World Heritages in India!

The Ajanta Cave Temples in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra are Buddhist cave temples and monasteries carved into steep granite cliffs during the Satavahana and Vakataka dynasties from the 2nd century BC to the 5th century CE. The complex construction techniques of the Ajanta Caves evoke the finest architectural techniques of ancient India. The amazing sculptures and murals in these caves reveal the extraordinary skills of the artisans and artists of that period.

The Elephanta Caves are located on the Elephanta Island in the Arabian Sea near the Mumbai port in Maharashtra. The Elephanta Caves were built during the Rashtrakuta and Silhara dynasties between the 5th and 9th centuries. The island was named Elephanta Island by the Portuguese who saw elephant statues  here. The sculptures of Trimurti, Natarajan, Yogeeshwar, Gangadharan, Ardhanareeshwar and Ravana  are the major attractions here.

 The monuments at Mamallapuram or Mahabalipuram on the Coromandel coast in Chengalpet district of Tamil Nadu, are testaments to the architectural and artistic prowess of the Pallava dynasty of the seventh and eighth centuries. The colossal stone slab called the Descent of the Ganges or the  Arjuna's penance, the chariot shaped monolithic temples dedicated to the Pandavas and Draupadi , the Lion Throne and the Seashore Temple are the main attractions here.

The Pattadakal World Heritages are the temples built in the Badami Chalukya architectural style at Pattadakal in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka during the 7th and 8th centuries by the Chalukya dynasty. Pattadakal is a centre of beautiful Hindu and Jain temples built using sand stone. The temples here show a mixed influence of North and South Indian styles. The evolution of Indian temple architecture can be witnessed in Pattadakal, nearby Badami and Aihole.

The Ellora Cave Complex is a historical construct located in Ellora, Aurangabad district of Maharashtra. The Ellora Caves are fine examples of ancient Indian cave architecture, art and carvings. Buddhist, Hindu and Jain cave temples and monasteries built by the Rashtrakuta dynasty from the 5th to the 10th century are found here. The Kailasanatha Temple, located in Ellora, is the world's largest monolithic structure carved from a single rock from top to bottom.

Khajuraho Temple Complexes are ancient Hindu-Jain temples located in Khajuraho in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. These temples were built in the Nagara style by the Chandela dynasty in the 10th and 11th centuries. These temples are decorated richly with intricate and exquisite carvings.  There were 85 temples spread over 20 square kilometers in the 12th century here. The  most famous surviving temple is the Kandariya Mahadeva built by King Vidyadhara.

Brihadeeswaram Temples at Thanjavur, and Gangaikondacholapuram and Airavatheswaram Temple at Darasuram are known as the great Chola temples built by the Chola dynasty in the 11th and 12th centuries. Spread across the Thanjavur and Ariyalur districts of Tamil Nadu, these three temples are fine examples of Dravidian architecture. The Vimanagopuram of Thanjavur Brihadeshwar Temple is one of the tallest Vimanagopurams in South India.

The Konark Sun Temple dedicated to the worship of the sun god is a 13th century Kalinga architecture temple at Konark on the Coromandel coast of Puri district, Odisha . This temple was built by the Gangeya king Narasimha Deva I in the shape of a giant ornamented chariot with twenty four wheels pulled by seven horses, which also act as sundials. This temple was called the "Black Pagoda" by the Europeans because it served as an landmark for sailors in the Bay of Bengal.

Located in the Vijayanagara district of Karnataka, Hampi is an ancient city that was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Once Hampi was one of the richest cities in the world. Krishnadevarayar was the most accomplished ruler of Vijayanagara. UNESCO described Hampi as a "hard, glorious site" of more than 1,600 ruins. Hampi has many historical monuments like Virupaksha Temple, Vittala Temple, Lotus Mahal and Elephant Stable.

Agra Fort is a massive fort built by the Mughal Empire in Agra, Uttar Pradesh in the 15th and 16th centuries. The fort got its present shape and structure under Emperor Akbar. Beautifully built of red sandstone and white marble, Agra Fort is one of the masterpieces of Indo-Islamic architecture. This fort is described as a walled city. The fort has important gates like Delhi Gate and Lahore Gate. There are palaces like Diwan-i-Khas and Diwan-i-Am, mosques and gardens inside the fort.

