भारत गणराज्य (India): Architecture

Travel pictures from India

by Günther Eichhorn

Here are some of the pictures of palaces, temples, etc that I took on my trip to India in February/March, 1999. There are lots of palaces in India. the most impressive that I saw were the Amber Palace in Jaipur, the palace in Fatehpur Sikri, the Red Fort and of course the Taj Mahal, both in Agra. Very interesting too were the temples in Khajuraho with the huge amount of carved stone figures, including a large number of erotic figures.

Orchha was founded in 1531 and remained the capital of the powerful Bundelas Rajputs until 1783, when nearby Tikamgadh become the new capital. It is now a small village. The Jehangir Mahal in Orchha is well worth visiting. It has fantastic murals. The Jehangir Mahal was built by Raja Bir Singh in the 17^th century to commemorate the visit of Emperor Jehangir.

The Amber Palace in Jaipur is located on a hill overlooking Jaipur. It was the capital of the Kuchwaha Rajputs from 1037 to 1728. You can take an elephant ride up to the palace. It has beautiful gardens, lots of carved marble and inlay work.

Another imposing site in Jaipur is the Jantar Mantar. Built in 1726 by Jai Singh II, it has dozens of astronomical instruments (called yantars). They are build of masonry, marble, and brass. The largest is a huge sundial. The gnomon (or shadow casting) part is a staircase 30m (90') high. This is the largest sundial on earth. Other instruments come in pairs that complement each other. Where one of the instruments in a pair has a marble surface, the other is open, and vice versa. This allows you to walk into the instrument in the open areas and look at the shadow on the marble parts and determine where the shadow is with respect to the markings. The shadow is always on the marble surface on one of the instruments of a pair. Most of the markings had astrological purpose, not astronomical.

The palace in Fatehpur Sikri, not far from Agra, was built by the Mughal Emperor, Akbar between 1571 and 1585.. He had planned this city as his capital but shortage of water compelled him to abandon the city. Within 20 years, the capital of Mughals was moved to Lahore. It has sensational sandstone carvings.

The Red Fort in Agra is a massive red sandstone structure. It was built principally as a military establishment by Akbar in 1565. It was partially converted into a palace during Shah Jahan's time. The emperor Aurangzeb deposed his father Shah Jahan and imprisoned him in the Agra Fort, from where he gazed across at the Taj Mahal, which he had built for his beloved wife. Shah Jahan is believed to have died in the Musamman Burj, a tower in Agra Fort with a beautiful marble balcony, which offers a scenic view of the Taj Mahal.

The Taj Mahal is the show piece of Indian architecture. It was built by the Muslim Emperor Shah Jahan (died 1666 CE) in memory of his dear wife and queen Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal was constructed over a period of twenty-two years, employing twenty thousand workers.

Delhi too has interesting architecture. The mosque in Delhi is the biggest mosque in India, and the minaret is the tallest in India.

There are many important Buddhist monuments in India. Buddha is believed to have preached his first sermon in Sarnath. Around 500 CE a large stupa was built on that place.

But the large palaces and temples are only a part of the religious life. There are many small shrines and temples were people worship.

The other pictures from India are Nature and People. The main description of my trip is on the India page.

All pictures are © Günther Eichhorn

Fortresses and Palaces

A small fortification on a hill overlooking the Amber Palace in Jaipur. (663k) A strange looking tower. I don't know whether the shape has function or what it means. (676k) Palace in Orchha. It was build for the visit of a Muslim ruler to Orchha. (533k) Another view of the palace. (579k) Capitols in the palace. The lower row is Hindu style with elephants. The upper row is Muslim style, without realistic figures, just decorations. (680k)
This is not a real building, just a facade. The Rajah's harem would be waiting behind the windows to watch him come home from war. (679k) Peacock Entrance in the palace in Jaipur (820k) One of two silver vessels in the palace in Jaipur, about 2m high, weighing over 300 kg. A Maharajah needed to take his Ganges water with him during a visit to England, so he took a couple of bottles with him, big bottles $:-\)$ (533k) A marble palace near the Red Fort. (603k) Entrance to the Amber Palace. (626k)
Entrance to the Amber Palace in Jaipur. Image of the Hindu God Ganesh above the door. (828k) Room in the Amber Palace of Jaipur with colored tiles and marble carvings and inlays (334k) Window in Amber Palace, carved out of marble (1027k) Details of a marble window. (790k) Design with convex mirror tiles in the Amber Palace. These mirror tiles make for great light effects with flickering candles. (865k)
Marble column with stone inlays (225k) Wall Bastion on the Red Fort in Agra. There were two moats. Originally one was filled with water and crocodiles, the other was dry land with roaming tigers. (359k) Entrance door to the Red Fort. The door is spiked with metal spikes to prevent elephants from pushing the door in with their heads. (614k) The moat around the red fort. There were two areas in the moat, the outer one with water, filled with crocodiles, and the inner one with a jungle, filled with tigers. (596k) Marble columns in the Red Fort in Agra (611k)
Carved red sandstone in the palace in Fatehpur Sikri (851k) Sandstone carving. (898k) Carved sandstone column. (707k)

