Every part of India has its own unique feature, some of which are also known for their religious places. One such state is Andhra Pradesh of South India where you will get to see one or the other temple at every nook and corner. Here you will find temples of all the revered deities of Hinduism. Along with religious faith, the temples here are also known for their architecture. These temples built centuries ago are now also known for tourism, which is visited by foreigners too. Today in this episode, we are going to tell you about some popular temples of Andhra Pradesh, which are visited by lakhs of devotees from almost every corner of the country and you should also visit once. Let's know about these temples...

Kanaka Durga Temple
'Indrakeeladri' is a very beautiful hill in Vijayawada city of Andhra Pradesh. The holy river Krishna flows along this hill and the Kanaka Durga temple of Maa Durga is built on its banks. Special worship is done here during Navratri. People have great faith in this temple of Goddess Durga. There is a large gathering of devotees here. There is a huge celebration here on the day of Dussehra and on this day pilgrims take a holy dip in the river Krishna. The Kanaka Durga Temple in Andhra Pradesh is one of the many Shaktipeeths located in the country. The goddess is enshrined here in her Mahishasuramardini form, along with the idol of the slain demon king Mahishasura. People believe in this temple that the wishes of every devotee coming here are fulfilled. That's why thousands of devotees come here every year to visit.

Venkateswara Temple Tirupati
Tirupati Balaji Temple, located on Tirumala Hill in Tirupati, Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, is one of the major temples and religious places in Andhra Pradesh where lakhs of devotees come every year to have darshan of Venkateswara and fulfill their wishes. Tirupati Balaji Temple has a lot of recognition among the people of Hindu religion. The glory of this temple is immense. It is said that life becomes successful by visiting Tirupati once in life. Built at a height of 853 feet above the Sumridi level, this temple is also called the "Temple of the Seven Hills" because of the seven peaks on the hill. This is the richest temple in the country in terms of charity and religion. Every year crores of rupees are donated in this temple. Every day 50 thousand to 1 lakh devotees reach the temple to see Venkateswara, while on special occasions the number of pilgrims goes up to 5 lakhs.

Lepakshi Temple
Lepakshi Temple is a major tourist destination of Andhra Pradesh. Lepakshi Temple, also known as Veerabhadra Temple and Hanging Temple, is located in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. Lepakshi Temple is also famous for the mysterious stories as well as the Hanging Pillar. It is said that a glimpse of the history of Vijayanagara Empire is also seen in this temple. Here you will also see the footprints of Mata Sita. Apart from architectural importance, the temple is also an important pilgrimage center for Lord Shiva as per Skanda Purana. Lepakshi is one such temple, which attracts pilgrims as well as art lovers.

Srikalahasti Temple
Srikalahasti Temple is located in the Chittoor district of the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh. The temple of Srikalahasti is extremely popular among devotees who visit this temple along with the Tirupati temple. This temple is 36 km away from Tirupati. The temple dedicated to Lord Shiva holds immense religious significance for Hindus and was constructed in the year 1516 by King Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara Empire. The entrance of the temple offers a wonderful view and also has intricate carvings of many mythological paintings. This grand temple is often referred to as the Kailasa and Kashi of the South. The temple represents one of the five elements and that is air.

Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple
The Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is built on the Nallamala hills of Srisailam in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. These huge hills are considered to be the abode of the Lord. It is said that Shiva is everywhere here. This temple is also one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, hence this place has special significance. Lord Rama himself installed the Sahasralinga here, while the Pandavas installed the Panchapandava Linga in the courtyard of the temple.

Ranganatha Temple
Located on the banks of the Pennar River in Nellore, the Ranganatha Temple is one of the most revered temples in Andhra Pradesh. The Ranganatha Temple, dedicated to Ranganathaswamy Swamy, is considered to be the oldest temple in the region and attracts a large number of devotees. Let us tell you that this temple is known for its religious activities as well as its beautiful architecture and exquisite carvings, which makes it a very special place for devotees as well as art lovers and tourists. Whenever you come here, you will be able to see the idol of the presiding deity of the temple, Lord Sri Ranganathaswamy, as well as a hall decorated with intricate carvings, in which seven gold vessels are kept.

Kolanu Bharti Temple
The Kolanu Bharathi Temple is dedicated to Goddess Saraswati in Andhra Pradesh and is a very sacred pilgrimage site. An ancient Shivling is also present in this temple complex, for which thousands of tourists reach every day. Apart from this, there is an idol of Kaal Bhairav in the temple premises which is considered to be very sacred. The age-old tradition of Aksharashim is followed even today in this ancient temple. There is also a Shivalinga in the temple complex, known as the Sapta Linga Kshetra, and an idol of Kaal Bhairav that guards the area.