8 most popular hilltop temples of India
One of the best hilltop temples in India is Kedarnath, listed amongst 12 Jyotirlinga temples, Char Dham, and famously known to be a place where Pandavas sought forgiveness from him. The temple is said to have been built by Pandavas and later reconstructed by the Indian philosopher Adi Shankaracharya.
Kamakhya Temple is a Mahashakti Peeth, the most powerful temple with mountain views, known as the world’s biggest centre of tantric practices and a reservoir of highest positive energy. Goddess Adi Shakti is worshipped here in the form of Yoni (the goddess of fertility)in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.
Perched at an elevation of 12,073 ft, Tunganath Mahadev Mandir, one of the highest Shiva temples globally, offers a picturesque backdrop of the Garhwal Himalayas, a place that you should add to your 2026 travel bucket list.
Mata Vaishno Devi Temple, Katra, is one of the famous hill shrines in India, welcoming millions of bhakts of Mata Vaishno. Rising from the beautiful Trikuta Hills, Mata Vaishno Devi, the Goddess of hills, is worshipped here in the form of three pindies (rock formations).
Naina Devi Temple in Himachal Pradesh is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas, a significant place of worship where the eyes of Mata Sati are believed to have fallen. The temple is constructed from white marble and features the traditional Kath-kuni style of architecture, offering stunning views of Gobind Sagar Lake.
The Saptashrungi Temple, which is home to the 18-armed idol of Adi Shakti, is situated amidst a range of seven hills, is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas, where it is said that the limbs of Mata Sati fell. Here, devotees worship Saptashrungi Nivasani, a form of Durga Maa known as the 'Mother of Seven Peaks.'
Karnataka’s popular hilltop shrine, Chamundeshwari Temple, is dedicated to Chamundeshwari Maa, a fierce form of Shakti, who is called by locals here as Nada Devi, the state Goddess, the one who killed the demon Mahishasura. The temple is best known for its eye-catching Dravidian architecture featuring seven-storey gopurams.
One of the best Venketeswara Temple, also known as Tirupati Balaji Temple, is one of the wealthiest Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The temple attracts millions of devotees of Lord Vishnu from every part of India. It is believed that Lord Vishnu’s idol is adorned with real, tangle-free, silky hair.