10 Oldest Temple Towns in India for Spiritual Getaways

By Akanksha
August 05, 2025

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Old is gold

These Indian towns have been around for centuries and are still spiritual and cultural hubs for many believers. The temples in these towns have been often rebuilt or expanded over time, but that does

Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Also called Kashi, it's one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. The town, with temples like Kashi Vishwanath dating back thousands of years, mentioned in ancient texts like the Purana

Madurai, Tamil Nadu

Madurai is home to the Meenakshi Amman Temple, which was established around the 6th-7th century CE. Madurai is one of the oldest living cities in the world.

Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu

Did you know that Kanchipuram is also known as the City of Thousand Temples? The town has ancient temples like Kailasanathar, and is still one of the major religious centres for Hinduism, Jainism, and

Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh

Ayodhya is associated with Lord Rama, is home to the famous Ram Mandir. The city is believed to date back to 5-6 century BC.

Dwarka, Gujarat

The Dwarkadhish Temple is part of the ancient city that is believed to date back to 2000 BCE. This seaside town is one of the most popular and important pilgrimage sites.

Puri, Odisha

Famous for the Jagannath Temple, Puri was established in its current form around the 12th century CE, but the site’s religious importance dates back to at least the 3rd century BCE.

Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh

Ujjain, home to the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple, is mentioned in ancient texts like the Skanda Purana. Ujjain is one of the four locations for Kumbh Mela in India.

Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu

Known for the Brihadeeswarar Temple (11th century CE), Thanjavur has been a hub of Shaivism since the Sangam period.

Srirangam, Tamil Nadu

The town of Srirangam is centered around the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, one of the oldest functioning temples in India. The temple’s inscriptions date back to the 1st century CE.

Pushkar, Rajasthan

Home to the rare Brahma Temple, Pushkar’s religious significance dates back to at least the 4th century BCE, as per inscriptions and mentions in ancient texts.

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