Famous Vishnu Temples in India

Lord Vishnu is one of the most important Hindu Gods known to be the protector and the preserver of the universe. While Shiva is the destroyer and Brahma is the creator of the universe, Vishnu balances the two forces. Lord Vishnu’s stories and teachings have significantly impacted Hindu rituals, beliefs, and ethical systems. There are many temples in India where Lord Vishnu is worshipped by devotees seeking his blessings and protection. These temples honor his diverse manifestations and incarnations and embody his enduring devotion. They are also known for their magnificent architecture, blissful ambiance, and breathtaking backdrop. Let’s take a look at the 15 most famous Vishnu temples in India where you can experience spiritual bliss and divinity.

Ranganathaswamy Temple, Karnataka

The Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is situated in the historic town of Srirangapatna in Karnataka. It testifies to the region’s spiritual aura and rich cultural heritage. The temple is dedicated to Lord Ranganatha, Lord Vishnu’s form. It is not only a famous pilgrimage site but is also known for its architectural brilliance. The temple complex comprises several courtyards, halls, and shrines. The main sanctum houses Lord Ranganatha’s idol made from a single black stone. It is known to be one of the holiest worship places in South India and a highly revered pilgrimage site for Vaishnavites.

• Temple Timings: 9:00 am – 12 pm / 1:15 pm – 6:00 pm / 6:45 pm – 9:00 pm
• Visit Duration: 2 to 3 hours
• Best Time to Visit: August – March
• Entry Fee: No entry fees
• Viswaroopa Seva: Rs.100/- per head
• Quick Seva: Rs.250/- per head.
• Other Activities: Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace, Daria Daulat Bagh, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary

Badrinath Temple, Uttarakhand

Badrinath Temple forms a part of the Char Dham sites. It is one of the most famous temples built in honor of Lord Vishnu. It is believed that by visiting the temple your sins will get washed away. Adi Shankara, an Indian saint constructed the temple in the ninth century. The temple has been built in traditional Garhwali architecture and offers stunning views of the surroundings.

• Temple Timing: 4:30 am – 6:30 am / 6:30 am – 12 noon – 3:00 pm / 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Entry Fee: No entry fees
• Best Time to Visit: September – November and May – July
• Visit Duration: 1 to 2 hours
• Other Activities: Trekking expedition, Valley of Flowers, Mana Village, camping, sightseeing (Tapt Kund, Bhim Pul, Brahma Kapal, and Vyas Gufa).

[ Suggested Tour: Badrinath Yatra Packages]

Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Kerala

Padmanabha Swamy Temple is believed to be one of the 108 Divya Desams. Its origins date back years ago. The rulers of the Travancore dynasty built the temple in the 8th century. The main deity, Lord Padmanabha can be seen reclining on the serpent Anantha. Its architecture is a combination of Dravidian and Kerala styles, and it features a hundred-foot-tall gopuram. It is known to be the world’s richest temple having a huge collection of precious artifacts, coins, and jewellery.

• Temple Timings: 6:30 am – 7:00 am / 10:30 am – 11:10 am / 5:00 pm – 6:15 pm / 6:45 pm – 7:20 pm
• Entry Fee: No entry fees
• Best Time to Visit: October – April
• Visit Duration: 2 to 3 hours
• Other Activities: Boating and fishing, Ayurvedic spa treatment, Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Puthenmalika Palace.

[Also Read: 20 Most Famous Hindu Temples in Kerala]

Dwarkadhish Temple, Gujarat

Dwarkadhish Temple is one of the Chardham sites situated on the banks of River Gomti in Dwarka, Gujarat. The temple is devoted to Lord Krishna, one of the forms of Vishnu. Krishnaji’s grandson constructed this temple and it is around 2,200 years old. The temple has two entrances: the Swarg Dwar at the South and the Moksha Dwar at the North. At the top of the temple, there is a flag that indicates Lord Krishna will remain there forever.

• Temple Timings – 7:00 am – 12:30 pm / 5:00 pm – 9:30 pm
• Entry Fee: No entry fees
• Best Time to Visit – August – April
• Visit Duration: 1-2 hrs
• Other Activities – Gita Mandir, Beyt Dwarka, Gomti Ghat, Dwarka Beach

[Suggested Tour: Dwarka Tour Packages]

Jagannath Temple, Odisha

The Jagannath temple is one of the char Dham sites that holds immense importance for Hindus. The temple houses three deities — Lord Jagannath, his sister Subhadra, and elder brother Balabhadra. Lord Jagannath is a form of Lord Vishnu, who descended to earth to protect the current Kali Yuga. There are thirty smaller temples surrounding this temple, and you should visit all of them before seeing the main temple’s deities.

