the pilgrimage. Like Tirupati, Sabarimala is also nestled in mountains and one needs to walk barefoot to reach the temple. There are various tales of Lord Ayyappa that the visitors love to hear. All these reasons make Sabarimala one of the best tourist spots in South India.
Apart from being a famous place for beach lovers, Gokarna is also considered to be one of the main religious places for the devotees of Lord Mahadev or Shiva. It is because Lord Shiva’s Atma linga is placed in the Shri Mahabaleshwar Temple here. People from across Karnataka and other states visit Gokarna to carry out the funeral rites. Gokarna also houses some of the best beaches in India like Kudle Beach, Half Moon Beach, Paradise Beach, and Om Beach.
Murudeshwar is located in Dakshina Karnataka and the temple is located near Murudeshwar beach. It can be easily reached via road and rail from cities like Udupi and Mangalore. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Murudeshwar has a tall statue of Lord Shiva. Its Temple Tower stands 249 feet tall and impresses the pilgrims. According to popular belief, King Ravana got the Atma linga of Lord Shiva after pleasing him but Lord Ganesha tricked him and placed the Atma linga in Gokarna. Enraged by this, Ravana desperately tried to lift the lingam but without any success. During his several attempts, the cloth that covered the linga flew to Kanduka Giri. Murudeshwar Temple was constructed at the same site.
Madurai is one of the most famous pilgrimage destinations in South India. Located in Tamil Nadu, Madurai Temple is dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi. Goddess Meenakshi is believed to be a form of Goddess Parvathi who is the wife of Lord Shiva. Visited by thousands of pilgrims every month, the architecture of the Madurai Temple is one of the main attractions for visitors. Madurai is one of the biggest cities in Tamil Nadu and can be easily accessed via rail and road from all parts of the country. Madurai Temple was built by King Kulasekhara, a powerful Pandyan king. Madurai Temple which is also known as Meenakshi Temple is believed to be one of the biggest temples of the nation.
Located in Tamil Nadu, Rameshwaram is one of the holiest places according to the Hindu texts. It is the same place where Lord Rama worshipped Lord Mahadev and requested him to bless him to kill Ravana. The popular Rama Setu was also built here as per the Hindu scriptures. It is considered that a pilgrimage to Kashi or Varanasi will not be fulfilled if you don’t visit the Rameshwaram Temple. Therefore, the pilgrims do make it a point to visit this temple which is also known for its wonderful architecture and beautiful carvings.
Udupi is one of the cities in Dakshina Karnataka. It is popular because of the famous Sri Krishna Temple which attracts thousands of people monthly. The famous Krishna Math was established in Udupi in the 13th century by the renowned philosopher and orator Madhavacharya. The idol of Lord Krishna in the Krishna Temple is its main attraction. It is designed with jewels and looks beautiful. There are popular beaches like Malpe, Kaup, etc. nearby Udupi. Sri Krishna Temple also serves meals to the devotees in the afternoon.
Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is located in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. Padmanabhaswamy Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is considered to be the richest temple in India. People visit this shrine to witness the magnificent architecture and to pay homage to Lord Vishnu. The intricate carvings, artworks like mural paintings, and exceptional sculptures make it one of the best tourist attractions in South India. Recently, the temple became famous where ornaments and coins of gold were found in its basement. Its history can be traced back to the eighth century and its references can also be found in the holy scriptures like Skanda Purana. Due to all these reasons, Padmanabhaswamy Temple is one of the best pilgrim spots in South India.
Sringeri is one of the famous pilgrimage spots in Karnataka. It is famous for Sharda Peetha which was established by the great Sri Adi Sankaracharya in the 8th century. It was the first built Peetha among the other 3 Peethas. Sringeri is also known for the Vidyashankara Temple which was constructed in the 14th century. It reflects the Vijayanagara style of architecture. There are numerous other temples such as Chennakeshava Temple, Adi Shankara Temple, Sharadamba Temple, etc. in Sringeri which makes it one of the most revered pilgrim places in South India.
Thrissur is one of the best pilgrim destinations in South India. Located in Kerala it houses some of the most popular temples of the state such as Guruvayur Temple, Vadakkumnathan Temple, Paramekkavu Temple, etc. It can be easily accessed via road from Kozhikode, Coimbatore, Madurai, Trivandrum, and other cities. The name Thrissur means Lord Shiva’s town and has witnessed several dynasties like British, Portuguese, Dutch, etc. in the past. Thrissur is the place where Adi Shankaracharya, the Hindu saint was born. All these reasons make it one of the most visited pilgrimage destinations in South India.
These were the top 10 best pilgrimage destinations in South India. For booking flight tickets and hotels in these places, you can visit Cleartrip. You can also use Cleartrip to get discounts and deals on flight tickets.
The temple was rebuilt from wood to granite in the 18th century by Maharaja Marthanda Varma who was the then king of the Travancore dynasty.
Mundeshwari Temple is widely regarded as the oldest temple in India because inscriptions dating way back to the 4th century are found here. It is located in the Bihar state and is dedicated to Goddess Durga.
Tirupati is easily accessible via road, train, and airways. Tirupati Airport is located at Renigunta which is 15 Km away from the main temple. However, Tirupati is well-connected to all major Indian cities via rail.
Srirangam Temple is the largest Hindu temple in the world. It spreads on an area of 156 acres and is situated in Tamil Nadu.
Sabarimala Temple was built by Rajasekhara, Pandalam King and the sculptor is considered to be none other than the famous warrior sage Parashurama.
