There are six cave temples on the small island not far from Mumbai. They were carved out of the rock by monks in the 6th century and were once an important Shiva shrine. The sculptures are among the outstanding examples of early Hindu art. The highlight of the complex is the monumental bust of the three-headed Shiva. Elephanta Caves: Facts Official title: Elephanta Caves Cultural monument: “Residence” of Shiva carved…
Read MorePattadakal Temple Complex (World Heritage)
The temple complex, which dates from the time of the Chalukya dynasty, consists of nine Hindu temples and a Jain shrine. Pattadakal was a melting pot of North and South Indian architecture. An outstanding building is the Virupaksha Temple from the 8th century, which is decorated with lavish stone carvings. Pattadakal Temple Complex: Facts Official title: Pattadakal Temple Complex Cultural monument: nine Hindu temples and one Jain sanctuary from the…
Read MoreMughal City of Fatehpur Sikri (World Heritage)
According to estatelearning, the Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri was built from 1569 to 1574. It was only the capital of Mughal emperor Akbar the Great (1542–1605) until 1585, presumably the lack of water led to the early abandonment of the splendid palace ensemble. Outstanding buildings include the palace district with the Diwan-i-Khas audience hall, the Daulat Khana private palace, the Sultan’s house, the Jodh Bai harem and the 54…
Read MoreHampi Temple District (World Heritage)
Located in Karnataka, Hampi was once the capital of the last great Hindu kingdom, Vijayanagar, and the center of the spice trade in the 16th century. In 1565 the city, founded in 1336, was conquered and destroyed by Muslims. The temples and sculptures are a highlight of traditional Indian art. Hampi Temple District: Facts Official title: Temple district of Hampi Cultural monument: the »Indian Machu Picchu«, former capital of the…
Read MoreKhajuraho Temple District (World Heritage)
The three temple districts contain Hindu and Jain temples with numerous erotic reliefs and almost 900 sculptures. They were created in the 10th and 11th centuries and are considered masterpieces of Indian sculpture. According to ehealthfacts, the temple precinct was abandoned in the 12th century and systematically excavated since the beginning of the 20th century. Khajuraho Temple District: Facts Official title: Khajuraho Temple District Cultural monument: in three “temple districts”…
Read MoreChurches and Monasteries of Goa (World Heritage)
The churches and monasteries are evidence of the proselytizing of the Indian subcontinent during the Portuguese colonial period. The most important sacred buildings include the Bom Jesus basilica, the Jesuit church, the cathedral of St. Cajetan, the Sé cathedral and the convent of St. Monika. Churches and Monasteries of Goa: Facts Official title: Churches and Monasteries of Goa Cultural monument: i.a. Churches such as Bom Jesus (reconstruction after fire in…
Read MoreKeoladeo National Park (World Heritage)
The national park near Bharatpur in the Indian state of Rajasthan is one of the most important bird sanctuaries in the world. The former hunting ground of the Maharajas is wintering area for waterfowl from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, China and Siberia. Keoladeo National Park: facts Official title: Keoladeo National Park Natural monument: one of the most important bird sanctuaries in the world, national park since 1982, also known as Bharatpur and…
Read MoreManas Wildlife Sanctuary (World Heritage)
The protected area is located in the federal state of Assam at the foot of the Himalayan foothills and has the 500 km² national park in the core zone. The vegetation consists of semi-evergreen hill forests, wet and dry forests and grasslands. The Manas Conservation Area is the habitat for the Indian elephant, the Bengal tiger, the Indian rhinoceros, as well as the gold and cotfish. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary: Facts…
Read MoreKaziranga National Park (World Heritage)
The 430 km² national park in the center of Assam is one of the last untouched landscapes in northern India. The area is mainly covered by elephant grass and is regularly flooded by the Brahmaputra. It is the refuge of the last Indian rhinos and of tigers, elephants, leopards and water buffalo. Kaziranga National Park: Facts Official title: Kaziranga National Park Natural monument: 429.96 km² in size and at the…
