Nalanda Mahavihara, Bihar

The archaeological site of Nalanda is located about 15 kmssouth of Biharsharif the district headquarter of Nalanda and

about 95 kms south-east of Patna.

Nalanda Mahavihara, regarded as one of the greatest universities of ancient world, was founded by Kumaragupta I

(CE 413-455) of the great Gupta dynasty

It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

History of Nalanda goes back to the days of Mahavira and Buddha in the 6th Century BCE.

It was the place of birth and nirvana of Sariputta, one of the most famous disciples of Buddha.

But the place rose into prominence in 5th Century CE as a great monastic-cum-educational institution.

Relic Stupa Vaishali, Bihar

This is one among the eight relic stupas built over the corporeal remains of Buddha. The remains were distributed among eight claimants, one being the Lichchavis of Vaishali.

During the rule of the Mauryans and later under Sungas and Kushanas the stupa was successively enlarged by brick

encasing and by raising the plinth and height of the structure.

Laxman Temple and Old Sites, Sirpur

Sirpur is a village in Mahasamund district in the state of Chhattisgarh on the banks of the river Mahanadi.

It was built by queen Vasata, daughter of Maukhari king Surya Verma of Magadha and the widowed mother of the Panduvamsi

King Mahasiv Gupta Balarjuna (AD:595-655).

The brick temple dedicated to lord Vishnu stands on a prominent platform and consists of a Garbhagriha, antarala and remnants of

an enclosed pillared mandapa.

Humayun's Tomb, Delhi

Humayun died in 1556, and his widow Hamida Banu Begam, also known as Haji Begam, commenced the construction of

his tomb in 1569, fourteen years after his death.

The site was chosen on the banks of Yamuna river, due to its proximity to Nizamuddin Dargah, the mausoleum of the

celebrated Sufi saint of Delhi, Nizamuddin Auliya, who was much revered by the rulers of Delhi

It is the first distinct example of proper Mughal style, which was inspired by Persian architecture.

The tomb was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993

Tomb of Khan-I-Khana, Delhi

Khanzada Mirza Khan Abdul Rahim Khan-e-Khana (17 December 1556 – 1627), also known as Rahim, was a poet who lived during the

rule of Mughal emperor Akbar.

He was one of the nine important ministers (dewan) in his court, also known as the Navaratnas.

His tomb is situated in Nizamuddin East on the Mathura road near Humayun's Tomb in New Delhi.

It was built by him for his wife in 1598, and his body was placed in it in 1627

In 1753-4, marble and sandstone from this tomb was used in the construction of Safdarjung's Tomb, also in New

Delhi.

Qutub Minar, Delhi

Qutub-Minar in red and buff standstone is the highest tower in India. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It has a diameter of 14.32 m at the base and about 2.75 m on the top with a height of 72.5 m.

Qutbu'd-Din Aibak laid the foundation of Minar in AD 1199 for the use of the mu'azzin (crier) to give calls for prayer and raised the first storey, to which were added three more storeys by his successor and

son-in-law, Shamsu'd-Din Iltutmish (AD 1211-36).

Red Fort, Delhi

The Red Fort is a historic fort in the city of Delhi in India that served as the main residence of the Mughal Emperors.

Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned reconstruction of the Red Fort on 12 May 1638, when he decided to shift his

capital from Agra to Delhi.

Its design is credited to architect Ustad Ahmad Lahori, who also constructed the Taj Mahal.

The fort lies along the Yamuna River, which fed the moats surrounding most of the walls.

It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007 as part of the Red Fort Complex

Sultan Ghari Tomb

Sultan e Garhi was the first Islamic Mausoleum (tomb) built in 1231 AD for Prince Nasiru'd-Din

Mahmud, eldest son of Iltumish, in Delhi

Iltumish was the third Sultan of the Slave Dynasty who ruled in Delhi from 1210 to 1236 AD.

This area is now part of the Qutb complex.

Tughlaqabad Fort

Tughlaqabad Fort is a ruined fort in Delhi, built by Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq, the founder of Tughlaq dynasty, of the Delhi

Sultanate of India in 1321, as he established the third historic city of Delhi, which was later abandoned in 1327.

Aguada Fort (Upper), Goa

The fort was constructed in 1612 to guard against the Dutch and the Marathas. The fort is situated on top of a hill of

Aguada Plateau.

