SITES TO BEHOLD

India ranks sixth on the list of the largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world. AJAY SOOD captures a few, including the recently-added Kakatiya Rudreshwara Temple to give an insight into the country’s architectural splendour.

- AJAY SOOD

ON ONE HAND, tectonic movement has endowed India with bountiful nature. On the other, there are landmarks left by the many visitors who made the country a temporary home. UNESCO has taken both of these into account and inscribed many of India’s nature reserves and historical sites. I had the good fortune of visiting a few of these sites and found in them awe-inspiring architecture, craftsmanship, town planning prowess, structural innovation, and in-depth understanding of special disciplines like astronomy.

From the Victorian Gothic Revival style of architecture at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus or Victoria Terminus (UNESCO 2004) to the Nagara style architectural symbolism in the 1000-year-old Khajuraho group of temples (UNESCO 1986), I was wowed by every structure that came my way. A pure Dravidian imprint is visible at the 1400-year-old Mahabalipuram group of monuments (UNESCO 1984); Sun Temple at Konark (UNESCO 1984), on the other hand displays Kalinga architecture, and the Taj Mahal (UNESCO 1983) and Humayun’s Tomb (UNESCO 1993) are outstanding examples of Mughal architecture.