A land of natural charm as well as a rich cultural heritage, Andhra Pradesh has a lot to offer when it comes to tourism. There are long coastal stretches, heritage sites, ruins, forts, the list goes on! One major attraction on the list is the state’s spiritual aura and value!
Andhra Pradesh is quite famous for its gorgeous temples and their religious as well as architectural brilliance. Needless to say, these ancient temples in Andhra Pradesh hold a significant place in the hearts of pilgrims.
If you have made up your mind and plan to visit the holy temples in Andhra Pradesh soon, have a look at the list of 15 best temples in Andhra Pradesh that attract devotees from all over the country.
Start your pilgrimage tour in Andhra Pradesh with the Sri Venkateswara temple. You can fly to Tirupati and take a cab from there to reach the temple. The temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu. After taking blessings, explore the Dravidian style architecture of the temple. The temple remains open from 6.30 am to 7.30 pm and there is a special entry that costs Rs.300 and comes with a single laddu free of cost.
Fly to Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, followed by a five-hour taxi ride to Srisailam in Kurnool and you will reach the next stop on our AP temples list, Mallikarjuna temple. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and houses one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, hence the religious values. Along with the holy aura of the temple, the four entrance pillars or the gopurams will surely mesmerise you. The temple is open from 6 am to 8 pm. There is an entry fee of Rs 150.
To reach Kanaka Durga temple situated on the Indrakeeladri hill in Vijayawada, you will have to take a 20-minute drive from Vijayawada International Airport. When you are here, pray in front of the holy shrine of Goddess Durga and spend some moments in peace. Mythology says, this is the place where Arjuna obtained the Pasupata Astra after his great penance for Lord Shiva. That explains the deviation for the temple! When you plan a visit here, remember to come between 6 am and 11 am. And you will have to pay an entry fee of Rs 100.
The next temple on our list will require you to fly to Hyderabad and hop on a bus to Kurnool district. Then, you have to go on a small trek (around 450 steps) and you will reach the Ahobilam temple. Once you are hare, pray in front of the deity Narasimha, the lion-headed avatar of Vishnu. Then visit the other 9 other shrines of Lord Narasimha, located within 5 km from the main temple. The visiting hours are from 6.30 am to 7 pm. And there is no entry fee!
After Hyderabad, fly to Tiruchirappalli and book a cab to reach the magnificent Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam. This temple is dedicated to Ranganatha, a form of Maha Vishnu. Actually, the temple has played an important role in Vaishnavism history. Ample inscriptions suggest that this temple served as a great spiritual centre in the past and it continues to do so even today. The temple stays open from 7.30 am to 8.00 pm. Plan your visit accordingly.
When you are in Andhra Pradesh, a visit to the Srikalahasti temple is a must because it is one of the most important holy places in Andhra Pradesh. The temple is situated 36 km away from Tirupati. So, you can board flights to Tirupati and then take the roadways. The key attraction here is the Vayu linga, representing the wind. You can take blessings and then explore the temple compound. We know we are wondering, there is an entry fee of Rs 600, and the temple is open from 6 am to 5 pm.
Exploring the Lakshmi Narasimha temple will be a one-off experience. Why? Because this temple, located at the foot of Mangalagiri hill, is one of the eight sacred places of Lord Vishnu. Take a flight to Vijayawada and then head towards the temple, while enjoying the mesmerising views of the hill. When you are here, you will see a series of three temples situated at the bottom of the hill and two temples on the top of the hill. The temple is open for visitors from 7.30 am to 3.30 pm and has a very nominal fee of Rs 10.
As we can see in the name, the Sri Padmavathi temple is dedicated to Goddess Padmavati. The temple is situated in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. A flight to Tirupati followed by a mere 20-minute drive will bring you here. As soon as you enter, the spiritual aura will calm your heart. Enjoy the ambience and offer your prayers. And remember, the temple stays open from 8.30 am to 6 pm.
Welcome to one of the, if not the oldest temple in Andhra Pradesh. The devotees believe that the Nandi idol in front of the temple, located in Kurnool is constantly expanding its size. While the Nandi idol is one of the major attractions here, others are the Shiva and Parvati idols. In case you are wondering, the nearest airport is Tirupati International Airport. You can avail buses and taxis to this temple from the airport.
A trip to Andhra without visiting Paritala Anjaneya temple in Vijayawada is a trip incomplete. Hanuman is the presiding deity of this temple. After your flight to Vijayawada, head to this temple to take blessings and to see the magnificence aura of the temple. The temple is open from 6.30 am to 7 pm.
Old temples in Andhra Pradesh are a must on any travel guide to Andhra Pradesh. The Kodandarama temple located in Gollala Mamidada is one such temple in Kadapa. Pray in front of Lord Rama and then witness the captivating temple gopurams, adorned with intricately sculpted statues depicting scenes from Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavatam. Before we forget, the nearest airport is in Tirupati and the temple is open from 5 am to 9 pm.
Do not miss the chance of visiting the Vinayaka temple located at Kanipakam in Chittoor district when you are in Andhra Pradesh. To reach the temple, you can fly to Tirupati and then hop on a cab or state bus. When you reach, you will get to witness Lord Ganesh residing in the well, full of water. The entry timing is 4:00 am to 9:30 pm.
Daksharama is one of the five Panchakarma Kshetras that are sacred to the Hindu god Shiva. Fly to the Rajahmundry Airport followed by a road trip to visit this temple. Offer your prayers in front of the idol of Bhimeswara Swamy and then get lost in the architecture of the temple. The temple reflects a fusion of Chalukyan and Chola styles of architecture. The entry time of this temple is 6 am to 8 pm. And the entry fee is Rs. 30.
Sri Someswara temple is in Bhimavaram. The major attraction here is the Shivalinga that adjusts its colour according to the Lunar aspects. Surprisingly, Goddess Annapurna was built on top of the Shiva temple, something that is rare! The visiting hours are from 5 am to 8 pm and you can board a flight to Vijayawada to reach the temple.
Last but not least! Book a flight to Vishakhapatnam to visit this temple situated on the Simhachalam Hill Range. The idol of Varaha Narasimha stands with a boar's head, a human torso and a lion's tail. It indeed is a magnificent sight! The time of entry is from 7 am to 9 pm and the entry fee is Rs 100.
There are numerous spiritual awakening places in India and Andhra Pradesh houses many of them. So, when you plan a trip to Andhra Pradesh, you must include some temples in your tour guide!
