India Traveller Guide: Indian culture

culture of India

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<a href="http://i2.wp.com/blog.concepttravel.in/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Indian-monuments.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-41941" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt=" " class="size-full wp-image-41941 alignleft" data-recalc-dims="1" src="http://i2.wp.com/blog.concepttravel.in/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Indian-monuments.jpg?fit=400%2C250" title=" photo" /></a>The <a href="http://blog.concepttravel.in/travel-guide/culture-india.html" title="Culture of India"><strong>culture of india</strong></a> has been formed by the long history of <a class="StrictlyAutoTagAnchor" href="http://blog.concepttravel.in/tag/india" title="View all articles about india here">india</a>, all the whereas fascinating customs, <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">traditions</strong> and ideas from each immigrants and invaders, nevertheless resiliently protective the traditional religi<strong>culture of India</strong> the Indus vale Civilization. <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong>‘s nice diversity of Indian cultural practices, languages, customs, and Indian monuments are samples of this distinctive co-mingling over centuries, and therefore the country was the birth place of many primary non secular systems like Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and religious belief, every of that have had an excellent influence not solely over <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong> however additionally over the remainder of the <a class="StrictlyAutoTagAnchor" href="http://blog.concepttravel.in/tag/planet" title="View all articles about planet here">planet</a>. Following the monotheism conquests and therefore the resultant foreign domination from the twelfth century ahead, the culture of <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong> was heavily influenced by Persian, Arabic and Turkish cultures. In turn, the assorted religions and therefore the multi-hued <a href="http://blog.concepttravel.in/travel-guide/colorful-india-theme-and-indian-traditions.html" title="colorful india theme and indian traditions"><strong>traditions of India</strong></a> have influenced South East Asia and different components of the <a class="StrictlyAutoTagAnchor" href="http://blog.concepttravel.in/tag/planet" title="View all articles about planet here">planet</a>.</div>
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Rabindranath Tagore became Asia’s initial laureate once he won the 1913 laurels in Literature<br />
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The great range of languages in <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong> have traditionally created various <a href="http://blog.concepttravel.in/travel-guide/culture-india.html" title="Culture of India"><strong>cultures and traditions</strong></a> at each regional and national levels. 216 languages are spoken by a bunch of quite ten,000 people; but there are several others that are spoken by fewer than ten,000 people. If these languages were to be enclosed, there are 415 living languages in <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong>.</div>
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<strong>HISTORY</strong></div>
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Upon the arrival of Mughal family, monotheism <span class="wp_keywordlink"><a href="http://blog.concepttravel.in/travel-guide/culture-india.html" title="indian culture">indian culture</a></span> additionally influenced the medieval <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> literature. This was thanks to the spreading influence of Persian and therefore the rise of celebrated poets like emir Khusro. Colonial rule ready the stage for contemporary literature exemplified by the works of Rabindranath Tagore, Subhramanya Bharati,Kuvempu, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Munshi Premchand, Devaki Nandan Khatri, among several others. <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> writers in nowadays, like R. K. Narayan, Poornachandra Tejaswi, Vaikom Muhammad Basheer,Mahasweta Devi, Amrita Pritam, Arundhati Roy, Vikram Seth, Khushwant Singh, author, and Moncy Pothen, are the cynosures of wide acclaim, each in <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> languages and English .</div>
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<strong>Poetry</strong><br />
<strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong> has robust <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">traditions</strong> of poetry, additionally as prose writing. this can be often closely associated with musical <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">traditions</strong>, and most poetry may be attributed to spiritual movements. Writers and philosophers were usually additionally adept poets. In nowadays, poetry has served as a very important non-violent tool of nationalism throughout the <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> freedom movement. A celebrated fashionable example of this tradition may be found in such figures as Rabindranath Tagore in nowadays and poets like Kabir in medieval times, additionally because the epics of precedent days. 2 samples of poetry from Tagore’s Gitanjali function the national anthems of each <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong> and Bangla Desh.</div>
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<strong>Performing arts</strong></div>
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<strong>Music</strong></div>
