seven wonders of India
1. Bahubali
Bahubali (Sanskrit: बाहुबली) also called Gommateshwara (Kannada: ಗೊಮ್ಮಟೇಶ್ವರ Tulu: ಗೊಮ್ಮತಾ) was a son of Arihant Adishwar. According to Jainism, he was the second of the hundred sons of the first Tirthankara, Rishabha and king of Podanpur. The Adipurana, a 10th-century Kannada text by poet Adikavi Pampa (fl. 941 CE), written in Champu
style, a mix of prose and verse and spread over in sixteen cantos,
deals with the ten lives of the first tirthankara, Rishabha and his two
sons, Bharata and Bahubali.[1][2] According to the Digambaras he was the first human in this half time cycle to attain liberation.[3]
A monolithic statue of Bahubali referred to as "Gommateshvara" built by the Ganga dynasty minister and commander Chamundaraya is a 57 feet (17 m) monolith and is situated above a hill in Shravanabelagola, in the Hassan district of Karnataka state, India. It was built in the 10th century AD.[citation needed]
Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, devotees and tourists from all over
the world flock to the statue once in 12 years for an event known as Mahamastakabhisheka. On August 5, 2007, the statue was voted by Indians as the first of Seven Wonders of India.[4] 49% votes went in favor of this marvel.
2. Harmandir Sahib
The Harmandir Sahib (Punjabi: ਹਰਿਮੰਦਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ), also Darbar Sahib (Punjabi: ਦਰਬਾਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ, Punjabi pronunciation: [dəɾbɑɾ sɑhɪb])[1][3] and informally referred to as the "Golden Temple",[1] is the holiest Sikh gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab, India. The city was founded in 1574 by the fourth Sikh guru, Guru Ram Das.[4] On 3 January 1588 Guru Arjun laid the foundation stone of the Harmandir Sahib and in 1604 he completed the Adi Granth, the holy scripture of Sikhism, and installed it in the gurdwara.[5]
There are four doors to get into the Harmandir Sahib, which symbolize the openness of the Sikhs towards all people and religions.[6] The present-day gurdwara was rebuilt in 1764 by Jassa Singh Ahluwalia with the help of other Sikh Misls. In the early nineteenth century, Maharaja Ranjit Singh secured the Punjab region from outside attack and covered the upper floors of the gurdwara with gold, which gives it its distinctive appearance and its English name.[7]
The Harimandir Sahib is considered holy by Sikhs. The holiest text of Sikhism, the Guru Granth Sahib,[8]
is always present inside the gurdwara. Its construction was mainly
intended to build a place of worship for men and women from all walks of
life and all religions to come and worship God equally.[1][8][8] Over 100,000 people visit the holy shrine daily for worship.[9]
3. Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal (/ˌtɑːdʒ məˈhɑːl/, more often /ˈtɑːʒ/;,[2] from Persian and Arabic,[3][4] "crown of palaces", pronounced [ˈt̪aːdʒ mɛˈɦɛl]; also "the Taj"[5]) is a white marble mausoleum located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
The Taj Mahal is widely recognized as "the jewel of Muslim art in India
and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's
heritage".[6]
Taj Mahal is regarded by many as the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Islamic, Persian, Ottoman Turkish and Indian architectural styles.[7][8]
In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While the white domed marble
mausoleum is the most familiar component of the Taj Mahal, it is
actually an integrated complex of structures. The construction began
around 1632 and was completed around 1653, employing thousands of
artisans and craftsmen.[9]
The construction of the Taj Mahal was entrusted to a board of
architects under imperial supervision, including Abd ul-Karim Ma'mur
Khan, Makramat Khan, and Ustad Ahmad Lahauri.[10][11] Lahauri[12] is generally considered to be the principal designer.[13][14]
4. Hampi
Hampi (Kannada: ಹಂಪೆ Hampe) is a village in northern Karnataka, India. It is located within the ruins of the city of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, it continues to be an important religious centre, housing the Virupaksha Temple, as well as several other monuments belonging to the old city. The ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed as the Group of Monuments at Hampi.[1] According to statistics of 2014, Hampi is the most searched historical place in Karnataka on Google.[2]
5. Konark Sun Temple
Konark Sun Temple ([koɳarkə]; also Konârak) is a 13th-century Sun Temple (also known as the Black Pagoda),[1] at Konark, in Odisha, India. It is believed that the temple was built by king Narasimhadeva I of Eastern Ganga Dynasty around AD 1250.[2] The temple is in the shape of a gigantic chariot with elaborately carved stone wheels, pillars and walls. A major part of the structure is now in ruins. The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[3] It is also featured on NDTV's list of Seven Wonders of India and Times of India's list of Seven Wonders of India.
Etymology
The name Konark derives from the combination of the Sanskrit words, Kona (corner) and Arka (sun), in reference to the temple which was dedicated to the Sun god Surya.[3]
The monument was also called the Black Pagoda by European sailors. In contrast, the Jagannath Temple in Puri was called the White Pagoda. Both temples served as important landmarks for the sailors.[1][4]
6. Nalanda
Nalanda (Nālandā; pronunciation: /nɑː.lən.ðɑː/; ) was an acclaimed Mahāvihāra, a large Buddhist monastery in ancient Magadha (modern-day Bihar), India. The site is located about 95 kilometres southeast of Patna, and was a centre of learning from the fifth century CE to c. 1200 CE.[4]:149[5] Historians often characterize Nalanda as a university.[4]:148[6]:174[7][8]:43[9]:119
Nalanda flourished under the patronage of the Gupta Empire as well as emperors like Harsha and later, the rulers of the Pala Empire.[10]:329 At its peak, the school attracted scholars and students from as far away as Tibet, China, Korea, and Central Asia.[6]:169 It was ransacked and destroyed by an army of the Muslim Mamluk Dynasty under Bakhtiyar Khilji in c. 1200 CE.[11]
7. Khajuraho Group of Monuments
The Khajuraho Group of Monuments are a group of Hindu and Jain temples in Madhya Pradesh, India. About 620 kilometres (385 mi) southeast of New Delhi, they are one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India.[1] The temples are famous for their Nagara-style architectural symbolism and their erotic sculptures.[2]
Most Khajuraho temples were built between 950 and 1050 AD, during the
Chandella dynasty. Historical records note that Khajuraho temple site
had 85 temples by 12th century, spread over 20 square kilometers. Of
these, only about 20 temples have survived, spread over 6 square
kilometers.[1]
Of the various surviving temples, the Kandariya temple is decorated
with a profusion of sculptures with intricate details, symbolism and
expressiveness of ancient Indian art.[3]
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