It was a reference point for the vessels coming from Europe at that time. This old Portuguese fort stands on the beach

south of Candolim, at the shore of the Mandovi River.

It was initially tasked with defense of shipping and the nearby Bardez sub-district of Portuguese colony.

A freshwater spring within the fort provided water supply to the ships that used to stop by. This is how the fort got

its name: Aguada, meaning watery in the Portuguese language.

This fort is divided in two segments: the upper part acted as fort and watering station, while the lower part served

as a safe berth for Portuguese ships.

Churches and convents of Goa

Churches and convents of Old Goa is the name given by UNESCO to a set of religious monuments located

in Goa Velha (or Old Goa), which were declared a World Heritage Site in 1986.

Monuments

1. The Church of Our Lady of the Rosary - built in 1543, is the oldest of the Old Goa churches still standing.

2. Sé Catedral of Goa - is the largest building built by the Portuguese in Asia

3. Basilica of Bom Jesus - contains the tomb of St Francis-Xavier

4. Church of St. Francis of Assisi

5. Chapel of Santa Catarina

6. Ruins of the Church of St. Augustine

7. Church of Divine Providence (São Caetano or Saint Cajetan)

Ashokan Rock Edicts, Junagadh

The 3rd Century B.C. saw extension of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka's rule over Saurashtra as attested to by his famous fourteen rock edicts

at Girnar, Junagadh.

Ashoka, the great (273-232 B.C.), chose slopes of the Girnar hill, and got his fourteen rock edicts engraved on the North-East face of a

granite boulder at the foot of the hill.

Besides these rock edicts the same boulder also contains two more inscriptions of two other illustrious rulers of Ancient Indian history,

namely Mahakshatrappa Rudradaman (130-150A.D.), and Skandgupta(455-467 A.D.)

Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, Gujarat

Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located in Panchmahal district in Gujarat.

It is located around the historical city of Champaner, a city which was founded by Vanraj Chavda, the most prominent king of the

Chavda Dynasty, in the 8th century.

The park's landscape includes archaeological, historic and living cultural heritage monuments such as chalcolithic sites, a hill fortress of an early Hindu capital, and remains of the 16th-

century capital of the state of Gujarat

Rani-ki-Vav, Patan, Gujarat

Rani ki Vav or Ranki vav (lit. 'Queen’s stepwell') is a stepwell situated in the town of Patan in Gujarat.

It is located on the banks of Saraswati river.

Its construction is attributed to Udayamati, daughter of Khengara of Saurashtra, queen of the 11th-century Chaulukya dynasty and spouse of

Bhima I.

It is generally assumed that it was built in the memory of Bhima I.

It has been listed as one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites since 2014.

Sun Temple at Modhera, Gujarat

The Sun Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the solar deity Surya located at Modhera village of Mehsana district,

Gujarat.

It is situated on the bank of the river Pushpavati.

It was built after 1026-27 CE during the reign of Bhima I of the Chaulukya dynasty.

No worship is offered now and is protected monument maintained by Archaeological Survey of India.

Sheikh Chilli's Tomb

Sheikh Chilli's Tomb is complex of structures located in Thanesar, Haryana, India, near Kurukshetra.

It includes two tombs, a madarsa, mughal gardens and various subsequent features.

The main tomb belongs to Sufi Abd-ur-Rahim Abdul-Karim Abd-ur-Razak, popularly known by the name of Sheikh Chelli.

He was Qadiriyya Sufi master of Mughal Prince Dara Shikoh. The architectural plan of the tomb shows considerable Persian influence.

There is another tomb in the complex, believed to be of Sheikh Chilli's wife.

Surajkund

Surajkund is an ancient reservoir of the 10th century located on Southern Delhi Ridge of Aravalli range in Faridabad city of Haryana.

Surajkund (literal meaning is 'Lake of the Sun') is an artificial Kund('Kund' means "lake" or reservoir) built in the backdrop of the Aravalli

hills with an amphitheatre shaped embankment constructed in semicircular form.

It is said to have been built by the king Surajpal of the Tomara dynasty in the 10th century

Katarmal Sun Temple

Katarmal Sun Temple is at an altitude of 2116 meters above sea level, in the Kumaon Division (Almora District) of

Uttarakhand, India.

It is locally known as “Bara Aditya" or the great Sun God

Sun temple in Katarmal built in the 9th century in Katarmalnear by Almora has the Second important Sun Temple in the country, the first Sun temple being the Konark Sun Temple in

Orissa.