Built between 1631 and 1648 CE in Agra, Uttar Pradesh by the Mughal Dynasty Emperor Shah Jahan, the Taj Mahal is considered as the finest fusion of Indo-Islamic architecture. Built on the bank of Yamuna river, Taj Mahal is one of the seven manmade wonders of the world with its perfect symmetrical design. It was  designed by the Mughal architect Ahmed Lahori in white marble in the middle of the Charbagh Garden with four beautiful arches, within the sight of Agra Fort.

Goa was the capital of Portuguese India for 450 years until 1961. Because of many splendid Catholic religious buildings, Goa was called by the title 'Rome of the East'. There are churches and convents built in the Gothic, Manueline, Mannerist and Baroque styles in the 16th and 17th centuries. The construction of the Portuguese-era church, Basilica of Bom Jesus where Saint Francis Xavier is buried, was started in 1594 and completed in 1605. 

The oldest remains of human habitation in India are found at the Bhimbatka Rock Shelters in Madhya Pradesh's Raison district. The stone age cave paintings of Bhimbatka are about 12000 years old. Bhimbatka is at the southern end of the Vindhyachal mountains. Some rock shelters are in the Satpura hills. The cave paintings of these prehistoric complexes display subjects such as animals, stone age dance and hunting, warriors on horseback etc.

Dholavira Harappan City – Dholavira is a World Heritage Site in Gujarat's Kutch district that houses the remains of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization called the Harappans. Many ancient structures made of brick and stone are found here. There are remains of the Harappan method of irrigation, multi-stage houses, arches, wells, stadiums etc. here. According to recent research, the area of ​​Dholavira was used for human settlement from about 3500 BCE to 1450 BCE.

Sanchi in the Risen district of Madhya Pradesh is home to some of the oldest Buddhist monuments in the world. The Great Sanchi Stupa was built by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE with a diameter of 120 feet and a height of 54 feet. It is one of the oldest stone structures in India. Sanchi has been a Budhist settlement beginning with the Mauryan period, followed by the Gupta period in the 5th and 6th centuries, and ending in the 12th century.

Mahabodhi Temple is a Buddhist temple located in Bodhgaya  in the Gaya district of Bihar. It is one of the major pilgrimage centers associated with the life of Lord Buddha. It is believed that Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree here and became Budha. The historical remains at Bodh Gaya date back to the era of Emperor Ashoka and the 2nd and 3rd centuries of the Common Era. The present Mahabodhi temple here dates back to the 6th century.

Nalanda was an international university and center of Buddhist learning in ancient India. It was founded in the 5th century by Kumaragupta of the Gupta Empire. Nalanda University functioned for nearly eight hundred years from 427 CE to 1197 CE. Nalanda university had hundred lecture halls. About two thousand teachers and ten thousand students from all over the world were here at the same time. Education in the twelve-year curriculum was completely free. 

The Champaner-Pavagarh Archaeological Park is an archaeological park established in the Panchamahal district of Gujarat, which starts from the hills of Pavgarh and extends to the city of Champaner. Champaner was founded in the 8th century by Vanraj Chavda, a prominent king of the Chavda dynasty. There are temples, palaces, mosques, tombs and step wells dating from the 8th to the 16th century here. Copper Age archeological  monuments are also found here.  

The forts built on the Aravalli hill ranges during the time of the Rajput kings have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as the Hilltop Forts of Rajasthan. These forts are Chittoud Fort, Kumbalgarh Fort, Ranthambore Fort, Gagron Fort, Amber Fort and Jaisalmer Fort, which are very special architecturally and defensively. The forts include palaces, temples, trading centers, legislatures, gardens and reservoirs dating from the 7th to the 12th century.

Rani ki Vav is a very famous stepwell located in Patan, Gujarat. This stepwell was built by Queen Udayamati of the 11th century Chaulukya or Solanki dynasty king Bhima I. The stepwell is designed as a temple upside down with full of beautiful carvings, highlighting the sanctity of the water. Interspersed between the steps are gatehouses ranging from one to seven floors. This beautiful structure is about 64 meters long, 20 meters wide and 27 meters deep.

Ramappa Temple also known as Rudreshwara Temple is a Kakatiya style temple located in Palampet village in Mulugu district of Telangana. Ramappa  temple was built by Recharla Rudra Reddy, a general of the Kakatiya ruler Ganapatideva between 1212 and 1234 CE. The temple came to be known by the name of its architect Ramappa. Marco Polo, during his visit to the Kakatiya Empire, called the Rama temple "the brightest star in the galaxy of temples".