Read MoreMahabalipuram Temple District (World Heritage)
The Hindu temple complex was built in the 7th / 8th centuries. Century and testifies to the splendor of the Tamil kingdoms. Temples and caves were carved out of the rock and richly decorated, such as the magnificent bas-reliefs “The Descent of the Ganga” and “The Penance of Arjuna”. The most important buildings include the coastal temple, the five Ratha temples as well as the Varhava and Mahishamardii caves with…
Read MoreKonarak Sun Temple (World Heritage)
The sun temple, built in the 13th century, is located on the Bay of Bengal. The complex was planned in the form of a processional float of the sun god Surya flanked by stone elephants. Konarak Sun Temple: Facts Official title: Konarak Sun Temple Cultural monument: a jewel among the religious Indian buildings in the “place of the sun”, so the translation of “Konarak”; Erected by 1200 stonemasons and master…
Read MoreTaj Mahal (World Heritage)
The mausoleum is one of the world’s most famous monuments and a landmark of India. The marble tomb with its 73 m high onion-shaped dome, flanked by four 41 m high minarets and two mosques, is considered the most perfect building of Islamic architecture. The monumental building was built for the favorite wife of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahans (1592–1666), Arjuman-Banu Begum or Mumtaz Mahal (»chosen one of the palace«),…
Read MoreRed Fort in Agra (World Heritage)
The large fortress, built from 1566 under Akbar the Great and expanded under Shah Jahan, is one of the most important architectural testimonies of the Mughal Empire in India. According to aristmarketing, the complex is surrounded by a 2.5 km long wall of red sandstone. Inside there are representative palaces of fairytale elegance as well as mosques and gardens. Red Fort in Agra: facts Official title: Agra, Red Fort Cultural…
Read MoreEllora Cave Temple (World Heritage)
The cave temples were built between 350 and 700 years. The 2 km long cave system consists of 34 caves with Buddhist, Hindu and Jain places of worship. Of particular importance is the 30 m² large, richly decorated Hindu Shiva temple Kailasha. Ellora cave temple: facts Official title: Ellora cave temple Cultural monument: 34 cave temples (»chaityas«) and monasteries (»viharas«), which were carved into basalt cliffs and extend over 2…
Read MoreAjanta Rock Temple (World Heritage)
The rock temples in the Waghore gorge are among the most important Buddhist places of worship in India. The cave temples were carved into the rock up to 650 m deep and decorated with paintings and sculptures. They date from the 1st century BC. And the 5th to 7th centuries AD and were rediscovered in 1819. Ajanta Rock Temple: Facts Official title: Ajanta rock temple Cultural monument: cave temples and…
Read MoreMumbai Travel Guide
According to Abbreviation Finder, India’s largest city – Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay) – is one of the most popular destinations in the country. 6-7 million tourists travel to India every year, and a large proportion of them visit Mumbai, which in many ways can be considered the city of contrasts. Here the distinction between rich and poor is clear, and the same applies to what is modern and what…
Read MoreIndia Arts and Literature
Literature The oldest literary history of the Indo-languages is divided into a Vedic period and a classical Sanskrit period. Towards the end of the first millennium AD got Sanskrit competition of the Middle Indian languages. About 1000 AD began to develop the distinctive literature, and it was richly represented from the 15th century in many modern Indian languages. Other language groups in the Indian environment have produced literature, e.g. nevari.…
Read MoreIndia Sightseeing Places
India climate The climate in India varies widely, from the Rajasthan desert to the cool highlands of Assam, the supposedly wettest place on earth. Outside of the mountainous regions, subtropical continental climate dominates in northern and central India, while the coastal regions and south have a tropical tropical climate. In the north, the temperature fluctuates considerably over the course of the year: in the lowlands of the north, the temperatures…
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