Tourists Attractions: Mysterious Temples In India You Would Love To Visit
India is rich in culture, history, traditions, religions. Its a country that worships God and is home to 33 million gods and goddesses. Known for its spiritual and religious practices, there are hundreds of temples in India which draw thousands of pilgrims and tourists each year.
These temples aren’t just places of worship; they’re also major tourist attractions due to their unique architecture and the stories associated with them.
India is also known for its bizarre folk stories, which has led to some unusual temples. Here’s a list of temples with the most bizarre temples in India.
Many of these shrines can be considered regular places of worship. However, some are unusual and are for the curious!
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Chinese Kali Temple, Kolkata, West Bengal # 1
In Kolkata, the city of joy is home to a large Chinese settlement. Tangra, also known as China Town or mini China in Kolkata, is a popular name for the Chinese settlement. It has been home to many residents since independence.
This area is a great tourist attraction because it features a mix of East Asian and Tibetan culture.
The famous Chinese Kali temple is located in Kolkata. It is home to Goddess Kali. The idol and temple look exactly the same in every other Goddess Kali temples in India.
What is unique about this temple is this temple offers Goddess Kali Chinese cuisine such as noodles and chop suey, which is then distributed to its devotees.
The most interesting part is, a Bengali priest worships Goddess, and handmade papers are burned here to keep evil spirits away. Here, tall candles are lit with Chinese incense sticks during Diwali celebrations. This temple’s aroma is distinct from the main Hindu temples throughout the country.
Reports claim that the temple is 80 years old. Before the construction of the temple, Hindus worshipped two granite stones with vermilion on them for 60 years. People from both Bengali and Chinese communities joined forces to build the Chinese Kali temple at Tangra, Kolkata, around 20 years ago.
So, the next time you visit Kolkata make sure you visit this temple that serves Chinese cuisine.
Dog Temple, Channapatna, Karnataka # 2
Welcome to the temple where you’ll find dogs are worshipped. Legend states that the temple of the dog was built to protect goddess Kempamma’s temple.
The Dog Temple of Karnataka, also known as the Channapatna Dog Temple is located in Agrahara Valagerahalli, a small village in Channapatna, Karnataka.
It is locally known as the Nai Devasthana. In Kannada, ‘Nai” means ‘Dog’. It was built by Ramesh, a local businessman.
Channapatna town was guarded by two mysterious dogs. The town worshipped and revered Goddess Kempamma for generations. Locals claim Ramesh was a successful businessman who donated money to the village in order to build a temple dedicated to Goddess Kempamma.
When the construction of the temple compound began, two stray dogs appeared out of the blue. The dogs became more familiar with the village as they sat around the temple compound. The temple was constructed quickly and the dogs disappeared without a trace.
According to legend, the goddess ordered the villagers find two missing dogs so her temple could be protected against evil. The two statues of the dog were placed inside the temple built by the villagers when they couldn’t find them.
Another legend states that the temple was built in honor of the loyalty of dogs.
If you are able to make it to the annual festival, where dogs are fed extravagantly, you can also let your dog love out.
Bullet Baba Temple, Jodhpur, Rajasthan # 3
This temple is where devotees worship an Enfield Bullet motorcycle. It is enclosed in a glass box that has its front open and decorated. Many pray here to ensure safe travel.
This temple was built in Bandayi, a village located around 40 kilometers from Jodhpur.
This story is about Om Banna, a local youth who died in a car accident. His spirit is believed to have been protecting other drivers from the same fate. Locals claim that they have seen Om Banna, a ghost riding a bicycle without a rider.
The unique history of this temple is both tragic and fascinating. Om Singh Rathore, a rider on a bullet, was involved in an accident near Chotila village, on the Poli-Jodhpur Highway in 1988.
Om Singh died instantly, but his motorbike was left in a ditch. After investigating the scene, the police brought the bullet to the station. However, the bike vanished and was returned to the accident site.
Despite repeated police attempts, the bike returned to the same spot every time. The village believed that Om Singh Rathore’s spirit lived in the bike, and built a temple there.
People who seek protection and safety while traveling to the Bullet Temple are often attracted to it.
Whiskey Devi Temple, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh # 4
Madhya Pradesh has a liquor ban. However, you might be astonished to see devotees carrying liquor bottles in Ujjan’s Kal Bhhairav temple. The main offering to the deity in this temple is liquor.
