This Independence Day, celebrate the country’s architectural heritage with these ‘Seven Wonders of India’.
The ‘New Seven Wonders of the World,’ were picked in 2007 as modern additions to the ancient Seven Wonders laid out by Philo of Byzantium in 250 BCE. The list today includes gems like Taj Mahal (India), Machu Pichu (Peru), and Christ The Redeemer (Brazil). While the world can’t stop lauding these masterpieces around the globe, we can’t help but ‘wonder’ about certain architectural marvels in India that deserve the same (if not more) attention. Here are the ‘Seven Wonders of India’ that would definitely cut the big list should the list be made again now.
Seven Wonders of India for your 2022 bucked list
Taj Mahal
No such list could begin without the mention of India’s most magnificent monument. The Taj Mahal is one of the crowning architectural achievements of the Mughal empire built by emperor Shah Jahan, that took 16 years and around 20,000 workers to complete! An ode to eternal love and grandeur, the ivory-marble mausoleum located in Uttar Pradesh’s Agra, is a proud part of the ‘New Seven Wonders of the World’.
Red Fort
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Red Fort is located in the very heart of the beautiful capital of India. The country’s glorious past is reflected well through this monumental architecture made of red sandstone. Also built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in 1648, this is where the Prime Minister of India hoists the national flag every year of Independence Day in New Delhi.
Golden Temple
Originally called Sri Harmandir Sahib or Darbar Sahib, the Golden Temple of Amritsar in Punjab is the dazzling shrine of India with its two-storeyed structure plated with 24-karat gold — think gilded domes, doors, and even walls! Surrounded by the holy Amrit Sarovar, a reservoir that is believed to be filled with healing water, it is the most sacred gurudwara for the Sikhs. The Guru Granth Sahib, the main sacred scripture of Sikhism, is seated inside the sanctum, while the place is also home to the ‘world’s biggest community kitchen’.
Ajanta-Ellora Caves
Deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the set of caves in Maharashtra dates back to the 2nd to 11th century AD. Ajanta-Ellora Caves stand tall as the greatest of rock-cut architectural wonders. Find their ancient walls adorned with fascinating scripture paintings and rock-cut inscriptions, with about 30 Buddhist caves of Ajanta and 34 of Ellora, which have in them Buddhist, Jain, and Hindu roots.
The Statue of Unity
The tallest statue in the world looks surreal against the backdrop of the stunning Vindhyachal and Satpura hills in Gujarat’s Kevadia. Dedicated to Indian statesman and Independence activist Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, this magnanimous statue rises as high as 182 metres (597 feet). The monument also offers a number of experiences from a stay in sprawling rooms at the location to jungle safaris to a trip to the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada riverbed.
Konark Sun Temple
The breathtaking Sun Temple in Odisha’s Konark is dedicated to the Hindu Sun God, Surya and attributed to King Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. The ruins of the complex have the appearance of a chariot, which is about 100 feet high, featuring wheels, horses, lions, musicians, dancers, and erotic groups, intricately carved in stone. The temple is even featured on the INR10 note of the Indian currency!
Hampi
Hampi is undoubtedly Karnataka’s most important asset. The humble but proud UNESCO-listed site carries Tungabhadra in its heart and the glory of the last empire in India in its memory. The magnificent ruins dot an unearthly landscape filled with heaps of giant boulders, an undulating terrain, lush palm groves, banana plantations, and paddy fields.
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