10 Most Important Temples of Lord Vishnu and His Avatars In India

Lord Vishnu is the protector of the Universe. According to mythology, he takes many incarnations to destroy evil forces and restore righteousness or Dharma in the world. Though most people have read about the 10 avatars of Vishnu, it is said that there are around 24 incarnations that he has taken to rid the world of evil. The ten most famous avatars of Vishnu are Matsya, Koorma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parashurama, Sri Rama, Krishna, Balarama, and Kalki. 

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Vishnu’s Dashavatar:

In his Matsya avatar (half fish, half-human), Vishnu saved all creation from the great deluge. 

As Koorma avatar (half tortoise and half-man), he balanced Mount Mandara on his shell to assist the gods, and the demons churn the Milky ocean for Amrit, the elixir of immortality. 

In his Varaha avatar (half man and half boar), he slew the demon Hiranyaksha to save Bhudevi or Earth. He saved her from being drowned in the ocean and brought her back to the surface with his tusks.

As Narasimha avatar (half lion and half-human), he killed the demon king, Hiranyakashipu, and restored righteousness on earth. 

As the Vamana avatar, he stopped the growing power of Mahabali.  

In his Parashuram avatar, he was a sage, a Brahmin Kshatriya, who ended the tyranny of the Kshatriyas.  

In his Rama avatar, he killed the evil demon, Ravana, and also freed his wife, Sita, from Ravana’s clutches.

In his Krishna avatar, he killed his tyrannical maternal uncle Kamsa. In the Mahabharata, he was the friend and advisor of the Pandavas and also Arjuna’s guide and charioteer. 

As the Balarama avatar, he is Krishna’s elder brother. He was also the guru of Duryodhana and Bhima. 

Kalki is supposedly the last avatar of Vishnu, and he is yet to be born. It is believed that he will destroy the demon Kali and begin a new Satya yuga or Kalki yuga. In India, there are many temples that are dedicated to Vishnu. Below is a list of ten important Vishnu temples that are dedicated to him and his various incarnations. 

Jagannath Temple, Puri:

This temple is one among the Char Dhaams of Vaishnava tradition. It has a special significance for Vaishnavites. It is known for its stunning architecture and is associated with many legends. The Ratha Yatra festival is one of the famous festivals celebrated at this temple.

Ranganatha Swamy temple, Srirangam:

This is one of the Swayam Bhakta Kshetras. It is located in Srirangam and is the largest Hindu temple in the world that is still functioning. It too has stunning architecture, and according to legend, Lord Rama, an avatar of Vishnu, visited it and prayed to the deity here when he returned victorious after slaying the demon king of Lanka, Ravana.

Venkateswara temple,Tirumala:

This is one of the most ancient temples in the country. It is situated in Tirumala, a hill town in Tirupati. This deity is believed to be quite powerful, and hordes of devotees visit this temple to get his blessings.

Vitthal Rukmini temple, Pandharpur:

This temple is in Maharashtra and is also one of the most visited Vishnu temples in India. It is dedicated to the Vithoba form of the deity and his consort, Rukmini. There are many legends about this form of Vishnu.

Dwarkadhish Temple, Gujarat:

This temple was erected by Lord Krishna's grandson, Vajranabha. The deity here is Krishna. The temple dates back to 2000 years ago. It is not only a Char Dhaam site but also a Divya Desam temple. Its location is Dwaraka, which was the place of Krishna’s residence.

Banke Bihari temple, Vrindavan:

This temple, located in the holy city of Vrindavan, is also dedicated to the Krishna avatar. The deity here is in the Tribhanga pose, and it is probably the most accurate representation ever. Akshaya Tritiya and Janmashtami Jhulan Yatra are two of the important festivals at the temple.

Simhachalam temple, Vishakapatnam:

This is dedicated to one of the fiercest avatars of Vishnu – Narasimha. It is one among the 18 Narasimha temples in the country. It has many legends surrounding it.

Kanak Bhavan, Ayodhya:

Also called Ram Mandir, it is dedicated to Vishnu’s seventh avatar, Sri Rama, and his consort, Sita. Kirtans are sung at the temple daily, adding to the holy ambience. The temple is packed with devotees on the day of Rama Navami.

Radha Raman Mandir, Vrindavan:

This temple dates back to 500 years ago. It was built by a devotee called Gopala Bhatta Goswami, and the temple is dedicated to Krishna and his consort, Radha. The edifice commemorates the eternal love between Radha and Krishna. Radha Saptami and Krishna Janmashtami are some of the major festivals celebrated here.

Shrinathji Temple, Udaipur, Rajasthan:

This is the only temple that enshrines the child form of Krishna. The idol was present here even before the temple was built at Nathdwara (meaning ‘doorway to God). Hordes of devotees visit this temple to get darshan of Krishna’s endearing child form.

Though Lord Vishnu took different forms in his avatars, they had a common goal, which was to get rid of evil forces and restore Dharma.  Hence, he is called the protector and preserver of the Universe. Dashavatar Homam is often performed by devotees to invoke the powers of the ten avatars of Vishnu. This Homam is said to get rid of planetary doshas, protect us from enemies, and bestow Moksha or salvation.