Hoysaleswara Temple

Hoysaleswara Temple

Hoysaleswara Temple

Hoysaleswara Temple near Chikmagalur, Karnataka. I came across the 12th Century Hoysaleswara Temple en route to Chikmagalur. This part is carved out of a single stone and the architecture is one of the best in India. The Hoysaleswara temple is dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva. It was built in Halebeedu (in modern-day Karnataka) during the rule of King Vishnuvardhana of the Hoysala dynasty. The construction was completed in 1121 CE. During the early 14th century, Halebeedu was sacked by Muslim invaders from northern India and the temple fell into a state of ruin. Previously known as Dwarasamudra, Halebeedu is 16 km from Belur, 31 km from Hassan and 149 km from Mysore in Karnataka. This photograph shows the trinity of the Hindu pantheon - Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara (Shiva). 

Sculptures of Khajuraho

Sculptures of Khajuraho

Khajuraha

Khajuraho is a town in Madhya Pradesh. Famous for its temple sculptures that promote the art of love and lovemaking as described in the ancient text, Kama Sutra. Built by the Chandela monarchs in the 10th century, Khajuraho is a must-visit for those interested in art and sculpture. The artistic precision achieved during that era remains awe-inspiring to the world.

Ellora Caves

Ellora Caves

Ellora Caves

Ellora is an archaeological site 29 km northwest of the city of Aurangabad, Maharashtra, built by the Rashtrakuta dynasty. Well known for its monumental caves, Ellora is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ellora represents the epitome of Indian rock-cut architecture. The 34 "caves" – actually structures excavated out of the vertical face of the Charanandri hills. Buddhist, Hindu and Jain rock-cut temples and viharas and mathas were built between the 5th century and 10th century. The 12 Buddhist (caves 1–12), 17 Hindu (caves 13–29) and 5 Jain (caves 30–34) caves, built in proximity, demonstrate the religious harmony prevalent during this period of Indian history. It is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India.

Dui Jail

Diu Jail

Diu Jail

Diu Jail is located in the middle of the jetty near the main city of Diu, which was in use since its time as a Portuguese‬ colony. This inaccessible jail is actually a marvel of architecture. ‪

Ajanta Caves

Ajanta Caves. 

Ajanta Caves

The ‪‎Ajanta‬ ‎Caves‬ in ‎Aurangabad‬ district of ‪‎Maharashtra‬, India are about 30 rock-cut ‎Buddhist cave monuments which date from the 2nd century BCE to about 480 or 650 CE The caves include paintings and sculptures described by the government Archaeological Survey of India as "the finest surviving examples of Indian art, particularly painting which are masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, with figures of the Buddha and depictions of the Jataka tales.The caves were built in two phases starting around the 2nd century BCE, with the second group of caves built around 400 - 650 CE according to older accounts, or all in a brief period between 460 to 480 according to the recent proposals of Walter M. Spink. The site is a protected monument in the care of the Archaeological Survey of India, and since 1983, the Ajanta Caves have been a ‪‎UNESCO‬ World Heritage Site. This is the 26th cave of Ajanta and the above photograph shows, carvings depicting various stages in the life of  ‎Buddha‬. ‪