HISTORICAL MONUMENTS India is a land of a variety of historical monuments dating from pre- specimens. In south India, the Dravidian style of architecture is first met in historic, proto- historic, medieval and later ages. In central India Gwalior, the Pallava (8th century) temples at Mahabalipuram, Panamalai (South Khajuraho, Mandu, Datia, Chanderi, Jabalpur, Orchha, Raisen, Sanchi, Arcot District), Kanchipuram, Tiruttani and Tirukkalukkunram Vidisha, Udaygiri, Bhimbetka (Raisen District, Indore and Bhopal of (Chengalpattu District) and also Sri Padmanabhaswami Temple at Madhya Pradesh and ancient monuments of Chhattisgarh are famous. In Thiruvananthapuram. The temples at Madurai, Tiruchchirapalli, western India Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bikaner, Mount Abu (Sirohi), Tiruvalisvaram and Korkai (Tirunelveli District) are best attributed to the Ajmer, Jaisalmer, Pali, Bundi, Kota, Shekhawati and Chittorgarh of Pandyas. Shravanabelagola-Belur Complex with the colossal finely Rajasthan are famous for palaces, forts and havelis; Ajanta, Ellora, polished statue of standing Gommatesvara, on the crest of the Indragiri Elephanta, Kanheri and Karla caves, Mahabaleshwar, Matheran and Hills, the granite temples at Nandi (Kolar District) are other noteworthy Panchgani of Maharashtra are famous for relics; temples at Dwarka, structures of this era. The imperial Cholas of Thanjavur (9thcentury) Somnath, Palitana, Patan, Siddhpur, Ghurnil, Dabhoi, Lothal, Champaner- brought a modification in early Dravidian architecture by introducing a Pawagarh (Panch Mahal District) and Ahmedabad in Gujarat are huge gateway called Gopuram as found in temples at Kumbhakonam, noteworthy. In northern India monasteries in Ladakh and Himachal Chidambaram, Tiruvannamalai, Srirangam and elsewhere. Many palaces Pradesh; Buddhist monument at Sarnath, temples at Varanasi, Mathura, of the early Hindu rulers of medieval times are still surviving; like those at Dargah of FatehpurSikri, fort at Agra in Uttar Pradesh; Golden Temple of Gwalior, Amber, Jaipur, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Datia, Amritsar, Khalsa Heritage Complex at Anandpur Sahib, MotiBagh Palace Hampi, Chandragiri and Madurai. at Patiala, SBS Nagar, Sodal Temple at Jalandhar in Punjab; Lal Quila (Red Fort), Jama Masjid, QutbMinar, Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi are From AD 1000 to 1500 worth mentioning. In southern India, Hampi (Bellari District), Penukonda (Ananthapur In southern India Tamil Nadu is the home of architectures built by Chola, District), Chandragiri (Chitoor District), Vellore (North Arcot District) Chalukya, Chera, Pandya, Pallava and other Dravidian rulers. Stone and many other places from Godavari to Kanyakumari beautiful temples Chariot at Hampi, Srirangapatna, Mysore Palace at Mysore, were made. These were constructed mainly by the Vijaynagara emperors Shravanabelagola-Belur, Halebidu, Pattadakal (Bijapur District) in (14th century).In northern India, from the Qutb-ud-Din Aibak’s rise Karnataka; Sri Padmanabha Swami Temple at Thiruvananthapuram in (1210AD), till the conquest of India by the Mughals, five main dynasties Kerala; Buddha Stupa at Nagarjunakonda, Charminar, Golconda Fort in ruled from Delhi and contributed in the development of Islamic Hyderabad, Sri Venkateswara Temple at Tirumala-Tirupati, Sri architecture in India. The best specimen of the Delhi style of art is offered VarahaNarasimha Swami Temple at Simhachalam, Thousand Pillar by the Qutb group of mosques. Two principal monuments of Khilji Temple and Fort at Warangal in Andhra Pradesh are other monuments dynasty – the Jamat Khana Masjid at the Dargah of Nizam-ud-Din Auliya worth visiting. In eastern India ruins in Nalanda, Rajgir and Patna in Bihar, and the Alai Darwaza at QutbMinar show the growing preponderance of temples/monuments at Bhubaneshwar, Puri, Konark, Udaygiri, Khandgiri Muslim ideas over those of the Hindu architecture styles. Mixed styles of in Odisha, terracotta temples of Bankura, palace and mosques of architecture are also found in Adina Musjid at Pandua , West Bengal, Jami Murshdabad, Maldah and Hugli in West Bengal are famous. In the Musjid at Ahmedabad, mosques at Dhar (capital