Ajanta Caves
The Ajanta Caves are 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments dating from the second century BCE to about 480 CE in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra state in India. [8] [9] [10] Ajanta Caves are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. [9] Universally regarded as masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, the caves include paintings and rock-cut sculptures, described as among the finest surviving examples of ancient Indian art, particularly expressive paintings that present emotions through gesture, pose and form. [11] [12] [13]
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Charminar
The Charminar (lit. 'four minarets') is a monument located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Constructed in 1591, the landmark is a symbol of Hyderabad and officially incorporated in the emblem of Telangana. [3] It remained the tallest structure in Hyderabad for 396 years until 1987. The Charminar's long history includes the existence of a mosque on its top floor for more than 435 years. While both historically and religiously significant, it is also known for its popular and busy local markets surrounding the structure, and has become one of the most frequented tourist attractions in Hyderab…
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Golconda
Golconda or Muhammadnagar [1] is a fortified citadel and ruined city located on the western outskirts of Hyderabad, Telangana, India. [2] [3] The fort was initially built by Kakatiya ruler Pratāparudra in the 11th century out of mud walls, and was expanded into the current stone citadel by the Qutb Shahs. [4] It was ceded to the Bahmani Kings (before it fragmented into 5 other kingdoms known as the "Deccan Sultanates") from Musunuri Nayakas during the reign of Bahmani Sultan Mohammed Shah I, during the first Bahmani–Vijayanagara War. Following the death of Sultan Mahmood Shah, the Sultanate…
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Chittor Fort
Chittor Fort (the literal translation of the Hindi Chittorgarh ), also known as Chittod Fort , is one of the largest forts in India. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fort was the capital of Mewar and is located in the present-day city of Chittorgarh. It sprawls over a hill 180 m (590.6 ft) in height, spread over an area of 280 ha (691.9 acres) above the plains of the valley drained by the Berach River. The fort covers 65 historic structures, which include four palaces, 19 large temples, 20 large water bodies, 4 memorials, and a few victory towers.
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Mehrangarh
Mehrangarh is a historic fort located in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. It stands on a hilltop, rising about 122 m (400 ft) above the surrounding plains, [1] and the complex spans 1,200 acres (486 hectares). It was initially built around 1459 by the Rajput ruler of Rathore clan Rao Jodha, [2] though most of the existing structure is from the 17th century built by his successors. [3] The fort has seven gates, including the main entrance, Jai Pol (meaning 'victory gate'), built by Maharaja Man Singh to commemorate his victories over the Jaipur and Bikaner armies in 1806. The Fattehpol (lit. 'vict…
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Amber Fort
Amer Fort or Amber Fort is a fort located in Amer, Rajasthan, India. Amer is a town with an area of 4 square kilometres (1.5 sq mi) [2] located 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) from Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. Located high on a hill, it is the principal tourist attraction in Jaipur. [3] [4] Amer Fort is known for its artistic style elements. With its large ramparts and series of gates and cobbled paths, the fort overlooks Maota Lake, [4] [5] [6] [7] which is the main source of water for the Amer Palace.
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Gateway of India
The Gateway of India is an arch-monument, completed in 1924, on the waterfront of Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It was erected to commemorate the landing of King George V of the United Kingdom for his coronation as the Emperor of India in December 1911 at Strand Road near Wellington Fountain. He was the first British monarch to visit India.
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Qutb Minar
The Qutb Minar , also spelled Qutub Minar and Qutab Minar , is a minaret and victory tower, built during the Delhi sultanate, and comprising the Qutb complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Mehrauli, South Delhi, India. [3] [4] It was mostly built between 1199 and 1220, contains 399 steps, and is one of the most frequented heritage spots in the city. [5] [6] [3] After defeating Prithviraj Chauhan, the last Hindu ruler of Delhi before the Ghurid conquest of the region, [7] [8] Qutab-ud-din Aibak initiated the construction of the victory tower, but only managed to finish the first level. It …
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Red Fort
The Red Fort ( Lal Qila in Hindi; Hindi pronunciation: [laːl 'qɪlaː]) is a historic Mughal fort located in the Old Delhi area of Delhi, India. Serving as the main residence of the Mughal emperors, it was commissioned by Emperor Shah Jahan on the 12th of May 1639; the fort was constructed following his decision to shift the Mughal capital from Agra to Delhi. Originally adorned in red and white, the fort's design is attributed to Ustad Ahmad Lahori, the architect of the Taj Mahal. The Red Fort is a prominent example of Mughal architecture from Shah Jahan's reign, combining Persian and Indian …
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Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal (/ˌtɑːdʒ məˈhɑːl, ˌtɑːʒ -/ TAHJ mə-HAHL, TAHZH - ; Hindustani: [t̪ɑːd͡ʒ ˈmɛɦ(ɛ)l]; lit. 'Crown of the Palace') is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan (r. 1628–1658), to house the tomb of his late wife, Mumtaz Mahal; it also houses the tomb of Shah Jahan himself. The tomb is the centrepiece of a 17-hectare (42-acre) complex, which includes a mosque and a guest house, and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenellated wall.