Katarmal Sun temple was built by KATARMALLA, a Katyuri Raja, in the 9th century. In the early medieval period, Kumaon was ruled by the

Katyuri dynasty.

The first rays of the sun falls straight on this Sun Temple.

The main deity of the Sun temple in Katarmal is called Burhadita or Vraddhaditya (the old Sun God).

The idols of Shiva-Parvati and Lakshmi-Narayana are also found in this temple.

Baijnath Group of Temples

Baijnath Group of Temples

Baijnath Temple Complex is a cluster of 18 Hindu temples which are situated in the town of Baijnath in Uttarakhand,

India.

The complex is located in Bageshwar district along the banks of Gomati river at an elevation of 1,125 m (3,691 ft) above

the mean sea level.

These temples are renowned for possibly being one of the very few temples in the world where Parvati is depicted with

her husband Shiva

Baijnath identified as ancient Karttikayapura often is believe to be the seat the Katyuries, earliest ruling

dynasty of central Himalayan region who had shifted their capital from Joshimath (District Chamoli) to this

place sometimes in 8th Century AD.

Jageshwar Group of Temples

Jageshwar Temples are a group of over 100 Hindu temples dated between 7th and 12th century near Almora, in the

Himalayan Indian state of Uttarakhand

They predominantly illustrate North Indian Nagara style of architecture with a few exceptions that show South and Central Indian style designs, many are dedicated to god

Shiva, while others in immediate vicinity are dedicated to god Vishnu, Shakti goddesses and Surya traditions of

Hinduism.

Jageshwar is considered as one of the ancient route of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

The site is protected under Indian laws, and managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

It includes Dandeshwar Temple, Chandi-ka-Temple, JageshwarTemple, Kuber Temple, Mritunjaya Temple, Nanda Devi or Nau

Durga, Nava-grah temple, a Pyramidal shrine, and Surya Temple.

Guntupalli Group of Buddhist Monuments

The Guntupalle or Guntupalli Group of Buddhist Monuments is located near Kamavarapukota, West Godavari district, in

the state of Andhra Pradesh in India.

The rock-cut part of the site has two Buddhist caves, a chaitya hall and a large group of stupas.

Charminar

The Charminar (lit. "four minarets") is a monument and mosque located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India.

The Charminar is situated on the east bank of Musi river.

The fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, Muhammad QuliQutb Shah, built the Charminar in 1591 after shifting his

capital from Golkonda to the newly formed city of Hyderabad.

Four Storeyed Rock Cut Hindu Temple, Undavali

The Undavalli Caves, a monolithic example of Indian rock-cut architecture and one of the finest testimonials to ancient viswakarma

sthapathis, are located in Undavalli of Guntur district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

These caves were carved out of solid sandstone on a hillside in the 4th to 5th centuries A.D.

There are several caves and the best known largest one has four stories with a huge recreated statue of Vishnu in a reclining posture, sculpted

from a single block of granite inside the second floor.

These caves are said to be found in 7th century. They are associated with the Vishnukundi kings of 420-620 A.D.

These caves are dedicated to Anantha Padmanabha and Lord Narashimha.

The caves are surrounded by green countryside. From the high hill above the cave overlooking the Krishna River many fine specimens of rock-cut

architecture can be seen

Golconda Fort

Golconda Fort, also known as Golkonda (lit. "round hill") is a fortified citadel and an early capital city of the Qutb Shahi dynasty (c.1512–1687), located in Hyderabad, Telangana,

India.

Golconda was originally known as Mankal.

Golconda Fort was first built by the Kakatiyas as part of their western defenses along the lines of the Kondapalli

Fort.

The city and the fortress were built on a granite hill that is 120 meters (390 ft) high, surrounded by massive

battlements.

The fort was rebuilt and strengthened by Rani Rudrama Devi and her successor Prataparudra.

The fort finally fell into ruin in 1687, after an eight-month-long siege led to its fall at the hands of the Mughal emperor

Aurangzeb.

