Top 10 Richest Temples in India

India is known for its glorious history and religious practices. Travelers from across the world come to visit India, and the forts, monuments, and temples in India are the biggest tourist attraction that provides insights into the past of India. Travelers visit different temples in India to see their beauty, adore architecture, and know about its significance in the history of India. Researchers and historians often found temples interesting as they provided information about the time period that they were built.

Temples are popular in India because they have a positive environment that helps people calm their minds. It is also a popular Indian culture to perform puja on special days and occasions, which increases the number of devotees visiting the temple. Apart from holding great significance in history, some of the temples are the richest among the others. We have listed the top 10 richest temples in India that you must visit.

1. Tirumala Tirupati Venkateswara Temple

Venkateswara Temple, one of the oldest pilgrimage sites, is situated on Venkata Tirumala Hill. Sited on the seventh peak of this hill, this temple is Sri Swami Puskarini River. It follows a traditional Dravidian style of architecture. Ananda Nilaya Divya Vimana is a gold glided dome that has the Lord Venkateswara statue beneath it. The statue is 8-feet tall, and the decoration of precious and semi-precious stones makes it much more adorable. The idol also has its eyes covered with the tilak of camphor. It is a popular belief that one must visit Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple after visiting Varahaswami Temple. Tirumala Tirupati Venkateswara Temple is listed among the richest temple in India.

2. Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram

Situated in the beautiful city of Thiruvananthapuram, Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Travancore, a former royal family, is responsible for the management of this temple. The Dravidian style of construction and idol of Padmanabhaswamy is the most attractive features of this temple. In the temple, Lord Vishnu can be found on the celestial serpent known as the Ananthan, in a reclining position. The name of the city Thiruvananthapuram comes from this popular shrine. Known among the richest temple in India, Padmanabhaswamy has diamonds, gold idols, emeralds, brass, gold, and antique silver, which is included in the wealth worth 90,000 crores. The assets of the temple also include two golden coconuts, which are embedded with precious stones, making the temple one of the richest in the country and the world.

3. Siddhivinayak Temple, Mumbai

Housing a Lord Ganesha statue, Siddhivinayak is the most popular temple located in Maharashtra. The early 1900s marked the beginning of the popularity of the temple, and it has been visited by tourists since then. People in India, especially in Maharashtra, absolutely love visiting this temple. It is adorned by visitors for its beauty and magnificent architecture. Siddhivinayak Temple is one of the richest temples in India, and you must pay a visit to this temple if you are in Mumbai.

4. Shirdi Sai Baba, Shirdi

Shirdi Maharashtra is popular as a pilgrimage site which is a favorite of all Indians. Dedicated to Sai Baba, the Shirdi Sai Baba temple is one of the richest temples in India. People from across the country visit this temple throughout the year. Built in 1922, at the place where Sai Baba lived, the Shirdi Sai Baba temple grabs the attention of the tourists and devotees.

5. Golden Temple, Amritsar

With a great religious significance, Golden Temple is popular for the history, religion, and culture of Sikhs. Known as one of the richest temples in India, the Golden temple is popular for the Sikh religion and depicts the story of Sikhs through a museum situated adjacent to the temple. 'Golden Temple' name is adopted for this temple as its upper floor construction is done using approximately 400 Kg of gold. 'Sri Harmandir Sahib' is the original name of this popular temple which houses the 'Guru Granth Sahib', the holy book of Sikhism.

6. Meenakshi Temple, Madurai

Meenakshi temple has an annual revenue of around 60 million, and the temple comprises about 33,000 sculptures. This temple houses goddess Meenakshi, the wife of Sundareshwar (Lord Shiva). The Meenakshi temple has an average daily footfall of around 20,000 to 30,000. The temple is also comprised of gopurams which are 40 and 50 meters in height and are 14 in number. The golden carts of the temple add further to the beauty and wealth of the temple, making Meenakshi Temple one of the richest temples in India.

7. Somnath Temple, Gujarat

Ranking at the top in the list of richest temples in India, the Somnath temple is so much popular for its collection of gold and silver that it has been looted 17 times by Mahmud of Ghazni, the Turkic ruler. Despite these incidents, the temple has valuables that make it one of the richest temples in India. Devotees and visitors from across the country visit this temple and leave with a delightful experience due to its magnificent architecture that holds great religious significance.

8. Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple, Kerala

Located at the height of 4,133 feet above sea level, Sabarimala Ayyappa temple is surrounded by dense forests and mountains. It is one of the most popular temples in the southern state of Kerala and has annual footfall of around 100 million. Devotees from across the country visit this temple and it is listed among the richest temples in India. Although only men can enter this temple, which is weird about this temple, it has generated a revenue of around 230 crore rupees.

9. Jagannath Temple, Puri

Jagannath Temple, located in Puri, is a highly significant religious place. Devotees visit this temple throughout the year. On average, 30,000 people visit this temple every day, and this number increases to around 70,000 during the festive season. The temple is listed among the top richest temples in India as it receives huge donations from people across the country. Generally, the donations range from 15,000 to 20,000, which increases manifold in the festive season. A 1.72 crore donation received from a European devotee is one of its highest donations.

10. Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple, Delhi

Popular among all devotees of Swaminarayan, this temple also attracts a large number of architecture lovers. People often add the Swaminarayan temple to the list of places to visit on a trip to Delhi. The temple has a Hindu shrine which is a visual treat for everyone. It comprises the golden idol of Swaminarayan and gurus that are covered in leaf. The temple has been listed in the Guinness Book of World record as the "Largest comprehensive Hindu temple in the world".