Another legacy of the glorious reign of the Chandelas in Mahoba is the stunning Kakramath temple in the middle of Madan Sagar. Kakramath temple is widely considered by architects, historians and artists to be an exceptional structure made entirely of the famous Mahoba granite. This temple is believed to have been built in the... Continue Reading →
Mangalwedha Jowar of Maharashtra
Popularly known as the 'Land of Saints', Mangalwedha taluka in Solapur district is renowned for its culture, heritage and agricultural produce. Traditional crops like sorghum, bajra, groundnuts, corn and sugarcane cultivated in this historical place has been famous for centuries. The local variety of jowar known as Maldandi jowar has been cultivated here for at... Continue Reading →
तेलंगाना की निर्मल शिल्प कला (Nirmal Toys and Craft, Telangana)
निर्मल शिल्प कला का नाम आंध्र प्रदेश - तेलंगाना के सुविख्यात शासक नेम्मा नायडू के नाम पर पड़ा है जो कि विविध कलाओं के महान संरक्षक थे। खिलौने बनाने की बारीकियों और शिल्प कौशल को देखकर उन्होंने इस कला को प्रोत्साहित किया। उनके राज्य में यह उद्योग खूब पनपा और इसने तेलंगाना राज्य के निर्मल... Continue Reading →
Uttarakhand Ringal Craft
Ringal is a socioeconomically and ecologically important type of bamboo that is extensively found in the rich forests of Garhwal Himalayas. Ringal or ningaw as it is locally known is considered by the local communities to be an important resource for their livelihood. Ringal weaving is an age-old craft of Uttarakhand with almost every family directly... Continue Reading →
Chamba Chappal of Himachal Pradesh
The picturesque town of Chamba named after the devout royal princess of Bharmour, Champavati is situated on the banks of the river Ravi at an elevation of about 926 feet. Historians say that Chamba was known as Airavati in the ancient times. There are very few places in the world that can rival its stunning... Continue Reading →
Ajaigarh Fort, Ajaigarh, Panna District, Madhya Pradesh
Ajaigarh located south-east of Mahoba, south-west of Kalinjar and north-east of Khajuraho formed the formidable quadrilateral seats of power, religion, art and architecture of the Chandelas. Ajaigarh is said to have been derived from the word Jaya-pura-durga which then became Jaya-garh as seen in some inscriptions found in Jaipur. This historical city was established by the... Continue Reading →
वाराणसी के खिलौने (Varanasi Wooden Lacquerware and Toys, Uttar Pradesh)
उत्तर प्रदेश का वाराणसी शहर बहुत वर्षों तक भारत के सबसे बड़े खिलौने उद्योग के केंद्र के रूप में प्रसिद्ध रहा। माना जाता है कि इस प्राचीन कारीगरी को ना केवल अपने समय के राजाओं बल्कि मुगलों और ब्रिटिश शासकों द्वारा भी संरक्षण प्राप्त हुआ था। इस कारीगरी का प्रादुर्भाव कब और कैसे हुआ इस... Continue Reading →
Shesha Shaiya, Bandhavgarh National Park, Umaria District, Madhya Pradesh
Bandhavgarh National Park is a treasure trove for wildlife enthusiasts, history buffs, naturalists and spiritualists. This ancient forest has been home to many great saints, sages and yogis as well as a strategic stronghold for many kingdoms. Bandhavgarh derived from the word bandhu which means brother and garh meaning fort has been a historically important... Continue Reading →
Rahiliya Sagar Sun Temple, Mahoba, Bundelkhand, Uttar Pradesh
The ancient city of Mahoba in the geographically and culturally important Bundelkhand region in Uttar Pradesh has played a vital role in defining the heritage, art, architecture, literature and regional food of India. This city was called Kekpur in Treta Yuga, Patanpur in Dwapura Yuga and Mahotsava Nagar derived from the grand celebrations held by... Continue Reading →
Varanasi Glass Beads of Uttar Pradesh
The ancient city of Varanasi is one of the major centres of glass beads also known as kaanch ke moti. Historians say that glass has been used since ancient times and many archaeological excavations have unearthed glass pieces and crucibles that are over thousands of years old in different parts of Uttar Pradesh. Besides this,... Continue Reading →
Mirzapur Handmade Dari of Uttar Pradesh
Mirzapur in Varanasi district in Uttar Pradesh is one of the oldest and most important areas of dari weaving in the country. This belt that stretches across Bhadohi, Varanasi, Ghazipur, Sonbhadra, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Jaunpur and Chandauli districts represents the largest concentration of dari weavers in India. The whole process of Mirzapur handmade dari is labour... Continue Reading →
Mahoba Desawari Paan of Uttar Pradesh
The historical city of Mahoba in Bundelkhand, once known as Mahotsav Nagar was the stronghold of the Chandelas and Pratiharas. In the ninth century, the Chandela king ordered a betel vine from Udaipur - Banswara in Rajasthan and planted it in the western part of Gorakhgiri. The westerly and southerly winds at Bundelkhand are warmer... Continue Reading →
उत्तर प्रदेश का कालानमक चावल (Kalanamak Rice, Uttar Pradesh)
