Religious Monuments

Located on the foot of a hill-- Sanchi is just 46 kms. from Bhopal. It is more of a village than a town. Sanchi is a religious place with historical and archaeological significance. Sanchi is known for its Stupas, monasteries, temples and pillars dating from the 3rd century BC to the 12th century AD The most famous of these monuments, the Sanchi Stupa 1, was originally built by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. The place is related to Buddhism but not directly to the life of Buddha. It is more related to Ashoka than to Buddha. Ashoka built the first Stupa and put up many pillars here. The crown of famous Ashoka pillars, with four lions standing back to back, has been adopted as the national emblem of India.Sanchi adopted Buddhism, which replaced the prominent Hinduism. But time took its toll and slowly both the Stupas and the place was forgotten. In 1818 Sanchi was rediscovered and gradually historical and the religious significance of the place was recognized. Restoration work of the Stupas started in 1881 and finally between 1912 and 1919 these were carefully repaired and restored. It was accepted that the structure at Sanchi were the most organized construction which went into the engineering of temples in the medieval period. The carvings here are done with the precision of Jewellers.
Despite the damage and restoration work done Sanchi is the most evocative and attractive Buddhist site in India. Sanchi is primarily a place of Stupas and pillars but the gorgeous gateways add grace to the place. These gateways are beautifully carved and carry scenes from the life of Buddha or Ashoka. These gateways are the finest specimens of early classical art, which formed the seedbed of entire vocabulary of later Indian art. The images carved on the pillars and the Stupas tell moving stories of the incidents from the life of Buddha. Nalanda, where ruins of the great ancient university have been excavated, is situated at a distance of 90 km. in the south east of Patna by road. The ruins extend over a large area and represent only a part of the extensive establishment. There are many versions of what the term Nalanda means. One is that Nalam means Lotus and Da means to give. Both combined together, Nalanda means Giver of Lotus. Since Lotus is supposed to represent knowledge, Nalanda means Giver of Knowledge.
Nalanda was the largest residential centre of learning that the world had ever known. The library was located in a nine storied building. Since the time of Buddha, the bhikkus were always encouraged to study the various arts and sciences. Learning was greatly encouraged as served dual proposes: knowledge and practice. The monks, therefore took to learning so that they might practice it and realise Dhamma perfectly and thereby enrich the masses.    Hampi the 14th century capital city of the Vijayanagara Empire lies in the Deccan heartland, in the state of Karnataka. Hampi is situated at 74 kms from the city Bellary and 13 km from Hospet city in Karnataka. The ruins of Vijayanagar Empire in and around the village of Hampi are spread over an area of more than 26 sq kms. They are one of the most fascinating historical sites in Southern India. The best time to visit Hampi is from October to March.It is a thriving traveler's center. The area of Hampi is protected by the tempestuous river Tungabhadra in the north and by rocky granite stones on other three sides. There is a magical quality to the ruins of Hampi even 650 years after the empire of Krishna - devaraya disintegrated.Hampi is famous for its ruins belonging to the erstwhile medieval Hindu kingdom of Vijaynagar and it is declared a World Heritage site. The monolithic sculptures and monuments along the temples are attractive because of their excellent workmanship. The architecture found at Hampi reflects the Hindu culture and splendor of the Vijaynagar Empire. The rugged landscape adds to the historic ambience of this site.
Places of interest in Hampi are Virupaksha temple with its 50m high gopuram, Hemakunta Hill with ruins of Jain temples and a monolithic Sculpture of Narasimha, Vittala Temple, Sule Bazar, Achutaraya Temple, Purandaradasa Mandapa, Royal Center that has Lotus Mahal, the queen's bath and Elephant stables etc.The Vithala temple, which is also known as the most splendid monument of Hampi is situated on the Southern bank of the Tungabhadra River. It is a world heritage monument dating back to the 15th century and is known for its extensive sculptured work, ornate pillars and the carvings that decorate them. Built during the rule of King Devaraya(II), it shows the high perfection of the Vijayanagara style. The temple is built out of hard granite around an area of 500 by 300 feet. It has 56 pillars in the main hall, which produce musical notes when struck. In the courtyard is the life-size chariot carved out of granite with actually revolving wheels. The temple is famous for its beautifully carved gopurams and mandapas. Some of the inner pillars in the Mandapa contain figures of women dancers and drummers and beautiful multi-petalled lotus carvings. This is one of the most ornate Vijaynagar temples built over a period of time. Here tapping certain stone pillars produces harmonics that can only be described as ethereal, and it's something that's quite impossible to imaging until you hear a tune being tapped out on a stone carving of a drum.The stone chariot in this temple is very famous. Its stone wheels, each shaped in the form of a lotus, are capable of revolving. Temple chariots are often mobile reproductions of a temple. The stone chariot here is in turn a static version of the mobile temple chariot.The Virupaksha or the Pampapathi temple is the main center of pilgrimage at Hampi. This temple is in ruins but is still in worship and is dedicated to Lord Shiva, known here as Virupaksha or Pampapati, as his wife Pampa is associated with Tungabhadra River(daughter of Lord Brahma). It is situated in picturesque surroundings on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra river to the north of Hemkuta hill. The temple has a 50 m tall, elaborately carved gateway and has been renovated in 1510 by Krishnadeva Raya. The temple has several mandaps and murals(statues). The eastern gateway is a marvel of engineering skill. The hall leading to the sanctorum has finely carved columns of animals and the ceiling is painted with scenes from mythology. Huge pillared halls are the special and distinctive feature of this temple. Parts of the temple date back to the 6th century and the festival of Vijaynagar organised by the government of Karnataka is worth seeing.
