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Rajasthani Architecture
The architecture of the Indian state of Rajasthan has usually been a regional variant of the style of Indian architecture prevailing in north India at the time. Rajasthan is especially notable for the forts and palaces of the many Rajput rulers, which are popular tourist attractions. Most of the population of Rajasthan is Hindu, and there has historically been a considerable Jain minority; this mixture is reflected in the many temples of the region. Māru-Gurjara architecture, or "Solaṅkī style" is a distinctive style that began in Rajasthan and neighbouring Gujarat around the 11th century, and has been revived and taken to other parts of India and the world by both Hindus and Jains. This represents the main contribution of the region to Hindu temple architecture. The Dilwara Jain Temples of Mount Abu built between the 11th and 13th centuries CE are the best-known examples of this style. The Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra mosque in Ajmer (no longer in religious use) is an i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jaisalmer Forteresse
Jaisalmer , nicknamed "The Golden city", is a city in the Indian state of Rajasthan, located west of the state capital Jaipur. The town stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone and is crowned by the ancient Jaisalmer Fort. This fort contains a royal palace and several ornate Jain temples. Many of the houses and temples of both the fort and of the town below are built of finely sculptured sandstone. The town lies in the heart of the Thar Desert (the Great Indian Desert) and has a population, including the residents of the fort, of about 78,000. It is the administrative headquarters of Jaisalmer District. Jaisalmer was once the capital of Jaisalmer State. Origin of name Jaisalmer was founded by Rawal Jaisal in 1156 AD. ''Jaisalmer'' means ''the Hill Fort of Jaisal''. Jaisalmer is sometimes called the "Golden City of India" because the yellow sandstone used throughout the architecture of both the fort and the town below, imbues both with a certain golden-yellow light. Geography ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ajmer Sharif Dargah
Ajmer Sharif Dargah (also Ajmer Dargah, Ajmer Sharif or Dargah Sharif) is a Sufi tomb (''dargah'') of the revered Sufi saint, Moinuddin Chishti, located at Ajmer, Rajasthan, India. The shrine has Chishti's grave (Maqbara). Location Ajmer Sharif Dargah is away from the main central Ajmer Railway station and 500 metres away from the Central Jail and is situated at the foot of the Taragarh hill. Background Moinuddin Chishti was a 13th-century Sufi saint and philosopher. Born in Sanjar (of modern-day Iran), or in Sijistan, he arrived in Delhi during the reign of the Sultan Iltutmish (d. 1236). Moinuddin moved from Delhi to Ajmer shortly thereafter, at which point he became increasingly influenced by the writings of the famous Sunni Hanbali scholar and mystic ʿAbdallāh Anṣārī (d. 1088), whose famous work on the lives of the early Islamic saints, the ''Ṭabāqāt al-ṣūfiyya'', may have played a role in shaping Moinuddin's worldview. It was during his time in Ajmer t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jaisalmer Fort
Jaisalmer Fort is situated in the city of Jaisalmer, in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is believed to be one of the very few "living forts" in the world (such as Carcassonne, France), as nearly one fourth of the old city's population still resides within the fort. For the better part of its 860-year history, the fort was the city of Jaisalmer. The first settlements outside the fort walls, to accommodate the growing population of Jaisalmer, are said to have come up in the 17th century. Jaisalmer Fort is the second oldest fort in Rajasthan, built in 1156 AD by the Rajput Rawal (ruler) Jaisal from whom it derives its name, and stood at the crossroads of important trade routes (including the ancient Silk road). The fort's massive yellow sandstone walls are a tawny lion colour during the day, fading to honey-gold as the sun sets, thereby camouflaging the fort in the yellow desert. For this reason it is also known as the ''Sonar Quila'' or ''Golden Fort''. The name ''Sonar Qu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gagron Fort
Gagron Fort (Hindi/Rajasthani: गागरोन का किला) is a hill and water fort and is situated in Jhalawar district of Rajasthan, in the Hadoti region of India. It is an example of a hill and water fort. The fort was built by Bijaldev Singh Dod (a Rajput king) in the twelfth century. Later, the fort has also been controlled by Sher Shah and Akbar. The fort is constructed on the confluence of Ahu River and Kali Sindh River. The fort is surrounded by water on three sides and a moat on the forth side and hence earned the name ''Jaladurg (Hindi/Rajasthani: जलदुर्ग, translation: Water Fort)''. It was designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 2013 as a part of Hill Forts in Rajasthan. History Gagron fort was constructed during the twelfth century by the king Bijaldev and the fort was ruled by the Khinchi kingdom for 300 years. The exact date on which the fort was constructed remains a mystery but historians estimate that the fort was constructed fro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chittor Fort
The Chittorgarh (literally Chittor Fort), also known as Chittod Fort, is one of the largest forts in India. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fort was the capital of Mewar and is located in the present-day city of Chittorgarh. It sprawls over a hill in height spread over an area of above the plains of the valley drained by the Berach River. The fort covers 65 historic structures, which include four palaces, 19 large temples, 20 large water bodies, 4 memorials and a few victory towers. In 2013, at the 37th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Chittorgarh Fort, along with five other forts of Rajasthan, was declared a World Heritage Site, UNESCO World Heritage Site, as a group called the Hill Forts of Rajasthan. Geography Chittorgarh, located in the southern part of the state of Rajasthan, from Ajmer, midway between Delhi and Mumbai on the National Highway 8 (India) in the road network of Golden Quadrilateral. Chittorgarh is situated where ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amer Fort
