5 Temples Where Gods Are Said to Live Forever
Riya Kumari | Mar 25, 2025, 23:49 IST
( Image credit : Times Life Bureau )
In the temples where Gods are said to live forever, there is no promise of easy answers, no assurances that our lives will be without hardship. What there is, however, is the invitation to embrace the eternal amidst the temporary. To acknowledge that while we move through time, there is something far greater—something divine—that remains constant. And perhaps, it is in this understanding that we find our peace.
In a world that constantly moves forward, where everything seems temporary, fleeting, and driven by the ticking clock, there are places where time stands still. In India, some temples claim to be not just spaces of worship but eternal homes for the divine. These aren’t ordinary temples; they represent a paradox of existence itself—while we, the people, are bound to time, the Gods are said to transcend it. These are the temples where the divine does not leave, does not change, and is not subject to the rules of mortality. There is an unmistakable permanence to their presence, a spiritual legacy that reaches far beyond our comprehension.
1. Kedarnath
Kedarnath sits at the foot of the Himalayas, a place where the physical world seems to shrink and the divine feels vast. Shiva’s presence here is not just a matter of belief—it is said to be eternal. The temple itself is a testament to resilience. Built against the forces of nature, it stands through everything, untouched by the passage of time. Shiva, the destroyer, resides here in a subtle, eternal form. His permanence is not about predictability or understanding—it is about accepting that some things cannot be fully grasped.
In a world where we constantly question and search for answers, Shiva’s silence in Kedarnath teaches us the quiet strength of endurance. It reminds us that there is peace in accepting what we cannot control, a truth that transcends time. Perhaps it is this very concept of eternal presence that we often overlook in our transient lives.
2. Brihadeeswarar Temple
The Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur is not just a monument of stone—it is a testament to something greater than time itself. Built over a thousand years ago, it stands unmoved by the rise and fall of empires, untouched by the shifting tides of history. It does not merely house the divine; it embodies the idea that divinity, like truth, is beyond destruction. Faith is not something to be preserved—it preserves us.
The temple’s towering presence is a quiet challenge to our ever-changing lives: if stone can hold the eternal, why do we believe permanence is beyond our reach? Perhaps the divine does not reside in temples alone, but in anything that refuses to be erased by time—conviction, purpose, devotion. The question is not whether the divine is present, but whether we recognize it in what endures.
3. Varanasi (Kashi Vishwanath)
Varanasi, the holiest of cities, is perhaps the most vivid example of divine permanence. Lord Shiva is believed to reside here forever, watching over life and death, guiding souls from one realm to another. But Varanasi is not just about rituals and practices—it’s about understanding the cycle of life itself. It is a place that teaches us the inevitability of change while reminding us that some truths are eternal.
In Varanasi, divinity is not an abstract concept; it is a lived reality, woven into the fabric of every street, every ritual, and every breath taken. To witness the Ganga’s flow and to walk the ancient ghats is to be reminded that life is a continuous cycle of beginnings and endings. And yet, there is something eternal about this city, a presence that remains constant no matter how much the world changes.
4. Dwarkadhish Temple
In Dwarka, the temple dedicated to Lord Krishna stands as a symbol of divine constancy in a world defined by flux. Krishna’s residence here isn’t just a relic of the past—it is a living presence. Even as the city of Dwarka faded into legend, the idea that Krishna’s divine energy remains ever-present challenges us to reflect on the nature of change itself.
Krishna, known for his playful, often enigmatic ways, left behind a legacy not just of teachings but of a reminder that life itself is a delicate dance between permanence and impermanence. Dwarka’s temple offers us an invitation: to accept change, yet to remain rooted in the eternal values that transcend all. In this acceptance, we might find peace—not in avoiding the flow of time, but in recognizing what remains steady amidst it.
5. Jagannath Temple
Jagannath Temple in Puri offers a unique perspective on divine presence. Lord Jagannath, along with his siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra, are said to reside in this temple forever. But it is not simply the idea of permanence that draws us to this sacred place—it is the lesson that comes with it. The temple is most famous for the annual Rath Yatra, a procession that symbolizes the journey of the Gods. The divine doesn’t just sit within the temple’s walls; it moves with the people, teaching us that divinity is not static—it is alive and dynamic, moving with us through the seasons of our lives.