It is also offered as a ‘prasad” to devotees. You can find vendors selling ‘puja’ bags for Rs 40 outside the Kaal Bhairav temple. The basket includes coconuts, flowers, and a 140ml bottle country liquor.
This is often supplied by the state government. In a matter of minutes, the deity can ‘drink’ a quarter of a bottle of liquor. However, he isn’t fussy about the brands.
Bharat Mata Temple, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh # 5
The Bharat Mata temple, Varanasi was built before the partition of India. It is known for its marble-carved map of India. To this day, the map of India is revered.
The temple doesn’t have the traditional idols of Gods and Goddesses, but rather houses a representation ‘Bharat mata’.
This temple is from a time when India was fighting to become independent. It reminds us that the notion of ‘the country’ is not something that can be inherited but had to be constructed and enshrined in popular imagination.
The Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth campus is home to the Bharat Mata Mandir. Babu Shiv Prasad Gupta built the temple in pre-Independence India, when Mahatma Gandhi was leading national movements for freedom from British colonial rulers. The building is still managed by the Gupta family.
In the center of the Bharat Mata Mandir is a map showing Undivided India, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Myanmar as Burma, and Sri Lanka as Ceylone Marble brought from Makrana (now Pakistan).
Temple of the Menstruating Goddess, Assam # 6
The Maa Kamakhya Devi Temple is located on the top of the Nilachal Hill, Guwahati, Assam. It is one of the most well-known temples in India.
It is the oldest of 51 Shakti Peethas of India. It does not have any sculptures to worship. Within the corner of the cave, in the temple, there is naturally sculpted carving of the Yoni (vagina) of Devi Sati, which is worshipped. A natural underground spring flows through the yoni. The yoni is covered with a red silk scarf.
The temple is shut down for three days every year during monsoon to allow the goddess to menstruate. This is when the Tantric fertility festival, or Ambubachi Mela, is held here.
The temple reopens on the fourth day. The underground spring that flows within the temple’s sanctum is said to turn red during these three days. As ‘prasad,’ devotees receive a piece from the red cloth that was used to cover the stoneyoni during menstruation.
Visa Balaji Temple, Telangana # 7
You would be amazed to know that there is a temple that can grant you a visa. It is one the oldest temples of Telangana.
Chilkur Balaji Temple or Visa Temple is situated in Rangareddy District, Telangana. This temple is dedicated to Sri Venkateswara Balaji. You may be wondering why it is called a Visa Temple.
People flock to this temple with the strange belief that praying at Hyderabad’s Chilkur Balaji Temple will help you get a visa.
According to the story, students obtained their US visas after praying at Chilkur Balaji Temple in order to obtain their visa in 1980. It thus became a Visa Temple.
There are approximately 75,000 to 1 lakh devotees who visit the temple every week. Sundays and Fridays see a lot of people. Be prepared to wait in line if you plan to visit the temple on certain days.
The temple is free to visit, but you might have to pay a fee if you only want to apply for a visa.
People who wish to obtain a visa must visit the temple to offer prayers and promise to return to take 108 rounds of parikrama once they have their visa. People believe that anyone who wishes to come here and asks for a visa will be granted.
Karni Mata Temple, Rajasthan # 8
At this temple it is considered a holy custom to eat food that has been eaten by rats.
Bikaner’s Karni Mata Mandir is well-known for its architecture and location, but also for the over 25,000 rats that roam freely around the temple compound. They can often be seen crawling through cracks in the floors and walls, sometimes stepping on the feet of devotees and visitors.
Maharaja Ganga Singh, of Bikaner, built the temple in a mughal design. the built the temple in honor of Karni Mata and her sons. The temple is home to the “Kabas”, a group of more than 20,000 rats.
These rats are considered sacred and are worshipped, fed and protected here. Karni Mata is believed to have created the kabas as a manifestation of her sons.
In this temple, it is considered a grave sin to hurt or kill a rat by mistake. As penance, those who commit this crime must replace the rat that has been killed with one made from gold.
Devotees bring milk, sweets, and other offerings to these little rats. White rats are the most sacred of all rats.
FAQs About Unique Temples In India
Which temple is mysterious in India?
One of the most mysterious temples in India, Balaji temple is also famed for being probably the only place in India where exorcisms by priests are still carried out.
Which temple is only one in India?
Brahma Temple, Pushkar