India is a land of worship and prayers. People here are too concerned about their beliefs and worships. God, under different names, is worshiped in India. The countless number of temples is one proof of this. But this worship is not just limited to India. We, Indians have taken it to another level that is outside India too. Here are some famous temples outside India that will make you go wOw!
1. Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat is one of the oldest tourist places. It is one of the most visited tourist places in Cambodia. It was built in the early 12th century in Cambodia. It was built by the King Suryavarman II of Khmer kingdom. Angkor Wat took 27 years to construct. It was initially dedicated to Hinduism. Now, it hosts idols of both Hinduism and Buddhism.
2. Pashupatinath Temple
There is a significant influence of Hinduism in our neighboring countries. One such country where an effect of Hinduism can be seen is Nepal. One of the most famous temples of Lord Shiva in the world is the Pashupatinath temple. It is the oldest Hindu temple. It is situated in Kathmandu. It was constructed in 753 AD by King Jayadeva. One thing to mention here is that only Hindu followers are allowed in the main building. On the other hand, the tourists can check the rest of the place.
3. Prambanan Temple
The Prambanan temple which is in Indonesia. It is one of the biggest temples in Southeast Asia. It was built in 850 CE. This temple is composed of 8 main shrines called the ‘gopuras’. These ‘gopuras’ are towering 47-metres-high (154 ft) inside a large complex of individual temples. Talking about the inner view, all the walls of the temple narrate the stories of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu’s Dasavatharam. The walls also depict the scenes from the epic Ramayana.
4. Murugan Temple (one of the most Famous temple)
Lord Murugan is also known as the Lord of the hill region. The abode of Lord Murugan is usually located on hills. Same is the case with Sydney. The Murugan temple of Sydney was built by Tamils residing in Australia. “Saiva Manram” a Hindu society takes care of it.
5. Tanah Lot Temple
It is situated on a large rock on the sea at Indonesia. The Tanah Lot is one of the most famous Hindu temples in Bali. It is one of the 7 sea temples, which form a chain along the south-western coast of Bali. Tanah Lot temple is a popular tourist destination. It is one of the most photogenic places of Bali. The temple has been a part of Balinese mythology for centuries.
6. Radha Madhav Dham
Radha Madhav Dham’ is also known as ‘Barsana Dham’. It is the temple of Lord Krishna. It is the oldest Hindu temple in Texas. It is also the largest temple in North America. The areas around this temple are built as places for meditation. Almost all the major Hindu festivals are celebrated in the temple. Talking about the much-loved festival of Lord Krishna lovers “Janmashtami”, the celebrations out here are the biggest in the North America.
7. Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple
Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple is one of the oldest temples. Another important fact is that it is the only glass temple in the world. The temple is an important tourist attraction in Johor. It was constructed in 1922. At least 90% of the temple is embellished by a mosaic of 300,000 pieces of glass. These glasses are of different colors. It has some Rudraksha’ beads which are embedded in the walls with a chanted prayer.
8. Sri Subramaniar Swamy Devasthanam
Batu Caves are a series of limestone caves. They are located at a distance of 13 km north of Kuala Lumpur. Outside India, this is one of the most popular and tallest statues of Lord Murugan. It is standing 42.7 meters in height.
9. Katasraj Temple
The Katas Raj Temples are situated near Chakwal, which in the now Pakistan. These are attributed to the eras of the Hindu kings dating from about 615-950 CE. They are dedicated to Lord Shiva. They are being considered for the world heritage site list. According to some, this temple is where the Pandavas dealt with Yaksha’s questions during their exile period.
10 Sri Siva Subramaniya Temple
The Sri Siva Subramaniya temple is a Hindu temple situated in Nadi, Fiji. It is at the southern end of Nadi. It is the largest Hindu temple in the Southern hemisphere. Sri Siva Subramaniya Temple was first constructed in 1926. The temple was again totally rebuilt in 1986. This temple was built in the best traditions of ancient Dravidian Indian temple architecture.
11. Shri Kali Temple
Shri Kali Temple is a Hindu temple located in Little India of Yangon downtown. This is in Burma. Here’s a suggestion that if you are planning to take the new highway to Thailand, you should stop here and check this heritage site. It was built by Tamil migrants in 1871. The Burma Province was part of British India.
12. Sri Venkateswara Temple
Sri Venkateswara Balaji temple was specifically designed to replicate the Tirupati Tirumala Temple at Tirupati, India. The Temple was opened on 23 August 2006 and is the first temple of Lord Venkateswara in Europe. The main shrine houses a 12 feet statue of Lord Venkateswara (the incarnation of Lord Vishnu).
12. Shri Krishna Temple. (yet another most Famous temples)
Shri Krishna Temple is one of the most Famous temple in Oman (middle east). It was constructed by the merchant community from Gujarat. They were settled in Muscat. It was extensively renovated in the year 2013. It is now having all the facilities for devotees to worship. A multi-purpose hall is made. It is having a capacity of 500-700 worshippers and is the hot spot for all the Garba nights.
13. BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is in Neasden, London. It is dedicated to Lord Swaminarayan. He is the central figure of a modern sect of Hinduism. This sect is known as Swaminarayan Hinduism. This sect is a form of Vaishnavism.The Neasden Swaminarayan Mandir is known to be Britain’s first authentic Hindu temple. It was built in a traditional manner with stone, unlike other converted secular buildings. The temple was inaugurated in 1995. It consists of a ‘mandir’ and a ‘haveli’.
14. Mother Temple of Besakih
Mother Temple of Besakih is also called ‘Pura Besakih’. It is the most important, largest and holiest Hindu temple in Bali. The temple is an extensive complex of 23 distinct temples. The largest one, out of these, is the Pura Penataran Agung, the main sanctuary of the complex. It is built on six levels, terraced up the slope.There is no confirmed information about the origin of the temple. It is said to be from prehistoric times. This temple was nominated as a World Heritage Site.
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15. Vishva Shakti Durga Mandir
It is the newest temple in the National Capital Region of Canada. The temple is located in The Glebe neighborhood off Bank Street. The pujas of Devi Durga and other are held each evening. Special services are held each Sunday starting at 11:00 AM. Durga Temple promotes and practices ideals of Hindu and Hindu based religions. This is through worship, education, and teaching. The temple also strives for spiritual richness and human excellence. This is through assimilation of values in Hindu scriptures into daily lives. We recognize and respect other religions.
16. The Hindu temple of Florida
A Hindu temple or Mandir is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together. It is by using symbolism to express the ideas and beliefs of Hinduism.The symbolism and structure of a Hindu temple are rooted in Vedic traditions. This temple incorporates all elements of Hindu cosmos like presenting the good, the evil and the human. It also includes the elements of Hindu sense of cyclic time and the essence of life. It is symbolically presenting dharma, kama, artha, moksha, and karma.
17. Hindu temple of Happy valley
It is situated in Happy Valley. It is the chief focal point for the religious and social activities of Hong Kong’s 40,000 Hindus. It also serves as a center for meditation. It is famous for spiritual lectures, yoga classes. It also observes major Hindu festivals, such as Diwali and Dussehra. Hindu engagement and marriage ceremonies are a regular sight here. The devotional music sessions and religious sessions are held every Sunday morning and Monday evening. A free community meal is organized after the Sunday sessions. The temple also administers the Hindu crematorium.
If you ever visit these countries, do take out time for these amazing and religious Famous temples as well.