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Temples, gurdwaras, dargahs and more

Pilgrimages in India

The 107 temples, gurdwaras, dargahs, churches, monasteries and Jain tirthas people in India actually visit, from Vaishno Devi and Naina Devi to Tirupati and Velankanni. Each has a page with how to get there, when to go, crowd days and what visitors from abroad need to know.

Going with family

Check the busiest days on each shrine’s page and avoid them with small children or older parents. Yatras like Vaishno Devi and Kedarnath need registration; see the list below.

NRIs and OCI holders

Some temples admit only Hindus, and OCI and foreign passport holders may be asked about their faith. Booking sites often need an Indian mobile number for the OTP, so keep your Indian SIM active or ask family to book. See our return to India hub if you are moving back.

Visitors from abroad

Almost every gurdwara, dargah, church and Buddhist site welcomes everyone, as do most temples. A few, listed below, are open only to Hindus. Dress with shoulders and knees covered, and carry socks for hot stone floors.

Pilgrimage routes

Nau Devi YatraShri Naina Devi Ji, Mata Chintpurni, Jwala Ji (Jwalamukhi)9 placesPunjab’s great shrinesShri Devi Talab Mandir, Golden Temple (Sri Harmandir Sahib), Durgiana Temple7 placesBraj: Vrindavan and MathuraBanke Bihari, Vrindavan, Prem Mandir, Vrindavan, ISKCON Krishna Balaram Mandir5 placesRajasthan’s busiest templesMehandipur Balaji, Khatu Shyam Ji, Salasar Balaji6 placesDelhi’s temples and shrinesGurdwara Bangla Sahib, Swaminarayan Akshardham, Delhi, Lotus Temple7 placesThe Buddhist circuitMahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar6 placesJain tirthasPalitana (Shatrunjaya), Girnar, Rajgir and Nalanda5 placesArupadai VeeduPalani Murugan (Dhandayuthapani), Tiruchendur Murugan, Swamimalai6 placesKarnataka’s temple coastKollur Mookambika, Dharmasthala Manjunatha, Kukke Subramanya5 placesSufi dargahsHazrat Nizamuddin Dargah, Ajmer Sharif Dargah, Haji Ali Dargah3 placesGreat churchesMount Mary Basilica, Bandra, Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health, Velankanni, Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa3 placesThe 12 JyotirlingasSomnath to Kedarnath12 templesChar DhamYamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, BadrinathPlus the original fourPanj TakhtThe five Takhts5 gurdwaras

The most searched shrines in India

Ranked by how many people search for each one on Google in India in a month. It is a good guide to where the crowds go.