• Temple Timings – 5:00 am – 11:00 am / 1:00 pm – 9:30 pm
• Visit Duration: Two hours
• Entry Fee: No entry fees
• Best Time to Visit – December – February
• Other Activities – Puri Beach, Chilika Lake, Narendra Sarovar, Sudarshan Craft Museum

[Suggested Tour: Jagannath Puri Tour Packages]

Sri Sri Aswaklanta Temple, Assam

Situated on the banks of River Brahmaputra, Sri Sri Aswaklanta Temple is one of the most famous Hindu pilgrimage sites. The temple comprises two images, one of Lord Anantha Sai Vishnu and the other of Lord Janardana. Sri Vishnu Bhagvan is the primary deity of this temple. King Siva Singha built this temple in 1720 AD. Due to its divine aura and serene ambiance, it is visited by tourists from all around the world.

• Temple Timings: 6:00 am – 9:00 pm
• Entry Fee: No entry fees
• Visit Duration: 30 to 45 minutes
• Best Time to Visit: September – March
• Other Activities: St. Stephens Church, Assam State Museum, Nehru Park

Sri Venkateswara Temple, Andhra Pradesh

Sri Venkateswara Temple is one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in the world. It is perched on Venkata Hill and is dedicated to Sri Venkateswara, Lord Vishnu’s incarnation. The temple has been mentioned in many ancient texts, such as the Rig Veda. It has been built in Dravidian architectural style and has three entrances. Dhruva Bera is the temple’s main deity considered to be a source of energy. It is the richest Indian temple in terms of donations.

• Temple Timings: 2:30 am – 12 noon / 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• Entry Fee: Rs.300/- per person
• Best Time to Visit: September – March
• Visit Duration: At least two hours
• Other Activities: Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park, Kapila Theertham, Chandragiri Fort

[ Suggested to Read: 20 Most Popular Hindu Temples in Andhra Pradesh ]

Sita Ramachandraswamy Temple, Telangana

Sita Ramachandra Swamy Temple is situated in the town of Bhadrachalam on the bank of the River Godavari. It is dedicated to Lord Rama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The temple is often called the Ayodhya of the South. People worship here the self-manifested moolavar which was discovered by a local tribeswoman during the seventeenth century. The temple is the place where Lord Rama’s divine tales and Bhadrachala Ramadasu’s unwavering love come to life.

• Temple Timings: 4:00 am – 12 noon / 3:00 pm – 9:30 pm
• Entry Fee: No entry fees, Rs.250 VIP Ticket
• Visit Duration: 30 minutes to 1 hour
• Best Time to Visit: October – March
• Other Activities: Golconda Fort, Salar Jung Museum, Charminar, Ramoji Film City

Sarangapani Temple, Tamil Nadu

Sarangapani Temple is situated in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu. It is one of the one hundred and eight temple groups built in honor of Lord Vishnu. The temple also forms an important part of the Pancha Kshetram. It is considered to be the birthplace of Goddess Lakshmi. Within the temple’s premises, there are many tanks where devotees take holy baths. The complex comprises water features and all of the temple’s shrines, while the temple is enclosed by a huge granite wall.

• Temple Timing: 6:30 am – 9:30 pm
• Visit Duration: 2-3 hours
• Entry Fee: No entry fees
• Best Time to Visit: August – March
• Other Activities: Marina Beach, Mahamaham Tank, Shore Temple, Meenakshi Amman Temple.

Adikesava Perumal Temple, Tamil Nadu

Adikesava Perumal Temple is known to be one of the 108 Divya Desams. The temple is constructed in a Dravidian architectural style with doors, roofs, and wooden pillars. Inside the temple, there are around fifty inscriptions in both Sanskrit and Tamil. A remarkable feature of this temple is the Ottakkal Mandapam measuring 18 feet wide and 3 feet high. The temple has existed from as early as the seventh or eighth century.

