Landmarks of India

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Landmarks

Ellora, Maharashtra

The finest example of cave temples, these 34 caves have intricate interiors and ornamental facades. Carved between 350 AD and 700 AD, the rock temples and monasteries represent three faiths - Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.

The Vishvakarma cave of the Buddhists, the Kailasa Hindu temple and the Jain Indrasabha, present a captivating sight. These were carved out of a solid rock to provide sanctuaries to Buddhist monks.

The Kailasa temple in cave 16 is a masterpiece in itself. The entire structure was etched out of a monolith and took over 100 years to complete. The temple itself is decorated with themes and incidents from the puranas in a manner that leaves one in rapturous delight.

Vishvakarma cave is both a Chaitya and a Vihara with a seated Buddha in the stupa. Its double storied structure features dwarfs dancing and playing musical instruments. Figurines of river goddesses adorn the entrance to the Ramesvara cave.

The Dumar Lena cave resembles the great cave shrine at Elephanta and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Cave 32, belonging to the Jain faith, is a beautiful shrine with exquisite carvings of a lotus flower on the ceiling and an imposing yakshi seated on her lion under a mango tree laden with fruit. The ceilings of this double storied cave are also decorated with paintings.

Mumbai (Bombay) and Gateway of India

The word Mumbai is derived from Mumbadevi, the patron goddess of Koli fisherfolk, the oldest inhabitants of Mumbai. A dynamic, modern city, Mumbai, the financial capital of India and the capital of the state of Maharashtra, has risen from rather unlikely beginnings. A group of seven islands of no great value, ceded to the Portuguese in 1534 by the Sultan of Gujarat, were in turn given as part of the wedding dowry of Catherine of Braganza when she married England's Charles II in 1661. In 1668, the British government leased the islands to the East India Company for 10 Pounds in gold per annum and Mumbai grew gradually to become a center of trade. A major land reclamation project joined the seven islands into a single entity — Mumbai was on its way to becoming a major metropolis.

Today, it is a lively city with a character all its own - a major industrial and financial center - with an active interest in the arts and theater. Mumbai is also the main center of the Indian film industry.

Gracing the water's edge at Apollo Bunder is the Gateway of India - a triumphal arch designed by George Wittet and completed in 1924 to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary in 1911 for the Delhi Durbar. This was the first landmark that visitors to Mumbai saw in earlier times as they disembarked from their ships.

Khajuraho

Located in east-central Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho was the capital of the Chandella kings from the early tenth to the twelfth century. King Yasovarman began the era of temple construction here. Now a mere village, it has become one of the country's major tourist attractions. Eighty-five such temples were built, of which about twenty-two have survived. The murals and motifs depict scenes from hunting, feasting, dancing - with special stress on the sensual and the erotic.

Victoria Memorial, Calcutta

In the fall of 1687, Job Charnock, an agent of the East India Company, secured permission from the Mughals to establish a base at Sutanati. In 1696, Old Fort William was established and this was the origin of the city of Calcutta. The name Calcutta is derived from Kalikata, one of the three villages whose lands became part of the new settlement.

In the three centuries of its history, Calcutta has grown from a mere fishing village into the largest city in India with a population of 11 million, and indeed, one of the largest cities in the world. Calcutta served as the capital of British India until 1912, and it is not surprising that one sees predominantly western architectural styles in its many buildings and monuments. One of the finest examples is the Victoria Memorial, where the architecture is a medley of the best of occidental and oriental styles. Lord Curzon conceived the idea of Victoria Memorial, a huge marble museum that tells the story of the British Empire in India. It was opened to the public in 1921.

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