Temples: By Deity
🙏 Overview: Why Categorize Temples by Deity?
In Sanatana Dharma, temples are not one-size-fits-all. Each temple is a gateway to a specific aspect of the Divine — whether you seek compassion (Krishna), strength (Durga), detachment (Shiva), or wisdom (Saraswati).
Organizing by deity helps:
- Deepen devotional connection.
- Choose temples based on your personal Sādhana (spiritual path).
- Discover lesser-known but powerful temples.
- Create curated pilgrimages based on spiritual needs.
🔱 Main Categories (By Deity/Theme)
Below is the extensive thematic list we’ll expand into dedicated posts.
1. 🕉️ Shiva Temples
(Shaiva Kshetras – Temples of the Supreme Yogi)
- 🔸 12 Jyotirlingas
- 🔸 5 Pancha Bhoota Sthalas (Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ether)
- 🔸 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams (Tamil Shaivaite canon)
- 🔸 Kedarnath, Amarnath, Mahakaleshwar, Kashi Vishwanath
- 🔸 Unique forms: Bhimashankar, Lingaraj, Ramanathaswamy
2. 🌟 Vishnu Temples
(Vaishnava Kshetras – Temples of the Sustainer and Preserver)
- 🔸 108 Divya Desams
- 🔸 Badrinath, Dwarka, Srirangam, Padmanabhaswamy
- 🔸 Narayana temples in Himalayas, temples of Vamana, Varaha, Narasimha
- 🔸 Vishnu forms: Ranganatha, Venkateswara, Jagannatha
3. 🔥 Devi Temples
(Shakta Peethas – Temples of the Divine Mother)
- 🔸 51+ Shakti Peethas (Body parts of Sati)
- 🔸 18 Maha Shakti Peethas
- 🔸 Kamakhya, Kalighat, Vaishno Devi, Jwalaji, Meenakshi
- 🔸 Bhairavi, Mahakali, Durga, Annapurna, Lalita, etc.
4. 🐦 Murugan Temples
(Skanda – Son of Shiva and Parvati)
- 🔸 Arupadai Veedu (6 battle shrines of Murugan in Tamil Nadu)
- 🔸 Palani, Thiruchendur, Swamimalai, Thirupparamkunram
- 🔸 Batu Caves (Malaysia), Kathirkamam (Sri Lanka)
5. 🐘 Ganesha Temples
(Vighnaharta – The Remover of Obstacles)
- 🔸 Ashta Vinayaka temples (Maharashtra)
- 🔸 Siddhivinayak (Mumbai), Rockfort Vinayaka (Trichy), Ucchi Pillayar
- 🔸 Kanipakam Vinayaka (Andhra Pradesh), Madhur Maha Ganapathi (Kerala)
6. 🦁 Narasimha Temples
(The Ferocious Yet Compassionate Avatar of Vishnu)
- 🔸 Ahobilam (Andhra), Simhachalam, Mangalagiri
- 🔸 Lakshmi Narasimha in multiple Divya Desams
- 🔸 Yadagirigutta (Telangana)
7. ☀️ Surya Temples
(Temples to the Sun God – The Source of Life and Light)
- 🔸 Konark Sun Temple (Odisha)
- 🔸 Modhera Sun Temple (Gujarat)
- 🔸 Martand Sun Temple (Kashmir – ruins)
- 🔸 Suryanar Kovil (Tamil Nadu – Navagraha)
8. 🪐 Navagraha Temples
(Temples to the 9 Planetary Deities)
- 🔸 Navagraha circuit in Tamil Nadu (Kumbakonam region)
- 🔸 Navagraha Mandir in Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh)
- 🔸 Dedicated temples to Shani, Rahu-Ketu, Surya
9. 💫 Hanuman Temples
(Temples of the Bhakta Supreme – Devotion, Strength & Protection)
- 🔸 Sankat Mochan (Varanasi), Salasar Balaji, Mehendipur Balaji
- 🔸 Namakkal, Hampi, Jakhoo Temple (Shimla)
- 🔸 Hanuman Garhi (Ayodhya), Alattiyur (Kerala)
10. 🐚 Krishna Temples
(Temples of Leela, Love & Liberation)
- 🔸 Mathura, Vrindavan, Guruvayur
- 🔸 Udupi Sri Krishna Temple (Karnataka)
- 🔸 Dwarkadhish Temple (Gujarat)
- 🔸 ISKCON temples worldwide
11. 🏹 Rama Temples
(Temples of Dharma, Dignity, and Devotion)
- 🔸 Ram Janmabhoomi (Ayodhya)
- 🔸 Ramasethu (Dhanushkodi), Rameswaram
- 🔸 Bhadrachalam (Telangana), Kodandarama (Andhra)
- 🔸 Rama temples in Nepal and South East Asia
12. 🖋️ Saraswati Temples
(Rare Temples to the Goddess of Learning)
- 🔸 Basar Saraswati (Telangana)
- 🔸 Koothanur Saraswati (Tamil Nadu)
- 🔸 Sharada Peetha (Kashmir – now in ruins)
13. 💖 Lakshmi Temples
(Temples to the Goddess of Wealth, Fortune, and Harmony)
- 🔸 Mahalakshmi Temple (Kolhapur – one of the Shakti Peethas)
- 🔸 Padmavathi Temple (Tiruchanur)
- 🔸 Ashtalakshmi Temple (Chennai)
14. 🔔 Regional Folk Deities & Grama Devatas
- Mariyamman, Yellamma, Karuppasamy, Muthyalamma
- Local traditions still vibrant in rural and urban India
- Often represent nature spirits, fertility, healing, and protection