No one can deny the fact that India is the home of rich culture, history, traditions, beliefs, temples, forts, monuments, and lots more unique things that are found only in India. So this blog is dedicated to all the mesmerizing historical monuments of India. And tourists come from all corners of the world to explore them and we being the citizens of a proud country feel happy to have such an amazing heritage with us. In simple words, we can also say that India is blessed with not only the natural loveliness all across different states and cities, but the country is also rich in having memorable, attractive monuments across the nation. The presence of the famous monuments not only depicts the rich culture of the country, but it also represents the rich architecture skills dates back and it becomes more special when tourists praise the beauty and skill of our dates back architectures. Isnât it sound great? Well, to know more about each of the famous monuments, letâs go on this adventurous ride of exploring numerous historical monuments of India one by one.
1.Meenakshi Temple, Madurai
Located on the Southern banks of the Vaigai River in Madurai, Meenakshi Temple is one of the beautiful temples in India. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. And it is being visited by several Hindu worshipers and Tamil devotees since its establishment. While exploring this temple, tourists will get to know more about the 33,000 sculptures in its 14 gopurams. The sculptures will spellbind visitors for sure. Other than sculptures, tourists will also get amazed by the art and cultural history of the temple. And the attractive architecture will surely win your heart for sure. So, one must visit this temple at least once in their lives.
Interesting Facts: Meenakshi Temple hosts one of the popular annual festivals known as Meenakshi Thirukalayanam that is held in April. It is a kind of celestial wedding of god and goddess and approx. 1 million devotees visit this temple during this festival.
2.Mysore Palace, Mysore
When it comes to historical monuments, the Mysore Palace of Karnataka is one of the most visited attractions of the state. After Taj Mahal, Mysore Palace turned to have the highest footfalls of travelers. The palace has spacious halls, lovely art paintings, and Indo-Saracenic style architecture. The beautiful interior and exterior design of the architecture make travelers feel amazed after its sightseeing. The best time to visit this beautiful palace is at night due to its astonishing illuminated lights that cover the entire monument. In day time this red colored dome structure palace attracts travelers from a far distance and the tour to Mysore without Mysore Palaceâs visit is truly incomplete. If you canât visit at night, make sure to visit in the day time. It will be a treat to your eyes.
Interesting Facts: In the 14th century, Wodeyars took over Mysore and built a Wooden Palace inside the Old Fort and the original palace undergoes restoration many times. It is said that during the wedding of Princess Jayalakshammani the wooden palace got burned and after the hard work of 15 years the grand Mysore Palace was complete in 1912 commissioned by Maharaja Krishnarajendra Wodeyar IV to the British Architect Henry Irving.
3.Ajanta Ellora Caves, Aurangabad
Among the number of beautiful monuments, Ajanta Ellora Caves are one of the widely visited tourist destinations in India. Ellora caves are also considered as UNESCO World Heritage Site of Maharashtra, India. Ajanta caves are approximately 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments that date from the 2nd century BCE to about 480 CE whereas the Ellora caves are one of the largest rock-cut monastery-temple cave complexes in the world that features Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain monuments, and artwork, dating from the 600â1000 CE period. Both Ajanta Ellora caves offer a wonderful sightseeing experience to travelers. Here visitors can explore the beautiful architectures, paintings, artwork, and worshiping idols. It is a must-visit place.
Interesting Facts: The caves were discovered in 1819 when a British official named Jon Smith accidentally stumbled upon the horse-shoe shaped rock while hunting a tiger. Some caves are known as Viharas which is also known as monasteries with residents whereas caves 8,9,10,12,13 are early Buddhist caves.
4.Kumbhalgarh Fort, Rajasthan
Travelers who are looking to explore the beautiful fort and its royalty then you must visit one of the popular forts of Rajasthan i.e. Kumbhalgarh Fort. It is also popular as the second largest wall after the Great Wall of China. The fort is located deliberately on the western Aravalli hills with over 3600 ft tall and 38km long that surrounds the area of Udaipur. The fort is also listed under the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fort consists of several Hindu and Jain Temples indicating the tolerance of rulers. While exploring the fort, you will also come to know that it has seven fortified gateways along with the Lakhola Tank which is the most famous tank inside the fort.
Interesting Facts: It is said that while constructing this huge wall, Maharana Kumbha failed several times then he consulted a saint named âbaid babaâ. And he suggested getting a voluntary human sacrifice as a solution. When no-one appeared he chose himself to be volunteered and he sacrificed himself. The main entrance âHanuman Polâ of the fort is marked as a remembrance of the great sacrifice.
5.Sanchi Stupa, Sanchi
Among the number of beautiful monuments and attractions, Sanchi Stupa is one of the amazing attractions in Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the Buddhist complexes that were commenced by emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE. It is made from one of the oldest stone structures in India. It is also known as the center of Stupas, located a few miles of Sanchi, including Satdhara, the Relics of Sariputra and Mahamoggallana, Bhojpur, Andher, Sonari, etc. The value of this attraction is so important that people can see it over the Indian currency note of Rs 200, signifying its importance of Indian cultural heritage.
