The historically important village of Karnagarh in Medinipur district which was once the seat of the Midnapore royal family is most famous for its Chuar Bidroha, a rebellion led by Rani Shiromani, who is called as the Rani Laxmibai of Medinipur against the highly exploitative land revenue policy of the British in 1798. The British were... Continue Reading →
The temple town of Ranipur Jharial in Balangir or Bolangir district is renowned for its prowess in Tantra Vidya. This historical town of inestimable importance was part of Dakshin Kosala where Lord Rama spent a great deal of his time. Ranipur Jharial is mentioned as Soma Tirtha in the scriptures and deemed to have many... Continue Reading →
Tucked away in the beautiful village of Khaspur in Cachar district are the ruins of the centuries-old fort of the Kachari kings. Cachar, derived from the Dimasa word kachari was originally a part of the ancient Tripura kingdom and then passed on to the Koch kingdom, the Dimasa kingdom and finally to the British. ... Continue Reading →
Sisupalgarh is an early historic fortified city estimated to be of the period of 500 BCE - 400 CE. Historians differ over the origin of this city with some claiming that it is Toshali, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kalinga while others say it is the city of Kalinganagara that was glorified by... Continue Reading →
The quaint seaside village of Kuchhadi, located at a little distance from Porbandar has many archaeological sites of historic importance. One of the hidden gems found on this unexplored seashore is the ancient Khimeshwar Mahadev Temple. Legend has it that the Pandavas along with Draupadi spent a great deal of time in this place... Continue Reading →
Banda district in Bundelkhand region has carved a unique identity for itself synonymous with great wars, patriotism and rich heritage. Mighty rulers like the Chandelas of Jejakabhukti, Bundelas, Marathas and others have contributed significantly to its history, culture and tradition. One of the most picturesque forts built in this region which is the resting place... Continue Reading →
A most curious metrological temple has piqued the interest of scientists, historians and devotees for centuries. This temple has the uncanny ability to accurately forecast rainfall in the region! Villagers say that about 5 - 7 days before the onset of rains, water droplets start dripping from the monsoon patthar (monsoon stones) that have been... Continue Reading →
Madhya Pradesh, called as kubera ka khajānā attributes this title to the unrivalled, undiscovered treasure hidden in its many splendid forts. One of the grandest forts built at the zenith of the Gond dynasty is the Deogarh or Devgarh Fort at its capital city of Deogarh. Built in the 18th century by King Jatav and perhaps... Continue Reading →
One of the most impressive edifices built by the Guptas is the Dashavatara Temple at Deogarh village in Jhansi division of Uttar Pradesh. Deogarh or Devgarh derives its name from dev which means God and garh which means fort. Though only a single temple with a square sanctum sanctorum is seen today, excavations have revealed the... Continue Reading →
The ancient city of Narwar is a glorious example of art, culture, heritage and historical ups and downs! Derived from the words nara which means man and vara which means excellent or exemplary match, Narwar has been the birthplace of many romantic stories like Raja Nala and Damayanti, Raja Man Singh Tomar and Gujari Rani Mrignayani and Prince Dhola... Continue Reading →
One of the finest brick temples of India is the Bhitargaon Temple at Bhitargaon village in Ghatampur tehsil in Kanpur Nagar district. Considered to be the earliest surviving temple built by the Guptas, this architectural masterpiece is constantly in the news for its innovative construction as well as its mysterious background. Though the plan of... Continue Reading →
One of the most interesting and lesser-known rock temples of Maharashtra is the Anandeshwar Temple at Lasur village in Daryapur taluka in Amravati district. Built on the bank of the Purna River on raised ground, this temple built in black stone looks very much like a fort from a distance. Historical records state that this... Continue Reading →
One of the oldest forts in Gujarat which at its zenith would have been an outstanding example of the grandeur and architecture typical of the Kutch region is the Roha Fort located at a little distance from Bhuj. Standing tall at 800 feet on the Roha hill overlooking the vast town of Roha, this centuries-old... Continue Reading →
Located at the bank of the sacred Wainganga River in Markanda village in Gadchiroli district, the ancient temple complex of Markandeshwar is popularly called as the 'Khajuraho of Vidarbha'. Titled by historians and architects as the 'Most Picturesque Temple Complex', the iconic Markanda Mahadev Temple is steeped in spirituality, heritage and culture. This temple... Continue Reading →
One of the finest examples of the Hemadpanthi style of architecture is the Gondeshwar Temple at Sinnar. Considered to be the largest, most complete and best preserved medieval temple of the Deccan, Gondeshwar Temple bathed in the golden hue effulgence of the sun at sunrise and sunset is a spectacle to behold! According to... Continue Reading →
One of the finest terracotta temples that has stood the test of time is the Lakshmi Janardhana temple in Debipur village in Burdwan district in West Bengal built around 1844 CE by Narottam Singha, a Zamindar of Debipur. A gigantic arched ornate doorway frames the impressive shikhara and the spectacular terracotta relief work that is... Continue Reading →
Bishnupur or ‘land of Vishnu’ has many stunning terracotta temples to its credit but the Madan Mohan Temple stands tall with its outstanding detailed relief work. This centuries-old temple was built by the devout Durjan Singha Dev of Mallabhum around 1695 CE. Legend has it that the original idol of Madan Mohan in ashtadhatu was actually... Continue Reading →
The long-established tradition of rasa leela (Dance of Divine Love) has been prevalent in West Bengal for centuries. This auspicious occasion is either celebrated on Krishna Janmashtami or on Kartik Purnima where Lord Krishna is brought from different temples and placed on a viewing pavilion called rasmancha or dolmancha. One of the most famous rasmancha is the Rasmancha at... Continue Reading →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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 →
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