Heritage Destinations in India

India, a platform of rich culture and tradition amidst a huge range of diversity and equality, is home to some of the excellent manifestations of art and architecture in various forms and shapes. Long and strong stretches of history have resulted in the creation of several artistic illustrations and cultural depictions. A ride through the entire sphere of these architectural masterpieces will help you delve deeper into the country’s cultural bias. East to west, north to south – travel through the vast stretches of the nation to explore the various heritage destinations of India and peep into the range of intricate forms of art and architecture of India. The heritage destinations in India basically calls for a closer look as the following options are some of the greatest landmarks in the world of culture and ethnicity of the country of ancient glory and grandeur:
Taj Mahal
Agra – This monument of pristine supremacy in terms of artistic connotations is viewed as an epitome of love and romance. Built by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, in loving memory of his wife, Mumtaz, this structure of white marble flaunts a dome and minarets adorning the premises.
The immortal monument of love, Taj Mahal is one of the most visited medieval buildings of the world. Such is the importance of this eternal monument that it has almost become a symbol of India. Most foreigners who visit India are lured by the Taj and it is one of the first things that they want to visit in the country. The Taj Mahal tours take tourists on the fascinating journeys of the city of Agra and its surrounding locates, all of which still smell of history. With the numerous historic monuments that a tour of Agra promises, the erstwhile capital of the mighty Mughuls is one of the highlights of tourism in North India.
The star attraction of the Taj Mahal tours is of course, the Taj itself. Built by the fifth Mughul emperor Shahjahan (1628 – 1658), this monument has immortalized the name of Mumtaz Mahal, the beloved wife of Shahjahan, in whose memory he built this marvelous tomb.
The Taj is characterized by highly stylized calligraphy, intricate carvings in marble, delicate arrangement of precious stones, and the famous pietra dura inlay work. The sheer size of the Taj is enough to mesmerize the observer, and indeed, many distinguished visitors from all over the world have been captivated by its ethereal beauty.
Agra is known as the city of Mughuls, and rightly so. Before the Mughuls, there were rulers here, but it is the Mughuls who gave Agra worldwide fame as one of the most magnificent cities of its times. The other Mughul monuments have given Agra the status of one of the premier tourist destinations in India. The Taj Mahal tours also cover these amazing medieval monuments that have witnessed dramatic moments in the history of India.
The chief among these is the Agra fort, which remained the center of Mughul power till the capital was shifted to Delhi.
Fatehpur Sikri is yet another famous place, known for the lavish fortified palace of Emperor Akbar. It is located 37 kms west of Agra, and is among the most important destinations to be visited on an excursion from Agra. The massive gate called Buland Darwaza and the revered tomb of Sheikh Salim Chishti are the chief attractions of this place, apart from the magnificent red sandstone palace itself.
Both the Agra fort and the palace complex at Fatehpur Sikri are among the best known Indian monuments. They also signify a great blend of Indian, Islamic and European architectural traditions that were allowed to fuse together under the patronage of the Mughuls. Besides the above, the Taj Mahal tours also cover some other monuments which have been outfamed by the Taj and the imposing Agra fort. These include the tomb of Nurjahan’s father, given the title Itmad-ud-daulat, Chini ka Rauza, which is a tomb of one of Shahjahan’s ministers, and is known for its brilliant glazed tiles. The city also has a few beautifully laid out gardens, whose origins date back to the times of Babur, the founder of the Mughul dynasty. The tomb of Akbar at Sikandara is located about 5 kms from Agra and is among the city’s major attractions.
Nalanda
Nalanda, in Bihar still today bears the glory of Buddhist culture in the form of the ruins of the Nalanda University. Having been traveled by educationists like Fa Hien and Hieuen Tsang as students, the University was a residential educational institution, accommodating as many as10,000 students and 2,000 teachers.
Neemrana Fort
Constructed in 1464 A.D by Prithviraj Chauhan II, it is located on a plateau of the Aravalli ranges, 122kms from New Delhi. It is actually one of the earliest heritage resorts of India.
Devigarh Palace
Opening into the valley of Udaipur, this structure is ideally an 18th century artistic illustration and gifted to Sajja Singh of Gujarat, in recognition of his gallantry and allegiance to Maharana Pratap against Akbar, at the battle of Haldighati.
Fatehpur Sikri
This red sandstone city at a distance of 37 kms from Agra was created by Akbar the Great, depicting a healthy blend of Mohammedan and Hindu architecture, thus defining the religious tolerance of the emperor.
Konark Temples
Approved as a United Nations (UNESCO) World Heritage Site, the temple at 65 km from Bhubaneswar is dedicated to the Sun God and depicts Orissa's medieval architecture.
Mahabaleshwar
Nestled amidst the Sahyadris, at 120 km south of Pune, Mahabaleshwar is presently and for quite some time now a chosen hill resort. The interesting religious spots here attract a lot of attention.
MahabaleshwarThe erstwhile second capital of the Pallava kings of Kanchipuram, this tiny seaside village at 58 kilometers from Madras on the Bay of Bengal is renowned for its shore temples.
Khajuraho Temples
Some of the most outstanding instances of intricate medieval Indian architecture, these temples built during AD 950 and AD 1050 at the time of Chandela kings, deeply illustrate the romantic episodes of the Hindu gods and goddesses.
Ajanta-Ellora Caves
One of the choicest travel destinations for tourists around the world, these caves, outside the city of Aurangabad, about 400km northeast of Mumbai, represent the evolution of Buddhism, from 200 BC to 650 AD. They proudly embody three faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.