Places of Indian Cultural Heritage PDF

## Places of Indian Cultural Heritage ### **Caves of Ajanta** - The famous caves of Ajanta are situated in the Aurangabad district near Ajanta village. - They are important from the point of view of art and Vastu. - The caves are divided into two divisions: - Caves based on wall paintings...

## Places of Indian Cultural Heritage ### **Caves of Ajanta** - The famous caves of Ajanta are situated in the Aurangabad district near Ajanta village. - They are important from the point of view of art and Vastu. - The caves are divided into two divisions: - Caves based on wall paintings - Caves based on sculpture #### **Caves based on wall paintings:** - Caves with numbers 1, 2, 10, 16, and 17 have excellent paintings on the walls. - The theme of these wall paintings is the Buddhist religion. - Ajanta caves are divided into two categories: - Chaiytas: Caves number 9, 10, 19, 26, and 29 are Chaityas. - Viharas: All other caves are Viharas. - Ajanta caves were forgotten with the passage of time but in 1819 A.D., an English captain John Smith rediscovered them. - Ajanta caves are a magnificent example of initial Buddhist art of Vastu, art of paintings and sculpture. - Human interference and the impact of time have greatly damaged the caves. - They are famous throughout India and the world for their extra-ordinary rich art. - The fine blending of wonderful art of painting, sculpture and architecture of Ajanta caves has earned pride for an Indian Art. #### **Things to Know** - **Chaityas:** Temple-halls for Buddhist monks where Stupas are built in the interior end of the caves. - **Viharas:** Buddhist monestories where Buddhist monks reside and study. ### **Ellora Caves** - Situated at Aurangabad district in Maharashtra. - There are 34 caves in all. - The caves are divided into three groups: - Buddhists caves: Caves numbered 1-12. - Hindu caves: Caves numbered 13-29. - Jain caves: Caves numbered 30-34. - The Hindu caves are built during the reign of the Rashtrakuta dynasty. - The Kailas temple is situated in cave no. 16. - It is 50 m long, 33 m wide and 30 m high. - It is carved out of a single massive rock and adorned with beautiful doors, balconies and a series of pillars. - It was constructed during 600 AD to 1000 AD and it provides a live display of ancient Indian civilization. - The Ellora campus is an example of magnificent creation of art and a best example of excellent technology. - It also describes about the patience of Indians. ### **Elephanta Caves** - Built in the Arabian sea, 12 km away from Mumbai in Maharashtra. - There are 7 caves in all. - They have a huge stone monument of an elephant, on seeing this structure the Portugees named it elephanta. - There are many beautiful figures carved out of stone, including: - "Trimurti Temple": (Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh) in cave no. 1 is the best specimen of sculpture. - In 1987 A.D., UNESCO has placed "Elephanta Cave” in the list of world heritage. - Local fishermen call it 'Dhara puri'. ### **Mahabalipuram** - Located 60 kms away from Chennai, in Tamilnadu. - Famous for its splendid temple architecture and seashore. - Narsinh Varman-I (Mahamalla) who belonged to the Pallava dynasty built 7 chariot temples and 5 remain today. - Two chariot temples have been submerged in the sea. - There is an amazing figure of Lord Vishnu in a smiling pose. - There is an idol of Goddess Durga slaying Mahisasura. - Mahabalipuram has an unparalleled architectural rock sculpture and was also a famous harbor in ancient times. ### **Pattadakal Memorial** - The Capital of Chalukya dynasty is 16 km away from Badami Nagar. - The Dravid style of architecture is used in the construction of the temples here. - They were built during the seventh and eighth century. - Virupaksha temple is the biggest temple in Pattadakal. ### **Temples at Khajuraho** - Located in a small village named Khajuraho in the Chhattarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. - It was the ancient capital city of the Chandela Rajputs of Bundelkhand. - Temples were built here during their reign (905 to 1050 AD) and 25 remain today. - Most of the temples are Shaiva (Shiva) whereas others are Vaishanav and Jain. - All temples have a similar style of architecture and sculpture. - The 64 yoginis temples is the main temple. - Torans (arches) of the temple are a best example of ornamental style of architecture. - All temples were constructed with granite stone and in Naagar Style Art of sculpture. ### **Sun Temple of Konark** - Situated near