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The music of <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong> includes multiples kinds of people, popular, pop, and serious music. <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong>‘s serious music tradition that originates, encompasses a basis from and is heavily influenced by Hindu texts. It includes Carnatic and Hindustani music and is noted for the employment of many Raga, encompasses a history spanning millennia, and, developed over many eras, remains instrumental to the non secular inspiration, cultural expression and pure diversion. aboard clearly subcontinental forms, there are major similarities with different sorts of Oriental music. <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> genres/fusions like filmi and bhangra became in style throughout the uk, South and East Asia, and round the <a class="StrictlyAutoTagAnchor" href="http://blog.concepttravel.in/tag/world" title="View all articles about world here">world</a>.</div>
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<strong>Dance</strong><br />
<strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong> offers variety of Classical <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> dance forms, every of which might be copied to totally different components of the country. every type represents the culture and attribute of a selected region or a bunch of individuals. The 9 main designs are Garba, Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Yakshagana, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam, Bhangra, Manipuri and Kathakali.[citation needed] Besides, there are many sorts of <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> people dances, and special dances ascertained in regional festivals.</div>
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<strong>Visual arts:</strong></div>
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<strong>Painting</strong></div>
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The earliest <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> paintings were the rock paintings of pre-historic times, the petroglyphs as found in places like Bhimbetka, and a few of them are older than 550 before Christ. Ancient texts define theories of darragh and anecdotal accounts suggesting that it had been common for households to color their doorways or indoor rooms wherever guests resided.<br />
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Cave paintings from Ajanta, Bagh, Ellora and Sittanavasal and temple paintings testify to a love of naturalism and God. Most rock art in <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong> is Hindu or Buddhist. A freshly created colored flour style (Rangoli) continues to be a standard sight outside the threshold of the many (mostly South <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong>) <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> homes.</div>
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Madhubani painting, Hindoo painting, Tanjore painting, Mughal painting are some notable Genres of <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> Art; whereas Raja Ravi Varma, Nandalal Bose, Geeta Vadhera,Jamini Roy are some fashionable painters. Jehangir picture gallery, Mumbai, has on show many smart <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> paintings.</div>
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<strong>Sculpture</strong></div>
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The first sculptures in <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong> start to the Indus vale civilization, wherever stone and bronze carvings are discovered. this is often one among the earliest instances of sculpture within the world. Later, as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism developed additional, <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong> created a number of the foremost knotty bronzes within the <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">world</strong>, additionally as matchless temple carvings. Some large shrines, like the one at Ellora weren’t really made victimisation blocks, however instead etched out of solid rock, creating them maybe the biggest and most knotty sculptures within the <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">world</strong>.</div>
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The pink arenaceous rock sculptures of Mathura evolved throughout the Gupta amount (4th to sixth century) to succeed in a awfully high fineness of execution and delicaracy within the modeling. Newer sculptures in northwest, in stucco, schist, or clay, show terribly robust mixing of <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> post-Gupta mannerism and Classical influence, Hellenistic or probably even classical. Meanwhile, elsewhere in <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong>, less anatomically correct types of human illustration evolved resulting in the classical art that the <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">planet</strong> is currently conversant in and conducive to Buddhist and Hindu sculpture throughout Asia.</div>
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<strong>Clothing</strong></div>
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<strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> Sarees/Saris are in style within the southern 1/2 <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong> and sure components of the northern 0.5 additionally. or else, girls will wear trousers kamis or lehngas. For men it consists of the G-string or longyi and presently the shirt high is extremely in style. additionally bhangara is extremely in style within the <a href="http://blog.concepttravel.in/travel-guide/culture-india.html" title="Indian culture"><strong>Indian culture</strong></a>.</div>
