Archeological masterpieces
Highlights
* Urban remnants of Indus Valley Civilization (3300 BCE to 1300 BCE) in West India * Evolution of temple architecture – Mahabalipuram and Badami in South India * Grand Hindu temples of Chola and Vijaynagara * Exotic sculptures of Khajuraho, Ellora and Konarak * Buddhist Caves, stupas and mural paintings of Sanchi, Sarnath and Ajanta * Indo- Islamic architecture of Turk- Afghan style * Glorious Mughal Architecture – The Taj Mahal and others * Thousand years old Forts, Palaces, Havelis, towers – scattered all over the Ganga basin * Unique brick temples of Bengal adorned with ornamental tiles – the Terracottas * Colonial architectures – Portuguese, Dutch, French and above all the British ones
Trip Story
The character of Indian society as the mingling point of diverse Asian and European culture is visually most evident in its architectural panorama. And the excellence of Indian masonry skill, artistic vision and traditional aesthetics has resulted in a presentation of surprisingly diverse but equally beautiful assemblage of monuments and monument -complexes. Generally we tailor our tours focusing on architectural monuments geographically, Indian being so huge. The Hindu stone temples and Buddhist caves are majorly concentrated in South-West India, where we also find some iconic Islamic architectures in Bidar or Golkonda commissioned by regional rulers. Massive citadels, Royal Palaces of medieval emperors, Mosques and Mausoleums are mostly found in North-West India of which Taj Mahal is the iconic one. And there are the unique terracotta temples of Bengal – cute ornamental brick structures influenced by local thatched roofed mud cottages.