Airavatesvara Temple is a Hindu temple of Dravidian architecture located in the town of Darasuram, near Kumbakonam, Thanjavur District in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. This temple, built by Rajaraja Chola II in the 12th century CE is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur, the Gangaikondacholisvaram Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram that are referred to as the Great Living Chola Temples.

The Airavatesvarar temple is one among a cluster of eighteen medieval era large Hindu temples in the Kumbakonam area, Thanjavur District. The temple is dedicated to Shiva. It also reverentially displays Vaishnavism and Shaktism traditions of Hinduism, along with the legends associated with Nayanmars – the Bhakti movement saints of Shaivism.

The Airavatesvara Shiva temple has a water tank. This tank has a connected channel that brings in Cauveri River water where Hindus gather annually to take a dip. The local mythology narrates how Airavata, or Indra's (malla) white elephant was restored with clean, white skin after he took a dip in this tank. This legend is carved in stone in the inner shrine, and this Indra's elephant gives this temple its name.

Airavatesvara Temple was added to UNESCO's World Heritage Site list of Great Living Chola Temples in the year 2004. The Great Living Chola Temples includes the Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur, the Temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram at Gangaikonda Cholapuram and the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram. All of these temples were built by the Cholas between the 10th and 12th centuries CE and have a lot of similarities.

Shree #KedarnathTemple, #Uttarakhand, India.

( Temple gates are closed for this season now.)

#BengaluruPalace, is a palace situated in the Vasanth Nagar, inner #Bengaluru is carved in the traditional Tudor Revival Architecture making you reminisce the royal past that the city wombs within itself. Its walls are donned with blue ceramic tiles while it's courtyard seats contain granite's gleam. If you are a lover of tudor architecture, you will fall for this place forever! While it's beautifully erected, it's ambience transports you to the aesthetic era of art where carving heritage and history was a habit the passionate people had. Visit this palace and many more such prodigal places in this city of Deccan!

#AdiKumbeswararTemple, #Kumbakonam is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located in the town of Kumbakonam in #Thanjavur District #TamilNadu, India. Shiva is worshiped as Adi Kumbeswarar, and is represented by the lingam. His consort Parvati is depicted as Mangalambigai Amman. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the Nayanmars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.

#BadavilingaTemple is a wonderful temple in #Hampi dedicated to #LordShiva. The Hindu deity Shiva is worshipped in the form of a Linga in this temple. #TheBadavilingaTemple is located near the Lakshmi Narasimha Temple. Tourists as well as devotees flock to the temple throughout the year.
The Badavilinga Temple in Hampi has the largest monolithic Shiva Linga in Hampi. The #ShivaLinga has a three eye mark drawn on it in line carving. The three eye mark depicts the three eyes of Lord Shiva.

The beautiful Linga is made of black stone. It has a height of 3 meters. It is believed that the temple has been in existence since the period of the Vijayanagara Empire. Devotees come here from far and near to worship the Shiva Linga.

Jatayu Earth Center - World's Largest Bird Sculpture.

#JatayuEarthCenter, also known as #JatayuNaturePark or #JatayuRock, is a park and tourism centre at #Chadayamangalam in #Kollam district of #Kerala. It stands at an altitude of 350m (1200ft) above the mean sea level.

The park is located on a hill-top and no special transportation is required to get in to the park, however visitors required to use a cable car to reach the top of the park. Visitors intending to enter the park must obtain a paid ticket. Tourists may only bring cameras, and no bags are allowed. Lockers are provided for other items and there will be a security screening process before entering the top.

#Madmaheshwar - dedicated to the Madhya bhaga or the navel of Shiva. This is said to have been established by the Pandavas forming an integral part of the panch Kedar legend. During the winter period the entire area becomes inaccessible due to snowfall and worship is shifted to Ukhimat. The temple priest here is from Karnataka, and this is the tradition been followed from ages.

#Meghamalai commonly known as the High Wavy Mountains, is a mountain range located in the #WesternGhats in the #Theni district of #TamilNadu, near #Kumily, #Kerala.

It is dotted with cardamom plantations and tea estates.