Interesting Facts: Sanchi stupa was constructed by Emperor Ashoka honoring Lord Buddha. The Stupa has several chambers, which contains the relics of Buddha. The Stupa symbolizes Dharma â the wheel of law. The last addition to the Stupa was done during the rule of the Guptas, before 450 AD. And it is also known as UNESCO World Heritage Site.
6. Amer Fort, Jaipur
Cradled on the top of the Aravali Hills, Amer Fort is one of the most significant palaces in India. And commonly it is known as Amber fort. The fort has a mesmerizing building with its jumbled passages and winding staircases is an architectural masterpiece. This amazing fort is made by Akbar, Maharaja Man Singh I in the year 1592, and later served as the main residence of the Rajput rulers. Right from its captivating beauty to the interior and exterior designs of the architect, Amer Fort always wins the heart of travelers. To explore this giant attraction, tourists can take the ride of the elephant which is also known as one of the tourist activities.
Interesting Facts: Amber Fort is also known as Sheesh Mahal. It is also the heartthrob of Bollywood films. A number of films have been shot here like âPyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya,â Mughal-E-Azam, etc. There are some secret passages between the famous Forts of Cheel ka Teela.
7.Hawa Mahal, Jaipur
Built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in 1799, Hawa Mahal is one of the beautiful attractions that India has. The ruler built this monument in the shape of a crown as he was a strong devotee of Lord Krishna and the architectureâs design is in the shape of Lord Krishnaâs crown and thatâs the reason he wished to have such a unique palace in the city. The palace has n numbers of intricate windows and its top offers stunning views of Jaipur. While exploring this beautiful palace, you will get to know more about its excellent paintings and artwork the entire palace. Tourists must visit the small museum inside the palace itself to know more about the rich history.
Interesting Facts: The crown-shaped palace is also known as âPalace of Windsâ or âWind Palaceâ due to its 953 small windows (Jharokhas). It was especially meant for the Royal Ladies and the idea behind this architect is to enable royal ladies to watch the daily life of the city through those small windows.
8.Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh
Among the number of attractive monuments, Khajuraho has one of the most appealing groups of monuments. The sightseeing is famous for the nagara style architectural symbolism and their erotic sculptures. Most of the temples were built by the Chandela dynasty between 885 AD and 1050 AD. The site has about 85 temples spread over 20 square kilometers, in the 12th century however now there are only 25 temples have been survived and spread over 6 square kilometers. Khajuraho temples were built together to prosper and dedicate to two religions Hindu and Jainism. It is also known as the World Heritage Site.
Interesting Facts: The Archaeological Survey of India has ranked Khajuraho monuments as the best-conserved monuments of ancient times. Khajuraho temples are rich in erotic and sensual sculptures, only around 10% of these sculptures describe sensuality, the rest of them displaying a variety of aspects of daily life like musicians composing, potters and farmers at work, women dressing up, etc.
9.Humayunâs Tomb, Delhi
Built-in the mid-16th century by Hamida Banu Begum for the late emperor, Humayunâs Tomb is one of the attractive ancient architecture depicting the richness of Persian and Islamic architecture. The architecture is popular for its precise geometric construction rather than its dĂ©cor. It was also known as the first garden-tomb in the Indian Subcontinent. Even it doesnât have lots of design and beauty, Humayunâs Tomb is being visited by several visitors every year. It is located in a peaceful area, so travelers visiting this monument can relax in between the garden.
Interesting Facts: The tomb houses 100 tombs inside the complex. The dome on top of the Humayunâs Tomb stands tall at 42.5 meters and can be accessed through stairs. The entire construction was completed in 8 years of hard work with approx. 1.5 million rupees. And Humayunâs Tomb was the inspiration behind the Taj Mahal.
10.Hampi, Karnataka
Hampi or Hampe is a great group of monuments. These monuments are also recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site. It is set in between the rock terrain – one of the many Vijayanagara market ruins, with Tungabhadra River in its background. According to the UNESCO Hampi’s ruins are spread over 4,100 hectares (16 sq mi) and more than 1,600 surviving remains of the last great Hindu kingdom in South India that includes ” temples, shrines, forts, riverside features, royal and sacred complexes, pillared halls, mandapas, memorial structures, water structures, and others”. Here visitors can explore the architecture, brilliant designs, and skill of ancient to 14th century CE. It will be a fantastic experience for sure.
Interesting Facts: Among the number of temples, Vittala Temple has a brilliant appealing feature i.e. musical pillars that always attract travelers. Hampi is also famous for its Hazara Ram temple. The temple has earned lots of popularity because of the existence of historical substance and fossils that are claimed to be there at the time of Ram and Krishnaâs era.
Travelers must visit each of these attractions of India and explore more about the Indian heritage, rich culture, traditions, beliefs, rulers and their kingdom, and lots more. The experience of visiting each of these tourist destinations will surely make you fall in love with Indian architecture and its preservation.