Bodhgaya is the spiritual home of Buddhists attracting tens of thousands of believers from all over the world. Bodhgaya situated near the river Niranjana, is one of the holiest Buddhist pilgrimage centres as it is the place where Buddha attained enlightenment.
The tree under which he attained enlightment is called the Bodhi tree, while the temple marking the spot is called Mahabodh temple. A descendant of that original tree still flourishes there today. The temples stands as a model for the temples in Burma, Nepal, And Srilanka.This is very important and one of the holiest cities for Buddhists.The population of this town is 22, 000 and is situated at an altitude of 113 m. Most countries with vast Buddhist population have a temple or monastery here. The 25 m Great Buddha Statue in the Japanese Kamakura style was unveiled by his holiness Dalai Lama in 1989.A large number of shrines and memorials were erected at the site to commemorate the incidents after enlightenment but only few now can be recognized. Of the earliest shrines, traditionally attributed to Ashoka, only vajrasana or the sandstone throne with the characteristic Mauryan polish and decorative designs has survived and is seen beneath the holy Bodhi tree. A portion of the sandstone carved railing belongs to the the Sunga period. The remaining portion of the railing pertains to the Gupta period. The main brick-built shrine known as the Mahabodhi temple appears to have been originally erected in circa 2nd century A.D. It is encumbered with heavy renovations, the four corner-towers being an arbitrary addition of circa 14th century. Its central tower, standing on a high plinth, is about 55m high and is a straight-edged pyramid of seven storeys, relieved by pilasters and chaitya-niches, substantially agreeing with its description left by the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang. Bangla Sahib Gurudwara was built in the memory of the 8th Sikh Guru, Sri Harkishen Sahib. Gurdwara Bangla Sahib is one of the important historical Gurdwaras in Delhi. The large main hall is un-elaborate except for the open central shrine, where a sculpted bronze cupola hangs over a smaller golden dome under which silk sheets are spread out and covered with flowers. This shrine is the scene of constant devotional music, whose ethereal tones are relayed throughout the entire complex. Gurdwara has also got a trough that stores the holy water known as 'Amrit' or nectar, which when consumed is believed to cure the diseases of the sick. Gurdwara also has a sarovar or a holy pond, where people take a holy dip and pray to the Guru. Raja Jai Singh dedicated this palace in the memory of the Guru Sahib, which is today famous as Gurudwara Bangla Sahib.
The grand "Lotus Temple" is termed by many as the Taj of modern India. Its distinctive lotus shaped marvel in marble is surrounded by a landscaped garden and is a symbol of peace. It is a very recent architectural marvel of the Bahai faith. It was completed in 1986.
It is made of marble, cement, dolomite and sand. It reaches a height of more than 40m. One can see 27 giant white petals of marble in a lotus shape, springing from nine pools and walkways indicative of the nine unifying spiritual paths of the Bahai's faith. The Bahai's lay great emphasis on prayer and meditation. They believe that these are important instruments for the progress of the human soul, both in this world and the next. The Bahai's pray to one God, the Creator of the Universe. The act of praying is described as 'Conversation with God' and meditation is perceived as the 'Key for opening the doors of mysteries'. In that state, man withdraws himself from all outside objects and immerses himself in the ocean of spiritual life.
In the Bahai's Holy Writings there are prayers for all occasions and can be offered individually or collectively. A great importance is given to prayers as is revealed in all the scriptures. The Bahai's Writings specify that the mere act of praying is not sufficient, instead the inspiration drawn from one's prayers must be translated into action and that promotes the well being of humanity.
The Jantar Mantar is an astronomical observatory with masonry instruments, built in 1724 by Sawai Jai Singh II, the mathematician and astronomer king of Amber. The Jantar Mantar in Delhi was one of five such instruments built in Jaipur, Ujjain, Mathura and Varanasi.
The Amber King was a keen scholar of astronomy. He studied the movement of the heavenly as a reputed astronomer in line with Ulugh Beg, Tycho Brahe and John Flamstead. The Maharaja found the existing astronomical instruments to record totally accurate observations and so he decided that bigger structures should be constructed. The instruments at Jantar Mantar are fascinating for their novel approach.
The Samrat or Yantra supreme - the largest structure shaped like a right-angled triangle, is actually a huge sun-dial; the other five instruments are intended to show the movements of the sun, moon, etc. According to the rays of the Sun falling on it, it helped the people calculate to some extent the time of the day.