 Belur Chennakesava  and Halebidu Hoysaleshwara Temples in Hassan district of Karnataka and Somanathapura Kesava Temple in Mysuru district are three Hoysala style temples built by the Hoysala dynasty between the 12th and 13th centuries. Distinctive and innovative architecture, life-like sculptures and exquisitely finished carvings in soapstone set these structures unique.  The temples at Belur and Halebidu were built by Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana. 

The Red Fort is a vast red sandstone fort built in Delhi by the Mughal ruler Shah Jahan between 1638 - 1648 CE. It remained the capital of the Mughal dynasty until it was captured by the British. 2.5 km long and 22 m high wall,  Lahori and Delhi Gates, Chatchawk Market, Nobatkhana and Heera Mahal Mandapams, Diwan-i Am and Diwan-i Khas palaces, Hammam Royal Baths, Rang Mahal and Mumtaz Mahal are the historical buildings in the Fort.

Located in Charaideo district of Assam, Moidams are traditional tombs of Ahom kings and members of the Ahom royal family who ruled Assam since 1253 CE. The Ahom Moidams are often compared to the pyramids of the Egyptian Pharaohs. Structurally, a Moidam is a hemispherical mound resting on one or more chambered vaults. An open pavilion known as Chauchali is situated on top of it. A small octagonal wall surrounds the entire Moidam.

Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan, nicknamed the Pink City. The city was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II.  Various architects and architectural texts were used to design Jaipur. Jaipur city construction started under the supervision of Vidyadhar Bhattacharya. The most important structures in Jaipur city are Hawa Mahal Palace, Govind Dev Ji Temple, City Palace, Jantar Mantar and Jal Mahal. Amber Fort was the first capital of Sawai Jai Singh.

India's most important historical astronomical observatory, Jantar Mantar in Jaipur, Rajasthan was built by Rajput king Sawai Jaisingh during 1727-1733 CE. Jantar Mantar houses around 20 astronomical instruments designed to observe the positions of stars and planets with naked eyes. The Samrat Yantra, the world's largest sundial, is housed in the Jantar Mantar. The name Jantar Mantar is derived from the Sanskrit words yantra (instrument) and mantra (calculation). 

Santiniketan is a coeducational school founded by Devendranath Tagore in 1863 and expanded by his son Rabindranath Tagore in the picturesque Bolgrapur countryside of Bengal. Santiniketan is associated with the life and philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore with the monastery life of the sages who lived a meditative life immersed in nature. Tagore's aim was to liberate the children from within the narrow walls of the school and give them  freedom to live and grow socially. 

Victoria Terminus is a beautifully designed railway station in Mumbai during the British regime by the architect F.W Stevens. Construction of this magnificent Italian Gothic style building began in 1878 and was completed in 1887 in honor of the 50th anniversary of Queen Victoria's reign in Britain.  Later, in 1996 it was renamed as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminals in honor of the great Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji, one of the bravest rulers India has ever seen.

Victorian-Art Deco architecture is a collection of 19th-century Victorian neo-Gothic and 20th-century Art Deco buildings located in the city of Mumbai around the oval grounds. On the east side of the grounds are Victorian style buildings and on the west side are Art Deco style buildings. Mumbai High Court, University of Mumbai Fort Campus and Rajabhai Clock Tower are some of the Victorian styles and Eros Theater is an Art Deco style building.

The Capitol Complex is a heritage structure in the city of Chandigarh designed by Charles-Edouard Shanner, a French-Swiss-born architect known as Courbassie, between 1952 and 1964. Le Corbusier was a representative of the modernist movement of the 20th century, which introduced innovative architectural techniques. Many of Chandigarh's modern structures, including the Legislative Assembly, Secretariat, High Court are located in the Capitol complex.

 Ahmedabad, The capital of the Gujarat Sultanate, was founded in 1411 by Ahmad Shah I. The city's first fort, Bhadra Fort, and its first square, Manek Chowk, were built by Ahmed Shah. Houses and Havelis built in rich wooden architecture exemplify the unique heritage and culture of Ahmedabad. Important buildings from the Gujarat Sultanate period include Bhadra Fort walls, Traditional houses with arched streets, Sidi Sayyid Mosque and Tombs.