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<strong>Cuisine</strong></div>
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The multiple families of <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> culinary art are characterised by their refined and refined use of the many spices and herbs. every family of this culinary art is characterised by a good assortment of dishes and change of state techniques. tho’ a big portion of <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> food is feeder, several ancient <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> dishes additionally embody chicken, goat, lamb, fish, and different meats.</div>
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Food is a very important a part of <strong>Indian culture</strong>, enjoying a job in lifestyle additionally as in festivals. In several families, everyday meals are sometimes work stoppage affairs consisting of 2 to 3 main course dishes, varied accompaniments like chutneys and pickles, saccharide staples like rice and roti (bread), additionally as desserts.</div>
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varied uses of spices are AN integral a part of food preparation, and are accustomed enhance the flavour of a dish and make distinctive flavors and aromas. culinary art across <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong> has additionally been influenced by varied cultural teams that entered <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong> throughout history, like the Mughals, Persians, and European powers.</div>
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<strong>Popular media</strong></div>
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<strong>Cinema</strong><br />
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Bollywood is that the informal name given to the popular Mumbai-based screenland in <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong>. film industry and therefore the different major medium hubs (Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu) represent the broader <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> screenland, whose output is taken into account to be the biggest within the <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">world</strong> in terms of range of films created and range of tickets sold-out.<br />
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Bollywood films are sometimes musicals, tho’ not within the Western sense of the word. <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> movies have a daily plot, with songs and dances interspersed to feature to the diversion worth of the show. Few movies are created while not a minimum of one song-and-dance range. <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> audiences expect full worth for his or her money; they need songs and dances, romance, comedy and dare-devil thrills, all immersed in a very 3 hour long entertainment with intermission. Such movies are referred to as masala movies, when the <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> spice mixture masala. Like masala, these movies are a mix of the many things. Plots tend to be melodramatic. they regularly use conventional ingredients like star-crossed lovers and angry oldsters, corrupt politicians, kidnappers, conniving villains, courtesans with hearts of gold, long-lost relatives and siblings separated by fate, dramatic reversals of fortune, and convenient coincidences, and even shows with tri polar changes which will flip a movie and its plot the other way up.Bollywood is turning into progressively in style in different countries as well as many places in Europe and therefore the U.S. Some film industry actors have tailored to additional Hollywood-type films in movies like Bend It Like Beckham and Bride and Prejudice. Bollywood’s fame is increasing internationally as additional and additional folks across the <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">world</strong> are exposed to its vogue.</div>
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<strong>Religion and philosophy</strong></div>
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<strong>Philosophy</strong><br />
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In addition to the unbroken high stress placed on philosophy in <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong>, that has existed since precedent days, fashionable <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong> has created a number of the <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">world</strong>‘s most potent philosophers of recent times, WHO have written each in their native languages, and sometimes English. throughout British people occupation of <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong>, varied thinkers, each laic and spiritual, achieved a replacement level of recognition across the <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">planet</strong> as each ancient <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> texts, and therefore the work of up to date <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> philosophers was translated into English, German and different languages. Hindu Vivekananda cosmopolitan to America and took part within the 1893 World Parliament of Religions, impressing delegates with a groundbreaking speech that for the primary time gave access to japanese, <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong>, Hindu and dharmic philosophy to western intellectuals.<br />
