South India is considered the home to templs. The architecture of these monuments and temples is incredibly beautiful and commanding. Here are the 5 most beautiful and must visit temples of Lord Shiva in south India.
The most striking structures ever constructed are the Lord Shiva temples in South India. A few of these temples are among India's twelve Jyotirlingas. Despite their age, these Shiva temples are still popular tourist destinations in the states of South India.
These temples are located in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. They might be part of your itinerary for your tour of South India.
1. Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple, Srisailam
One of the well-known 12 Jyotirlinga temples in South India is the Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple. This Shiva temple is located in the Andhra Pradesh village of Srisailam, near the banks of the Krishna River. The fact that this temple is one of the 18 Shakti Peeth of the goddess Sati is another intriguing aspect about it.
2. Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram
The Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram is a collection of temples. Because the temple complex is located on the Bay of Bengal's coasts, it is collectively referred to as Shore Temple. The primary temple is dedicated to Shiva, while there are also temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
3. Meenakshi Sundareswarara Temple, Madurai
Meenakshi Devi, who is regarded as the primary deity of this temple, is thought to be a celestial form of Goddess Parvati. Lord Sundareswarara is the form that Lord Vishnu is worshipped as. Tradition has it that Sundareswarara married Meenakshi in the temple, and Meenakshi's brother, Lord Vishnu, gave her hand in marriage to Lord Shiva.
4. Mahabaleshwar Temple, Gokarna
The temple is close to the city of Karwar and situated directly on the Arabian Sea's coastline. This temple is associated with the folktales of Hindu gods and demons in numerous Hindu mythological narratives. Ancient Hindu writings such as the Puranas, Ramayana, and Mahabharata reference the temple. This well-known temple is also mentioned in the works of the renowned poet Kalidasa.
5. Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
Nataraja is the principal deity of this temple. The dance that Lord Shiva does gives rise to this beautiful form. For this reason, Lord Shiva is also known as Nataraja, the God of Dancing. In South India, one of the most well-known temples dedicated to Lord Shiva is Thillai Nataraja Temple. The temple's walls include dancing poses from traditional Indian dances like Bharatnatyam.
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