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You can’t think about India without envisioning all those lavishly decorated temples that have stood proudly over the centuries, defying the ravages of time. Though some have succumbed to the merciless tooth of time, others are still attracting thousands of tourists who want to admire their extravagant design and artistic form. As great places of worship, the temples have been of tremendous historical and cultural significance to the people of India who take pride in being endowed with such spectacular and elaborate establishments. If India is your next destination, make sure to visit these 10 richest temples in order to witness their magnificence in person.
1. Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Kerala
The exact age of this temple can’t be determined with certainty but experts claim that it was established over 5 000 years ago, on the first day of Kali Yuga (the last of the four world cycles associated with the demon Kali). Not only is the most visited place of worship in the world but until recently, it had been one of the wealthiest in India before it was dethroned by the Venkateswara Temple. It is estimated that the annual amount of gold offered by visitors exceeds 3 000 kilograms. 
2. Tirumala Tirupati Venkateswara Temple, Andhra Pradesh
Tirumala at Tirupati in Chittoor is a district of Andhra Pradesh and it’s one of the most visited Hindu pilgrim spots on the planet. Built in the Dravidian style of architecture, the Venkateswara Temple has three entrances leading to the sanctum sanctorum. The main shrine Ananda Nilayam, is the most important part of the temple and the tower inside it is entirely plated with gold. 
3. Golden Temple, Amritsar
Golden Temple is the term for Harmandar Sahib, a gurdwara in Amritsar and also one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in Sikhism. Plated with gold, this temple is one of the most spectacularly lavish places of worship in India. The dome of the temple alone is gilded with almost 800 kilograms of pure gold. 
4. Meenakshi Temple, Madurai
The Meenakshi Temple complex can be seen from anywhere in the city of Madurai. The temple is actively used and maintained regularly so that the thousands of colorful stone figurines can keep their vibrant colors. Not only does it receive over 15 000 devotees on a daily basis but it’s also one of the few religious monuments dedicated to a female deity. Meenakshi, the goddess of the temple and the incarnation of the Hindu goddess Parvati, embodies fertility and love. 
5. Somnath Temple, Gujarat
Somnath is a famous pilgrimage and Hinduism destination in the westernmost state of India, Gujarat. It is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas (devotional representations) of Lord Shiva and said to be the temple built by the Moon God himself. Being on the coast of the Arabian sea, the temple was easy prey for crusaders and invaders who demolished it seven times over the centuries but the temple still remains one of the best examples of Chalukya architecture. 
6. Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple, Delhi
As one of the largest Hindu complexes in India, Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple reflects thousands of years of Indian culture, history, and tradition. Stretching across 100 acres of land, it combines traditional stone art and architecture, ancient values and wisdom. Still, the most fascinating fact about this complex and its central temple is the amazing spirit of volunteerism of devotees who had spent 300 million hours constructing, building, carving, and embellishing the temple before it was finished 5 years later. 
7. Vaishno Devi Temple, Jammu
Though not exactly a temple, Vaishno Devi holy sanctuary is said to be one of few that every Hindu devotee should visit at least once in a lifetime. The only way to reach this impressive cave temple is by a strenuous uphill walk through the woods and rocks of the mountain Trikuta. Geological studies of the caves indicate that they date a million years back in history. 
8. Udupi Sri Krishna Matha, Karnataka
Founded by Srila Madhvacharya, one of the greatest philosophers and religious reformers in the 13th century, the town of Udupi is also called the Kingdom of God and remains one of the leading places of pilgrimage among Indians. Today, Sri Krishna Matha in Udupi stands as one of the holiest temples in Southern India and the temple receives thousands of devotees every month. 
9. Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi
The city of Kashi (Varanasi) is one of the oldest in India. In fact, there are references to Kashi in the ancient epic Ramayana and Mahabharata and the ancient Hindu scripture Skanda Puranda. It’s overlooking the Western bank of the holy river Ganges and along with Somnath Temple in Gujarat, it is one of the most visited Jyotirlingas. 
10. Sri Ranganathaswamy, Srirangam
Dedicated to a reclining form of Lord Vishnu and situated on the island of Srirangam, this sacred temple is considered to be the first among the 108 Divya Desams. The reason why UNESCO allotted this temple to be one of the World Heritage Sites is the fact that this is more than a temple. In fact, the complex is actually a temple-town characterized by the Sapta-Prakaram formation where the central sanctum is surrounded by seven (sapta) concentric rectangular enclosures (prakarams). The tower at the entrance is entirely made of gold while the idol of Sri Ranganatha lies on the golden serpent couch. 
