India – Symbols of Heritage

Image Source: Bijoy Mohan

India Gate, Delhi:
Anyone who visits Delhi will never forget to visit India Gate constructed during the year 1931 in the memory of 99,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives in the World War I and the second Afghan war in 1919. 13,516 names were inscribed on it. It is located at Rajpath, New Delhi. The structure was constructed completely with red stone and the height is 42 meters. An eternal flame is also lit at the place in the honour of the soldiers unknown. The monument was dedicated to the nation by the duke of Connaught in 1931 by the hands of Viceroy, Lord Irwin.


Image Source: Raj Kumar

Qutub Minar, Delhi:
Qutub Minar an architectural marvel constructed in the year 1199 by Qutub-ud-Din Albak the slave king as a victory tower. Only the first storey was constructed by Qutub and the other stories were constructed by his successors and his son in-law Firozshah Tuglaq. The structure was completely constructed with red sand stone and height is 72.5 m.

Image Source: James

Red Fort (Lal Quila), Delhi:
It is the seventh city of Delhi Shahjahanabad built by Shah Jahan in 17 Th centuries. It was seat of Mughal power in India till 1857. It is enclosed by rubble stone wall and several edifices were built inside of it. It has fourteen gates and the important gates are Lahori, Ajmeri, Turkmen, Kashmiri and Delhi gates. The construction of the red fort was started in the year 1639 and was completed by 1648. It is situated at the town’s northern end on the right bank of Yamuna and the south Salimgarh. It was constructed with red sand stone and the palaces with marble.

Image Source: Prasad

Rashtrapathi Bhavan, Delhi:
Rashtrapathi Bhavan is the official residence of the President of India and a monumental structure and a master piece of British Empire. It has 340 rooms, 37 salons, 74 lobbies and loggias, one Km of corridor 18 stair cases and 37 fountains. On the west side of the Rashtrapathi Bhavan there is a beautiful Mughal garden and is open for the visitors during spring. It has a state drawing room, state ball room, state library, dining room and private apartments.

Image Source: Jeremy Vandel

Baha’i House of Worship (Lotus House), Delhi:
It is a symbol of communal harmony of India completely constructed by marble stone dedicated by the Government of India to the people of India and all humanity in the year1986. It is a monument dedicated for unity of all religions and unity of humankind. About four million visitors visit this monument every year.

Image Source: Varun Shiv

Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi:
One of the most planned architectural construction in an octagonal design. It almost looks like Taj mahal on Mathura road to the east of Hazarat Nizamuddin’s shrine. This is a memorial constructed by his senior widow Haji Hamida Begum in 1565. It is best preserved even today. This was declared as a UNESCO heritage in the year 1993.

Image Source: Peter Rivera

Jama Masjid, Delhi:
It is one of the largest Mosques in India constructed during the years 1644-1658 by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan being his last architectural works undertaken. It was constructed with red stone and marble by more than 5000 artisans. It is situated in Delhi opposite to the red fort. 20,000 people can perform prayers at a time in this Mosque.

Image Source: Dinesh Obareja

Jantar Mantar, Delhi:
It is an oldest astronomical observatory constructed during the year in 1725 by Maharajah Jai Singh II of Jaipur. It consists of a huge sundial and other structures to measure the position of stars, for calculating the astronomical events like eclipses, position of stars etc. There are five observatories in India the other four are located in Varanasi, Ujjain, Mathura and Jaipur.

Image Source: Strudelt

Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Madurai, Tamilnadu:
Located in Madurai, Tamilnadu, South India and it is one of the finest temple of Dravidian architecture with Gopurams, pillars and halls paintings of Gods, Goddesses in multicolor of 17Th centuries the temple occupies an area of six hectares with four entrance gates. A temple museum is also located in the premises containing beautiful brass and stone images. It is believed that there are about 30 million sculptures in the temple.

Image Source: Wouter Hagens

Jewish Synagogue, Cochin, Kerala:
It is one of the oldest Synagogues in India constructed by Jewish community during the year 1568. It was partially damaged during the in 1662 war and again was rebuilt by the Dutch. In the middle of 18Th century a clock tower was added and the floors were paved with hand painted China tiles. It contains great scrolls of testament and copper plates carved with the privileges given by the Cochin Govt. In addition the Synagogue also possesses five gold and silver crowns received as gifts from various people.

Image Source: Arian Zwegers

Golden Temple, Amritsar, Punjab:
The golden temple Amritsar is a holy Sikh shrine built with golden plates in 1577.The Mandir stands in a pool and the reflections of the temple shining in still waters of the sacred tank. The temple is a sign of universal brother hood and equality. It is not a temple for Sikhs alone anybody can go irrespective of cast, creed or religion and seek the blessings of the shrine. The temple exemplifies the identity, glory and heritage of the Sikh community. It is a unique Sikh architecture.