the bay of Bengal at Puri district in Odisha. - It was constructed in the 13th century during the reign of King Narsinh Varman-I, who belonged to the Garg Dynasty. - It has the form of a chariot of Sun God. - It has 12 massive wheels, providing beauty to the pedatal of the temple. - These wheels reflect twelve months of the year and each wheel has eight spokes which shows eight prahars of the day. - The details of motif and subject diversity of this temple are unparalleled. - It is called as "black pagoda" as it has been built by black stones. - This remains reflect the sculpture and the civilization of 13th century Odisha. ### **Bruhdeshwar Temple** - Located at Tanjur, Tamilnadu. - Built during 1003 AD to 1010 AD. - It is a Shiva Temple so it is called Bruhadeshwar and built by King Rajraja-I of Chola dynasty. - It is also known as Rajrajeshwar temple. - The height of the temple is 500 feet and its width is 250 feet. - It is spread in a vast area surrounded by the wall. - Its summit is 200 feet high above the ground. - It is one of the best temples in India! ### **Mahabalipuram** - Located 60 kms away from Chennai, in Tamilnadu. - Famous for its splendid temple architecture and seashore. - Narsinh Varman-I (Mahamalla) who belonged to the Pallava dynasty built 7 chariot temples and 5 remain today. - Two chariot temples have been submerged in the sea. - There is an amazing figure of Lord Vishnu in a smiling pose. - There is an idol of Goddess Durga slaying Mahisasura. - Mahabalipuram has an unparalleled architectural rock sculpture and was also a famous harbor in ancient times. ### **Qutub Minar** - Located in Delhi. - Built in the 12th century by Qutubbudin Aibak, the founder of the Gulam dynasty. - After his death, the remaining work was completed by his son-in-law Iltutmish. - It is a 72.5 m round red stone and marble sky scraper. - It is 13.75 m at its base and is reduced to 2.75 m at its top. - Verses of the Quran have been engraved on it and it is the tallest stone minaret of India. ### **Hampi** - Situated on the bank of river Tungabhadra of Hospet, in Bellary district of Karnataka. - It was the capital city of the Vijaynagar kingdom and the rulers of the Vijaynagar kingdom loved art. - They developed a peculiar type of architecture during their reign. - The golden period of art was during the period of Krishnadevaraya. - Main feature of architecture style of Vijaynagar was to carve out huge and magnificent pillars from the stones. - Pillars and columns were artistically adorned with the figures of Gods, Goddesses, humans, animals, warriors and dancers. - During the reign of Krishnadevaraya, the Vithala temple, Hajra temples, Virupaksha temple and Achyutaray temple of Lord Krishna were built in Hampi. ### **Humayun's Tomb** - In Delhi. - Built by his wife queen "Hammeda begum" after the death of Humayun. - It is the best specimen of the Mughal architecture and made in Iranian style of art. - Red and white stones were skillfully used in it. ### **Fort of Agra** - Located in Agra city of Uttar Pradesh. > - Known as red fort as It is made up of red stones. > - It was built by Akbar in 1565 AD and shows the reflection of Hindu and Iranian style of art. > - The fort has a 70 feet wall with a 1.5 mile circumference. > - Red stones are skillfully embedded on the wall in such a way that no cracks can be seen on the wall. > - Jahangir palace was built by Akbar in this fort and shows a fusion of Bengal and Gujarat architectural style. > - Sahajahan had spent the last days of his life in this fort. ### **Taj Mahal** - Located at Agra in Uttar Pradesh on the bank of the river. - It is one of the seven wonders of the world and it was constructed by Mughal King Shahajahan in the memory of his queen Mumtaz Mahal. - It was built after the death of Mumtaz Mahal who died in 1630 AD. - Construction of Taj Mahal started in 1631 AD and it was completed in 1653 AD after 22 years. - Shahajahan used expert Indian sculptors besides Iranian, Arabian, Turkish and European sculptors/artisans. - The building of Taj Mahal is spread in rectangular shape from North to South. - The grave of Mumtaz lies in the centre of Taj. - It is surrounded by beautiful artistic carved octagonal fence made out of stone. - It is known as the "Garden of Paradise" as it is written on one of its archs. - “Pious hearts are welcomed in the garden of paradise". - The architecture of Taj glorifies the rich heritage of India and attracts thousands of people every year. ### **Red Fort** - Located in Delhi. - It was constructed by Shahjahan in1638 