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Jama Masjid, Delhi
The Masjid-i-Jehan-Numa , commonly known as the Jama Masjid , in Old Delhi area of Delhi, is one of the largest mosques in India. [1] Its builder was the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, between 1644 and 1656, and it was inaugurated by its first Imam, Syed Abdul Ghafoor Shah Bukhari. Situated in the Mughal capital of Shahjahanabad (today Old Delhi), it served as the imperial mosque of the Mughal emperors until the demise of the empire in 1857. The Jama Masjid was regarded as a symbolic gesture of Mughal power across India. It was also a site of political significance during several key periods of…
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Golden Temple
The Golden Temple [1] is a gurdwara located in Amritsar, Punjab, India. [5] [6] It is the pre-eminent spiritual site of Sikhism and its holiest site. [5] [7] The gurdwara complex is a collection of buildings around the sanctum sanctorum and the sarovar (holy pool), [5] known as the Amrit Sarovar . [8] One of these is Akal Takht, part of the Panj Takht (five seats of authority in Sikhism) and the chief centre of religious authority of Sikhism. [7] Additional buildings include a clock tower, the offices of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, a museum and a langar—a free Sikh communit…
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Kamakhya Temple
Kamakhya Temple (Assamese: kamakhya mondir ) is a Hindu temple at Nilachal hills in Guwahati, Assam is one of the oldest and most revered centres of Tantric practices, [3] dedicated to the goddess Kamakhya. The temple is the centre of the Kulachara Tantra Marga and the site of the Ambubachi Mela, an annual festival that celebrates the menstruation of the goddess. [4] Structurally, the temple is dated to the 8th-9th century with many subsequent rebuildings [5] —and the final hybrid architecture defines a local style called Nilachal. [6] It is also one among the oldest 4 of the 51 pithas in t…
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Meenakshi Temple
Meenakshi Temple , also known as Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple , is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to Meenakshi, [1] a form of Parvati, and her consort Sundareswarar [2] (Shiva). The temple is theologically significant as it represents a confluence of various denominations of Hinduism such as Shaivism, Shaktism, and Vaishnavism.
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Ramanathaswamy Temple
Ramanathaswamy Temple ( Rāmanātasvāmi Kōyil ) is a Hindu temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva located on Rameswaram island in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga temples. It is one of the 276 Paadal Petra Sthalams, the sacred sites glorified by the Nayanars (Shaivite poet-saints), Appar, Sundarar, and Sambandar, with their songs. According to tradition, the lingam (an aniconic form of Shiva) of the Ramanathaswamy Temple was established and worshipped by Rama before he crossed the bridge called Rama Setu to the island kingdom of Lanka, identified with Sri L…
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Somnath Temple
Somanatha Temple ( Sanskrit: सोमनाथ, romanized: Somanātha, lit. Soma = moon nātha = lord/master ) is a Hindu temple, located in Prabhas Patan, Veraval, in Gujarat, India. It is one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites, or Tirtha Kshetra for Hindus and is the first among the twelve jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. [7] The date of construction of the earliest Somnath temple remains uncertain, with estimates varying between the early centuries of the 1st millennium and about the 9th century CE. [8] [9] Various texts, including the Mahabharata and Bhagavata Purana , mention a tirtha (pilgrimage sit…
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Konark Sun Temple
Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century CE Hindu Sun temple at Konark about 35 kilometres (22 mi) northeast from Puri city on the coastline in Puri district, Odisha, India. [1] [2] The temple is attributed to king Narasingha Deva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty about 1250 CE. [3] [4] Dedicated to the Hindu Sun-god Surya, it reflects the pinnacle of Kalingan architecture and artistic excellence, what remains of the temple complex has the appearance of a 30-metre (100 ft) high chariot with immense wheels and horses, all carved from stone. Once over 61 metres (200 ft) high, [1] [5] much of the temp…
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Jagannath Temple, Puri
The Jagannath Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath, a form of Vishnu. It is located in Puri, Odisha, on the eastern coast of India. [4] As per temple records, King Indradyumna of Avanti built the main temple. [5] The present temple complex was rebuilt from the eleventh century onwards on the site of the earlier shrines, excluding the main Jagannath temple, and was begun by Anantavarman Chodaganga, the first ruler of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. [6] Many of the temple rituals are based on Shabari Tantras which are evolved from tribal beliefs respectively. [7] The local legends link …
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Badrinath Temple
Badarinath Temple, also known as Badarinarayana Temple, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu. It is located in the town of Badrinath in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, India. The temple is one of the 108 Divya Desams, sacred to Vaishnavism, where Vishnu is worshipped as Badrinath. Due to extreme weather conditions in the Himalayas, the temple is open for six months each year, from late April to early November. It is one of the most visited pilgrimage centres of India, having recorded 2.8 million (28 lakh) visits in just 2 months in 2022. [1] It is one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites.
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Kedarnath Temple
Kēdāranātha Temple (Sanskrit: केदारनाथ मन्दिर, IAST: Kēdāranātha Mandira , lit. 'temple of the God of the field') is a Hindu temple, one of the twelve jyotirlinga of Śiva. The temple is located on the Garhwal Himalayan range [1] near the Mandākinī River, in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple is open to the general public only between the months of April (Akṣaya Tritiya) and November (Kārtika Pūrṇimā, the autumn full moon). During the winters, the vigraha (deity) of the temple is carried down to Ukhimath to be worshiped for the next six months. Kēd…
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