What does it mean for divinity to move with us, never leaving, but never staying still? The Gods in Jagannath’s temple don’t offer a fixed point in time—they offer a reminder that, in our own lives, we must keep moving, growing, evolving, yet always rooted in something eternal.
1. Kedarnath
Kedarnath
( Image credit : Freepik )
Kedarnath sits at the foot of the Himalayas, a place where the physical world seems to shrink and the divine feels vast. Shiva’s presence here is not just a matter of belief—it is said to be eternal. The temple itself is a testament to resilience. Built against the forces of nature, it stands through everything, untouched by the passage of time. Shiva, the destroyer, resides here in a subtle, eternal form. His permanence is not about predictability or understanding—it is about accepting that some things cannot be fully grasped.
In a world where we constantly question and search for answers, Shiva’s silence in Kedarnath teaches us the quiet strength of endurance. It reminds us that there is peace in accepting what we cannot control, a truth that transcends time. Perhaps it is this very concept of eternal presence that we often overlook in our transient lives.
2. Brihadeeswarar Temple
Brihadeeswarar Temple
( Image credit : Times Life Bureau )
The Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur is not just a monument of stone—it is a testament to something greater than time itself. Built over a thousand years ago, it stands unmoved by the rise and fall of empires, untouched by the shifting tides of history. It does not merely house the divine; it embodies the idea that divinity, like truth, is beyond destruction. Faith is not something to be preserved—it preserves us.
The temple’s towering presence is a quiet challenge to our ever-changing lives: if stone can hold the eternal, why do we believe permanence is beyond our reach? Perhaps the divine does not reside in temples alone, but in anything that refuses to be erased by time—conviction, purpose, devotion. The question is not whether the divine is present, but whether we recognize it in what endures.
3. Varanasi (Kashi Vishwanath)
Kashi Vishwanath
( Image credit : Times Life Bureau )
Varanasi, the holiest of cities, is perhaps the most vivid example of divine permanence. Lord Shiva is believed to reside here forever, watching over life and death, guiding souls from one realm to another. But Varanasi is not just about rituals and practices—it’s about understanding the cycle of life itself. It is a place that teaches us the inevitability of change while reminding us that some truths are eternal.
In Varanasi, divinity is not an abstract concept; it is a lived reality, woven into the fabric of every street, every ritual, and every breath taken. To witness the Ganga’s flow and to walk the ancient ghats is to be reminded that life is a continuous cycle of beginnings and endings. And yet, there is something eternal about this city, a presence that remains constant no matter how much the world changes.
4. Dwarkadhish Temple
Dwarkadhish Temple
( Image credit : Times Life Bureau )
In Dwarka, the temple dedicated to Lord Krishna stands as a symbol of divine constancy in a world defined by flux. Krishna’s residence here isn’t just a relic of the past—it is a living presence. Even as the city of Dwarka faded into legend, the idea that Krishna’s divine energy remains ever-present challenges us to reflect on the nature of change itself.
Krishna, known for his playful, often enigmatic ways, left behind a legacy not just of teachings but of a reminder that life itself is a delicate dance between permanence and impermanence. Dwarka’s temple offers us an invitation: to accept change, yet to remain rooted in the eternal values that transcend all. In this acceptance, we might find peace—not in avoiding the flow of time, but in recognizing what remains steady amidst it.
5. Jagannath Temple
Jagannath Temple
( Image credit : Times Life Bureau )
Jagannath Temple in Puri offers a unique perspective on divine presence. Lord Jagannath, along with his siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra, are said to reside in this temple forever. But it is not simply the idea of permanence that draws us to this sacred place—it is the lesson that comes with it. The temple is most famous for the annual Rath Yatra, a procession that symbolizes the journey of the Gods. The divine doesn’t just sit within the temple’s walls; it moves with the people, teaching us that divinity is not static—it is alive and dynamic, moving with us through the seasons of our lives.
What does it mean for divinity to move with us, never leaving, but never staying still? The Gods in Jagannath’s temple don’t offer a fixed point in time—they offer a reminder that, in our own lives, we must keep moving, growing, evolving, yet always rooted in something eternal.