These 5 Ancient Temples are Believed to be the Oldest in India

July 20, 2017: Apart from the diverse culture that India has, Spirituality is considered to be the country's heritage. The traditions and cultures associated with any religion make India more interesting for tourists. Here is a list of five oldest temples that are sure to take you on a religious roller coaster ride through their historical timeline.

Chennakesava Temple, Karnataka: Also called the Vijayanarayana Temple, the Chennakesava temple is located on the banks of the Yagachi River. The temple can be traced back to the Hoysala Period. The Vijayanagara ruler built the temple to celebrate their victory over the Cholas family. The temple was dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Most of the carvings are a tribute to Vishnu. Thus, many worshippers of Lord Vishnu visit the temple. The temple is also a part of the UNESCO Heritage List.

Brahma Temple, Rajasthan: According to a story by Sage Vishwamitra, the temple is 2000 years old. However, its structure dates back to the 14th-15th century. The central images in the sanctorum are of Brahma and Gayatri. The temple witnesses gatherings in large numbers on the days of the festival 'Kartik Purnima' which is dedicated to Lord Brahma. It is situated in Pushkar, Rajasthan.

[bctt tweet="He built the temple for his wife from Nepal who missed the sight of Kailash Mountains" username="NewsGramdotcom"]

Kailashnath Temple, Ellora: More popularly known as the Kailash Temple, the temple was constructed around the 8th century in Ellora, Maharashtra. The temple was built under the guidance of Rashtrakuta era's King Krishna I. He built the temple for his wife from Nepal who missed the sight of Kailash Mountains. The enormous temple is carved out of a single rock. It is the 16th cave of the 34 popular Ellora Caves. The temple is as old as the 8th century.

Tungnath Temple, Uttarakhand: The Tungnath temple is one of the highest situated temples (3680 meters above sea level) of the Panch Kedar, featuring among Kedarnath, Rudrnath, Kalpeshwar and Madhyamaheshwar temples. The temple is also featured in the Ramayana where Lord Ram is believed to have meditated when he detached himself from the curse of Brahmahatya. The temple is so small that only 10 people can fit in together at a time. It is the highest temple of Lord Shiva in the world. If the stories are to be believed, the temple was built by the Pandavas who built the temple as an apology to Lord Shiva. The temple was built out of the Black Rock.

ALSO READ: Ancient Chennakesava Temple Completes 900 Years

Dilwara Temples, Rajasthan: Situated in Mount Abu, Rajasthan- there are five Dilwara temples in total. The stunning use of marble is a huge attraction for the visitors. The five temples were built between 11th-13th century. They are also known as the most beautiful Jain pilgrimage sites in the world. To transport the huge blocks of stones, Elephants were used in those days.

– by Saksham Narula of NewsGram. Twitter @Saksham2394