The Golconda Fort used to have a vault where the famous Koh-i-Noor and Hope diamonds were once stored along with other

diamonds

The region has produced some of the world's most famous diamonds, including the colourless Koh-i-Noor (now owned by the United Kingdom), the blue Hope (United States), the pink Daria-i-

Noor (Iran), the white Regent (France), the Dresden Green (Germany), and the colourless Orlov (Russia), Nizam and Jacob

(India)

Raja Mahal

Rani Mahal

Lower Fort (Raja Rani Mahal) Chandragiri

Chandragiri Fort is a historical fort, built in the 11th century located in Chandragiri, Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, India.

Although mostly associated with the Vijayanagara Emperors it was built much earlier in 11th century by the Yadava rulers.

Chandragiri was under the rule of Yadavaraya for about three centuries and came under the control of the Vijayanagarayadava

rulers in 1367.

Chandragiri was the 4th capital of Vijayanagara Empire.

Inside the fort are Raja Mahal and Rani Mahal which are quite well maintained for more than 300 years.

Raja Mahal is converted as Archeological Museum by Arechological Survey of India.

Rani Mahal has flat roof and at base level it has stable and epigraphical evidence says that this building was also used as

commanders quarters.

Nagarjunakonda

Nagarjunakonda is a historical town, now an island located near Nagarjuna Sagar in Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh.

The ruins of several Mahayana Buddhist and Hindu shrines are located at Nagarjunakonda.

It is one of India's richest Buddhist sites, and now lies almost entirely under the Nagarjunasagar Dam (built across Krishna

River)

It is named after Nagarjuna, a southern Indian master of Mahayana Buddhism who lived in the 2nd century, who is believed to have been

responsible for the Buddhist activity in the area.

Because of the construction of the Nagarjuna Sagar Dam, the archaeological relics at Nagarjunakonda were submerged, and had to

be excavated and transferred to higher land on the hill, which has become an island.

Ruined Bhuddhist Stupas and other remains, Amravati

The Amarāvatī Stupa is a ruined Buddhist monument, probably built in phases between the third century BCE and about 250 CE, at Amaravathi village, Guntur district,

Andhra Pradesh.

The important sculptures from the site are now in a number of museums in India and abroad; many are

considerably damaged.

Warangal Fort

Warangal FortWarangal Fort is located in Warangal District, Telangana, India.

It was the capital city of Kakatiyas and Musunuri Kamma Nayakas.

It appears to have existed since at least the 12th century when it was the capital of the Kakatiya dynasty.

The fort has four ornamental gates, known as Kakatiya Kala Thoranam,that originally formed the entrances to a now ruined great Shiva temple.

The Kakatiyan arch has been adopted and officially incorporated into the emblem of Telangana after the state bifurcation

Ramnagar Fort Udhampur

Ramnagar Fort is near Sheesh Mahal, Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Ramnagar Fort is believed to have been built by Raja Suchet Singh, who died in 1844. His wife performed sati

nearby.

Ramnagar sits on the Mansa Devi Nallah, a tributary of the River Tawi that flows through Jammu.

There is a Samadhi of Maharani at the site where the sati was

performed.

The fort was renovated and undertaken by the Archaeological

Survey of India in 1972. It is a protected monument of the Archaeological department

Samadhi of Maharani

Ancient Temple of Martand

The temple was built by Lalitaditya Muktapida (circa AD 724-60), the most powerful and renowned monarch of the

Karkota dynasty of Kashmir.

The temple of Martand represents the very climax of the typical Kashmiri architecture style. This temple is dedicated

to martand the sun-god.

Now in ruins, the temple is located five miles from Anantnagin the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Avantisvami Temple, Avantipor

Avantiswami Temple was a Hindu temple located in Awantipora.

It was built by king Avantivaraman in CE 855-83 dedicated to Vishnu. Built on the banks of river Jhelum.

The temples were destroyed by earthquakes and the site is maintained by Archeological Survey of India.

The parapets on either side of the staircase leading to the sanctum carry the figures of Kamadeva, King Avantivarman, his queen and entourage

Group of Temples, Kiramchi, Udhampur

Krimchi temples is a complex of seven ancient temples in Udhampur District in Jammu and Kashmir. It is located on bank

of a stream Birunala in village Krimchi.

This group of temples is locally known as the Pandava Temples.

The temple is believed to be over a thousand years old. According to the Archaeological Survey of India these temples

were constructed during 8th or 9th century AD.

Local belief holds that they go back to the protagonists of the Mahabharata War, or a late Pandava dynasty that ruled in Jammu

and Kashmir

According to legendary accounts , Raja Kichak was said to be creator of the town Krimchi and the kingdom. It is also said pandavas in exile

remained there for a long period.