Kedarnath, UttarakhandKashi Vishwanath, Uttar PradeshOmkareshwar, Madhya PradeshKalkaji Mandir, DelhiPrem Mandir, Vrindavan, Uttar PradeshLotus Temple, DelhiBanke Bihari, Vrindavan, Uttar PradeshShani Shingnapur, MaharashtraGurdwara Bangla Sahib, DelhiShree Siddhivinayak, MaharashtraSomnath, GujaratKamakhya, Guwahati, AssamDharmasthala Manjunatha, KarnatakaBadrinath, UttarakhandTrimbakeshwar, MaharashtraLingaraj, Bhubaneswar, OdishaSabarimala, KeralaTakht Sri Keshgarh Sahib, Anandpur Sahib, PunjabSalasar Balaji, RajasthanHaji Ali Dargah, MaharashtraDwarkadhish, GujaratMahakaleshwar, Ujjain, Madhya PradeshDakshineswar Kali, West BengalMehandipur Balaji, RajasthanSree Padmanabhaswamy, Thiruvananthapuram, KeralaKainchi Dham, UttarakhandSarnath, Uttar PradeshJagannath Temple, Puri, OdishaTarapith, West BengalMallikarjuna, Srisailam, Andhra PradeshGuruvayur, KeralaAjmer Sharif Dargah, RajasthanMahalakshmi (Ambabai), Kolhapur, MaharashtraGirnar, GujaratKukke Subramanya, KarnatakaKarni Mata, Deshnoke, RajasthanKollur Mookambika, KarnatakaHemkund Sahib, UttarakhandSwaminarayan Akshardham, Delhi, DelhiLaxminarayan Temple (Birla Mandir), Delhi, DelhiAmbaji, GujaratSri Venkateswara, Tirumala, Andhra PradeshSimhachalam, Andhra PradeshAttukal Bhagavathy, KeralaMurudeshwar, KarnatakaMata Vaishno Devi, Jammu and Kashmir and LadakhHazrat Nizamuddin Dargah, DelhiJageshwar Dham, UttarakhandBrahma Temple, Pushkar, RajasthanGolden Temple (Sri Harmandir Sahib), PunjabShiv Khori, Jammu and Kashmir and LadakhNeelkanth Mahadev, UttarakhandKhatu Shyam Ji, RajasthanMeenakshi Amman, Madurai, Tamil NaduPalani Murugan (Dhandayuthapani), Tamil NaduBasilica of Our Lady of Good Health, Velankanni, Tamil NaduHar Ki Pauri, UttarakhandGurdwara Manikaran Sahib, Himachal PradeshSita Ramachandraswamy, Bhadrachalam, TelanganaShravanabelagola, KarnatakaAmarnath Cave, Jammu and Kashmir and LadakhTungnath, UttarakhandShri Devi Talab Mandir, PunjabISKCON Krishna Balaram Mandir, Uttar PradeshMount Mary Basilica, Bandra, MaharashtraRamanathaswamy, Rameswaram, Tamil NaduRumtek Monastery, SikkimTawang Monastery, Arunachal PradeshJwala Ji (Jwalamukhi), Himachal PradeshRam Mandir, Ayodhya, Uttar PradeshMata Mansa Devi, Panchkula, HaryanaAdiyogi, Isha Yoga Centre, Tamil NaduBaba Balak Nath, Deotsidh, Himachal PradeshChhatarpur Temple, DelhiMahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya, BiharYadagirigutta (Yadadri), TelanganaShri Naina Devi Ji, Himachal PradeshShri Chamunda Devi, Himachal PradeshMata Chintpurni, Himachal PradeshShrinathji, Nathdwara, RajasthanKali Mata Mandir, Kalka, HaryanaGurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib, PunjabShri Saibaba Samadhi Mandir, Shirdi, MaharashtraShikharji (Parasnath Hill), JharkhandBajreshwari Devi (Kangra Devi), Himachal PradeshPalitana (Shatrunjaya), GujaratBasilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa, GoaBaba Baidyanath Dham, Deoghar, JharkhandArunachaleswara, Tiruvannamalai, Tamil NaduVitthal Rukmini, Pandharpur, MaharashtraSripuram Golden Temple, Vellore, Tamil Nadu
  1. Kedarnath Uttarakhand · 673,000
  2. Kashi Vishwanath Uttar Pradesh · 673,000
  3. Omkareshwar Madhya Pradesh · 673,000
  4. Kalkaji Mandir Delhi · 550,000
  5. Prem Mandir, Vrindavan Uttar Pradesh · 550,000
  6. Lotus Temple Delhi · 450,000
  7. Banke Bihari, Vrindavan Uttar Pradesh · 450,000
  8. Shani Shingnapur Maharashtra · 450,000
  9. Gurdwara Bangla Sahib Delhi · 368,000
  10. Shree Siddhivinayak Maharashtra · 368,000
  11. Somnath Gujarat · 368,000
  12. Kamakhya, Guwahati Assam · 368,000
  13. Dharmasthala Manjunatha Karnataka · 368,000
  14. Badrinath Uttarakhand · 301,000
  15. Trimbakeshwar Maharashtra · 301,000
  16. Lingaraj, Bhubaneswar Odisha · 301,000
  17. Sabarimala Kerala · 301,000
  18. Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib, Anandpur Sahib Punjab · 246,000
  19. Salasar Balaji Rajasthan · 246,000
  20. Haji Ali Dargah Maharashtra · 246,000
  21. Dwarkadhish Gujarat · 246,000
  22. Mahakaleshwar, Ujjain Madhya Pradesh · 246,000
  23. Dakshineswar Kali West Bengal · 246,000
  24. Mehandipur Balaji Rajasthan · 201,000
  25. Sree Padmanabhaswamy, Thiruvananthapuram Kerala · 201,000
  26. Kainchi Dham Uttarakhand · 165,000
  27. Sarnath Uttar Pradesh · 165,000
  28. Jagannath Temple, Puri Odisha · 165,000
  29. Tarapith West Bengal · 165,000
  30. Mallikarjuna, Srisailam Andhra Pradesh · 165,000