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As well as varied non secular thinkers Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore and different members of the <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> freedom movement, generated political philosophy, and shaped the idea of recent <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> democracy, ism and liberalism. Today, economists like Amartya subunit, who won Asia’s initial laurels in political economy, still offer <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong> a name as a very important contributor to <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">world</strong> thought.</div>
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<strong>Religion</strong></div>
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The <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> religions, one among the 2 main families of <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">world</strong> faith (the different being the Abrahamic), originated in <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong>. They embody Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism and different colleges of language. Today, Hinduism and Buddhism are the <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">world</strong>‘s third- and fourth-largest religions severally, with a collective one.4 billion followers, despite being freed from any evangelistic <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">traditions</strong>. not like the narrow-mindedness that has usually marked variations among the Abrahamic colleges, the philosophical-like treatment of those religions has typically created the concept of competition and conversion alien, resulting in very shut relationships between these faiths.<br />
<strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong> is one among the foremost religiously various nations within the <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">world</strong>, with one among the foremost deeply non secular societies and <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> cultures. faith plays a central and definitive role within the lifetime of the country and most of its folks. the faith of quite eighty.4% of the folks is Hinduism, thought-about the <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">world</strong>‘s oldest non secular and doctrine.<br />
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Islam is practiced by around thirteen.4% of all Indians.[5] religion, Buddhism and Jainism are systems that are robust and potent not solely in <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">India</strong> however across the <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">planet</strong>. Christianity, religion, Judaism and therefore the Bahá’í religion also are potent however their numbers are smaller. Despite the robust role of faith in <strong class="StrictlyAutoTagBold">Indian</strong> life, atheism and agnostics also are visible influences.</div>
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<a href="http://blog.concepttravel.in/travel-guide/culture-in-india.html">culture of India</a></div>

culture of India

The culture of india has been formed by the long history of india, all the whereas fascinating customs, traditions and ideas from each immigrants and invaders, nevertheless resiliently protective the…

22 Jun 2013

Monuments in India

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<b><a href="http://www.concepttravel.in/" target="_blank">India travel Guide</a></b> possess a rich collection of <a data-mce-href="http://www.concepttravel.in/monuments.html" href="http://www.concepttravel.in/monuments.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #a00004; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Indian  monuments">Indian  monuments</a>, known world over for its intricate architect and its ancient history. The Taj Mahal, Agra, built by fifth Moghul Emperor Shah Jahan in the year 1648 is undoubtedly the epitome of Indian culture, heritage and civilization. Behind each monument is an underlying sense of mystery, intrigue and romance. Other popular monuments include Hazrat Nizamuddin, a tomb of medieval sufi saint and a place of pilgrimage and devotion for believers. Safdarjung Tomb, New Delhi is the mausoleum of a minister of emperor Ahamed Shah, and was built by his son in the year 1753. The Jama Masjid, built in 1650-56 by Moghul emperor Shah Jahan, is one of the largest and most beautiful mosques in India.</div>
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Humayun’s Tomb, New Delhi, is the mausoleum of second Moghul emperor built in the year 1564 by his widow Haji Begum. The magnificent Charminar, built in the year 1591, is the most important landmark in the city of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. Looking back at five thousand years of Indian History, there are thousands of  <strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.concepttravel.in/monuments.html" href="http://www.concepttravel.in/monuments.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #a00004; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Indian Monuments">Indian monuments</a></strong> across the country from north to south and east to west belonging to Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and Christians.</div>
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Besides, these <strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Indian  monuments</strong> there are many historically important temples scattered all over the country.</div>