A.D. - It is made of red stone. - Shahjahan founded city namely Shahajahanabad in the same fort. - Includes the Diwan-e-Aam, Diwane-khas, Rang Mahal etc. > - The Diwan ekhas is more magnificiently decorated than the other buildings of Red fort. > - It is decorated with an amalgamation of gold and silver, embedded with precious stones. - Other buildings of Red fort are Rang Mahal, Mirror palace (Aaina Mahal) of Mumtaz, Lahori gate, Meena bazaar and Mughal Garden etc. - It is the centre of attraction of RedFort and the Peacock throne is the best exquisite creation of this fort. - Nadirshah took it with him to Iran. - Red fort is one of the outstanding buildings among the mughal art of architecture. - The Indian flag is hoisted on the Red fort on national festivals. ### **Fatehpur Sikri** - 26 miles away from Agra in Uttar Pradesh. - It was founded by Akbar in the memory of sufi saint Shaikh Salim Chisti. - It was made his own capital city and construction was started in 1569 AD and completed till 1572 AD. - The best buildings are: - Palace of Birbal, - Golden palace of Bibi Mariam, - Palace of Turkey Sultan, Jama Masjid and Buland Darwaza. - **The Buland Darwaza:** is 41 m wide and 50 m high and the other well-known and remarkable buildings are the palace of Jodhabai, Panch Mahal, Tomb of Saikh Salim Chisti, Diwan-e-aam, Diwan-e-khas and Jyotish Mahal. ### **Churches of Goa** - Christian missionaries came to India with the Portuguese to spread Christianity. - Goa was the capital of the Portuguese and many churches were built in Goa like church of Besalika of Bom Jesus and Besalika of God Jesus are in old Goa. - The relics of St. Francis Xavier are kept in a coffin in a church of Goa. - His dead body has not decayed even after so many years. - There are many churches in Goa and it is well renowned for its beautiful beaches and its artistic churches. ### **Champaner** - Situated in the foot hills of Pavagadh at Halol taluka in Panchmahal district of Gujarat. - It was named Muhammadabad after Mahmud Begada gave it the position of capital after his victory. - Moti Masjid, Jama Masjid, and Historical fort are different buildings in Champaner. - UNESCO declared this town as a site of world heritage, due to its art of architecture and historical importance. ### **Places (Monuments) of Cultural Heritage of Gujarat** - Gujarat has the foremost place in the field of sculpture and architecture. - Many beautiful architectural sites can be seen here for egcave architectures, temples, forts, vav (step-wells), archs etc. #### **Dholaveera and Lothal** - Dholaveera and Lothal were the main cities of Indus Valley civilization. - Dholaveera is situated in Khadirbet at Bhachau taluka in Kuchchh district. - Known for its ideal town planning whereas Harappan culture was renowned as a centre of trade and commerce. > - 5000 years ago from today, bead making factories and ornament making shell were found out from at Dholaveera. - **Lothal:** Situated near Ahmedabad-Bhavnagar highway. > - It was the main centre of trade and commerce and well facilitated port of Harappan culture in the ancient times. #### **Junagadh** - Stone inscription of Ashoka, Buddhist caves of Khapra Kodiya, Vav (Step-well), old Rajmahal, Navghan Well, tomb of Mahabatkhan and Tomb of Bahauddin Vazir's etc. places are worth seeing. - Bhavnath fair is held in the foot hills of Girnar on Mahashivratri. ### **Ahmedabad** - It could be known as a historical city. - The most important historical places are: - Fort of Bhadra, - Jama Masjid, - Mosque of Queen Sipri, - Roza of Sarkhej, - Kankariya Lake, - Shaking Minaret (Jhulta-Minara), - Sidi Saiyed Jali (Grill), - Temples of Hathi Sinh, - Mosque of Queen Roopmati. - The shaking Minarets outside Sarangpur darwaza in Raipur-Gomtipur are well known for its unsolved secret of vibration. - Sidi-Saiyed Grill is famous for its vegetation and geometrical creation and minute carving. ### **Patan (North Gujarat)** - Sahastralinga lake in Patan, step-well of Queen (Rani ni vav) and Rudra Mahalaya of Siddhapur are worth seeing architectures. - The ruins of Rudra Mahalaya in Siddhpur suggests the grandeur of palace which is situated 26 km away from Patan. ### **Things to Know** - Vav: A well with steps having one, two, three or four openings and three, six, nine or twelve floors. Nanda, Bhadra, Jaya and Vijaya are the main types of vav. - Step-well of Adalaj near Gandhinagar, Step-well of Queen of Patan, Adi-Kadi step-well at Junagadh, apart from this Nadiad, Mehmedabad, Umrath, Kapadwanj, Vadhwan and Kaleshwari (Mahisagar