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Monuments Information
Monuments in
Delhi || Monuments in Agra ||
Monuments in Jaipur
Monuments in Delhi
Humayun's Tomb:
Privileged to be assigned as a World Heritage site by UNESCO, this tomb
was believed to be designed by Haji Begum, Humayun's Persian widow in the
mid 16th century, shortly after his death in 1556. The tomb was an
important predecessor of Mughal mausoleums. The 'Garden Tomb' as it is
popularly called, is set amidst a geometrically planned garden with a
number of water channels crisscrossing it. Typically, a Persian garden
that would later be seen in the Red Fort of Delhi and Taj Mahal of Agra,
its architectural form and especially its main chamber bears familiarity
with the tomb of the Mongol Ilkhanid ruler of Persia, Oljeytu, at
Sultaniyya, which in turn was influenced by Timurid architecture of the
tomb of Timur (Tamerlane) in Samarkand, the lineage of Babur.
The first Indian building to use the Persian double dome, Humayun's tomb
is harmonious in its proportions and has some impressions of Indian
architecture that are clearly visible in the small kiosks or Chhatris on
the roof. The building has beautiful inlaid tile work and intricately
carved stone screens.
India Gate:
Every Indian heart swells with pride and patriotism as it beholds this
beloved gateway, which witnesses the Republic Day parade every year on
26th January, where the latest advancements in military artillery is shown
to the public as soldiers and school children march in groups with beaming
and bright faces illumined by the love for their motherland. The parade
also has decorated vehilcles that glimpses from all the states and union
territories of the country, called 'Jhankis'. Straight down the road from
Rashtrapati Bhavan, India Gate is a famous war memorial at the east end of
Rajpath. Edward Lutyens designed this 42 m high gate structure in memory
of the thousands of Indians who sacrificed their lives in World War I.
Today, an eternal flame is lit under the gate known as Amar Jawan Jyoti,
to honor the unknown soldiers and the martyrs who lost their lives in the
Pakistan war of 1971.
Qutab Minar:
To the south of Delhi, the tallest structure of its time, Qutub Minar is
72.5 m in height and has a mosque at the base. It is a magnificent
structure whose construction started in 1199 by a Muslim King Qutab-ud-din
Aibak (after whom it was named) and was finished by his heir IItutmish.
There is an iron pillar standing proudly in front of it since 5th century
and has not rusted till yet! It is said that if one hugs this Iron Pillar
of Mehrauli and wish for something, it is granted. Unfortunately, the
authorities had to disallow tourists from climbing to its top because of
several suicide attempts that came into light here. However, there are so
many ruins of the ancient times surrounding the area complete with the
myths and legends to them that it is quite enjoyable to take a walk around
in its premises.
Jantar Mantar:
If the large masonry structures in Jantar Mantar appear abstract and do
not appeal to the first sight of the fine art lovers, be not deceived.
Jantar Mantar is far way from being a modern art gallery. It is an
observatory built on the blueprints of Raja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur
(1699-1743) who was an honored noble in the Mughal court during the times
of Aurungzeb. It was said that the erroreneous brass and metal
astronomical instruments of those times dissatisfied Sawai Jai Singh who
was a keen astronomer. After ensuring the safety of his kingdom by shaking
hands with the mighty Mughals, he turned his attention to correcting the
existing astronomical tables and contemporarize the almanac with more
reliable instruments.
Delhi's Jantar Mantar is the first of the five observatories, the others
being in Jaipur, Varanasi, Ujjain and Mathura. The Samrat Yantra is
actually a simple equal hour sun dial, the Ram Yantra was used for reading
altitudinal angles, Jai Prakash Yantra ascertained the position of the sun
and other celestial bodies in the skies, while the Misra Yantra was a
combination of four scientific gadgets.
Rashtrapati Bhavan:
Situated near the circular building of the Parliament House, Rashtrapati
Bhavan is the place where the first man of the Nation lives. The official
residence of the President of India was once used as the official
residence of the Viceroys stationed in India during the British Raj.
Edward Lutyens designed this palatial complex. Cream and red-colored
sandstones and diverse varieties of marble have been used in its
construction. This extensive mansion has 340 rooms, 35 lobbies, vast
expanses of well-maintained gardens and 37 fountains to boast of, and is
certainly, the pride of India. Though the entry to this massive structure
is naturally restricted, the famous Mughal Gardens (which is perhaps the
best botanical garden of India and houses thousands of rare varieties of
trees, shrubs yielding some of the most captivating flowers and fruits)
are opened for public viewing for sometime from the end of February to the
middle of March.
Red Fort:
A must visit for all the visitors to Delhi, Red Fort or Lal Qila is a
massive red sandstone structure built on the shores of River Yamuna. Shah
Jahan built it with a vision of shifting his capital from Agra to Delhi.