Where you must register or book first

ShrineWhat you needPeak days
Mata Vaishno DeviRFID yatra card (Shrine Board)Chaitra Navratri (March-April) and Sharad Navratri (September-October), New Year and summer holidays
KedarnathUttarakhand Tourist Care portalOpening day (April-May) and the weeks around it
BadrinathUttarakhand Tourist Care portalOpening day and the Mata Murti ka Mela (September)
Hemkund SahibUttarakhand Tourist Care portalJune, when it first opens
Amarnath CaveShrine Board registration and health certificateThe yatra season, usually July-August
SabarimalaVirtual queue (Travancore Devaswom Board)Mandala-Makaravilakku season (mid-November to mid-January)
Mahakaleshwar, UjjainBhasma Aarti bookingMahashivratri, Shravan and the Simhastha Kumbh (2028)
Sri Venkateswara, TirumalaTTD darshan slotBrahmotsavam (September-October) and Vaikuntha Ekadashi

Beware of fake booking sites

  • Book darshan, pujas, rooms and helicopters only on the temple’s own website or at its counters.
  • The Tirumala temple trust has urged devotees to book only on its official site, the SGPC has warned about fake sarai booking sites in Amritsar, and police in Gujarat arrested a gang running a fake Somnath Trust booking site in 2026.
  • If a “VIP darshan” offer asks for payment to a personal UPI ID, it is a scam.

Temples open only to Hindus

Most Hindu temples welcome visitors of all faiths. These are the main exceptions on our list; at others the inner sanctum may be closed to non-Hindus. Rules are set by each temple and staff at the gate have the final word.

Every shrine on our list

Shri Naina Devi Ji, Himachal PradeshMata Chintpurni, Himachal PradeshJwala Ji (Jwalamukhi), Himachal PradeshBajreshwari Devi (Kangra Devi), Himachal PradeshShri Chamunda Devi, Himachal PradeshMata Mansa Devi, Panchkula, HaryanaKali Mata Mandir, Kalka, HaryanaShakumbhari Devi, Uttar PradeshMata Vaishno Devi, Jammu and Kashmir and LadakhShri Devi Talab Mandir, PunjabGolden Temple (Sri Harmandir Sahib), PunjabDurgiana Temple, PunjabTakht Sri Keshgarh Sahib, Anandpur Sahib, PunjabGurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib, PunjabGurdwara Sri Tarn Taran Sahib, PunjabDera Baba Nanak and the Kartarpur Corridor, PunjabGurdwara Bangla Sahib, DelhiHemkund Sahib, UttarakhandGurdwara Manikaran Sahib, Himachal PradeshBaba Balak Nath, Deotsidh, Himachal PradeshShiv Khori, Jammu and Kashmir and LadakhAmarnath Cave, Jammu and Kashmir and LadakhSwaminarayan Akshardham, Delhi, DelhiLotus Temple, DelhiKalkaji Mandir, DelhiChhatarpur Temple, DelhiLaxminarayan Temple (Birla Mandir), Delhi, DelhiHazrat Nizamuddin Dargah, DelhiKedarnath, UttarakhandBadrinath, UttarakhandTungnath, UttarakhandNeelkanth Mahadev, UttarakhandHar Ki Pauri, UttarakhandMansa Devi, Haridwar, UttarakhandKainchi Dham, UttarakhandJageshwar Dham, UttarakhandKashi Vishwanath, Uttar PradeshRam Mandir, Ayodhya, Uttar PradeshBanke Bihari, Vrindavan, Uttar PradeshPrem Mandir, Vrindavan, Uttar PradeshISKCON Krishna Balaram Mandir, Uttar PradeshShri Krishna Janmabhoomi, Mathura, Uttar PradeshGovardhan Hill and Barsana, Uttar PradeshMehandipur Balaji, RajasthanKhatu Shyam Ji, RajasthanSalasar Balaji, RajasthanKarni Mata, Deshnoke, RajasthanShrinathji, Nathdwara, RajasthanBrahma Temple, Pushkar, RajasthanAjmer Sharif Dargah, RajasthanShree Siddhivinayak, MaharashtraHaji Ali Dargah, MaharashtraMount Mary Basilica, Bandra, MaharashtraShri Saibaba Samadhi Mandir, Shirdi, MaharashtraShani Shingnapur, MaharashtraTrimbakeshwar, MaharashtraMahalakshmi (Ambabai), Kolhapur, MaharashtraVitthal Rukmini, Pandharpur, MaharashtraDwarkadhish, GujaratSomnath, GujaratAmbaji, GujaratPalitana (Shatrunjaya), GujaratGirnar, GujaratMahakaleshwar, Ujjain, Madhya PradeshOmkareshwar, Madhya PradeshBaba Baidyanath Dham, Deoghar, JharkhandMahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya, BiharSarnath, Uttar PradeshKushinagar, Uttar PradeshRajgir and Nalanda, BiharShikharji (Parasnath Hill), JharkhandJagannath Temple, Puri, OdishaLingaraj, Bhubaneswar, OdishaKamakhya, Guwahati, AssamDakshineswar Kali, West BengalTarapith, West BengalSri Venkateswara, Tirumala, Andhra PradeshMallikarjuna, Srisailam, Andhra PradeshYadagirigutta (Yadadri), TelanganaSita Ramachandraswamy, Bhadrachalam, TelanganaSimhachalam, Andhra PradeshMeenakshi Amman, Madurai, Tamil NaduRamanathaswamy, Rameswaram, Tamil NaduPalani Murugan (Dhandayuthapani), Tamil NaduTiruchendur Murugan, Tamil NaduSwamimalai, Tamil NaduTiruttani, Tamil NaduThiruparankundram, Tamil NaduPazhamudircholai, Tamil NaduArunachaleswara, Tiruvannamalai, Tamil NaduSripuram Golden Temple, Vellore, Tamil NaduBasilica of Our Lady of Good Health, Velankanni, Tamil NaduSree Padmanabhaswamy, Thiruvananthapuram, KeralaAttukal Bhagavathy, KeralaGuruvayur, KeralaSabarimala, KeralaKollur Mookambika, KarnatakaDharmasthala Manjunatha, KarnatakaKukke Subramanya, KarnatakaUdupi Sri Krishna Matha, KarnatakaMurudeshwar, KarnatakaChamundeshwari, Mysuru, KarnatakaShravanabelagola, KarnatakaAdiyogi, Isha Yoga Centre, Tamil NaduBasilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa, GoaRumtek Monastery, SikkimTawang Monastery, Arunachal Pradesh