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India’s grand repository of ancient cultural and natural treasures is of great significance to the history and civilization of the world.</div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.concepttravel.in/uttar-pradesh/taj-mahal/index.html" href="http://www.concepttravel.in/uttar-pradesh/taj-mahal/index.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #a00004; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Taj Mahal">Taj Mahal </a>:-</strong> Architectural masterpiece and symbol of eternal love, <strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Taj Mahal</strong> is one of the seven wonders of the world. Lying on the bank of river Yamuna, the <strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Taj Mahal</strong> is located in Agra, a historical Indian city, Taj Mahal was built by famous Mughal ruler Shahjahan in memory of his favourite wife, Mumtaj Mahal. Taking a huge 22 years to build, the wonder palace gets its appropriate description in Tagore words “a teardrop in the cheek of time”.</div>
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The great architectural wonder, <strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Taj Mahal</strong> with its unique calligraphy, mosaic motifs, mausoleum and domes is undoubtedly one of the best tourist fascination in india. The world famous palace calls tourists from all over to witness the best preserved architectural heritage and an epitome of eternal love in its milky white pristine marbles. Giving tourists a rare experience, lily like gleam of Taj Mahal is a lovely exploration of Indian architectural beauty.</div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.concepttravel.in/uttar-pradesh/travel/fatehpur-sikri/fatehpursikri-fort.html" href="http://www.concepttravel.in/uttar-pradesh/travel/fatehpur-sikri/fatehpursikri-fort.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #a00004; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Fatehpur Sikri">Fatehpur Sikri</a> :-</strong> In honour of saint Shaikh Salim Chisti, the Mughal emperor, Akbar the great, founded a magnificent city on Sikri ridge. In 1571 he ordered the construction of buildings for his own use and asked the noblemen to build houses for themselves. Within a year, most of the work was finished and within the next few years, a well planned city with administrative, residential and religious buildings came into existence.</div>
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The Jami Mosque was perhaps among the first buildings to come up. Its epigraph gives AH 979 (AD 1571-72) as the date of its completion. The Buland-Darwaza was added some five years later.</div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.concepttravel.in/uttar-pradesh/travel/agra/agra-fort.html" href="http://www.concepttravel.in/uttar-pradesh/travel/agra/agra-fort.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #a00004; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Agra Fort">Agra Fort</a> :-</strong> It represents first major building project of Akbar, through remains of only a few buildings built by him now survive. Built on the site of an earlier castle in AD 1565-75, the fort, apart from other important units, contains Jahangiri Mahal, Khass Mahal, Diwan-i-Khass, Diwan-i-Am, Machchhi Bhawan and Moti Masjid. Many extant buildings were erected by Shah Jahan (AD 1630-55). Irregularly triangular on plan, it is enclosed by a double battlemented massive wall of red sandstone which is about 2 km in perimetre and interrupted by graceful curves and lofty bastions. Of its four gates, the most impressive is the Delhi Gate on the west.</div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.concepttravel.in/delhi/tourist-attractions/qutab-minar.html" href="http://www.concepttravel.in/delhi/tourist-attractions/qutab-minar.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #a00004; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Qutab Minar">Qutab Minar</a> :-</strong> The tallest brick minaret of the world, Qutub Minar is the pride of Delhi - the old historical walled city and national capital of India. An excellent example of Indo-Islamic architecture, the <strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Qutub Minar</strong> and its <strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Indian monuments</strong> with its deeper historical significance find its inclusion in the list of World Heritage Sites of UNESCO.</div>
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Emulating the minaret of Jam of Afghanistan, the first Muslim king of Delhi, Qutb-Ud-Din-Aybak started the construction of Qutub Minar in 1193. Latter, his successor, Iltutmish added second, third and fourth floor, which was latter forwarded by his successor, Firoz Shah Tughlaq, who constructed the fifth and last floor of the minaret in 1368. Requiring around 400 steps to reach to the top, the minarets with its height of 72.5 metres, unravel a very fine opportunity to see Indo-Islamic architecture.</div>
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The minaret, built on the ruins of Lal-Kot and using the materials of 27 destroyed Hindu and Jain temples, is a unique composite of diverse architectural structure. The minaret made of red sandstones have tangled carving and holy Quran inscribed on it. Hindu floral art inscribed on the pillars, heavily carved fluting (a persian technique) and Muslim calligraphy show a perfect example of Indo-Muslim architectural beauty.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://www.concepttravel.in/delhi/tourist-attractions/humayun-tomb.html" href="http://www.concepttravel.in/delhi/tourist-attractions/humayun-tomb.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #a00004; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Humayun Tomb">Humayun Tomb</a>, Delhi :- The first substantial example of a garden tomb on charbagh pattern with high arches and double dome was erected by Humayun’s queen Hamida Banu Begam (Haji Begam) in AD 1569 at a cost of 15 lakh rupees (1.5 million).<br />