Image Source: Snikrap

Taj Mahal, Agra:
Taj Mahal is a tomb and one of the greatest wonders of the world and an architectural beauty. It was constructed by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan during the years 1630-1648 in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. It is a greatest Mughal architecture with a unique design completely constructed with white marble. Taj Mahal stands on the banks of the river in a majestic manner mesmerizing the onlookers. The beauty of the Taj Mahal is beyond the scope of words. One must see the beauty in the moonlight to appreciate the glistening white marble monument. Taj Mahal covers an area of 42 acres with the terrain gradually sloping from south to north towards the river Yamuna. Verses from Quran were inscribed on stone and bordered at the main gate way. The main tomb stands on a square platform raised 50 m above the river bank.

Image Source: Chris Brown

Buland Darwaza, Fatehpur Sikri:
Buland Darwaza is the highest gateway of India erected by Mughal Emperor Akbar in the year 1601 AD to commemorate his victory and conquest of Gujarat. The height of the gate is 175 ft situated Fatehpur Sikri 50 Km from Agra. The magnificent gate is an imposing feature and a stunning view for the visitors. Built in red sand stone and marble inlay work and roof top chhattris resemble Hindu architecture. Verses from Holy Quran were inscribed on the majestic pillars. Buland Darwaza is the entrance for the tomb of Salimshah Chishti, The inscriptions on the Darwaza pillars and borders were accredited to Jesus Christ.

Image Source: Derek Keats

The Bara Imambara, Lucknow:
The Bara Imambara is the largest vaulted hall in the world constructed without any external support by wood or iron beams built in 1784 by Nawab Asaf-Ud-Daula. The central hall is 50 M long and 15 m height and here the Nawab used to hold Darbars and public hearings. The tomb of Asaf-Ud-Daula is also situated in the premises of this monument.

Image Source: Habi

Gateway of India, Mumbai:
The gate way of India is a 26 feet tall monument constructed to commemorate the visit of British Royal personalities King George V and Queen Mary in 1911. It is a huge archway situated at Apollo Bunder. The gateway was built by the British and the Architect designed was George Wittet. The gateway was formally opened in 1924.

Image Source: Kunal Mukherjee

Kailash Temple, Ellora, Maharashtra:
Kailash temple is the largest monolithic structure present near Ellora wherein 34 cave temples were carved out of hillside. Out of these 34, 12 are popular and attractive to the visitors. The huge Kailash temple of cave no 16 occupies a major space. It is said that 200,000 tons of rock were excavated for construction of the temple and it is one of the largest monolithic structure. It was constructed during 760 AD by the King of Krishna I. Ellora is at 30 Km from Aurangabad. The temple has a big Shiv Linga in the sanctum for worshiping Lord Shiva. Sculptures from Ramayana and Mahabharata were carved on the wall of the cave temple. During the month of December a dance and music festival will be performed at the temple and large groups of visitors attend to witness the show.

Image Source: Abhinaba

Charminar, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh:
Charminar is an attractive tourist spot in Hyderabad city constructed in a majestic manner with granite and crushed lime and mortar. The monument was constructed by Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah the 5Th ruler of Qutb Shahi dynasty during 1591. He constructed this monument to celebrate the elimination of the deadliest contagious disease plague form the city. The structure is popular due to its four minarets. The Charminar is a square like structure with four towers in the four corners appears very magnificently in the center of the city of Hyderabad.

Image Source: Abhijit Rao

Gol Gumbaz, Bijapur, Karnataka
The 40 M dome said to be the second largest in the world constructed during 17 Th century situated at Bijapur Karnataka. It is a mausoleum of Muhammad Adil shah. It is also called as whispering gallery because even a slight whisper echoes the dome across its length. The dome is surrounded by four minarets all around.

Image Source: Pagastesi

Se cathedral, Velha (Goa):
It is one of the largest churches in Asia completed its construction in 1652 and dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria The church has five bells of which one is a Golden bell a best one in the world. It is located at old Goa, India. It is one of the oldest religious buildings in Goa. It is a cathedral of the Latin Rite Catholic Archdiocese of Goa and Daman and seat of Patriarch of the East Indies.

Image Source: Soham Pablo

Basilica of Bom Jesus, Velha, Goa:
The church is of 400 years of old and the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier are preserved. The body is open to the public every day but only on special occasions the visitors are allowed to touch usually held for every five years.

