Chalukya Shiva temple or Lad Khan temple

Lad Khan Temple Aihole / Image Credit

A small riverbank village in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka,  Aihole was in ancient times a centre of kingdom of early Chalukyas of Vatapi (now called Badami) who were prolific temple builders. 

Aihole is a town of temples and contains more than hundred structures.

Dating back to the 5th century AD. Lad Khan is the oldest temple in Aihole. Dedicated to Shiva, the temple is a specimen of of the Malaprabha style of architecture. Lad Khan Temple owns its name to a commander of the Bijapur Sultanate who once stayed there.

Nandi facing the shivalinga  / Image Credit 

Mallikarjuna Temple, Pattadakal

Mallikarjuna_Temple,_Pattadakal / Image Credit

Mallikarjuna Temple or Trilokeshwara Temple  is a temple in Pattadakal built by the Badami Chalukyas in the eighth century. Built by Trilokadevi, wife of the Chalukyan ruler Vikramaditya II (reigned 733 - 744 AD),   the temple was built immediately after the Virupaksha Temple, which was built by Lokamahadevi, another wife of the Chalukya ruler., in 745 AD. 

Located on the Malaprabha river in Karnataka, Pattadakal is believed to be the site where Chalukyan rulers were crowned kings between the sixth and eighth centuries.

Trilokeshwara Temple bears a resemblance to Virupaksha Temple.  The temple has beautiful pillars and columns narrating scenes from mythology, legends, puranas and Ramayana and Mahabharata. There is a Nandi pavilion in the temple. 

Trilokeshwara Temple is part of the monuments in Pattadakal and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Virupaksha Temple, Pattadakal

Virupaksha Temple / Image Credit

Virupaksha is the largest and grandest of all temples built by the Badami Chalukyas in Pattadakal between the 7th AD and 9th AD centuries. Located on the Malaprabha river in Karnataka, Pattadakal is believed to be the site where Chalukyan rulers were crowned kings. 

Also known as the Lokeshwara temple, the Virupaksha temple was commissioned in 745 AD by the Chalukyan ruler Vikramaditya's consort Queen Lokamahadevi to commemorate his victory over the Pallavas of Kanchi,  The architect of the temple was Sri Gundan Anivaritachari who was given the title of Tenkanadiseyasutradhari (the architect of the South). 

Dedicated to Shiva, the Virupaksha temple is influenced by the architecture of the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram. The concept and design of the Virupaksha temple later served as a model for the Rashtrakuta ruler Krishna I (757 -783 A.D.) to carve out the great Kailasha Temple at Ellora.

• 

  Nandi Facing The Shiva Lingman at Virupaksha Temple at Pattadakal 

Amber Fort Jaipur

If there is an absolute must see in Jaipur, it has to be the Amber Fort. A fine specimen of the Rajput architecture, the Amber (pronounced Amer) Fort -Palace is a classical example of romantic forts for which Rajasthan is famous all over the world. 

The Amber Fort is one of the six hill forts of Rajasthan which have been recognised as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Amber was the capital of the Kachhwaha rulers till 1727 A.D when Jaipur was made capital in place of Amber by Maharaja Jai Singh Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, who founded the Jaipur city. 

The construction of the Amber Fort was commenced in 1592 by Man Singh I, one of the foremost generals of the greatest Mughal emperor Akbar, and completed by his successor Jai Singh I. Made of red sandstone and marble and located high on a hill, the Amber Fort consists of a sprawling collection of fairytale buildings including palaces, halls, pavilions as well as temples and gardens. The spectacular reflection of the Amber Fort in the waters of the Maota Lake is a feast for the eyes. 

Chand Baori: Iconic Stepwell in Rajasthan

Chand Baori / Image Credit

95 km from Jaipur is located the medieval Chand Baori (stepwell) at Abhaneri village in the Dausa district of Rajasthan. One of the most famous stepwells in the state, the intricately carved Chand Baori is one of India's largest and deepest step wells. With its haunting architecture, the stepwell is thirteen stories in depth with a maze of 3500 steps.  

Chand Baori is located in front of the Harshat Mata temple, which though in ruins, is known for its beautiful architecture.

Sankar Gompa

Sankar Gompah / Image Credit

Located at a distance of 3 km from Leh in Ladakh, the Sankar Gompa is affiliated with the revered Spituk Gompa and follows the lineage of Gelug, the Yellow Hat sect of Buddhism. 

Here you will find an amazing statue of the Buddhist deity of compassion, Avalokitesvara, with thousand eyes and hands. 

The two-storey Sankar Gompa is the residence of The Kushok Bakul – the regional head of Gelug. The main prayer house enshrines the image of Tsong-kha-pa, the founder of Gelug.  

Kasyapa Matanga And Dharmaratna

White Horse Temple In Luoyang, China / Image Credit

In the 1st century AD, Buddhism was introduced to China by Kasyapa Matanga, an Indian Buddhist monk who traveled  from India to Luoyang in Imperial China with another Indian monk, Dharmaratna or Gobharana. 

Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han Dynasty constructed the White Horse Temple or Bai Ma Temple in 68 CE in the Han capital Luoyang in honour of these two Indian monks. White Horse Temple is reputed as the first Buddhist temple in China. These two monks learned Chinese and translated several Buddhist books, the first of which was the Sutra of 42 Sections Spoken by Buddha.