The complex consists of four large and three small temples. The main temple is 50 feet tall and is dedicated to Shiva, Ganesha, Vishnu and

Parvati.

Burzahom archaeological site

The Burzahom archaeological site is located in the Kashmir Valley of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Archaeological excavations have revealed four phases of cultural significance between 3000 BC and 1000 BC.

Periods I and II represent the Neolithic era; Period IlI the Megalithic era (of massive stone menhirs and wheel turned red pottery); and

Period IV relates to the early Historical Period (Post-megalithic period).

This site was nominated on 15 April 2014 for inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is yet to be approved

Tabo Monastery

Tabo Monastery (or Tabo Chos-Khor Monastery) is located in the Tabovillage of Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh, northern India.

The monastery was built by the Buddhist king (also known as Royal Lama) Yeshe-Ö in 996 A.D.

It was renovated 46 years later by the royal priest Jangchub O'd, the grandnephew of Yeshe-Ö.

They were kings of the Purang-Guge kingdom whose ancestry is traced to the ancient Tibetan monarchy.

Tabo is noted for being the oldest continuously operating Buddhist enclave in both India and the Himalayas.

It is here that the 14th Dalai Lama held the Kalachakra ceremonies in 1983 and 1996.

The monastery is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as a national historic treasure of India.

Hidimba Devi Temple, Manali

Hidimba Devi Temple also locally known as Dhungari Temple is located in Manali, a hill station in the State of Himāchal Pradesh in

north India.

It is an ancient cave temple dedicated to Hidimbi Devi, wife of Bhima, a figure in the Indian epic Mahābhārata.

The temple is surrounded by a cedar forest called Dhungiri Van Vihar at the foot of the Himālayas.

The structure was built in 1553 by Maharaja Bahadur Singh

Rock-Cut Temples, Masrur

The Masrur Temples, also referred to as Masroor Temples or Rock-cut Temples at Masrur, is an early 8th-century complex of

rock-cut Hindu temples in the Kangra Valley of Beas River in Himachal Pradesh, India.

The temples face northeast, towards the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas.

They are a version of North Indian Nagara architecture style, dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, Devi and Saura traditions

of Hinduism.

According to a local legend, the Pandavas of Mahabharata fame resided here during their "incognito" exile from their kingdom

and built this temple.

According to Khan, the identity and location of Pandavas was exposed, so they shifted from here. This is said to be why the

temple complex was left unfinished.

Sometime in the 20th century, someone introduced three small blackstone statues inside the shrine which faces east. These are

of Rama, Lakshmana and Sita of the Ramayana fame.

Cooch Behar Palace

Cooch Behar Palace, also called the Victor Jubilee Palace, is a landmark in Cooch Behar city, West Bengal.

It was modeled after the Buckingham Palace in London in 1887, during the reign of Maharaja Nripendra

Narayan.

Hazarduari Palace

Hazarduari Palace, earlier known as the Bara Kothi, is located in the campus of Kila Nizamat in Murshidabad, in

the Indian state of West Bengal.

It is situated near the bank of river Ganga.

It was built in the nineteenth century by architect Duncan Macleod, under the reign of Nawab Nazim Humayun Jah of

Bengal, Bihar and Orissa (1824–1838).

The Palace was used for holding Durbar and as residence of high ranking English officials. At present, it

serves as a period Museum displaying a vast array of interesting exhibits

In 1985, the palace was handed over to the Archaeological Survey of India for better

preservation.

Bishnupur Group of Temples, West Bengal

Bishnupur is a town located in the Bankura district of West Bengal, India.

The town is famous for the terracotta temples made from the locally available laterite stones.

The Malla rulers were Vaishnavites and built the famous terracotta temples during the 17th and 18th century at

this place.

Rasmancha Temple - It was commissioned by Mallabhumking Hambir Malla Dev (Bir Hambir) in 1600 CE.

Diety - Radha Krishna

Jor-Bangla Temple - Built by King Raghunath Singha Dev II.

Pancha Ratna Temple - Built by King Raghunath Singha. The walls are richly decorated with terracotta carvings featuring aspects of

Lord Krishna’s life

Madanmohan Temple - King Durjana Singh Deva built the temple in the ekaratna style. Impressive carvings on the

walls depict scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Puranas.

