Indus Valley Civilization and Sarsvati River.

Veera Abhaya Anjaneya Hanuman Swami at Paritala

 
Veera Abhaya Anjaneya Hanuman Swami at Paritala near Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh in India – 135 feet (41 m)

Srivilliputhur one of the 108 Divya Desams

            Thiruvilliputhoor Divya Desam is a popular 2000-year-old Hindu temple and one of the 108 Divya Desams, the most important abodes of Lord Vishnu. It is the birthplace of two of the most important alvars (saints) in the Vaishnavite tradition: Periyazhvar and Andal. The temple is in the town of Srivilliputtur, about 74 km from Madurai, India. It is significant that the temple tower is used in the Tamilnadu government's official seal.
The history of Srivilliputhur centres around the Srivilliputhoor Temple, dedicated to Andal (8th century or earlier), the only female Alvar of the 12 Alvar saints of South India. She is credited with the Tamil works of Thirupavai and Nachiar Tirumozhi that are still recited by devotees during the Winter festival season of Margazhi. Andal is known for her unwavering devotion to god Vishnu, the God of the Srivaishnavas. Adopted by her father, the Alvar saint Periyalvar who found her as a baby, Andal avoided earthly marriage, the normal and expected path for women of her culture, to "marry" Vishnu, both spiritually and physically. In many places in India, particularly in Tamilnadu, Andal is treated more than a saint and as a form of god herself and a shrine for Andal is dedicated in most Vishnu temples.
During the reign of Thirumalai Naikar (1623–1659) and Rani Mangammal (1689–1706), this city became very popular. Thirumalai Nayak renovated the temples of this city. From 1751 to 1756 A.D., Srivilliputhur came under the rule of Nerkattumseval palayakkarar Puli thevar and was a maravarpalayam. Later the Fort of Srivilliputtur was ruled by Periyasami Thevar.[5] Then it fell into the hands of Mohammed Yousoof Khan. Until 1850, Sri Andal temple was under the care of the king of Trivancore. The British ruled the country till India attained freedom in 1947.

ANNAMALAIYAR TEMPLE in Thiruvannamalai!

               Dedicated to Shiva, is located at the base of Annamalai hills in the town of Thiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the temples associated with the five elements, the Pancha Bhoota Stalas, and specifically the element of fire, or Agni. Shiva is worshiped as Annamalaiyar or Arunachaleswarar, and is represented by the lingam, with his idol referred to as Agni lingam. His consort Parvati is depicted as Unnamulai Amman. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. The 9th century Saiva saint poet Manikkavasagar composed the Tiruvempaavai here.

The temple complex covers 10 hectares, and is one of the largest in India. It houses four gateway towers known as gopurams. The tallest is the eastern tower, with 11 stories and a height of 66 metres (217 ft), making it one of the tallest temple towers in India. The temple has numerous shrines, with those of Annamalaiyar and Unnamulai Amman being the most prominent. The temple complex houses many halls; the most notable is the thousand-pillared hall built during the Vijayanagar period.

The temple has six daily rituals at various times from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and twelve yearly festivals on its calendar. The Karthigai Deepam festival is celebrated during the day of the full moon between November and December, and a huge beacon is lit atop the hill. It can be seen from miles around, and symbolizes the Shiva lingam of fire joining the sky] The event is witnessed by three million pilgrims. On the day preceding each full moon, pilgrims circumnavigate the temple base and the Annamalai hills in a worship called Girivalam, a practice carried out by one million pilgrims yearly.
 
The present masonry structure was built during the Chola dynasty in the 9th century, while later expansions are attributed to Vijayanagar rulers of the Sangama Dynasty (1336–1485 CE), the Saluva Dynasty and the Tuluva Dynasty (1491–1570 CE). The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir ATLANTA, USA

VISHNU MANDIR, Muktinah, NEPAL

Muktinath is a sacred place both for Hindus and Buddhists located in Muktinath Valley at an altitude of 3,710 meters (12, 172 feet) at the foot of the Thorong La mountain pass, Mustang district, Nepal.

Carleton Hindu Temple. OTTAWA, CANADA

The biggest Ganesh Statue

 
 The 66-feet Chinmaya Ganadhish in Kolhapur is at present considered to be the tallest Ganesha idol in the world.

Thanjavur

Thanjavur. Scores of tourists make a beeline to the showstopper of the town – the thousand-year-old Brihadeshwara temple. However in the heart of the erstwhile Chola capital, where Raja Raja Chola’s Big Temple, true to its name, towers over all and sundry, is a palace, which has very little to do with the Cholas, historically speaking.

Everything about Thanjavur is larger than life. Besides the Big temple, is the Periya Kottai or the Big Fort, built by the Nayaks who took over the reins of the kingdom from the Cholas. The Aramane built by them in the 16th century became the official residence of the Bhonsle clan of the Marathas, the next dynasty who ruled this region for over 200 years from the 17th to the 19th centuries. 

Mamallapuram

Jaipur

Though the Jaipur Literature Festival – always colorful, often controversial -- is the premier literary event in the country, it is not all that Jaipur has to offer. Founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, a Kachwaha Rajput who ruled the state of Jaipur from 1699 to 1744, the city takes after his name. The Maharaja moved his capital from Amber Fort, 11 km from the city in the adjoining hills, owing to a scarcity of water and growing population. In 1853, when the Prince of Wales visited the city, the entire city was painted a shade of earthy pink to welcome him. The practice stayed, and Jaipur assumed the sobriquet of Pink City thereafter. The Nahargarh Fort, which overlooks the city from a hillock to the northwest, the Jaigarh Fort known for its enormous cannon are the other forts. The City Palace, the Prince Albert Museum, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar and the Jal Mahal are some of the most-visited monuments.