The high rubble built enclosure is entered through two lofty double-storeyed gateways on the west and south. A baradar (pavilion) occupies the centre of the eastern wall and a hammam (bath chamber) in the centre of northern wall. The lofty mausoleum is in the centre of the enclosure and rises from podium faced with series of cells having arched openings. The central octagonal chamber contains the cenotaph, encompassed by octagonal chambers at the diagonals and arched lobbies on the sides. Their openings are closed with perforated screens. Each side is dominated by three arches, the central one being the highest. This plan is repeated on the second storey too. The roof surmounted by a double dome (42.5m) of marble has pillared kiosks (chhatris) placed around it.</div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.concepttravel.in/delhi/tourist-attractions/india-gate.html" href="http://www.concepttravel.in/delhi/tourist-attractions/india-gate.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #a00004; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="India Gate">India Gate</a> :-</strong> One of the most important <strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Indian monuments</strong> of the historical city of Delhi, the <strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">India Gate</strong> is also one among the most visited destinations. Built as memorial commemorating 80,000 Indian soldiers, who were killed during the first World War, the historical edifice of India Gate is located exactly opposite to the President House. 42 meters high arch of the magnificence building, designed by famous architect Edwin Lutyen, India Gate, for tourists, is a wonderful two-in-one experience. On the hand, the location of New Delhi gives you feel of contemporary Delhi, on the other, the historical significance lets one peep into the importance of contribution of Indian soldiers in the world war I.</div>
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Being one of the most favourite picnic spots of Delhi, the <strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">India Gate</strong> has very large lush lawns, where tourists as well as local visitors can be seen in heaps. For children, local vendors selling ice-creams, aerated drinks, and balloons, are best to be glued to. Children park and boat club are the two spots close to the gate, which are mostly flocked by picnickers. Visiting the India Gate comes to its full circle in the evening, when the special lighting makes the monument appear very illuminating.</div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Elephanta Caves, Mumbai :-</strong> Elephanta anciently known as Gharapuri, the island capital of Konkan Mauryas, is celebrated for its colossal image of Mahesa-murti with three heads each representing a different form.<br />
in fact, there are seven caves out of which the most important is the Mahesa-murti cave. The main body of the cave, excludin-g the porticos on the three open sides and the back isle, is 27 metres square and is supported by rows of six columns each. The gigantic figures of dvarapalas or doorkeepers here are very impressive.<br />
There are sculptured compartments in this cave with remarkable images of ardhanarisvara, Kalyana-sundara Siva, Ravana lifting Kailasa, Andhakari-murti (slaying of Andhaka demon) and Nataraja Siva.</div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ajanta Caves , Aurangabad :-</strong> The caves including the unfinished ones are thirty in number, of which five (9, 10, 19, 26 and 29) are chaitya-grihas and the rest are sangharamas or viharas (monasteries). After centuries of oblivion, these caves were discovered in AD 1819. They fall into two distinct phases with a break of nearly four centuries between them. All the caves of the earlier phase date between 2nd century BC-AD.</div>
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The caves of the second phase were excavated during the supremacy of the Vakatakas and Guptas. According to inscriptions, Varahadev, the minister of the Vakataka king, Harishena (c.475-500 AD), dedicated Cave 16 to the Buddhist sangha while Cave 17 was the gift of the prince a feudatory. An inscription records that Buddha image in Cave 4 was the gift of some Abhayanandi who hailed from Mathura.</div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ellora Caves, Aurangabad :-</strong> The magnificent group of rock-cut shrines of Ellora, representing three different faiths, Buddhist, Brahmanical and Jaina were excavated during the period from 5th to the 13th century AD. The Buddhist Caves (1 to 12) were excavated between the 5th and the 7th centuries AD, when the Mahayana sects were flourishing in the region. Important in this group are Caves 5, 10 and 12. Cave 10 is a chaitya-hall and is popularly known as ‘Visvakarma’. It has a highly ornamental facade provided with in gallery and in the chaitya-hall is a beautiful image of Buddha set on a stupa. Among the viharas, Cave 5 is the largest. The most impressive vihara is the three - storeyed cave called ‘Tin - Tala’. It has a large open-court in front which provides access to the huge monastery. The uppermost storey contains sculptures of Buddha.