The three great temple architecture styles of ancient India — Nagara (North), Dravidian (South), and Vesara (Deccan fusion) — each represented across the oldest temples in India from the 5th to the 13th century CE.

Predominant in North and Central India. Characterised by a curvilinear shikhara (spire) that rises in a curved shape above the sanctum. The entire temple plan is based on the square.

• Tall curvilinear shikhara
• Square plan (Panchayatana style)
• Amalaka (cushion-like stone disc) at top
• Kalasha (pot finial) above the amalaka

Dominant in South India. Distinguished by its pyramid-shaped gopuram (gateway tower) and a flat-roofed vimana over the sanctum. The oldest examples are from the Pallava and Chola dynasties.

• Stepped pyramid-shaped vimana
• Massive gopuram entrance towers
• Large temple tanks
• Thousand-pillar mandapas | Multiple enclosures (prakaras)

A beautiful fusion of Nagara and Dravidian elements, developed primarily in the Deccan region. Known for its elaborate surface ornamentation and distinctive star-shaped plans.

• Star-shaped plan (stellate pattern)
• Elaborate surface ornamentation
• Lathe-turned pillars
• Combination of Nagara shikhara with Dravidian base elements

#1 — 108 CE

Mundeshwari Devi Temple, Bihar — The Oldest Temple in India

Mundeshwari Devi Temple in Kaimur district, Bihar, is widely recognised as the oldest functioning temple in India and arguably the oldest functional Hindu temple in the world. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officially dated this temple to 108 CE — making it nearly 1,900 years old.

The temple is dedicated to Goddess Mundeshwari (a form of Durga) and Lord Shiva, built in early Nagara style with a distinctive octagonal structure — a rare architectural form. Inside, a Chaturmukha (four-faced) Shivalinga is installed. The temple practises an extraordinary tradition: bloodless animal sacrifice — the goat is symbolically offered and then released alive.

#2 — 4th–5th c. CE

Udayagiri Caves Temples, Madhya Pradesh

Udayagiri Caves in Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, are among the oldest surviving rock-cut Hindu temples in India. Carved during the Gupta period (4th–5th century CE), these 20 cave shrines contain the magnificent Varaha avatar sculpture (Cave 5) — considered one of the greatest achievements of Gupta-era sculpture. A rock inscription in Cave 6 mentions the visit of Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya) himself.

#3 — 5th c. CE

Dashavatara Temple, Deogarh, Uttar Pradesh

Dashavatara Temple in Deogarh is one of the earliest surviving free-standing structural temples in India — dating to the 5th century CE (Gupta dynasty). Unlike earlier rock-cut temples, this was built from dressed stone blocks — representing the transition to structural temple architecture. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu as Anantashayana, it is named for the ten avatars (Dashavatara) of Vishnu depicted in exquisite relief panels on its walls.

#4 — 700–728 CE

Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu || UNESCO

Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram is perched on a rocky promontory overlooking the Bay of Bengal. Built between 700 and 728 CE by Pallava king Narasimhavarman II (Rajasimha), it marks a landmark in Indian architecture — one of the first structural stone temples in South India. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984.

#5 — 756–773 CE

Kailasa Temple, Ellora, Maharashtra || UNESCO — World’s Largest Monolithic Temple

Kailasa Temple at Ellora is one of the most extraordinary architectural achievements in all of human history. It is the world’s largest monolithic rock-cut temple — carved entirely from a single basalt cliff face, working downward from the top. Built by Rashtrakuta king Krishna I (756–773 CE), over 200,000 tonnes of rock were excavated. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it represents Mount Kailash.

#6 — 1010 CE

Brihadeeswarar Temple, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu || UNESCO

Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur is the crown jewel of Dravidian temple architecture. Built by Chola king Raja Raja Chola I (1003–1010 CE), its 66-metre vimana tower was the tallest temple tower of its time. Topped with a single 80-tonne granite capstone — an engineering feat that baffles modern experts. Remarkably, the shadow of the vimana never falls on the ground at noon — a precise calculation by ancient Chola architects.

#7 — 8th c. CE

Kedarnath Temple, Uttarakhand — Highest Ancient Temple in India

Kedarnath Temple in Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, stands at 3,583 metres in the Garhwal Himalayas — the highest ancient temple in India. Tradition attributes its construction to the Pandavas, while the current structure dates to the 8th century CE, reconstructed by Adi Shankaracharya. It is both one of the 12 Jyotirlinga and one of the Char Dham Yatra temples — a dual sacred significance unmatched by any other ancient temple in India.