Other Temples are –

Lalji TempleRadhya Shyam temple

Nandalal TempleKalachand temple

Radhavinod TempleMalleswar temple

Mrinmayee Temple

Agra Fort

Agra Fort is a historical fort in the city of Agra in India. It was the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal Dynasty until 1638, when the capital was shifted from

Agra to Delhi.

Before capture by the British, the last Indian rulers to have occupied it were the Marathas.

In 1983, the Agra fort was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

It was constructed by the third Mughal emperor Akbar on the remains of an ancient site known as Badalgarh.

Sikandar Lodi (1487-1517) was the first Sultan of Delhi to shift his capital from Delhi to Agra. After Sikandar Lodi who died in 1517, his son Ibrahim Lodi held the fort for 9

years until he was defeated and killed in the battle of Panipat in 1526.

Akbar's Tomb

Akbar's tomb is the tomb of the Mughal emperor Akbar. This tomb is an important Mughal architectural masterpiece.

It was built in 1605–1613 by his son Jahangir and is situated in 119 acres of grounds in Sikandra, a sub of Agra

It cost 1,500,000 rupees to build and took 3 or 4 years to complete.

Fort of Kalinjar

Kalinjar is a fortress-city in the Bundelkhand region of central India. Kalinjar is located in Banda District of Uttar

Pradesh state

This invincible fort is attributed to Chandravarman, the traditional founder of Chandella dynasty, though the

antiquity of the fort can be traced to much earlier period i.e. to the beginning of the Christian era.

Group of Monument, Fatehpur Sikri

Akbar grandson of Babur, shifted his residence and court from Agra to Sikri, for a period of 13 years, from 1572 to 1585 to honour the Sufi Saint Sheikh Salim Chishti, who

resided here.

Akbar revered him very much as the Saint had blessed him with a son who was named Salim in 1569.

Akbar gave it the name of Fathabad and which in later days came to be known as "Fathpur Sikri".

Jhansi Fort

The construction of the fort is ascribed to the BundelaChief Raja Bir Singh Deo of Orchha in 1613.

For twenty five years it was one of the strongholds of the Bundelas till it passed into the hands of the Mughals for

the next hundred years and subsequently came under the possession of the Marathas for another hundred years.

The Maratha Chief Naru Shankar enlarged the Shankargarharea of the fort.

The fort was later succeeded by Raja Gangadhar Rao. In 1842 Raja Gangadhar Rao married Manikarnika Tambe who was the given the

new name of Lakshmi Bai.

After the death of the Maharaja in November 1853, because DamodarRao (born Anand Rao) was adopted {adopted son of Laxmi Bai), the

British East India Company, rejecting Damodar Rao's claim to the throne and annexing the state to its territories.

Residency Building, Lucknow

The Residency, also called as the British Residency and Residency Complex, is a group of several buildings in a common precinct in the

city of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.

The Residency complex was set up on the bank of river Gomti in 1775 by Nawab Asaf-ud-daula (A.D. 1775-1795) for the British

resident, after the shifting of capital from Faizabad to Lucknow.

Between 1 July 1857 and 17 November 1857 the Residency was subject to the Siege of Lucknow, part of the Indian Rebellion of

1857. The Residency now exists as ruins.

Site of Sahet-Mahet

Shravasti was a city of ancient India and one of the six largest cities in India during Gautama Buddha's lifetime.

Shravasti is located near the West Rapti River and is closely associated with the life of Gautama Buddha, who is believed

to have spent 24 Chaturmases here.

Shravasti was the capital of the Kosala Kingdom during 6th century BCE to 6th century CE

During excavation in 'Sahet-Mahet' near Shravasti City, many ancient idols and inscriptions were found. They are now kept in

museums at Mathura and Lucknow.

At present, the archaeological department of the Indian Government is excavating the site to perform allied research.

Jetavana monastery was a famous monastery close to Shravasti. It is also known as the main temple of Gautama Buddha.

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal, the pinnacle of Mughal architecture, was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, grandson of Akbar the great, in the

memory of his queen Arjumand Bano Begum, entitled 'Mumtaz Mahal'.

It is located on the southern bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra.

The Taj Mahal was commissioned by Shah Jahan in 1631, to be built in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died on 17 June that year,

while giving birth to their 14th child, Gauhara Begum

The Taj Mahal is the mausoleum of both Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan.

The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the

universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage