World Heritage Ancient Sites

(i) Ajanta Caves

• In Aurangabad district, Maharashtra.
• Buddhist Caves (2^nd century BC to 7^th century AD).
• UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• The 7^th century Chinese Pilgrim, Huen Tsang mentioned it.
• Built in two phases-
  • Satavahana- Hinayana
  • Vakațaka- Mahayana
• Elaborate caves.
• Architecture:
  • Chaityas and viharas.
  • Early viharas – simpler, and lack shrines.
  • Later Viharas also had shrine at the rear centres, statue of  Buddha.
  • This change reflects the movement from Hinayana to Mahayana Buddhism.
• Paintings:
  • Mural paintings.
  • Buddhist themes like Jataka stories.
  • Paintings use many colors.

(ii) Ellora Caves

• In Aurangabad district, Maharashtra.
• Rock-cut cave (6th century AD  onward).
• Buddhist, Hindu and Jain rock-cut temples and Viharas,
• Built during Kalachuri, Chalukya and Rashtrakuta.
• The Jagannatha Sabha– Jain Digambara cave temples (built by Rashtrakuta).
• Viharas
• One chaitya griha of the Buddhist caves.
• Hindu Architecture:
  • Kailasanatha temple
    • Built by Rashtrakuta king Krishna III in 8^th century.
    • Dravidian architecture.
    • Looks like Mount Kailash
    • free standing,
    • multi-storeyed temple,
    • carved out of one single rock.
  • Dashavatara Cave- monolithic mandapa.
  • Sculptural panels including the ten avatars of Vishnu.
• Inscription:
  • Of grant of Dantidurga of Rashtrakuta.
  • Inscriptions on the Kailash temple.
  • Jain cave Jagannatha Sabha has inscriptions that give the names of monks and donors.
• Cave paintings are also seen at Ellora.

(iii) Sun Temple, Konark

• Near Bhubaneshwar in Odissa.
• It is famous for the Sun Temple which was built in 9^th century ad was reconstructed by the Ganga King Narsinngh Dev in the 13^th century.
• The temple is conceived as a gigantic sun chariot with 12 pairs of exquisitely ornamented wheels.
• The colossal temple originally consisted of a sanctum with
  • a curvilinear Shikhara,
  • a Jagamohana (mandapa) and
  • a detached dancing hall built in the same axis,
• A number of subsidiary shrines and structures- all enclosed within a compound wall with 3 entrance gates.
• Many sculptures of birds and animals, deities and Apsaras and Terracotta figurines depicting sensuality are depicted in the temple. They represent Khajuraho style of sculpture.
• Konark temple was called black pagoda by Portuguese.

(iv) Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram

• In Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu.
• Developed by the Pallava King Narsimhavarman Mamalla and Rajasimhavarman in the 7^th century AD.
• The temple town has approximately forty monuments, including the largest open-air bas-relief in the world.
• Cave temples, monolithic rathas, sculpted reliefs and structural temples built.
• UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Famous monuments:
  • Descent of the Ganges (also known as Arjuna’s Penance)– a giant open-air rock relief
  • Pancha Rathas (Five Chariots) –
    • Of the nine monolithic temples found in Mahabalipuram, the most important are Five Rathas known after the famous five Pandava brothers of the Mahabharata fame.
    • Each of these is carved from one single large piece of granite stone.
  • Shore Temple, a structural temple along the Bay of Bengal with the entrance from the western side away from the sea.
• Pallavas used the port to launch trade and diplomatic missions to Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia.

(v) Khajuraho Group of Monuments

• In Chhatarpur district, Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh.
• The Khajuraho Group of Monuments:
  • A group of Hindu and Jain temples.
  • Famous temples:
    • Kandariya Mahadeva Temple of Lord Shiva (most elaborate)
    • Lakshman Temple and
    • Chaturbhuja Temple of Lord Vishnu,
    • Chaunsath Yoginis temple
    • Chitragupta Temple of Sun god,
    • Adinatha Jain Temple etc.
  • UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

  • Constructed by Chandella rulers between 10th and 12th century.

  • Nagara style of architecture.

• Features:

  • Use of sandstone in early period. Later granite used.

  • No enclosure-wall

  • Erected on a high-platform-terrace (jagati) with bands of sculptures.

  • Nagara shikharas composed of several miniature shikharas, called the Urisingas.

  • The crowning element- Amalakas.

  • Panchayatana style. For e.g. Lakshmana temple.

  • Temple plan in axis- east to west.

  • Temple elements:

    • ‘mukha-mandapa’,

    • ‘mandapa’,

    • ‘antarala’ and

    • ‘garbha-griha’.

  • Pradakshina with carvings.

  • Sikhara is divided into seven segments.

  • About 10% of the carvings contain sexual themes and rest of the sculptures depict the everyday life of the common persons such as women putting on makeup, playing games, dancing, knotting and unknotting their girdles, and others themes such as musicians, potters, farmers etc.

  • Large scale depiction of horsemen (cavalry)- disappearance of chariot.

(vi) Group of Monuments at Pattadakal

• Located on the west bank of the Malaprabha River in Bagalakote district.
• The Group of monuments in Pattadakal designated as UNESCO World Heritage.
  • They cover a remarkable series of nine Hindu temples, as well as a Jain sanctuary in northern Karnataka.
  • Eight temples dedicated to Shiva, a ninth shaivite sanctuary called the Papanatha Temple, and a Jain Narayana temple.
• In this group of temples, the Virupaksha Temple, built c. 740 by Queen Lokamahadevi to commemorate her husband’s (King Vikramaditya II) victory over the Pallava kings from the south, is considered the most outstanding architectural edifice.
• These are a remarkable combination of temples built by the Chalukya Dynasty in the 6th to the 8th century at Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal.
• The temples represent a remarkable fusion of the architectural features of Nagara and Dravida style.
• The friezes in the Hindu temples display various Vedic and Puranic concepts, depict stories from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Bhagavata Purana, as well as elements of other Hindu texts, such as the Panchatantra and the Kiratarjuniya.

(vii) Elephanta Caves

• On a small island of Mumbai.
• It was known as Gharapuri (literally “the city of Caves”) in ancient time.
• Two groups of caves:
  • Five Hindu caves
    • Rock cut stone sculptures dedicated Shiva
    • from basalt rock.
  • Two Buddhist caves.
• No inscription found.
• Few Kshatrapa coins (4^th century AD).
• Chalukyas and mostly the Rashtrakutas were the main creators of the caves, (7^th and 8^th century).
• During Rshtrakutas:
  • Trimurti of Elephanta showing the three faces of Shiva
  • Nataraja and Ardhanarishvara sculptures.
• Gujarat Sultanate surrendered Elephanta to the Portuguese in 1534 who named the island “Elephanta Island” in honour of a huge rock-cut black stone statue of an elephant that was then installed on a mound.

(viii) Great Living Chola Temples

• The Great Living Chola Temples, built by kings of the Chola Empire stretched over all of Tamil Nadu.
• This cultural heritage site includes three great temples of the 11th and 12th centuries:
  • The Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur,
  • The Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikondacholisvaram,
  • The Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram.
• The Airavatesvara temple:
  • Built by Rajaraja II, at Darasuram features a 24 metres vimana and a stone image of Shiva.
  • The temples testify to the brilliant achievements of the Chola in architecture, sculpture, painting and bronze casting.
• The Temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram:
  • In Ariyalur district, Tamilnadu.
  • Gangaikondacholisvaram was founded by Rajendra Chola to commemorate his victory over the Palas.
    • The name means the town of the Chola who led great victorious march to river Ganges.
  • He established the Gangaikondacholisvaram temple in 1035.
    • Temple of Siva.
    • Dravida Style
    • Complex carvings on the hard granite stones.
    • Figures of dancing Nataraja and Ardhanareshwara.
• The Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur:
  • In Thanjavur District, Tamilnadu.
  • Thanjavur was Capital of the Chola Empire and important center of religion, art, and architecture.
  • Built in the 11^th century by Raja Raja Chola I.
  • Dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.
  • Nandi (second largest in India), carved out of a single block of granite, guards the entrance of the sanctuary.
  • The walls of the sanctum are covered with wall paintings from the Chola and Nayaka periods.
  • It was replicated in the Gangaikonda Cholesvarar Temple constructed by Raja Raja’s son Rajendra Chola I.
  • Tanjore painting:
    • Dates back to early 17^th century, the period of Nayakas of Thanjavur.
    • Episodes from religious texts visualised.
    • Even secular subjects were depicted.

(ix) Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi

• In Raisen district, MP.
• Aa group of Buddhist monuments mainly dated between 200 BC and 100 BC.
• It has a plethora of monolithic pillars, palaces, temples and monasteries.
• Buddhist Stupa:
  • Originally commissioned by Ashoka in 3rd century BC.
    • A hemispherical brick structure built over the relics of the Buddha.
    • Pillar edict (polished sandstone) of Ashoka erected.
  • Sunga period:
    • Expanded with stone slabs.
    • Enclosed by a stone balustrade with four toranas.
  • Satavahana period:
    • The gateways and the balustrade were improved and colored.
    • An inscription records the gift by the artisans of the Satavahana king Satakarni.
• Stone carving:
  • Buddha not depicted as a human figure but by attributes, such as the horse, his footprints, or a canopy under the bodhi tree.
  • Carved in the manner of wood.
  • The gateways were covered with narrative sculptures with scenes from the life of the Buddha integrated with everyday events.

(x) Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya

• In Bodh Gaya (Gaya district, Bihar)
• The Mahabodhi Temple Complex is one of the four holy sites related to the life of the Lord Buddha, and particularly to the attainment of Enlightenment.
  • The first temple was built by Emperor Asoka in the 3rd century B.C., and the present temple dates from the 5th or 6th centuries.
  • It is one of the earliest Buddhist temples built entirely in brick, still standing in India, from the late Gupta period.
• Several major restorations have been done since the 19th century.
• Features:
  • The temple is 55 metres in height.
  • Its pyramidal shikhara comprises several layers of niches, arch motifs, and fine engravings.
  • Four towers, each identical to its central counterpart but smaller in size and topped with an umbrella-like dome, adorn the corners of the two-story structure.
  • A shrine inside the temple holds a yellow sandstone statue of the Buddha.
  • Stone railings surround the temple as well as the Bodhi tree.
    • The railings reveal two distinct types, both in style as well as the materials used.
    • The older ones, made of sandstone, date to about 150 BCE, and the others, constructed from unpolished coarse granite, are believed to be of the Gupta period.
    • The older railings have scenes such as Lakshmi being bathed by elephants; and Surya riding a chariot drawn by four horses.
    • The newer railings have figures of stupa and garudas. Images of lotus flowers also appear commonly.
  • Images of the site include Avalokitesvara (Padmapani, Khasarpana), Vajrapani, Tara, Marichi, Yamantaka, Jambhala and Vajravārāhī. Images of Vishnu, Shiva, Surya and other Vedic deities are also associated with the site
  •  Ashoka pillar stands at the southeast corner of the temple.

(xi) Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka

• Rock shelters in the Raisen District in Madhya Pradesh.
• Mainly Paleolithic and Mesolithic period.
• A World Heritage site.
• Tools:
  • Earlier (Palaeolithic) tools were largely made of quartzite and sandstone and were of large size.
  • Mesolithic tools were most often of chalcedony and of smaller size.
• Floors paved with flat stone slabs found.
• No bones have been found so far.
• Rock cave paintings:
  • A natural art gallery with rock cave paintings.
  • Numerous layers (Paleolithic-Mesolithic) of paintings with themes like hunting by men, dancing, children paying, women working, sign of proto-family set up etc.

(xii) Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park

• Situated in the Panchmahal district in Gujarat, India.
• It is located around the historical city of Champaner, a city which was founded by Vanraj Chavda, the most prominent king of the Chavda Dynasty, in the 8th century.
• A concentration of largely unexcavated archaeological, historic and living cultural heritage properties cradled in an impressive landscape which includes prehistoric (chalcolithic) sites, a hill fortress of an early Hindu capital, and remains of the 16th-century capital of the state of Gujarat.
• The site includes vestiges, fortifications, palaces, religious buildings, residential precincts, agricultural structures and water installations, from the 8th to 14th centuries.
• The Kalikamata Temple on top of the Pavagadh Hill is an important shrine.

