Indian History

Lotus Mahal /  Photo by Avin CP on Unsplash Choose the correct one Q.1. Lotus Mahal is an important monument in___ (A) Pattadakal  (B) Hampi (C)  Badami (D)  Aihole  Answer - B Lotus Mahal or Chitrangini Mahal is an important secular structure in Hampi in Karnataka.  The Lotus Mahal is an example of Vijayanagara style of architecture.  Hampi,  now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is dotted with several monuments built during the Vijayanagara empire including Lotus Mahal. 

Photo Credit - Unsplash Svapnavasavadattam (The Dream of Vasavadatta) is a six-act Sanskrit play by ancient Indian playwright Bhāsa. It is the best among the thirteen plays written by  Bhāsa. Dating back to  2nd BCE, the play tells the story of the love of Kaushambi ruler Udayana for his queen Vasavadatta. Udayana was the most famous ruler of Vatsa kingdom in the 6th century BC.  Kaushambi was a thriving centre of Buddhism in ancient times and was one of the six greatest cities during Buddha’s time besides serving as the capital of the Vatsa kingdom.  Udayana was also the hero of other Sanskrit dramas- Priyadarshika, and Ratnavali written by seventh century AD Indian emperor Harsha. Among other wives of Udayana was  Samavati, daughter of  Ghosita,  the leading Shreshti (banker) of Kaushambi. In Kaushambi Ghosita had built the Ghositarama monastery which was donated to the Bhikshu Sangha.  Bhāsa has been spoken highly of by Kalidas who has mentione...

Photo: Unsplash The Stone Chariot temple is a famous monument within the Vittala Temple complex at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hampi in the Vijayanagar district of Karnataka. The Vitthala temple is dedicated to Vitthala, a form of Vishnu.    In medieval India Hampi served as the capital of the powerful Hindu Kingdom of Vijayanagara ("City of Victory") on the Tungabhadra River.  Dedicated to Garuda, the vehicle of Vishnu, Stone Chariot temple was built by Krishna Deva Raya, the greatest of the Vijayanagar rulers. It is one of the three famous stone chariots in India , the other two  being at Konark ( Odisha ) and Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu)  Hampi,  now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is dotted with several monuments built during the Vijayanagara empire including the Virupaksha temple, Lotus Mahal, the queens’ bathing area, musical pillars, a stone chariot, and an elephant stable, The Tungabhadra river courses around the rocky terrain that characterizes t...

Image Credit  Manyakheta was the capital of the Rashtrakuta dynasty which ruled large parts of southern India from 753 to 973. The capital city was founded by Rashtrakuta ruler Amoghavarsha I (Nrupatunga Amoghavarsha) who transferred regnal capital from Mayurkhandi (in the Bidar district of Karnataka)  to Manyakheta. He had embellished the new capital with beautiful buildings in order to "match the city of Indra's heaven, Amaravati."  Today Manyakheta is modern Malkhed village in Sedam taluk in Gulbarga (modern Kalaburagi) district in Karnataka. In 972-73 Manyakheta was sacked by Harsha Siyaka of the Paramara dynasty. After the downfall of the Rashtrakuta dynasty in 973, it became the capital of the Kalyani Chalukyas who had supplanted the Rashtrakutas. During the rule of Satyasraya belonging to the Chalukyas of Kalyani , Manyakheta was sacked in 1008 by Rajendra Chola I (reigned 1014–1044) during the reign of  Raja Raja Chola  .  Someshvara I Aha...