Pick a faith

Pick a state

Mallikarjuna, Srisailam

Andhra Pradesh

Shiva and Bhramaramba; a Jyotirlinga and a Shakti Peetha

Where
Nandyal district
Best
Oct-Mar
Searches
165,000 a month in India

Plan a visit

Simhachalam

Andhra Pradesh

Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha

Where
Visakhapatnam
Best
Oct-Mar
Searches
90,500 a month in India

Plan a visit

Baba Balak Nath, Deotsidh

Himachal Pradesh

Baba Balak Nath, a child saint worshipped across Punjab and Himachal

Where
Hamirpur district
Best
Oct-Apr
Searches
12,100 a month in India

Plan a visit

Mata Chintpurni

Himachal Pradesh

Goddess Chinnamastika, a Shakti Peetha

Where
Una district
Best
Oct-Apr
Searches
6,600 a month in India

Plan a visit

Sabarimala

Kerala

Lord Ayyappa

Where
Pathanamthitta district
Best
Nov-Jan
Searches
301,000 a month in India

Plan a visit

Swamimalai

Tamil Nadu

Murugan as teacher to Shiva; one of the six abodes

Where
near Kumbakonam
Best
Oct-Mar

Plan a visit

Kushinagar

Uttar Pradesh

Where the Buddha passed into Mahaparinirvana

Where
Kushinagar district
Best
Oct-Mar

Plan a visit

Frequently asked questions

What is the most visited temple in India?
By Google searches in India, the most searched shrines on our list are Kedarnath, Kashi Vishwanath, Omkareshwar, Kalkaji Mandir, Prem Mandir, Vrindavan. By visitor numbers, Tirumala, Vaishno Devi, Kashi Vishwanath and the Golden Temple are among the busiest in the country.
Can foreigners visit Indian temples?
Yes, most of them. A few, such as Jagannath in Puri, Padmanabhaswamy in Thiruvananthapuram and Guruvayur, admit only Hindus, and some others close the inner sanctum to non-Hindus. Gurdwaras, dargahs, churches and Buddhist sites welcome everyone.
What should I wear to a temple in India?
Cover shoulders and knees. Some temples, especially in Kerala and at Tirumala, have a stricter traditional dress code. You remove shoes everywhere, and cover your head in gurdwaras and dargahs.
Which pilgrimages need registration?
Vaishno Devi (RFID yatra card), the Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib (Uttarakhand Tourist Care portal), Amarnath (Shrine Board registration and health certificate) and Sabarimala (virtual queue). Tirumala and some aartis at Mahakaleshwar need advance slots.

How we chose: real demand, from monthly Google searches in India (Semrush, India database, monthly Google searches, checked 21 Oct 2026), plus the circuits families actually travel. Locations: Wikidata (CC0) and Wikipedia. Airports and stations are the nearest on our own lists, measured in a straight line, so check flights and road times. We do not list timings or fees because they change; check with the temple. Checked 21 Oct 2026.