It was completed in 1648 and has two main entrances - Delhi Gate and
Lahori Gate. Lahori Gate of the Red Fort opens up to the so-famous Chandni
Chowk market. Besides its rich archeology museum, the places worth seeing
in this vast fort are Diwan-e-Am, the court where the king heard public
grievances and Diwan-e-Khas ('khas' means 'special'), which was meant for
important visitors of the king. There is not-worth-a-miss 'Sound and Light
Show' held here every evening in both Hindi and English languages, which
retells the history of Delhi and mesmerize the guests with the beautiful
performances.
Raj Ghat:
A pilgrimage to all the patriotic Indians, this place was where the Father
of The nation, Mahatma Gandhi, was cremated after his assassination in
1948. It consists of a simple square platform with the words 'Hey Ram'
written on it. People come here and offer flowers at the place as a
tribute to the great apostle of peace buried here. There is a Gandhi
Memorial Museum nearby, where once can see and buy books and tapes
containing the writings, speeches and memories of Gandhiji. A short
distance to the north of Raj Ghat is Shanti Vana where Jawaharlal Nehru,
the first Prime Minister of India, his daugher Indira Gandhi, who herself
was a prominent figure in Indian politics and is till now the first and
only women Prime Minister of India and her two sons, Rajiv (also the
beloved Prime Minister) and Sanjay, were cremated.
Purana Qila or Old Fort:
From the recent excavations near this fort, archaeological evidences such
as pottery have been found which throws a new light on the existence of
the city of Indraprastha at this place, as mentioned in the great epic of
Mahabharata. Sher Shah Suri built the fort and completed it in 1545.
However, he soon lost it to the Mughal emperor Humayun, who made good use
of the octagonal red sandstone tower known as 'Sher Mandal' as his library
and observatory. It is rumored that Humayun slipped from the second storey
steps and met his death here. There is a dainty small lake in its
premises, where one can enjoy boat rides during summers.
Monuments in Agra
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Set along the
banks of the graceful Yamuna River in Uttar Pradesh, Agra is a
city drenched in history and rich cultural heritage. The Agra
Monuments are some of the finest tourist attractions in India
during your tour to India.
Amongst a host of monuments in Agra, the Taj Mahal is
acclaimed as one of the most visited tourist destinations in
India. The daunting structure was the brainchild of the fifth
Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan and was built in the loving memory
of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Considered as one of the three
World Heritage Sites, apart from the Agra Fort and Fatehpur
Sikri, the Taj is glory incarnate. It is the product of 22
years of toiling effort, great architectural brains, the
rarest of gems and jewels and rich marble. The various stones
used in its construction are red sandstone from Fatehpur Sikri,
Turquoise from Tibet, Lapis Lazuli and Sapphire from Sri
Lanka, Jasper from Punjab, Jade and Crystal from China, Coal
and Cornelian from Arabia and diamonds from Panna.
The Agra Fort,
another of the tourist attractions in India, is one of the
imposing Agra monuments. It actually consists of the major
structures, namely, the Delhi Gate, Amar Singh Gate, Akbari
Mahal and the Jehangir Mahal. Built originally by Akbar in
1565, it was revamped in his own style by Emperor Shah Jahan.
The red sandstone was actually replaced by marble pietra dura
inlay in certain sections. Constructed in a semi circular
plan, it boasts of towers, ramparts, bastions, and gateways.
Located on the banks of the river Yamuna, this architectural
tour de force is actually where the Mughals lived in the 16th
century.
Another of the most visited tourist destinations in India,
Fatehpur Sikri, is a city created by Akbar during 1571 and
1585. Speaking of meticulous planning and intelligence, this
city is predominantly built in red sandstone. Located at about
37 km from Agra, it presents a healthy merge of Hindu and
Muslim styles of architecture. This fact actually throws light
on the religious tolerance of Akbar. The following attractions
are found within the town of Fatehpur Sikri:
Diwan-I-Am
The Treasury
Daulat
khana-I-khas
Palace of Jodha
Bai
Hawa Mahal And
Nagina Masjid
Birbal's Palace
Sunehra Makan
Diwan-khana-I-khaas
Dargah Of Sheikh
Salim Chisti
The Jami Masjid
Buland Darwaza
Turkish Sultana's
House
Panch Mahal
Chini ka Rauza, Itmad - Ud - Daula and Sikandra
Fort are some of the other tourist attractions in Agra.
The Rambagh Gardens in Agra has the distinction
of being one of the first Mughal pleasure gardens in India.
Laid out by Babur, the first Mughal Emperor, the Rambagh
Gardens are located 3 km away from the Tomb of Itimad Ud
Daulah and 500 meters away from the Chini ka Rauza. The
Persian influence can be well discerned in the layout of the
garden that was designed in such a way as to resemble paradise
(in Islam the garden is considered to be a representation of
Paradise).
Also known as the Bagh-i-Gul Afshan, the garden is laid
out in the charbagh pattern with four main divisions
made by paths and waterways. A number of fountains, channels
and waterways adorn the magnificent Rambagh Gardens, which
draws its water from the Yamuna River. Noor Jahan, the wife of
Emperor Jahangir, made a number of additions to the Rambagh
Gardens gardens, which have survived till date. Another
interesting feature of this garden is that Emperor Babur was
supposed to have been buried here for a brief while before
being entombed in his mausoleum in Kabul.
Monuments in Jaipur
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Hawa Mahal :
The Palace of Wind :  A masterpiece of architecture,
Hawa Mahal in Jaipur
is one of the most famous tourist attractions of 'Pink City'.
Situated right in the heart of the city, Hawa Mahal in Jaipur
is easily accessible and lies in close proximity to the two
prime historic monuments of Jantar Mantar and City Palace. One
of the busiest marketplaces in Jaipur is located in the
vicinity of Hawa Mahal and enables tourists to shop around for
exclusive Rajasthani specialties while enjoying the beauty of
this architectural marvel in striking pink.
Hawa Mahal in
Jaipur was earlier known as 'Janana
Deori' and was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh to
enable the women of the royal family to witness public
proceedings and functions without coming out in the open.
During earlier times in Jaipur, the practice of 'Purdah'
(veil) system commonly prevailed among women, even those of
the royal family. They were restricted from entering public
areas or from participating in daily meetings and other
functions. Even while watching public ceremonies, these women
were expected to always remain under veil. To enable royal
women to enjoy processions on the road during festivals and
other public functions, Hawa Mahal was constructed.
Hawa Mahal in
Jaipur truly reflects the
genius of its architect. The magnificent palace rises up to
five storeys in the shape of a pyramid and encloses nearly 953
windows! Its main wall stands without any support and includes
around 365 windowpanes. The intricate jaali work on the
windows of Hawa Mahal is truly remarkable. On closer
inspection, one can make out that each floor is tilted at an
angle of 10 degrees. The rear view of Hawa Mahal gives it the
appearance of a beautiful crown. The palace was carefully
built along the main road of Jaipur to allow women of the
royal family to watch festivities and celebrations that passed
through the roads. Today popularly known as the 'Palace of
Winds', one can still feel the cool breeze coming in from the
tiny windows of Hawa Mahal in
Jaipur that served as a natural ventilation source in
the bygone era.
Rajasthan and
Wildlife offers online booking for tour packages to
Hawa Mahal and other
tourist attractions in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. For more
information, or to book your tour, please enter your query in
the form below.
The Amber
Fort :
 Located on a small hill outside Jaipur, the
construction of the fort commenced under the supervision of
Raja Man Singh and was completed under Sawai Jai Singh. The
fort is a fine example of a combination of Muslim and Hindu
influence and it is clearly reflected in its architectural
pattern. Built in red sandstone and white marble, the biggest
attraction of the fort is the "sheesh mahal" i.e. the Mirror
Palace. There are quite a few temples inside the fort.
The City Palace : The City
Palace is a huge structure that combines traditional Rajasthani style of architecture with the classic Mughal art.
It has a fine gateway and the marble gate is beautifully
carved. The gate has heavy brass doors on either of its sides.
Each of the storey in City Palace has a distinct name and each
one is uniquely beautiful and different from the other. The
entire palace is adorned by paintings, floral decorations,
mirror walls and ceilings in a very conservative style. The
top most storey is called the "Mukut Mahal" or in other words
Crown Hall.
The Jaigarh Fort : This beautiful fort is one of
the very few well preserved military structures of medieval
India.
 The palace was very much self- sufficient in itself in
its heydays. The structure clearly tells that the fort had
palaces, gardens, both open and covered reservoirs, granary,
armory, several temples, a well planned cannon factory, a very
tall tower and a giant cannon mounted on it. The western part
of the fort has an extensive wall and there are watch towers
and gateways leading into the Jaipgarh Fort.
The Nahar Garh Fort :
 The fort is situated atop
a picturesque hill and it offers a panoramic view of the city
from below. Although the fort was initially built by Sawai Jai
Singh in the year 1734, it was rebuilt and further enlarged by
Sawai Madho Singh in the year 1885. The fort has nine
absolutely identical suites and from each of these you will be
able to get a wonderful view of the city below. The rooms are
delightfully decorated with motifs.
Jantar
Mantar : Jantar Mantar is one of the most famous
observatories of its time. Experts have
 often
commented that it is arguably the most logical structure in
stone. The huge monument was built to calculate the local
time, the sun's declination, altitude, planets and
calculation of eclipses.
Jaipur is a
wonderful place to go for a sight-seeing tour. The variety and
beauty of the desert landscape as well as the beautiful
palaces, forts and temples will make your tour memorable.
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