</div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.concepttravel.in/orissa/konark/sun-temple.html" href="http://www.concepttravel.in/orissa/konark/sun-temple.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #a00004; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="The Sun Temple">The Sun Temple</a>, Konark :-</strong> Kainapara of the Periplus (first century AD), is an important port of the Orissan coast. The most notable marvel of Orissan art is the stately Sun Temple. Built in c.AD 1250, during the reign of the Eastern Ganga King Narasimhadeva-I (AD 1238-64), it was to enshrine an image of Sun (Arka), the patron deity of the place. The entire complex was designed in the form of a huge chariot drawn by seven spirited horses on twelve pairs of exquisitely carved wheels. The sanctum symbolises the majestic stride of the Sun-god and marks the culmination of the Orissan architectural style. The vimana of the deul has collapsed, while that of jagamohana and the nata-mandapa are better preserved, The walls of the temple contain superb carving of divine, semi-divine, human and animal figures amidst floral and geometric ornamentations. The vivacious kanyas and danseuse are remarkable for their sensuous modelling, pulsating with human emotions which are absorbed in a variety of gestures and rhythmic actions. Such sculptures render the Orissan temple a class unto themselves. Mighty simha-gajas welcome the visitor at the porches.</div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Mahabalipuram, Group of Monuments :-</strong> Mamallapuram, the city of Mamalla, is after the title of great Pallava ruler Narasimhavarman-I (AD 630-68). It was a sea-port during the time of Periplus (1st century AD) and Ptolemy (AD 140) and many Indian colonists sailed to south-east Asia through this port town. While there is some evidence of architectural activity going back to the period of Mahendravarman-I (AD 600-30), the father of Mamalla, most of the <strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Indian monuments</strong> like rock-cut rathas, sculptured scenes on open rocks like Arjuna’s penance, the caves of Goardhanandhari and Mahishasuramardini, the Jala-Sayana Perumal temple (the sleeping Mahavishnu or Chakrin at the rear part of the Shore temple complex) are attributed to the period of Narasimhavarman-I Mamalla.</div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Goa, Churches & Convents :-</strong> The most comprehensive group of churches and cathedrals built during 16th and 17th century AD at Old Goa comprise of the following:<br />
Se’Cathedral, Church and Convent of St. Francis of Assisi, Chapel of St. Catherine, Basilica of Born Jesus; Church of Lady of Rosary; Church of St. Augustine.<br />
The Church of St. Cajetan is modelled on the original design of St. Peter’s Church in Rome. The Church of Bom Jesus with its facade decorated with lonic, Doric and Corinthian pilasters, shows the application of the Classical order. The Se’Cathedral, with its Tuscan exterior the Corinthian columns at its portals, the raised platform with steps leading to the entrance, the barrel-vault above the nave, is yet another example of Renaissance.</div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.concepttravel.in/madhya-pradesh/travel/khajuraho/index.html" href="http://www.concepttravel.in/madhya-pradesh/travel/khajuraho/index.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #a00004; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Khajuraho ">Khajuraho </a>:-</strong> Built between the period of 10th and 12th century, Khajuraho temple complex are great archaeological treasure of India. Dating more than one thousand year back, the elegant temple structure was built by the then ruler of Chandela dynasty, who clad the whole capital with numerous of tanks and beautiful temples. The temple complex with its numerous erotic sculptures is a fine portrayal of sexual and spiritual significance of the country.</div>
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Khajuraho, the land of moon god, had total 85 of temples amongst which only 20 survive today. The temple complex built in north-Indian ‘Nagara’ style of architecture are today the unique gift of love from India to the world. The temple complex of Khajuraho with its unique erotic art have become today one of the best place to witness the historical and architectural significance of the country.<br />
Richest and largest of all temple groups, Western Complex of the temples are designated as World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The other prominent site of the temple complex are Eastern and Southern Complex. Most of the famous temples like Lakshmana Temple, Kandaria Temple, Devi Jagdamba Temple, Chandragupta Temple and Parvati Temple are part of Western Complex, while Jain Group Of Temples, The Vamana Temple and Adinath Temple are in Eastern Complex.</div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Hampi :-</strong> Traditionally known as Pampakshetra of Kishkindha. Hampi is situated on the southern bank of the river Tungabhadra. Once it was the seat of the mighty Vijayanagara empire.<br />
The monuments of Vijayanagara city, also known as Vidyanagara in honour of the sage Vidyaranya were built between AD 1336-1570, from the times of Harihara-I to Sadaviva Raya. A large number of royal buildings were raised by Krishnadeva Raya (AD 1509-30), the greatest ruler of the dynasty. The period witnessed resurgence of Hindu religion, art, architecture in an unprecedented scale. The contemporary chroniclers who came from far off countries - such as Arabia, Italy, Portugal and Russia visited the empire, have left graphic and glowing accounts of the city. It covers an area of nearly 26 sq. km and is stated to be enclosed by seven lines of fortifications.</div>
