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: Monuments in India |
- Taj
Mahal
The crowning jewel of Indo-Islamic architecture,
the Taj Mahal is one of the world’s most beautiful and beloved
structures. The monument was built in Agra, India, for Mumtaz Mahal,
the favorite wife of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. Construction of the
tomb began in 1632 and employed more than 20,000 laborers for 20
years.
- India
Gate
India Gate was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and
completed in 1931. Built as a memorial to commemorate the 70,000
India soldiers killed in World War I, Located on Rajpath, the road
which leads to the magnificent Rashtrapati Bhawan, the gate is 160
feet high with an arch of 138 feet. Built from sandstone, the arch
also houses the Eternal Flame, a gesture in memory of the Indian
soldiers who laid their lives in the 1971 war with Pakistan.
- Qutab
Minar
The Qutab Minar is 15 km south of New Delhi,
rises high into the firmament over looking an entire area - named
Mehrauli – which is dotted with ruins of Islamic monuments. The
minar or tower itself is 73 metres high, its diameter 15 metre at
the base and just 2 and a ½ metres at the top. It has five
distinct storeys, the first three are of red sandstone, and the
fourth and fifth of marble and sandstone. Each storey has a
projecting balcony. The ornamental work on the tower only reinforces
the impressive stature of the tower.
- Red
Fort
Majestic and magnificent, the Red Fort or the
Lala Qila is a symbol of Mughal architectural excellence. Built by
one of the greatest emperors of the Mughal dynasty, Emperor
Shahjahan, the Red Fort is an important landmark of Delhi. India's
history is also closely linked with this fort. It was from here that
the British deposed the last Mughal ruler, Bhadur Shah Zafar,
marking the end of the three century long Mughal rule.
- Jantar
Mantar
At first sight, the Jantar Mantar appears like
a gallery of modern art. It is, however, an observatory. Sawai Jia
Singh II of Jaipur (1699-1743), a keen astronomer and a noble in the
Mughal court, was dissatisfied by the errors of brass and metal
astronomical instruments. Under patronage from the emperor, he set
on himself the task of correcting the existing astronomical tables
and updating the almanac with more reliable instruments. Delhi's
Jantar Mantar is the first of the five observatories that he built
with large masonary instruments.
- Lotus
Temple
It is a very recent architectural marvel of the
Bahai faith, located in Kalkaji, south of Delhi. Shaped like a half
opened Lotus flower, this temple is made of marble, cement, dolomite
and sand. It is open to all faiths and is an ideal place for
meditation and obtaining peace and tranquility. Bahai’s Temple
is a marvel of modern architecture, which is visible from several
spots in south Delhi.
- Hawa
Mahal
The Hawa Mahal or Palace of the Winds was built
in 1799 by Sawai Pratap Singh for the ladies of the royal household
to look out to the outside world without breaking purdah. It is
actually a facade consisting of five tiers made up of arches,
balconies, and perforated screens or jalis set into the palace walls
along Jaipur's main street. Pratap Singh was a devotee of Krishna
and dedicated the Hawa Mahal to him. In her book "A Princess
Remembers: The Memoirs of the Maharini of Jaipur", Gayatri Devi
describes her first visit to the Hawa Mahal-circa 1940.
- Jal
Mahal
Jal Mahal is an 18th century pleasure palace and
is located in Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan. The palace is
perched amidst Mansagar lake, which is in turn nestled amongst the
Nahargarh hills. The Jal Mahal Palace, Jaipur is noted for its
sophisticated design and grand architecture. The Palace was
developed as a pleasure spot and was used for the royal duck
shooting parties.
- Agra
Fort
The Agra Fort is situated on a bank of the River
Yamuna in Agra. It was built during the years 1565 and 1574 by the
Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great. Later, his grandson, the Mughal
Emperor Shah Jahan, added to the palaces and structures within the
fort. The Agra Fort has a mighty wall made of red sandstone, which
runs for 2 ½ Kilometers around the perimeter of the fort. The
main entrance to the Agra Fort is through a grand gateway called the
Delhi Gate, which is decorated with inlay work in white marble. The
Agra Fort is partially occupied by the Indian Army and sections of
the fort are restricted for tourists. There is another entrance
through which tourists can enter; this is called the Amar Singh
Gate.
- Fatehpur
Sikri
Fatehpur Sikri is built in red sandstone, and is
a beautiful blend of Hindu and Islamic architectural elements. The
sandstone is richly ornamented with carving and fretwork. Fatehpur
Sikri was abandoned 14 years after its creation. A shortage of water
is believed to be the reason. Today it is a ghost city, its
architecture is in a perfect state of preservation, and wandering
through the palaces it is easy to imagine that this was once a royal
residence and a dynamic cultural centre.
- Sikandra
Tomb
Welcome to Sikandra, a supurb of Agra, only 13
km. from the Agra Fort, the last resting place of the Mughal emperor
Akbar. Akbar was the greatest of the Mughal emperors and one of the
most secular minded royalties of his time. He was the heir to a long
tradition of oriental refinement, a great patron of the arts,
literature, philosophy and science.
- Humayun's
Tomb
Humayun's Tomb is not only an excellent example
of early Mughal architecture, but in many ways, it is the
predecessor of the magnificent Taj Mahal. This quiet but splendid
edifice was the last resting place of the second Mughal emperor, who
strived all his life to be in Delhi, the city he loved. The tomb of
the Mughal emperor Humayun reflects the traditional Islamic style of
architecture-with a bulbous dome, geometric patterns, high arches,
spire, lattice stone windows, geometric proportions, etc. This
building is set in the center of a charbagh or four-garden plan,
which is further divided into smaller geometric sections by a
network of water channels and fountains-a reflection of Persian
influence, which had been adopted by the Mughals.
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