Dragon Palace Temple

The Dragon Palace Temple is a Buddhist temple at Kamptee in Nagpur. 2024 marks the  25th anniversary of Dragon Palace Temple. 

Built in 1999 by the contribution from the Japan-based Ogawa Society, Dragon Palace Temple is a pilgrimage site for the Buddhists. 

Ancient Sacred Places of Buddhism

Bodh Gaya Temple

India is the cradle of Buddhism. The country is home to many sacred shrines of Buddhism. 

Lumbini (in Nepal), Bodh Gaya in Bihar, Sarnath and Kusinagar in Uttar Pradesh, where the four key events of the Buddha’s life, namely birth, attainment of enlightenment, deliverance of the first sermon and death took place respectively, are looked upon with great reverence. 

Meditation At Sarnath

To these are added four other places which were also intimately associated with the Buddha’s life. These are Shravasti, Sankasya (Sanskisa), Rajagriha and Vaishali. These eight places have all along been considered as the eight holy places (ashtamahasthanas) and are well-known pilgrimage destinations.

A major centre of Buddhist pilgrimage, Sravasti in Uttar Pradesh is known for being the place where the Buddha spent the major portion of his missionary life. 

Jetavana Vihara Sravasti

Donated to Buddha by his devotee Sudatta or Anathapindika, a rich banker of Sravasti, Jetavana monastery consisted of a very large complex of buildings including dwelling rooms, bathrooms, halls of meditation and ponds. Anandabodhi tree and the Gandhakuti (Buddha's hut) are located within the site of Jetavana Vihara. 

Stupa and Ashokan Pillar, Vaishali

In addition to the eight sacred shrines, some of the other important Buddhist sites of ancient India are: Nagarjunakonda and Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh; Nalanda and Vikramshila in Bihar; Junagarh and Valabhi in Gujarat; Snachi and Bharhut in Madhya Pradesh; Ajanta - Ellora in Maharashtra; Udayagiri, Lalitgiri and Dhaulagiri in Orissa; Kanauj, Kaushambi and Mathura in Uttar Pradesh.

Griddhakuta Hills in Rajgir

With the decline of Buddhism, all the Buddhist shrines fell into neglect. They bore the burnt of invaders, and were either destroyed or plundered. The shrines in western India were however lucky. Being mostly in the shape of rock-cut caves, they were covered with natural growth and became out of the bounds for the destroyers. Most of the ancient shrines unearthed by the archaeologists and explorers have since been restored and developed as religious-cum-tourist centres.

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.

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  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.