Report by Yashasvi Anika Tandon
There are many well-known monuments in India that are flocked by visitors day after day. Let us explore some lesser – known monuments in our country!
1. Pathra Village
Pathra Village is a village that had 100 ancient temples of which only 34 temples are remaining. Located 14 km away from Midnapore, West Bengal, the temples in the village date back to more than 200 years ago. The temples are made of terracotta and each one has intricate detailing. Almost all the temples are in complexes and house deities inside them, still. The temples were constructed by the Ghosal (Majumdar) and Banerjee families. The Nava Ratna Temple there is 250 years old and 40 feet tall.
2. Rukmini Temple Complex
Located in Nagpur, Rukmini Temple Complex was built by Raghuji Bhosle III. There is a Raghurajesh Temple there dedicated to Mahadev or Lord Shiva. We also find the Lakshmi Narayan temple over there after Rukmini Bai, a courtier in the Bhosle court. There are two shrines of Lord Ganesh and Lord Hanuman in the courtyard.
3. Stone carvings of Unakoti
Unakoti, meaning something that is less than 1 crore, is located 178 km away from the capital of Tripura, Agartala. Many, huge, vertical carvings by cutting rocks can be found on a hillside at Unakoti. The site also consists of the largest rock-cut image in India of Lord Shiva. The head of Lord Shiva is 30 feet tall having a 10 feet high headgear. The head itself is called Unakotiswara Kal Bhairava. These carvings go back to the 7th and 9th centuries.
wikipedia.org – Image Credit
4. Chand Baori
Built by King Chanda in the Abhneri village, Rajasthan, Chand Baori is the largest and deepest step-well in India. It was built in the 9th century and it is 64 feet deep having 13 floors. It has 3,500 symmetrical steps. It was built as a water reservoir as well as a place for community gathering for both royals and locals. On three sides there is a double staircase leading to the Baori (meaning step well or water reservoir) On the fourth side there is a pavilion of three stories having jharokhas or windows carved intricately, balconies, and galleries for the royal family to sit.
5. Basgo Monastery
Does this look like a mountain top?? No Siri! It is the Basgo Monastery in the Basgo Village located in Leh district, Ladakh. It was built as a fort by the rulers of Ladakh and as an important military fort and houses three Maitreya Buddha temples. Stone and rammed mud have been used in its construction causing it to blend with its mountainous surroundings.
wikipedia.org
6. Maluti temples
Maluti Temples are located in the Dumka district, Jharkhand, in the village of Maluti. Earlier the village had 108 terracotta temples, but as of now there are only 72 temples in the village. The most important temple has the idol of Goddess Maulliksha. Other temples there are dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva, and Goddess Kali. The Baj Basant dynasty established these temples which date back to the 17th century.
7. Bada Bagh
Bada Bagh (meaning big garden) lies 6 km north of Jaisalmer. There are Royal Cenotaphs (chhatris) of the kings of Jaisalmer. The entrance to the chhatris is located at the bottom of the hill. An interesting feature of the Bada Bagh is the unique shape of the domes. Some are circular, some resemble pyramids, while some are squarish. Its construction was started by Maharaja Jai Singh II.