Looking for a temple? Discover places of worship on MyDevalay

When you look for a temple, you may have more in mind than finding the closest place on a map. Perhaps your family has told you the name of a particular shrine. Perhaps you want to visit a temple dedicated to a deity you worship at home. Or maybe you are travelling to a city and would like to make time for darshan while you are there. The more you know about the place you are looking for, the easier it is to find the right one.

Start with what you know

A temple, or mandir, is a place set aside for the worship of a deity. They can be very different from one another. Some are modest shrines on a neighbourhood street; others are large complexes with several deities, halls and spaces used during festivals. MyDevalay’s temple directory helps you explore temples by place and deity, and gives you an introduction to a temple before you decide whether to visit.

You do not need a complete address to begin. A city and the deity you have in mind can be a useful starting point. If someone in the family has shared a temple name, try that first. Names are sometimes written or pronounced differently, so read the details rather than selecting the first result that looks familiar.

It is also worth looking beyond the main deity when a temple has more than one shrine. Your family may have a reason for visiting a particular form of the deity, or for paying respects at another shrine within the same complex. The temple’s name and its short introduction can help you work out whether you have found the place you were told about.

What a temple listing can—and cannot—tell you

A listing is a useful introduction, but it cannot answer every practical question about a visit. Timings may change for festivals, special rituals or local arrangements. A shrine that is usually open may be closed for part of a day. If you are travelling a long distance, confirm the visiting hours with the temple or with someone who has been there recently. It is better to make one call than to build your day around information that has changed.

• Have the temple name ready if a family member has given you one.
• Use the city and deity together when you know both.
• Read about the other shrines in the complex if that matters to your visit.

1. Open the temple listing and check the name and deity carefully.
2. Note the city and neighbourhood, not only the map location.
3. Confirm timings and any special arrangements before making a long journey.
4. If the nearest temple is still too far away for regular visits, you may find this article about keeping a practice when the temple is distant helpful.

A quick check before you set out

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Temple name:
City or area:
Deity:
Reason for visiting:
What I need to confirm:

Make the visit your own

Once you have found the temple, share the name and practical details with the people who are travelling with you. This is especially helpful when the visit is part of a family trip or when someone older has asked you to go on their behalf. You may also want to note why this particular temple matters to your family; that small detail can be useful when you are explaining the visit to someone else.

And if the temple you are looking for turns out to be several hours away, that does not mean your connection to the tradition has to stop until the next visit. Families find practical ways to keep their observances going, even when travel is difficult. If you are arranging a priest-led rite at home, our guide to planning a pooja covers that separate process. The directory can help you discover a place; the rest depends on what is meaningful and manageable for your household.