The word 'Qutub' itself, means 'pole of justice.' The Qutub Minar made of red sandstone rising to the height of 72.5mts is an architectural marvel of the 13th century. It is situated in Delhi. It is constructed by Qutb-ud-din Aibak in the 12th century to celebrate the victory of Mohammed Ghori over the Rajputs and was completed in the 13th century by his successors.
The structure was also probably built as a Minar, or place to call the faithful to prayer. It is often viewed as a symbol of the military might of the Turko-Afghan dynasty and Islam. The Minar rises over 230 feet (72.5 meters) and the 379 stepped circular stairway leads to a spectacular view of the city. The monument's diameter tapers from 14.3 meters at the base to 2.7 meters at the top, which creates the illusion of increased height. The tower has five distinct stories, separated by balconies. The first three stories are made of red sandstone, but when lightning knocked off the fourth in 1368, it was restored by Firoz Shah Tughlaq, who added a fourth and fifth story of marble and sandstone. The walls of the minar are intricately carved and inscribed with verses from the Koran.                                                                                 Situated 40 km from Agra, the city of Fatehpur Sikri is an imperial city built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar between 1571 and 1584. The architectural grandeur of this deserted city cannot be described in words and one can only experience the aura of its magnificent edifices by seeing them. If you are looking for something that symbolizes the grandeur of the Mughals, Fatehpur Sikri is a must-see during your Taj Mahal tour in Agra.The buildings within Fatehpur Sikri are a unique blend of different architectural traditions. Though the general layout and concept of the buildings conform to the Islamic style of architecture, the actual buildings (mainly palaces), their ornate columns, arches, carving style, etc., show a strong Hindu style in general and that of Gujarat and Rajasthan in particular. Dedicated by Emperor Akbar to his patron saint Sheikh Salim Chisti, Fatehpur Sikri was also Akbar's imperial capital for fifteen years. The new city, built on a ridge, grew into a magnificent township larger than contemporary London. A splendid edifice, the fort today rests in quiet peace - a mute witness to the times gone by.There are a number of buildings within the Fatehpur Sikri complex to be savoured during your Taj holidays in Agra. Each of the small palaces in Fatehpur Sikri has a specific purpose and generally faces a courtyard. Diwan-I-Aam (Hall of Public Audience) is an enclosed space surrounded by colonnades and has a large open area where petitioners and courtiers once stood in attendance; Diwan-I-Khas (Hall of Private Audience) - used for serious, confidential, diplomatic and religious discourses - is famous for its central decorated pillar consisting of 36 elegantly carved brackets in the Gujarati style - heavy and ornate, and sprouting in shape; Panch Mahal (five-tiered palace) is an intriguing five-storied pavilion of winds. The Turkish Sultan's palace is known for exquisitely carved panels depicting wildlife-lions, birds, and foliage. Near the Diwan-I-Aam, one can see a tank called the Anup Talao. Four bridges link the central platform at the Anup Talao. Here the famous court musician Tansen played music.Jodha Bai's Palace (Jodha Bai was Akbar's Rajput queen) has the most distinctively Gujarati and Rajasthani architectural features. Also noteworthy are Mariam's Palace or Sunehra Makan (golden house), Palace of Birbal (one of Akbar's minister notable for his witticisms) and a miniature garden. Jami Masjid (mosque), sacred center of Sikri, symbolizes the city's spiritual prominence. In the vast courtyard stands the tomb of Sheikh Salim Chisti whose blessings are still sought by childless women.
Akbar started building his own mausoleum, near Agra, that was to be a perfect blend of Hindu, Christian, Islamic, Buddhist and Jain designs and motifs, be speaking of his religious tolerance and secular views. However, he could not complete it and died. Thus, his son Jehangir completed his tomb, popularly known as Sikandra after Sikandra Lodi, who established the community where Akbar's Tomb is located. However, Jehangir made quite a number of alterations in the original plan, in keeping with the development of Mughal art and architecture. The tomb has three-storeyed red sandstone minarets displaying wondrous inlay work of marble on the four corners of the building. 'Langurs', black-faced monkeys have found a safe haven in the beautiful gardens surrounding the mausoleum and often stray to the walkways too. One can see the Baradi palace in the gardens built by Sikander Lodhi. The tomb building is shaped like a truncated pyramid and has five storeys while the main tomb has a distinct square design. There are spacious cloisters on the ground floor. An elaborately decorated vestibule occupies the centre of the southern side, highlighted by exquisite carvings, artistic paintings and inlay work in geometric and floral designs enshrining the tombstone of Akbar. Other tombs on this floor belong to Shakrul Nisha Begum and Aram Bano, the daughters of Akbar. The ornamental arch and square pillar on the second storey looks unique. The third and fourth storeys also have identical arrangement of arches supported on pillars and chhatris adorning the façades. All the storeys are built in red stone except the fifth one, which is entirely in white marble.

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