India is a land of spirituality, of several gods and goddesses, and holy cities and shrines. It is also referred to as the land of temples given the fact that a temple can be found in almost every lane and street across the country. Among these countless temples located across the country, there are a few that are considered to be mysterious for several reasons.
These temples exhibit phenomena that have no scientific explanation. These mysteries add to the majesty and appeal of the temples, many of which are several centuries old. Every year thousands of devotees and curious people visit these temples to gain a first-hand experience of their unique phenomena.
Given below are the details of the top 10 mysterious temples in India which often leave the visitors surprised.
Located in the sleepy little district of Dausa, the Mehandipur Balaji is one of the most famous temples in Rajasthan. The temple is dedicated to Lord Hanuman, the temple is known for the exorcism practices used by the priests to rid people of negative energies and evil spirits.
People coming here are known to use various extreme ways for offering penance including pouring boiling water on themselves or hanging themselves from the ceiling. It is also a common practice for priests to tie people, they believe have been possessed by negative spirits, with chains.
The common Hindu practice of offering prasad at the temple is not followed here. Additionally, once the visitors leave the temple premises, they are prohibited from looking back at it, as it is believed to attract negative spirits to possess their bodies.
The temple, dedicated to Kamakhya, is located on top of Nilachal Hill in Guwahati in Assam. The more than 100-year-old temple is among the 51 temples dedicated to Devi Sati in the Indian subcontinent and is famous for celebrating womanhood and menstruation.
Even though the temple does not feature any sculptures for the devotees to worship, it does have a stone shaped like a woman’s vagina covered with a red silk saree. The devotees visiting the temple offer the prasad of a piece of red cloth to cover the vagina.
What is even more surprising about the temple is that every year it is closed for three days in June. This is because the goddess bleeds during these days turning the water in the underground reservoir, red.
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Known popularly as Shri Tirupati Balaji Temple, it is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is one of the wealthiest temples in India. People intending to visit the temple are required to submit a declaration form expressing their faith in the deity.
The idol of Lord Venkateswara placed inside the temple has real hair and the idol itself is found to be sweating several times. Pilgrims can also hear the sound of the crashing of sea waves upon placing their ears on the wall at the back of the Lord’s statue.
Apart from the various mysterious happenings, the temple is also known for the unusual offerings presented by the devotees. People visiting the temple offer their hair as prasad to the deity instead of flowers, sweets, or ornaments.
The Brahma temple, located in Pushkar in Rajasthan, is the only temple dedicated to the deity in the entire world. This is quite mysterious since Lord Brahma is a part of the most powerful Holy Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh and there are countless temples dedicated to the other two gods.
Another interesting feature of the temple is that it is located near the sacred Pushkar Lake. According to a legend, the location of the temple was chosen by Lord Brahma himself and it was built by Rishi Vishwamitra after Lord Brahma Performed a yajna here.
The temple is considered to be one of the top five places of pilgrimage for followers of Hinduism. The temple is made of marble and its inner walls are embedded with gold and silver coins donated by the devotees.
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Considered to be one of the most mysterious temples in India, the Nidhivan temple is located in Vrindavan district in Uttar Pradesh. It is one of the several temples dedicated to Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, in the area.
A dense forest surrounds the temple and the trees there are intertwined with each other and have flourishing green leaves all year round. The wells, trunks, and roots of the trees are hollow from the inside, which further adds to the mystery of the place.
Most importantly, the main temple is closed after sunset as it is believed that Lord Krishna arrives here to perform Ras Leela with the gopis. People have claimed to hear the sound of gunghroos emanating from the temple at night further strengthening this belief.
The Jwala Devi temple is one of the 51 Shakti peethas in the Indian subcontinent and is dedicated to Jwala Mata or the flaming goddess. It is believed that the temple is located at the place where the tongue of Goddess Sati fell off.
What makes the temple mysterious is the constantly burning blue flame emerging from the rocks at various places on the temple premise. The flame is considered to be extremely sacred and is worshipped by the devotees coming to the temple.
Numerous scientific studies conducted over the years by teams from across the globe have failed to establish any reason for the flames emanating from the solid rock. People coming here are often amazed by this phenomenon which they believe signifies the presence of a supreme power.
Dating back to the 16th century CE, the Veerabhadra temple is known for its 70 huge pillars that have been carved in the Vijaynagar style of architecture. The temple is considered to be an engineering marvel and an integral part of the cultural heritage of South India.
However, the thing that makes the temple mysterious and relatively more famous is its single hanging pillar. In the dance hall containing the 70 pillars, one pillar is seen to be simply dangling from the roof.
There is a gap of several mm between the base of the pillar and the floor and visitors can test the same by passing a piece of cloth or paper through the space. Scientists from across the globe have failed to explain the reason behind this unique phenomenon.
The temple is located a short distance from Jodhpur in Rajasthan and is extremely unique since it is dedicated to a motorcycle. A Royal Enfield bullet motorcycle is enshrined in the temple and worshipped like a deity.
It is said that the motorcycle in the temple was being driven by a man named Om Singh Rathore late one night in 1988. He lost control of the bike and crashed into a tree, losing his life. When the bike was later confiscated by the police for investigation, it strangely kept returning to the accident spot on its own.
The locals constructed a temple at the accident site and it is now flocked by countless people every day. The motorcycle is believed to be the guardian spirit protecting travelers passing the highway.
This is perhaps the only temple dedicated to a soldier, who served in the Indian Army. Baba Harbhajan Singh, also known as the “ Hero of Nathu La”, served in the 23rd Punjab Regiment and lost his life during the Indo-China war.
The temple features a bed and the belongings of Baba Harbhajan Singh and is maintained by the Indian Army. According to the legend, Baba Harbhajan Singh was declared a traitor since he could not be found for several days.
He then appeared in the dreams of his fellow soldiers and explained the circumstances of his death as well as the location of his device. It is said that he continues to protect the soldiers stationed in the area by appearing in their dreams and warning them about enemy activities or other likely mishaps.
Also referred to as the Rat Temple, the Karni Mata Temple is situated in the small town of Deshnoke in Rajasthan. The temple is dedicated to Karni Mata, who is believed to be an incarnation of Adi Shakti Goddess Durga.
According to legend, Karni Mata’s stepson Lakshman drowned in a pond. So she pleaded to Yama, the God of Death to bring him back to life. Yama granted Karni Mata’s request and Lakshman was reborn as a rat along with all her male offsprings.
The temple is known for its huge population of rats who roam freely around the premises. The rats are deemed sacred and are worshipped by the devotees as they are believed to be the reincarnations of the followers of Karni Mata.
Each temple in the above list is a symbol of the religious culture of India something more intriguing and interesting, which strengthens the faith of the visitors. Most importantly they are the perfect examples of the rich history and heritage of India and the great skill, knowledge, and craftsmanship of the people responsible for building them.
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