 Humayun's Tomb is the tomb of the Mughal Emperor Humayun in Delhi . Built between 1565-70, this monument is a fusion of Indo-Persian architecture. The main building of this monument is located in the middle of a spacious garden Chahar Bagh. The architectural style Hasht Bihisht, meaning eight paradises, is used here. This design consists of a spacious room in the center and eight rooms around it. with ​​12000 square meters area and 47 meters high.

Fatehpur Sikri is a city in Agra district of Uttar Pradesh. The city named Sikrigarh was built by the Sakarwar Rajput kings. Fatehpur Sikri was the capital of the Mughal Empire under Emperor Akbar from 1571 to 1585 in the 16th century. Fatehpur Sikri has many Mughal-style monuments such as the Jama Masjid, the Anbu Buland Darwaza, the huge gateway to the Panch Mahal Palace, and the white marble mausoleum of Sufi saint Salim Chishti.

Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Nilgiris Mountain Railway and the Kalka–Shimla Railway are the railway lines  built in the mountainous regions of India during British regime. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway,  is a 2 ft narrow-gauge railway that links Siliguri and Darjeeling. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is a metre gauge railway that connects Mettupalayam with Udagamandalam. The Kalka–Shimla Railway runs between Kalka and Shimla is narrow gauge 2 ft 6 in. 

Kaziranga National Park is located in the flood plains of the Brahmaputra River in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of Assam. Located on the edge of the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot, the park combines high species diversity and visibility. It is home to the world's largest population of the Indian Rhinoceros, as well as Tigers, Asian elephants, Wild water buffalo, and the Ganges river dolphin. The wetlands are important for many migratory birds.

Manas National Park is a Tiger and Elephant reserve in Assam. Located in the Himalayan foothills, it borders the Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan. The park is known for its rare and endangered endemic wildlife such as the Assam roofed turtle, hispid hare, golden langur and pygmy hog. Manas is also famous for its population of the wild water buffalo. The name of the park is originated from the Manas River which passes through the heart of the national park. 

The Western Ghats is a mountain range that runs along the western coast of the Indian subcontinent. it traverses the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.  It is covered with montane forests. The area is a biodiversity hotspot and home to endangered species such as the Bengal tiger, lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri Tahr, and Nilgiri Langur. The Western Ghats meet with the Eastern Ghats at Nilgiris before continuing south.

The Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks comprises two areas in the West Himalayas. They are  the Valley of Flowers and the Nanda Devi National Parks. There are different types of high-altitude habitats, from high mountain peaks to alpine meadows. In addition to numerous mountain plant species, the area is home to the Asiatic black bear, Snow leopard, Brown bear, and Bharal.  Nanda Devi is the second-highest mountain in India, after Kangchenjunga.

Keoladeo National Park is a national park in Rajasthan. The park hosts thousands of native, resident and migratory birds, especially during the winter season, when many different species fly to the Indian subcontinent to escape winter's wrath further north in Eurasia. It is important both for migratory and resident birds, especially waterbirds. Over 350 species of birds have been recorded, including 15 species of Herons, the Siberian Crane, and the Greater Spotted Eagle.

The Sundarbans National Park is a national park in West Bengal and core part of tiger reserve and biosphere reserve. It is part of the Sundarbans on the Ganges Delta and adjacent to the Sundarbans Reserve Forest in Bangladesh . The delta is densely covered by mangrove forests, and is one of the largest reserves for the Bengal tiger. It is also home to a variety of bird, reptile and invertebrate species, including the salt-water crocodile.

The Great Himalayan National Park is a national park  located in Himachal Pradesh. The national park covers habitats from Alpine peaks of the Himalayas above 6,000 m  to Alpine meadows and Riverine forests below 2,000 m.  There are 25 types of forests recorded with rich floral and faunal assemblies, including numerous species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects. It is home to endangered species such as the western tragopan and musk deer.

Khangchendzonga National Park is a national park and a biosphere reserve located in Sikkim, around Mount Khangchendzonga, the world's third highest mountain (8,586 m). It is a sacred mountain in Tibetan Buddhism. The area is home to ethnically very diverse Sikkimese communities and is considered as a Beyul, a sacred hidden land. The area comprises various habitats, from high mountains with glaciers to old-growth forests, and is rich with many species.