(xiii) Rani ki vav (The Queen’s Stepwell)

• At Patan, Gujarat on the banks of the Saraswati River.
• This stepwell was initially built as a memorial to a king in the 11th century AD.
  • Its construction is attributed to Udayamati, daughter of Khengara of Saurashtra, queen and spouse of the 11th-century Chaulukya king Bhima I.
• The length of Rani ki Vav is more than 64 m long, 20 m wide and 27 m deep.
• Rani-ki-Vav was built in the Maru-Gurjara architectural style, reflecting mastery of this complex technique and great beauty of detail and proportions.
• Designed as an inverted temple highlighting the sanctity of water, it is divided into seven levels of stairs with sculptural panels of high artistic quality; more than 500 principle sculptures and over a thousand minor ones combine religious, mythological and secular imagery, often referencing literary works.
  • Most of the sculptures are in devotion to Vishnu.
  • The fourth level is the deepest and leads into a rectangular tank 9.5 m by 9.4 m, at a depth of 23 m.

(xiv) Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda

• The Nalanda Mahavihara site is in Bihar.
• It comprises the archaeological remains of a monastic and scholastic institution dating from the 3rd century BCE to the 13th century CE.
  • It includes stupas, shrines, viharas and important art works in stucco, stone and metal.
• Mahavihara (University):
  • Nalanda stands out as the most ancient university of the Indian Subcontinent. The historical development of the site testifies to the development of Buddhism into a religion and the flourishing of monastic and educational traditions.
  • Flourished during Gupta, Harsha and Pala times.
  • A seal identifies Sakraditya (Kumargupta of 5^th century) as founder.
  • 7^th century Chinese Pilgrims like Hieun Tsang and I-tsing studied here.
    • I-tsing notes that revenues from 200 villages (as opposed to 100 in Hieun Tsang’s time) assigned toward the maintenance of Nalanda.
  • Library called Dharmaganja.
  • Teaching of religious (mainly Mahayana) and other subjects like grammar, logic, literature, astrology, astronomy, and medicine.
  • Influence of Vajrayana during Palas.

(xv) Dholavira: A Harappan City

• In Kutch district, Gujarat.
• City scape consisted ‘citadel’, a ‘middle town’ and a ‘lower town’,
• Water conservation system of channels and reservoirs built of stone.
• Seven Hemispherical constructions found.
• A coastal route existed linking Lothal and Dholavira to Sutkagan Dor on the Makran coast.
• Findings:
  • Painted BRW
  • square stamp seals,
  • seals without Indus script,
  • Dholavira signboard: containing ten letters of Indus script. The inscription is the longest in the Indus script.

(xvi) Group of Monuments at Hampi

• Located within the ruins of the city of Vijayanagara, the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire on the banks of the river Tungabhadra.
• Dravidian temples and palaces abound in Hampi.
• Foreign travelers who visited this city during the period of its glory have left a very glowing account of the city.
• Group of Monuments at Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Religious, Civil & Military buildings. Most of monuments:
  • Religious buildings:
    • Hindu temples:
      • Hazara Rama Temple Complex:
        • Built by Krishnadev Raya.
        • Elaborate frescoes.
        • Carvings and inscriptions depicting the story of Ramayana.
      • Vittala Temple Complex:
        • Images of foreigners like Persians selling horses.
      • Virupaksha Temple:
        • Predates the founding of the Vijayanagara Empire.
        • Mainly Shiva temple.
  • Important civil architecture:
    • Elephant Stable used to house the eleven royal elephants in King Krishnadeva Raya’s army.
    • The neighboring building housed the elephant riders of the king.

(xvii) Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple

• Rudreshwara, popularly known as Ramappa Temple, is located in the village of Palampet in Telangana.
• The temple is named after the sculptor Ramappa.
• It is the main Shiva temple in a walled complex built during the Kakatiyan period (1123–1323 CE) under rulers Rudradeva and Recharla Rudra.
  • The temple is a Sivalayam, where Lord Ramalingeswara is worshipped.
  • Marco Polo, during his visit to the Kakatiya empire, allegedly called the temple “the brightest star in the galaxy of temples”.
• Located in the vicinity of Ramappa Lake, the Ramappa Temple complex which consist of three temples.
• Features:
  • Stands majestically on a 6-foot high star-shaped platform.
  • The hall in front of the sanctum has numerous carved pillars.
  • The building features decorated beams and pillars of carved granite and dolerite with a distinctive and pyramidal Vimana made of lightweight porous bricks, so-called ‘floating bricks’, which reduced the weight of the roof structures.
  • The main structure is in a reddish sandstone.
• The temple’s sculptures of high artistic quality illustrate regional dance customs and Kakatiyan culture.