"कालानमक" जी हां, ये चावल की एक खास किस्म का नाम है, जो पूर्वी उत्तर प्रदेश के तराई क्षेत्रों में उपजाया जाता है। इसके ऊपर की भूसी काले रंग की होती है और साथ में नमक प्रत्यय क्यों जोड़ा यह तो हमारे पूर्वज बताने के लिए हैं नहीं। बहरहाल, आपको जानकर आश्चर्य होगा कि बेहद... Continue Reading →
Shiva Parvati Cave Shrines, Moungri Village, Udhampur District, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir
The quaint Moungri village in Udhampur district is known for its dense forests of fir, kail, oak and pine, natural waterfalls, unexplored caves and rare medicinal herbs. This place used to be called as Sonara in the ancient times. Sonara is derived from the word naara which in Dogri language means spring and according to... Continue Reading →
आंध्र प्रदेश के ऐटिकोप्पका खिलौने (Etikoppaka Toys, Andhra Pradesh)
लकड़ी के पारंपरिक ऐटीकोप्पका खिलौने बनाने की कला, जो लक्कपिडातालू नाम से प्रचलित है, करीबन ४०० साल से अधिक पुरानी है। वराह नदी के तट पर बसा ये छोटा सा प्राचीन गांव लाख से मढे लकड़ी के खिलौनों के लिए प्रसिद्ध है। खिलौने बनाने की यह कला टर्न्ड लकड़ी लाह के नाम से भी जानी जाती... Continue Reading →
Datta Mandir, Uri, Baramulla District, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir
Sir Marc Aurel Stein, a Hungarian-born British archaeologist is credited with mapping all the ancient sites in Kashmir during one of his many expeditions in the 1900s. Also considered by many to be a great Indologist, Aurel Stein was a Sanskrit scholar and translated the famous Rajatarangini written by the Kashmiri historian Kalhana. That... Continue Reading →
मेरठ कैंची- ३५० साल पुराना घरेलू उद्योग – (Meerut Scissors, Uttar Pradesh)
मेरठ में कैंची निर्माण ३५० वर्ष पुराना घरेलू उद्योग है। स्थानीय लोगों का कहना है कि यहां अखुंजी नाम का एक लुहार रहता था, जिसने मुगल काल के दौरान सन १६ ४५ में, चमडा काटने के लिय दो तलवारों को मिलाकर भारत में निर्मित कैंची की पहली जोड़ी का निर्माण किया था। कैंची निर्माण,... Continue Reading →
Yula Kanda, Rora Valley, Kinnaur District, Himachal Pradesh
The world's highest Krishna temple is seated at an elevation of 12,778 feet in the middle of the picturesque Yula Kanda lake hidden deep in the Rora Valley of Kinnaur and surrounded by the majestic snow-capped Himalayas. One has to travel from Tapri towards Yula and walk 12 kms from Yula to reach this ancient... Continue Reading →
Jalgaon Brinjal of Maharashtra
Jalgaon located in Khandesh in Maharashtra is popularly known as the 'City of Brinjals'. Light green brinjals from Jalgaon district comprising of fifteen talukas of Jalgaon, Jamner, Erandol, Dharangaon, Bhusaval, Bodwad, Yawal, Raver, Muktainagar, Amalner, Chopda, Parola, Pachora, Chalisgaon and Bhadgaon are used for preparing the famous Khandeshi vangyache bharit. Locals say that brinjals are... Continue Reading →
Harmal Chilli of Goa
The famed Harmal chilli derives its name from the area of cultivation, Harmal which is a coastal village in the Pernem taluk in North Goa district. Elders in the village say that this chilli has been grown extensively in the traditional way for about 150 - 200 years. Each and every household is in some... Continue Reading →
Kanniyakumari Clove of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is the largest producer of clove in the country with Kanyakumari district contributing a sizeable portion to the total production. Clove was introduced in India around the 1800s by the East India Company in its spice garden in Courtallam. The dense wooded areas of Maramalai, Karumparai and Vellimalai in the Western Ghats of... Continue Reading →
Peer Kho Cave Temple, Jammu, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir
One of the most ancient Shiva temples in Jammu also known as the "City of temples" is the Peer Kho cave temple. This historic temple is situated on the banks of the holy Tawi river surrounded by igneous rocks and acacia forests. Locals regard this cave temple to be the oldest in the Shivalik region.... Continue Reading →
Shankaragaurishvara Temple, Pattan, Baramulla District, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir
Shankaragaurishvara Temple in Pattan is an exemplary example of Kashmiri temple style architecture prevalent in the 9th century. Modern Pattan is actually Shankarapattana, the capital founded by Shankaravarman of Utpala dynasty. Both Shankaravarman and his father Avantivarman were patrons of art, architecture and Sanskrit literature. Their noteworthy contribution to the revival of Hindu philosophy and... Continue Reading →
Mahabilwakeshwar Temple or Harihara Temple, Billawar, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir
Billawar also known locally as Balaur is a tehsil in Kathua district located on the banks of Bhinni and Naaz rivers. This town is said to have been established by Raja Bhog Pal, a son of the king of Kullu Valley in 765 CE. Subsequently, the ruling family came to be called as Balouria deriving... Continue Reading →