• Temple Timings: 5:00 am – 8:00 am / 10:00 am – 12 pm / 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• Visit Duration: 1-2 hours
• Entry Fee: No entry fees
• Best Time to Visit: August – March
• Other Activities: Nilgiri Mountain Railway, Pichavaram Mangrove Forest, Yelagiri Forest Hill, Marina Beach

Shrinathji Temple, Rajasthan

Shrinathji Temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna, a form of Lord Vishnu. It is located on the banks of the River Banas in Nathdwara, Rajasthan. According to Hindu scriptures, Krishna frequently visited Mewar to meet Princess Ajab Kunwari. She insisted Krishna to stay with her. It is believed that Shrinathji Temple represents that promise. The temple is also called Nanda Bhavan or Haveli of Shrinathji, as it looks like a palace. At the crown of the temple, there is a kalasha.

• Temple Timings: 5:30 am – 6:30 pm
• Visit Duration: 1 hour
• Entry Fee: No entry fees
• Best Time to Visit: November – April
• Other Activities: Maharana Pratap Memorial, Charbhuja Temple, Shree Kharch Bhandar

Laxminarayan Temple, Delhi

The Laxminarayan Temple is also called the Birla Mandir. It is one of the most famous Hindu temples situated in Delhi, India. The temple’s construction started in the year 1933. Shri Rameshwar Das Birla and Shri Jugal Kishore Birla constructed this temple. This temple is dedicated to Narayan Bhagwan and Laxmi Devi and their idols are located in the central shrine. It is spread over 7.5 acres and houses beautiful fountains, shrines, and gardens.

• Temple Timings: 4:30 am – 1:30 pm / 2:30 pm – 9:00 pm
• Visit Duration: 2-3 hours
• Entry Fee: No entry fees
• Best Time to Visit: October – March
• Other Activities: Chandni Chowk, Sarojini Market, Red Fort, Jama Masjid, India Gate

Thiruvallam Sree Parasurama Temple, Kerala

Thiruvallam Sree Parasurama is a two-thousand-year-old temple perched near the confluence of the Karamana, Parvathy Puthanar, and Killi Rivers. It is the only spiritual site in Kerala dedicated to Lord Parasurama, the warrior sage. On the main entrance’s top lies an image of Parasurama proudly holding his axe. Black granite has been used to build the temple and it exudes supreme craftsmanship.

• Temple Timings: 4:30 am – 11:30 am / 5:00 pm – 8:30 pm
• Visit Duration: 1-2 hours
• Entry Fee: No entry fees
• Best Time to Visit: October – February
• Other Activities: Athirappilly Falls, Fort Kochi, Thekkady Wildlife Sanctuary, Eravikulam National Park

Lakshmiramana Swamy Temple, Mysore, Karnataka

Lakshmiramana Swamy is one of the oldest temples in Mysore with great historical prominence. The temple has been built in honor of Nambi Narayanan, Lord Vishnu’s form. Krishnaraja Wodeyar III renovated this temple and his predecessor built the tower over the main entrance. You can also see here the feet idol of Venugopal. Beside the sanctum sanctorum, you can find a beautiful Laxmi idol.

• Timings: 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
• Visit Duration: 1 hour
• Entry Fee: No entry fee
• Best Time to Visit: During the Dussehra celebration.
• Other Activities: Brindavan Gardens, Chamundeshwari Temple, Mysore Zoo, Shuka Vana

Jagdish Temple, Udaipur, Rajasthan

Jadish Temple is known to be Udaipur’s largest temple. Maharana Jagat Singh built the temple in 1651 AD with an estimated cost of around 1.5 million rupees. This three-storied temple has been built in the Indo-Aryan architectural style and comprises beautifully decorated ceilings, carved pillars, spacious halls, and painted walls. At the entrance of the temple, you will get to see two stone elephants. You have to climb 32 steps to reach the main shrine.

• Timings: 5:00 am to 12:00 pm/4:00 pm to 9:00 pm
• Visit Duration:  30 minutes
• Entry Fee: No entry fees
• Best time to Visit: November to March
• Other Activities: Lake Pichola, City Palace, Bagore Ki Haveli, Jag Mandir Palace

These 15 Vishnu temples exemplify the rich tapestry of Hindu spirituality, architectural grandeur, and cultural heritage. Each temple offers a unique glimpse into the religious life and artistic achievements of different regions in India. Visiting these sacred sites provides not only a spiritual journey but also an opportunity to appreciate the profound devotion and craftsmanship that have shaped Indian civilization over millennia.