of Malwa kingdom). Sun northeast monasteries of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim; Kamakshya Temple at Konark, built in 13th century is a monument of international Temple near Guwahati, temples of Tripura and Jaintia Hills (Meghalaya) importance. attract a good number of tourists. After 1500 AD Ancient Monuments The architecture of the Mughal period (after 1526 AD) represents a Paleolithic cave paintings have been discovered at Bhimbetka (30,000 mingling of Indo-Persian styles. Akbar’s reign witnessed a remarkable years old) in central India. The earliest ruins of Harappa and Mohenjo- development of architecture - finest examples to be cited are Fatehpur- Daro (now in Pakistan) and Lothal (Gujarat) have been assigned to a Sikri (the imperial capital from 1569 to1584), Agra Fort and Akbar’s period during 2700 to 2000 BC. Proto-historic remains of some later date Mausoleum at Sikandara. In Hyderabad, the Golkonda Fort, originally a have been excavated from many other parts of India. Of the historical mud fort founded by Kakatiya kings of Warangal during 13th century, period, ruins of monuments dating back to 500 BC are still existing. But it attained glory under QutbShahi dynasty (1518-1689). Of the buildings is only at the age of Ashoka (273 to 206 BC), the Maurya emperor, erected during Jahangir’s reign, the tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah at Agra is monuments of high quality are found, the finest example being the Sarnath worth mentioning. Shah Jahan was a prolific builder. The Taj Mahal at pillar. In Ashoka’s time about 84,000 stupas were built all over Indian Agra, a splendid mausoleum, is rightly regarded as one of the wonders of subcontinent including the big stupa at Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh. Years the world for its beauty and magnificence. Other admirable structures of between the fall of the Mauryas and the rise of the Gupta empire constitute his time include the Diwani-Am and Diwani-Khas at Delhi and Moti a distinct period in the evolutional history of Indian art. Different schools Masjid at Agra. Buddhist monasteries in Ladakh, Sikkim, Arunachal of sculpture flourished at Bharhut, Bodh Gaya, Sanchi, Mathura, Gandhara, Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and elsewhere represent a distinct style of Amravati and Nagarjunkonda. Sanchi is having three stupas originally architecture of pro-Tibetan style. constructed by Ashoka and enlarged during this period. Mathura may be considered as a treasure house of ruins of this period, with a series of relief Later Monuments sculptures; human type of Buddha image deserving special mention. The most important contribution of the Gupta period (320 AD to 600AD) is the Monuments, temples and mosques continued to be built in later centuries evolution of the perfect types of divinities, both Buddhist and Brahmanical. in different regions of India. Some of these like the terracotta temples A large number of Buddha images have been unearthed at Sarnath. The dating between the 17th and 18th centuries at Bishnupur, West Bengal images of Siva, Vishnu and other Brahmanical gods were sculptured in the impress by their pleasing forms and sculptures. Churches and cathedrals panels of many ancient temples. The iron pillar of Delhi is a marvelous constructed under Dutch, Portuguese, French and British influence in Goa, work belonging to early Gupta period. south Bengal, Chennai and elsewhere, add a new dimension to Indian style of architecture. Basilica of Bom Jesus and St. Cathedral churches of Old From AD 600 to 1000 Goa, Bom Jesus Church and Our Lady of Sea Church in Daman, St Paul’s Church in Diu, Bandel and Krishnanagar Cathedrals in West Bengal During the four hundred years that followed the Gupta age, there were two deserve special mention. distinct styles of architecture in temple building: IndoAryan or north Indian and Dravidian or south Indian. The difference lies mainly in the shape of the Sikhara or the high tower like superstructure. In northern India, the Lingaraja Temple and Rajarani Temple at Bhubaneshwar, temples erected by the Chandella kings of Khajuraho, the Jagannath Temple at Puri, the Dilwara Temple on Mt. Abu may be regarded as finest.