India is known for its temples – beautiful, serene places of worship - significant religious and historic landmarks. These ancient, intricately designed, and faithfully maintained places of worship are a must-visit for devotees and for all those who nurture an interest in history and architecture. Here are the twelve oldest temples of Mahadev in India.
1. Kanchi Kailasanathar Temple - Tamil Nadu
The kanchi Kailasanathar temple is the oldest structure in Kanchipuram. Located in Tamil Nadu, India, it is a Hindu temple in the Dravidian architectural style. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva, and is known for its historical importance. The temple was built from 685-705AD by a Rajasimha ruler of the Pallava Dynasty. The low-slung sandstone compound contains a large number of carvings, including many half-animal deities which were popular during the early Dravidian architectural period.
2. Mundeshwari
Temple - Bihar
The Mundeshwari Temple, or Mundesvari Temple, is the oldest functioning temple in the world. This temple is located at Kaura of Kaimur district in Bihar. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Shakti.
The temple was built in the 3rd century BC on the hills of Mundeshweri hills at a height of 608 feet with the presiding deity as Narayana (Vishnu). The idol of Vishnu is believed to have disappeared due to have disappeared in centuries and around the 7th century, when shaivism was the most popular religion followed, and Viniteswara.
3. Adi Kumbeswarar Temple - Tamil Nadu
Adi Kumbeswarar Temple is located in the holy city of Kumbakonam in Thanjavur District Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is in existence from Chola times of the 9th century, and has been maintained by Nayaks during the 15-17th century. Adi Kumbeswara is the main deity of the temple. Adi is of primordial origin implies ancient or the first and the foremost. The Kumbeswarar is in Shiva Linga form which is formless and boundless. Aaru (formless) + uru (form) = aaruuru. The shape of the linga is of very special significance, it is a conical-shaped lingam, This is a unique linga in the world. The Pururanas derive the meaning of the shape and the name. The city name Kumbakonam itself is derived from the name of God – Kumba and the slight angle of the Linga and hence the name “Kumbakonam”.
4. Asirgarh fort Shiva Temple - Madhya Pradesh
Oldest Shiva Temple is located inside the wonderful Asirgarh fort Burhanpur District Madhya Pradesh. The temple was built about 5000 years ago in Mahabharata times. The temple is built by Asa Ahir’s ruler. The temple is dedicated to lord shiva. History says that Lord Krishna when gave a curse on Ashwathama that “Ashwathama will bear a load of all people’s misdeed on his shoulders. He will always roam alone like an apparition without getting any affection and sympathy till the end of Kaliyuga. He will have neither any settlement nor any cordiality. He will live alone from society. Never meet and talk with anyone meaning totally isolated from the world. He will suffer from acute diseases which are incurable. These diseases are painful and forming ulcers that would never heal.
5. Lingaraj Temple – Odisha
Lingaraja Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva and is one of the oldest temples in Bhubaneswar, the capital of the Indian state of Odisha. The temple is the most prominent landmark of Bhubaneswar city.
The 54m-high Lingaraj Mandir dedicated to Shiva dates from 1090 to 1104 – though some parts are more than 1400 years old – and is surrounded by several smaller temples and shrines. The granite block within, representing Tribhubaneswar (Lord of Three Worlds), is bathed daily with water, milk, and bhang (marijuana). The main gate, guarded by two mustachioed yellow lions, is a spectacle in itself as lines of pilgrims approach with offerings in hand.
6. Uthirakosamangai Temple - Tamil Nadu
Uthirakosamangai, also known as Mangalanatha Swamy temple, is a Shaiva temple situated near Ramanathapuram in the Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu. The temple is much older and the structure as it exists today is believed to be built by the Pandya kings, Achutappa Nayak (1529–1542 CE), Muthuveerappar , and other kings of Ramanthapuram at various times. The temple has been glorified by the hymns of 9th-century saint Manickavasagar and 15th-century saint Arunagirinathar. This is the only temple having a Nataraja idol made of Emerald.
7. Ekambareswarar Temple - Tamil Nadu
8. Ramanathaswamy
Temple - Tamil Nadu
Ramanathaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva located on Rameswaram island in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is also one of the twelve Jyotirlinga temples. The temple was expanded during the 12th century by Pandya Dynasty.
9. Brihadeeswara Temple - Tamil Nadu
Brihadeeshwara Temple (Peruvudaiyar Kovil) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Thanjavur in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is also known as Periya Kovil, RajaRajeswara Temple and Rajarajesvaram. It is one of the largest temples in India and is an example of Dravidian architecture during the Chola period. Built by emperor Raja Raja Chola I and completed in 1010 AD, the temple turned 1000 years old in 2010.
There is a big statue of Nandi (sacred bull), carved out of a single rock measuring about 16 ft (4.9 m) long and 13 ft (4.0 m) high at the entrance. The entire temple structure is made out of granite, the nearest sources of which are about 60 km to the west of the temple. The temple is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Tamil Nadu.
10. Gudimallam Temple - Andhra Pradesh
Gudimallam village is about 30 kms from Tirupati via the Tirupati – Sri kalahasti route near to Papanaidupet, has got great prominence because it has a beautiful Shiva Temple, which is popularly known as the Parasurameswara Temple. The Gudimallam Temple is considered to be the oldest Shiva temple identified so far tracing to 3rd century BC. The Lord here is known as Parasurameswara and this lingam is believed to depict the trinity. The legend of the temple connects it to Parasurama, an avatar of Lord Vishnu.
11. Lepakshi Temple - Andhra Pradesh
Another thing that makes the temple unique and a place to must visit is a footprint that is believed to be of Maa Sita. As soon as you step inside the temple, you get the glimpses of the history of Vijayanagara kingdom by way of pictorial representations. From the figures of musicians and saints to that of Parvati and Lord Shiva, the Lepakshi Temple has everything which makes it an attraction of archaeological and artistic splendour. Apart from the architectural importance, the temple according to Skanda Purana is a divyakshetra, in other words, an important pilgrimage destination of Lord Shiva
12. Badavilinga Temple, Hampi - Karnataka
Badavilinga Temple is a wonderful temple in Hampi dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Hindu deity Shiva is worshipped in the form of a Linga in this temple. The Badavilinga temple is located near the Lakshmi Narasimha Temple. Tourists, as well as devotees, flock to the temple throughout the year. The temple is believed to be built in the 15th century by a peasant woman and hence the name ‘Badavi Linga’. In fact, no pujas were done at the damaged temple for at least 500 years after the invasion by Muslim rulers until the pontiff of Kanchi mutt in the early 1980s said it should be worshipped as the idol was not harmed during the attack.
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