Data Sources

Sacred Places India is committed to historical accuracy and transparency. Our database is compiled from the following primary and secondary sources. Every page includes specific citations where applicable.

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)

Official monument descriptions, conservation reports, site surveys, and published circulars from the Government of India's premier archaeological organization. ASI publications provide verified information on protected monuments, architectural measurements, and historical chronology.

UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Advisory body evaluations, nomination dossiers, periodic reporting, and justification files for all World Heritage Sites in India. These documents provide detailed architectural descriptions, historical context, and Outstanding Universal Value statements for each inscribed property.

State Tourism & Religious Endowment Boards

Official visitor information, temple timings, festival schedules, and pilgrimage route data published by state tourism departments and Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments departments of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, and other states.

Temple Trusts & Temple Committees

Official websites and published literature from major temple trusts including Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, Shri Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee, Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple Management Committee, and Shri Somnath Trust.

Academic Journals & Reference Works

Peer-reviewed articles from journals including Studies in Indian Art and Architecture, South Asian Studies, and the Journal of the American Oriental Society. Reference works by Kramrisch, Meister, Hardy, Michell, and Huntington provide the scholarly foundation for architectural analysis and historical dating.

Primary Historical Sources

Epigraphical records (copper plates, stone inscriptions), the Divya Prabandham (4,000 Tamil hymns of the Alvar saints), Tevaram (Shaiva hymns of the Nayanmar saints), Sthala Puranas (regional temple chronicles), and travelogues of medieval visitors including Xuanzang, Marco Polo, and Ibn Battuta.

Government of India Publications

District Gazetteers, Census of India reports on religious demographics, Ministry of Culture heritage listings, and the National Mission for Manuscripts catalogues of temple-related manuscripts and inscriptions.

Wikimedia Commons & Open Source Imagery

CC-licensed and public domain photographs sourced from Wikimedia Commons, with attribution provided in our image credits page. All images are verified to depict the correct temple and location before publication.

How We Use These Sources

For each temple page, we cross-reference information from at least two independent sources wherever possible. Architectural descriptions draw on ASI records and academic publications. Historical dates are verified against epigraphical evidence and scholarly consensus. Visitor information is sourced from the most recent official temple trust and state tourism publications. When sources disagree, we note the discrepancy and present both perspectives.

Our editorial team reviews and updates content regularly. The Last Updateddate on each page reflects the most recent review cycle for that specific temple's information.

If you identify any discrepancies, have additional verified information to contribute, or represent an organization whose data we use, please reach out via our contact page. We welcome corrections and updates.