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Extensive remains of the palaces can be seen within innermost enclosure of the ancient Vijayanagara. The various religious and secular structures which include Hindu and Jain temples, audience hall of the king, the magnificent throne platform to witness the festivals and other events, the king’s balance (tulabhara) are awe-inspiring.</div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Pattadakal :-</strong> Pattadakal was not only popular for Chalukyan architectural activities but also a holy place for royal coronation, ‘Pattadakisuvolal’. Temples constructed here mark the blending of the Rekha Nagara Prasada and the Dravida Vimana styles of temple building.</div>
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The oldest temple at Pattadakal is Sangamesvara built by Vijayaditya Satyasraya (AD 697-733). It is a simple but massive structure.</div>
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Virupaksha temple of the Chalukyan period served as a model for the Rashtrakuta ruler to carve out the great Kailasa at Ellora. The sculptural art of the early Chalukyas is characterised by grace and delicate details. The ceilinig panels of the navagrahas, dikpalas, the dancing Nataraja, the wall niches containing Lingodbhava, Ardhanarisvara, Tripurari, Varahavishnu, Trivikrama bear ample testimony to the sculptor’s skill as well as the cult worship in vogue. The narrative reliefs illustrating certain episodes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavata and Panchatantra fitted well with these grand religious edifices.</div>
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Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur :- This celebrated Saiva temple, appropriately called Brihadisvara and Daksinameru, is the grandest creation of the Chola emperor Rajaraja (AD 985-1012). It was inaugurated by the king himself in his 19th regnal year (AD 1009-10) and named it after himself as Rajesvara Peruvudaiyar. Architecturally, it is the most ambitious structural temple built of granite. The temple is within a spacious inner prakara of 240.90m long (east-west) and 122m broad (north-south), with a gopura at the east and three other ordinary torana entrances on at each lateral sides and the third at rear. The prakara is surrounded by a double-storeyed malika and parivaralayas.</div>
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The sikhara, a cupolic dome, is otagonal and rests on a single block of granite, a square of 7.8m weighing 80tons. The majestic upapitha and adhishthana and common to all the axially placed entities like the ardhamaha and mukha-mandapas and linked to the main sanctum but approached through a north-south transept across the ardha-mandapa which is marked by lofty sopanas. The moulded plinth is extensively engraved with inscriptions by its royal builder who refers to his many endowments, pious acts and organisational events connected to the temple. The brihad-linga within the sanctum is 8.7m high. Life-size iconographic representations on the wall niches and inner passages inlude Durga, Lakshmi, Sarasvati and Bhikshatana, Virabhadra, Kalantaka, Natesa, Ardhanarisvara and Alingana forms of Siva. The mural paintings on the walls of the lower ambulatory inside are finest examples of Chola and later periods.</div>
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<strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.concepttravel.in/madhya-pradesh/travel/sanchi/sanchi-stupa.html" href="http://www.concepttravel.in/madhya-pradesh/travel/sanchi/sanchi-stupa.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #a00004; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Sanchi ">Sanchi </a>:-</strong> Sanchi, variously known as Kakanaya. Kakanava, Kakanadabota and Bota-Sriparvata in ancient times, has a singular distinction of having remarkable specimen of Buddhist art and architecture right from the early Mauryan period (c.thirth century BC to twelfth century AD).</div>
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Sanchi is famous in the world for stupas, monolithic Asokan pillar, temples, monasteries and sculptural wealth. During Sunga times, several edifices were raised at Sanchi and its surrounding hills. The Asokan stupa was enlarged and faced with stones and decorated with blustrades, staircases and a harmika on the top. The reconstruction of Temple 40 and erection of Stupas 2 and 3 also seem to date back around the same time. In the first century BC the Andhra-Satavahanas, who had extended their sway over the eastern Malwa, caused the elaborately carved gateways to Stupa 1. From the second to fourth century AD Sanchi and Vidisha came under the Kushanas and Kshatrapas and subsequently passed on to the hand of the Guptas. During the Gupta period some temples were built and sculptures were added. Shrines and monasteries were also constructed at the site during seventh and twelfth centuries AD.</div>
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Since the fourteenth century Sanchi remained deserted and uncared for till 1818 when General Taylor rediscovered the site, Sir John Marshall established an archaeological museum in 1919, which was later transformed into the present site museum at Sanchi.</div>
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Monuments in India

India travel Guide possess a rich collection of Indian monuments, known world over for its intricate architect and its ancient history. The Taj Mahal, Agra, built by fifth Moghul Emperor Shah Jahan …

10 Apr 2007

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