district) etc. are the examples of Vav Architecture. ### **Temples on Shetrunjya Mountains** - Many Jain temples on Shetrunjya mountains at Palitana in Bhavnagar district. Few of the temples were built in 11th century. ### **Taranga Pilgrim** - Situated on the hills near Timba village at Kheralu taluka in Mehsana district. - The temple of Taramati is also situated here. ### **Somnath Temple** - Situated at Gir Somnath district ### **Dwarkadhish Temple ** - Situated at Devbhoomi, Dwarka and their historical heritage is magnificent ! ### **South Indian Temples of Ancient India** - Famous for their different style of Dravidian art. - They are in a Pyramidal shape with multistoreys. - One attractive stone is placed on its top. - The yard of the temple was very huge. | Temple Name | Place | |--------------|---------------| | Mahabalipuram | Mahabalipuram - Tamilnadu | | Kailash Temple | Kanchipuram - Tamilnadu | | Bruhdeshwar Temple | Tanjavur - Tamilnadu | | Virupaksha Temple | Pattadakal - Karnataka | | Parashurameshwar Temple | Bhuvneshwar - Odisha | | Vaikuntha Perumal Temple | Kanchipuram - Tamilnadu | ### **Places of Pilgrimages in India** - Journey of chardham and twelve jyotirlingas includes Badrinath (Uttarakhand), Rameshwar (Tamilnadu), Dwarka (Gujarat), Jagannathpuri (Odisha). - Moreover pilgrimage of 51 Shaktipeeths and Amarnath yatra are considered as one of the most important. - Girnar (Lili Parikrama), Shetrunjya Pradakshina and Narmada Pradakshina have great importance. - India is a treasure house of rich cultural heritage. - In this way places of Indian cultural heritage gave India a unique identity in the world. - Tourists from India and abroad visit Indian art of architecture regularly. - 32 monuments of Indian cultural and natural heritage have been included in the world heritage site by the UNESCO. **Exercise** **1. Answer the following questions in detail:** (1) Describe architectural style of Taj Mahal. (2) Write a note on the places of cultural heritage of Gujarat. (3) Write a note on the Red Fort of Delhi. **2. Answer the following questions pointwise:** (1) Explain art of architecture of Hampi. (2) Write about Khajuraho Temples. (3) Write a note on the Sun Temple of Konark. (4) Write about Bruhdeshwar Temple. (5) Write a note on Fatehpur Sikri. **3. Answer the following questions in short:** (1) Write a brief note on the Kailash Temple at Ellora. (2) Write a brief note on elephanta caves. (3) Write a short note on Qutub Minar. (4) Write a short note on the cathedrals (churches) of Goa. (5) Make a list of the places (monuments) of Cultural heritage of Gujarat. (6) India has been a land of pilgrimages since ancient time. Explain the statement. **4. Choose a correct option from the options given below:** (1) In which state are Ajanta caves located? (A) Madhya pradesh (B) Maharashtra (C) Odisha (D) Gujarat (2) Which is not a correct statement? (A) Kailash temple is located at Ellora caves. (B) There are 34 caves in Ellora. (C) Hindu caves were built during Rashtrakuta dynasty. (D) Ellora caves are divided into four sections. (3) Match the pairs and choose the correct order. | Temple | State | |--------------|------------------| | Sun Temple of Konark | Madhya Pradesh | | Virupaksha Temple, Pattadakal | Tamilnadu | | Bruhdeshwar Temple | Karnataka | | Khajuraho Temple | Orissa | (A) 1-D 2-C 3-B 4-A (B) 1-C 2-D 3-A 4-B (C) 1-C 2-D 3-B 4-A (D) 1-C 2-B 3-D 4-A (4) Taj Mahal : Shahajahan ; Tomb of Humayun : ....... (A) Jahangir (B) Shahajahan (C) Babar (D) Akbar (5) Who founded city named Fatehpur Sikri ? (A) Humayun (B) Shahjahan (C) Babar (D) Akbar (6) Which is the correct option if we arrange these historical places of India in the sequence, from North to South. (A) Taj Mahal, Khajuraho, Bruhadeshwar, Ellora (B) Ellora caves, Taj Mahal, Khajuraho, Bruhadeshwar (C) Taj Mahal, Bruhadeshwar, Khajuraho, Ellora (D) Taj Mahal, Khajuraho, Ellora, Bruhadeshwar (7) Join the given pair and find out the correct pair. | Temple | State | |----------|-------| | Uparkot | Ahmedabad | | Sidi Saiyed Grill | Patan | | Step-well of Queen Sipri | Khadirbet | | Dholaveera | Junagadh | (A) 1-D 2-C 3-B 4-A (B) 1-D 2-A 3-B 4-C (C) 1-C 2-D 3-B 4-A (D) 1-C 2-B 3-D 4-A (8) Which is not a type of step-well? (A) Nanda (B) Bhadra (C) Tada (D) Vijaya **Activity** • Show the places of Indian cultural heritage in the outline map of India.\ • Arrange a picnic to the place of heritage in Gujarat.\ • Prepare a hand written magazine of the places of Indian Cultural heritage.\ • Collect more information about Queen Udaymati