Amer Fort or Amber Fort is a fort located in Amer, Rajasthan, India. Amer is a town with an area of located from Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. Amber city and Amber fort were founded by ruler Alan Singh of Chanda dynasty of Meenas. Located high on a hill, it is the principal tourist attraction in Jaipur. Amer Fort is known for its artistic style elements. With its large ramparts and series of gates and cobbled paths, the fort overlooks Maota Lake, which is the main source of water for the Amer Palace. Amer Palace is great example of Rajput architecture. Some of its buildings and work have influence of Mughal architecture. Constructed of red sandstone and marble, the attractive, opulent palace is laid out on four levels, each with a courtyard. It consists of the Diwan-e-Aam, or "Hall of Public Audience", the Diwan-e-Khas, or "Hall of Private Audience", the Sheesh Mahal (mirror palace), or Jai Mandir, and the Sukh Niwas where a cool climate is artificially created by winds t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hill Forts Of Rajasthan
The North Western Indian State of Rajasthan has over one hundred fortifications on hills and mountainous terrain. Six Hill Forts of Rajasthan, spread across Rajasthan state in northern India, have been clustered as a series and designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ‘Hill Forts of Rajasthan’ was initially submitted to the UNESCO as a serial property formed by five Rajput forts in the Aravalli Range, and were built and enhanced between the 5th and 18th centuries CE by several Rajput kings of different kingdoms. The UNESCO series has been increased to six forts. They consist of: # Chittor Fort at Chittorgarh city # Kumbhalgarh Fort at Rajsamand city # Ranthambore Fort at Sawai Madhopur # Gagron Fort at Jhalawar city # Amer Fort at Jaipur city # Jaisalmer Fort at Jaisalmer city Some of these forts have defensive fortification wall up to 20 km long, still surviving urban centers and still in use water harvesting mechanism. Selection A series was to be selected a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ahar Cenotaphs
The Ahar Cenotaphs are a group of cenotaphs located in Ahar, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. The site contains more than 250 cenotaphs of the Maharanas of Mewar that were built over approximately 350 years. There are 19 chhatri ''Chhatri'' are elevated, dome-shaped pavilions used as an element in Indo-Islamic architecture and Indian architecture. Originating as a canopy above tombs, they serve as decorative elements. The earliest example of chhatri being used in the ...s that commemorate the 19 maharajas who were cremated here. The group of cenotaphs is also known as the Mahasati. References External links * http://www.udaipur.org.uk/excursions/ahar.html * https://web.archive.org/web/20100824042737/http://www.indiasite.com/rajasthan/udaipur/ahar.html Monuments and memorials in Rajasthan Buildings and structures in Udaipur Tourist attractions in Udaipur Rajasthani architecture Cenotaphs in India {{udaipur-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Haveli
A ''haveli'' is a traditional townhouse, mansion, manor house, in the Indian subcontinent, usually one with historical and architectural significance, and located in a town or city. The word ''haveli'' is derived from Arabic ''hawali'', meaning "partition" or "private space", popularised under the Mughal Empire, and was devoid of any architectural affiliations. Later, the word ''haveli'' came to be used as a generic term for various styles of regional mansions, manor houses, townhouse found in the Indian subcontinent. History Origin The term ''Haveli'' originates from Arabic word ''hawali'', meaning "partition" or "private space", term which was popularized under Mughal Empire. Early Havelis served Muslim rulers of the Indian Subcontinent and became an important architectural component of urban environments under the Mughals. Although Havelis originate from Indo-Islamic architecture, the existence of multistory homes and courtyards in the region is claimed as early as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jaali
A ''jali'' or jaali (''jālī'', meaning "net") is the term for a perforated stone or latticed screen, usually with an ornamental pattern constructed through the use of calligraphy, geometry or natural patterns. This form of architectural decoration is common in Indo-Islamic architecture and more generally in Indian architecture. It is closely related to ''mashrabiya'' in Islamic architecture. According to Yatin Pandya, the ''jali'' allows light and air while minimizing the sun and the rain, as well as providing cooling through passive ventilation.> The holes are often nearly of the same width or smaller than the thickness of the stone, thus providing structural strength. It has been observed that humid areas like Kerala and Konkan have larger holes with overall lower opacity than compared with the dry climate regions of Gujarat and Rajasthan. With the widespread use of glass in the late 19th century, and compactness of the residential areas in the modern India, ''jalis'' b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Taanka
A taanka, also known as a tanka or kund, is a traditional rainwater harvesting technique, common to the Thar desert region of Rajasthan, India. It is meant to provide drinking water and water security for a family or a small group of families. A taanka is composed of a covered, underground, impermeable cistern on shallow ground for the collection of rainwater. The cistern is generally constructed out of stone or brick masonry, or concrete, with lime mortar or cement plaster. Rainwater or surface run-off from rooftops, courtyards, or artificially prepared catchments (locally called ''agor'') flow into the tank through filtered inlets in the wall of the pit. The water stored saves people from the daily task of walking long distances to fetch water from sources which are often contaminated. The water in a taanka is usually only used for drinking. If in any year there was less than normal rainfall and household taankas do not get filled, water would instead be obtained from nearby ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stepwell
Stepwells (also known as vavs or baori) are wells or ponds with a long corridor of steps that descend to the water level. Stepwells played a significant role in defining subterranean architecture in western India from 7th to 19th century. Some stepwells are multi-storeyed and can be accessed by a Persian wheel which is pulled by a bull to bring water to the first or second floor. They are most common in western India and are also found in the other more arid regions of the Indian subcontinent, extending into Pakistan. The construction of stepwells is mainly utilitarian, though they may include embellishments of architectural significance, and be temple tanks. Stepwells are examples of the many types of storage and irrigation tanks that were developed in India, mainly to cope with seasonal fluctuations in water availability. A basic difference between stepwells on the one hand, and tanks and wells on the other, is that stepwells make it easier for people to reach the groundwa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