Image Source: Peter Verkhovensky

Mahabodhi Temple Bodhgaya, Bihar:
It is a sacred place where Gowtham Buddha attained enlightenment (566-486BC) under Bodhi tree. It is a highly regarded place for the Buddhists. Emperor Asoka visited the place around 260 BC and believed to have constructed a small temple near the Bodhi tree. The Mahabodhi temple is nearly160 feet tall and a large sanctuary. The sacred Bodhi tree stands on the west side of the temple where Buddha did meditation for his enlightenment.

Image Source: Greg

Victoria Memorial, Calcutta:
Victoria memorial hall Kolkata is dedicated to the Queen Victoria of United Kingdom and it is located in Kolkata the capital of West Bengal and earlier capital of British India. It was established in 1921 located at Queen’s way Kolkata. At present it is serving as a museum run by an autonomous body under Govt of India, Ministry of culture. The Victoria Memorial hall is located in 64 Acres of land with a huge building. The memorial has the Royal portraits of the British and Queen Victoria depicting their regime in India and several Exhibits showing their Royal life. Subsequently several exhibits were also added to depict the Indian Independence.

Image Source: Rakesh

Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds), Jaipur:
Hawa Mahal the place of winds constructed in 18th century is a land mark of the city of Jaipur the pink city. The mahal is five storeyed carved intricately with 953 windows exclusively built for women of the harem (Royal House hold) to see without themselves being observed. It is now an important tourist spot for the visitors of Jaipur.

Image Source: Nagarjun Kandukuru

Sanchi Stupa, Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh:
Sanchi Stupa built in 283 BCE by the Emperor Ashoka who got converted into Buddhism. Sanchi is in Madhya Pradesh, Central India. It is the second largest Stupa in India. It is well known for the scriptures on it. Sanchi is an historical and religious place for Buddhists and constructed for the spread of Buddhism.

Image Source: Archbik

Lingaraja Temple, Bhubaneswar, Orissa:
Lingaraja Temple Bhubaneswar, Orissa was constructed by Yayathi Kesari in 7th century. It is an oldest temple and constructed in Orissa style. It is a pilgrimage center and also a tourist spot for many visitors who come to Orissa. Linga raja Temple was built in about 250000 square feet area and the height of the tower is 180 feet. The temple is exquisitely carved on its walls and pillars. The Nata Mandir and the Bhog Mandir in Linga raja temple are worth to see.

Image Source: Bimal Das

Surya Temple, Konark, Orissa:
The temple at Konark was constructed for the Sun God. It is a magnificent temple with astonishing architecture but due to bad maintenance it is very much ruined. However large numbers of tourists visit this place along with Puri, and Bhubaneswar every year. The temple was built in 13th century by the king Narasimha Deva I.

Image Source: Shiva Nataraja

Jagannath Temple, Puri, Orissa:
A temple constructed during 12th century and the worshiping God is Lord Jagannath Swamy (Lord of the Universe). The temple was built in the heart of the city on a mammoth raised platform of 4, 20,000 square feet area. The temple has four gates and east facing main gate the Lion gate is the main entrance to the temple. The height of the temple is 65 Feet. Every year in the month of June Ratha yatra (Car festival) festival will be celebrated here and it attracts huge crowd of devotees from all parts of India and abroad. Another interesting feature of the temple is offering of Mahaprasada to the lord Jagannath. Several Pundits cook the food in most sanctity and offered to the lord. After offering it to the Lord becomes the Mahaprasada. Then it will be sold to the devotees in Ananda Bazar. Devotees purchase the Mahaprasada and eat. The Mahaprasada is prepared with rice, all types of vegetables, spices, Ghee, Jaggery and sometimes dry fruits also. It is said by the devotees that it is very tasty and they carry also it to homes.

Image Source: Jeff Hart

Khajuraho Temples, Madhya Pradesh:
Khajuraho is a small place in Chatrapur district of Madhya Pradesh. This small village is recognized by the UNESCO as heritage symbol of India. The village is famous for its temples. The temples were constructed in 11th century by Chandela kings. It is known that temple construction took 100 years to complete. These temples are famous for their architectural beauty. Erotic sculpture was also carved at several places to depict the principals of Kamasutra. Along with these sculpture was also seen depicting the rural life of Indians. It attracts lot of visitors every year.

Shatrunjaya Hill Temples, Palitana, Gujarat:
The Shatrunjaya hill temple Palitana is a sacred place to Jains situated at a distance of 215 KM from Ahmadabad. Palitana is at an altitude of 182 meters covering an area of 13 Square Km. The temple is situated at a height of 591 meters and there are about 863 marble Jain temples built over a period of 900 years on the hill top. The view from the hill top is mesmerizing to the visitors.

Photography by D.H. Sykes

Somanath Temple, Gujarat:
Somanath temple is an ancient temple dedicated to lord Shiva believed to have been built by the Moon God Somraj. It is a sacred place for Hindus. The immense treasures of this temple were looted several times and ruined by Muslim invaders. However, every time the temple was rebuilt. Mahmud Ghazni looted seven times its gold and silver treasures. Allauddin Khilji Aurangzeb has also destroyed the temple. The temple is visited from pilgrims all parts of the country. Somanath temple is located at 79 Km from Junagadh built at the shore of Arabian ocean in Gujarat state. It is one of the oldest temples and references were made in Skanda Purana, Shreemad Bhagavat etc.

Image Source: Yogasanft

Badrinath, Uttar Pradesh:
A holy temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu founded by shri Adi Sankaracharya in 9th century. Badrinath is one of the four Dhamas and a very holy place for Hindus considered visiting once at least in life time. Badrinath is situated on the right bank of Alakananda and surrounded by two mountains on either side popularly noted as Nar, Narayan with the Neelakanth peak as a back drop provides a spectacular scenic beauty giving a holy feeling to the visiting pilgrims.

Image Source: Abhishek Chandra

Vaishnodevi, Jammu:
It is a holy temple of Shri Mata Vaishnodevi situated in Trikuta Mountains and an important pilgrimage center for Hindus. Pilgrims has to walk 14 Km to reach this holy temple. In spite of the difficulty millions of pilgrims visit this place for worshiping the Mata Vaishnodevi. The holy cave temple is situated at an altitude of 5200 Ft.

Image Source: Soham Pablo

Salim Chisti Tomb, Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh:
The tomb was built in the year 1572 when the Sufi saint Sheik Salim Chishti died. The tomb is respected and visited both by Hindus and Muslims equally. The tomb is located at 45 Km from Agra at Fatehpur Sikri.

Image Source: Selmer van Alten

Dilwara Temples, Mount Abu, Rajasthan:
Dilwara Temple situated in Mount Abu hills is a Jain temple completely constructed in white marble with beautiful carvings and domes. It is an important pilgrimage center for Jains. There are two Shrines here Adinath (1031) and Neminath (1230) dedicated to the first and the second Jain Theertankaras. It is visited by all people irrespective of religion for its splendid beauty of the carvings, and lighting arrangements. It is considered that it is superior architecturally to Taj mahal. Gigantic green hills surrounding the temple add to its beauty and one must visit and enjoy.

Image Source: Sudhamshu Hebbar

Sun Temple, Modhera, Gujarat:
Dedicated to the Sun God the temple is located at a distance of 107 Km from Ahmadabad. The temple was built in 1026 by the King Bhimdev I of Solanki dynasty. The magnificent temple is famous for its scenic beauty and architecture. The walls outside the sanctum were carved with many images of the sun God. Sun’s rays fall on the sanctum at dawn during the time of equinoxes. Several dance festivals and cultural shows are being conducted now attracting tourists.

Image Source: Carol Mitchell

Nalanda, Bihar:
It was an ancient educational place during the Gupta period of 7th century for thousands of students to study the Mahayana doctrines of Buddhism. The Chinese traveler Hieun Tsang also studied here. It is situated at 90 Km from Patna. In addition it has an archeological complex and museum to visit.

Image Source: Lingaraj G

Dakshineswar Temple, Kolkata, West Bengal:
A famous Kali temple was built by Rani Rasmani a philanthropist and a devotee of kali in 1855 at Calcutta. Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was the only priest of this temple. It is Located on the bank of the Hooghly River in Kolkata. The Kali Matha is called Bhavatarini means liberating the devotees from the burdens of the samsara jeevanam. The temple was built typical of the Bengal style and it is a good historical and sacred place to visit.

Image Source: Swifant

Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra:
These are 29 sacred Buddhist caves date 2nd century composing both Theravada and Mahayana traditions. These caves consists best master pieces of Buddhist art in India. Many visitors and tourists visit this spot along with the Ellora caves. These caves were used by Buddhist monks as prayer halls and monasteries for about nine centuries. These caves are nearer to Aurangabad and it takes 2-3 hours by road to reach.

Image Source: Christian Haugen

Elephanta Caves, Maharashtra:
The caves are situated in an island at a distance of 9 Km from Mumbai. It is believed that they were constructed by the king Pulakesin of Chalukya kingdom in 634 AD. Visitors reach these caves from gate way of India by means of a ferry. The caves are dedicated to Lord Shiva. These caves are noted for their exquisite carvings depicting the myths of lord Shiva.

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