#8 — 1250 CE

Konark Sun Temple, Odisha — The Black Pagoda || UNESCO

Konark Sun Temple is conceived as a massive stone chariot of the Sun God Surya — with 24 intricately carved stone wheels representing the hours of the day and 7 galloping horses representing the days of the week. Built by Eastern Ganga King Narasimha Deva I in 1250 CE, it earned the name ‘Black Pagoda’ from European sailors. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of India.

#9 — 6th c. CE+

Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai, Tamil Nadu

Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai is a living city within a city — covering 170,000 square metres with 14 towering gopurams (tallest: 51.9 metres) adorned with 33,000 painted stucco sculptures. The original temple dates to the 6th century CE during the Pandya dynasty. The nightly Alankaram ceremony has been performed every night for over a thousand years — one of the most enduring rituals in the world.

#10 — 11th c. CE

Lingaraja Temple, Bhubaneswar, Odisha

Lingaraja Temple in Bhubaneswar is the largest and most important temple in the ‘City of Temples’ — with over 150 smaller temples within its complex. Dating to the 11th century CE (Somavamshi dynasty), its presiding deity Harihara is a rare combined form of both Shiva and Vishnu — unifying the two greatest traditions of Hindu worship. The 45-metre Kalinga-style shikhara is one of the finest examples of the Nagara style in Eastern India.

2,000 years of sacred temple architecture — the oldest temples in India mapped across dynasties from 108 CE (Mundeshwari, pre-Gupta) to 1250 CE (Konark, Eastern Ganga). Each dynasty contributed a unique chapter to India’s unbroken heritage of temple building.

India has 7 UNESCO World Heritage Hindu temple sites — among the oldest temples in India with the highest international recognition. From Kailasa Temple (1983) to Pattadakal and Brihadeeswarar (1987), these sacred sites belong to the entire world.

South India Cluster — Biggest Concentration (5–7 Days)

Central India Cluster — Gupta to Medieval Era (4 Days)

Q1. Which is the oldest temple in India?

Mundeshwari Devi Temple in Kaimur district, Bihar, is officially recognised as the oldest temple in India by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), dated to 108 CE. It is also considered the oldest functioning Hindu temple in the world, with unbroken continuous worship for nearly 1,900 years.

Q2. What is the oldest temple in South India?

Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram (700–728 CE) is among the oldest surviving structural temples in South India. The Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai has traditions dating to the 6th century CE during the Pandya dynasty, though the current structure reflects centuries of later additions.

Q3. Which is the oldest Shiva temple in India?

Mundeshwari Devi Temple (108 CE) houses a Chaturmukha Shivalinga and is dedicated to both Shiva and Shakti — making it the oldest Shiva temple in India by ASI dating. Among clearly Shiva-dedicated temples, Kedarnath Temple (8th century CE) and Lingaraja Temple (11th century) are the most celebrated.

Q4. How old is the Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur?

Brihadeeswarar Temple was built by Chola king Raja Raja Chola I between 1003 and 1010 CE — making it over 1,000 years old. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and remains the tallest medieval temple in India at 66 metres. The shadow of its vimana never falls on the ground at noon.

Q5. Is Kailasa Temple really carved from one rock?

Yes — entirely and completely. The Kailasa Temple at Ellora is the world’s largest monolithic rock-cut structure, carved downward from the top of a single basalt cliff. Over 200,000 tonnes of rock were removed, and modern engineers estimate it would take 150 years to replicate using today’s technology. It remains one of the most dramatic architectural achievements in ancient world history.

Q6. Which ancient temples in India have UNESCO World Heritage status?

Brihadeeswarar Temple (1987), Kailasa Temple/Ellora Caves (1983), Shore Temple/Mahabalipuram (1984), Konark Sun Temple (1984), Khajuraho Temples (1986), and Pattadakal Temples (1987). Visit the UNESCO official site for the complete list.

Q7. Can I visit all the oldest temples in India in one trip?

Visiting all 20 oldest temples in India in one continuous trip would take approximately 25–35 days across 8 states. The most practical approach is to organise them into regional clusters: South India (Tamil Nadu + Karnataka), Central India (MP + Maharashtra), North India (UP + Bihar), and East India (Odisha) — each covered in a dedicated 5–7 day trip.

Q8. What is the best time to visit the oldest temples in India?

October to February is universally the best time — weather is pleasant across all regions. For Kedarnath specifically, the temple is open only from late April to November. The Maha Shivaratri festival (February/March) is the most auspicious time to visit all Shiva-dedicated temples.