Most Famous Shiva Temples in India

Shiva temples are found across every corner of India, and the 12 Jyotirlingas among them already have a dedicated guide on this site. But Shiva devotion doesn't stop there — India has several other Shiva temples equally significant for their history, architecture or tradition. This guide brings together the major ones.

The Pancha Bhoota Sthalams — Temples of the Five Elements

South India has five Shiva temples, each representing one of the five classical elements (earth, water, fire, air and space):

• Ekambareswarar Temple, Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu) — Earth. Shiva is worshipped here as a prithvi (earth) linga. Its towering rajagopuram is among the tallest in South India.
• Jambukeswarar Temple, Thiruvanaikaval (Tamil Nadu) — Water. The sanctum's linga remains perpetually submerged in water from an underground spring, regardless of drought outside.
• Annamalaiyar Temple, Tiruvannamalai (Tamil Nadu) — Fire. Set at the foot of Arunachala hill, it's among India's largest temple complexes, and is closely linked to the ashram of Sri Ramana Maharshi.
• Srikalahasti Temple, Andhra Pradesh — Air. On the banks of the Swarnamukhi river, its name comes from a legend of a spider (Sri), a serpent (Kala) and an elephant (Hasti), each devoted to the linga here.
• Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram (Tamil Nadu) — Space. Here, Shiva is worshipped not as a physical form but as an invisible, formless presence, known as the "Chidambara Rahasyam."

Other Historically and Architecturally Significant Shiva Temples

Brihadeeswarar Temple, Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu) — Built by Chola emperor Rajaraja I around 1010 CE, entirely in granite, even though the nearest granite source is estimated at roughly 60 km away. Its vimana rises about 66 metres, capped by a single-stone kalasha weighing an estimated 80 tonnes.

Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai (Tamil Nadu) — Dedicated jointly to Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar (Shiva). The present grand structure was largely developed in the 16th-17th centuries under the Nayak rulers, especially Thirumalai Nayak. It has 14 gopurams, the tallest — the southern tower — rising roughly 52 metres.

Lingaraj Temple, Bhubaneswar (Odisha) — The current structure dates to around the 11th century, built by the Somavamshi and later Ganga dynasties, though worship at the site is believed to be far older. Shiva and Vishnu are worshipped jointly here as "Harihara."

Virupaksha Temple, Hampi (Karnataka) — Its core is generally dated to the 7th century, with major expansion under the Vijayanagara empire. Unlike most ruins around it, worship here continued uninterrupted even after Vijayanagara fell in 1565.

Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Mylapore, Chennai (Tamil Nadu) — Standing in one of Chennai's oldest settled areas, the present structure dates to roughly the 16th century (the original was damaged during Portuguese incursions). Its roughly 40-metre gopuram is one of Chennai's most recognizable landmarks.

Vadakkunnathan Temple, Thrissur (Kerala) — Set on a mound at the centre of Thrissur, it's considered a classical example of Kerala temple architecture, and has been declared a National Monument.

Gokarna Mahabaleshwar Temple (Karnataka) — According to legend, the Atmalinga brought by Ravana was fixed permanently into the earth here through Ganesha's cleverness, making it impossible to move — the origin of the name "Mahabaleshwar."

Murudeshwar Temple (Karnataka) — Set on a small hill surrounded by the Arabian Sea on three sides, its standout feature is a roughly 37-metre statue of Shiva, installed in the early 2000s.

Neelkanth Mahadev Temple, Pauri Garhwal (Uttarakhand) — About 32 km from Rishikesh in dense forest, surrounded by the Nar-Narayan ranges, with an architectural style showing a Dravidian influence unusual for the region.

Amarnath Cave Temple (Jammu & Kashmir) — At roughly 3,888 metres in the Himalayas, a naturally forming ice lingam waxes and wanes with the lunar cycle. The pilgrimage is undertaken via the Pahalgam or Baltal routes.

The 12 Jyotirlingas — Shiva's Supreme Shrines

Somnath, Kashi Vishwanath, Kedarnath, Mahakaleshwar and the rest of the 12 Jyotirlingas are covered in full detail in this site's dedicated guide, "Jyotirlingas: A Complete Guide to the 12 Shiva Temples."

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Pancha Bhoota Sthalams?

Five Shiva temples in South India, each representing one of the five elements — earth (Kanchipuram), water (Thiruvanaikaval), fire (Tiruvannamalai), air (Srikalahasti) and space (Chidambaram).

Which is the tallest Shiva temple tower in India?

The Brihadeeswarar Temple's vimana (Thanjavur) rises about 66 metres, and the Annamalaiyar Temple's rajagopuram (Tiruvannamalai) is roughly the same height — both are among India's tallest temple towers.

Are the Jyotirlingas and the Pancha Bhoota Sthalams the same?

No. The Jyotirlingas are 12 specific sites named in the Shiva Purana, while the Pancha Bhoota Sthalams are five separate South Indian temples representing the five elements. The two lists are distinct and don't overlap.

Which route is used for the Amarnath Yatra?

Either the Pahalgam or Baltal route — the two traditional paths to the cave.