The mountain range is 1,500 metres above sea level, and it is rich in flora and fauna.

#Madmaheshwar is a temple dedicated to #GodShiva, located in the #Goundar village of #Garhwal #Himalayas in #Uttarakhand, India. Situated at an elevation of 3,497 m (11,473.1 ft), Ukhimath is winter seat of Madmaheswar, It is the #PanchKedar pilgrimage circuit, comprising five #ShivaTemples in the #GarhwalRegion.
The middle (madhya) or belly part or navel (nabhi) of the Shiva, is worshipped at this temple, Temple built by the Pandavas, the survivors of the Hindu epic Mahabharata.

#MadhmaheshwarTemple

Vivekananda Rock Memorial

#BadrinathTemple, #Uttarakhand, India.

#NishatBagh is a terraced #MughalGarden built on the eastern side of the #DalLake, close to #Srinagar in the union territory of #Jammu and #Kashmir, India. It is the largest Mughal garden in the #KashmirValley . ‘Nishat Bagh’ is Urdu, and means the "Garden of Joy," "Garden of Gladness" and "Garden of Delight."

#Tungnath is one of the #HighestShivaTemple in the world and is the highest of the five #PanchKedar temples located in the mountain range of Tunganath in #Rudraprayag district, in the Indian state of #Uttarakhand. It is located at an altitude of 3,680 m (12,073 ft), and just below the peak of #Chandrashila.

The #KampaheswararTemple or kampa-hara-ishvarar ( kampa-hareswarar ) is a #HinduTemple dedicated to the god Shiva. It is situated in #Thirubuvanam, a village in #Thanjavur district in the South Indian town of #TamilNadu, on the #Mayiladuthurai #Kumbakonam road. Shiva is worshiped as "#Kampahareswarar" as he removed the quaking (Skt. Kampa) of a king who was being haunted by a Brahmarakshasa. It was built by Kulothunga Chola III and is considered the last of the four masterpieces built during the Medieval Chola era.

Swamimalai Swaminathaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to god #Murugan. It is located in #Swamimalai, 5 km from #Kumbakonam, on the banks of a tributary of #RiverKaveri in #Thanjavur District, 250 km from Chennai, the capital of #TamilNadu, India. The temple is second abode of Murugan among six (Arupadaiveedugal). The shrine of the presiding deity, #Swaminathaswamy is located atop a 60 ft (18 m) hillock and the shrine of his mother Meenakshi (Parvathi) and father Shiva (Sundareswarar) is located downhill. The temple has three gopuram (gateway towers), three precincts and sixty steps and each one is named after the sixty Tamil years. The temple has six daily rituals at various times from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and three yearly festivals on its calendar. The annual Vaikasi Visagam festival is attended by thousands of devotees from far and near.
#SwamimalaiSwaminathaswamyTemple

#ChakrapaniTemple is a #HinduTemple dedicated to Vishnu located in #Kumbakonam, #TamilNadu, India. This temple is located 2 km, away towards North West from the Kumbakonam Railway Station. Vishnu appears in the form of a discus or Chakra to put down the pride of Surya (the Sun), who subsequently became his devotee. Like Shiva, #LordChakrapani has a third eye on His forehead. The temple is one of the most prominent temples in Kumbakonam.

The #MysorePalace is a historical palace and the royal residence at #Mysore in the Indian State of #Karnataka. It is the official residence of the Wadiyar dynasty and the seat of the Kingdom of Mysore. The palace is in the centre of Mysore, and faces the Chamundi Hills eastward.

Chandrashila is summit of the Tungnath. It literally means "Moon Rock". It is located at a height of about 4,000 metres above sea level. This peak provides views of the Himalayas, including Nandadevi, Trisul, Kedar Peak, Bandarpunch and Chaukhamba peaks. There are various legends associated with this place.

#Kakanmaṭh is a ruined 11th century #ShivaTemple located at #Sihoniya in #MadhyaPradesh, India. It was built by the Kachchhapaghata ruler Kirttiraja. Only a part of the original temple complex now survives. Some of the sculptures from the site are now located at #Gwalior.