Religious

Hindu Gods. From left to right Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu (680k) Not all temples have to be big. This is a temple for the Monkey God Hanuman (654k) India Hanuman Temple 2 (598k) Statue of a Boar in the temple complex in Khajuraho (679k) Buddha Statue in the Buddha temple in Sarnath near Varanasi (former Benares), the holy city for Hindus and Buddhists. This temple was build near the place where Buddha gave his first sermon. (632k)
This Stupa was build around 500 CE at the place where Buddha was believed to have given his first sermon. (846k) Hindu temple complex in Orchha (674k) Paintings of a mythical battle with a many-armed daemon. These paintings are in the palace in Orchha. (882k) Painting of Vishnu with sunshade of Cobras (727k) Painting with one of the Incarnations of Vishnu (931k)
Painting of the Elephant god Ganesh. (694k) Painting of the monkey god Hanuman. (722k) The mosque in Delhi is the largest mosque in India. (802k) Entrance to the mosque in Delhi, the larges mosque in India. (864k) The tallest Minaret in India (in Delhi) (339k)
Closeup of the first tier on the Minaret (942k)

Astronomical Architecture

The large sundial in the Observatory in Jaipur, built in the 18^th century (573k) The gradations on the large sundial. (714k) A smaller version of the sundial. (740k) Sundial. This and the next are complementary versions, one for times when the sun is above the celestial equator, and one for the times when the sun is below the equator. (733k) Sundial. (775k)
Metal sundials with astrological markings. (810k) Metal sundial. (938k) There was a whole array of sundials, for different constellations. They all served astrological purposes. (712k) One of the instruments in the Observatory in Jaipur, made of marble (691k) These instruments were build in pairs. One had marble with inscriptions of the astrological content where the other was open, and vice versa. (811k)
Details on one of the marble bowls. (743k) Details on one of the marble bowls. (562k)

Taj Mahal

Entrance building to the Taj Mahal. (733k) The Taj Mahal through the entrance hallway. (546k) The Taj Mahal in the morning mist (690k) Full view of the Taj Mahal in the morning sun (783k) Taj Mahal with reflection (789k)
Taj Mahal closeup with reflection (735k) The Taj Mahal, framed by a tree. (455k) Taj Mahal closeup in the morning sun (823k) View of the front entrance of the Taj Mahal (948k) Inlaid marble door in the Taj Mahal. (1107k)
Closeup of the Taj Mahal entrance portal decorations (967k) Detail of arch over Taj Mahal doorway and Koran inscriptions, inlaid with black stone in marble (854k) Marble work inside the Taj Mahal (897k) Marble carvings and stone inlays inside the Taj Mahal (908k) Sunrise behind the Taj Mahal (540k)

Khajuraho Temple Complex

Temple with carved stone figures in the Khajuraho temple complex. These temples date from around 1000 CE (887k) Another temple in the Khajuraho temple complex. (797k) Temple in the Khajuraho complex. (869k) Battle elephants in stone carvings at the Khajuraho temple complex (905k) Figure of a daemon. (837k)
Figure of a daemon. (903k) Stone figure of Hindu God Shiva (856k) Stone figure of Hindu God Ganesh (998k) Stone figure of the goddess Kali. (812k) Side view of the temple decorated with stone figures (1126k)
Carvings in the Khajuraho temple complex. (1035k) Frieze with stone carved erotic figures on Khajuraho temple (933k) Carved erotic figures. (978k) Carved erotic figures. (876k) Carved erotic figures. (876k)
Carved erotic figures. (863k) Carved erotic figures. (906k) Carved erotic figures. (656k)

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A small fortification on a hill overlooking the Amber Palace in Jaipur. (663k)	A strange looking tower. I don't know whether the shape has function or what it means. (676k)	Palace in Orchha. It was build for the visit of a Muslim ruler to Orchha. (533k)	Another view of the palace. (579k)	Capitols in the palace. The lower row is Hindu style with elephants. The upper row is Muslim style, without realistic figures, just decorations. (680k)
This is not a real building, just a facade. The Rajah's harem would be waiting behind the windows to watch him come home from war. (679k)	Peacock Entrance in the palace in Jaipur (820k)	One of two silver vessels in the palace in Jaipur, about 2m high, weighing over 300 kg. A Maharajah needed to take his Ganges water with him during a visit to England, so he took a couple of bottles with him, big bottles $:-\)$ (533k)	A marble palace near the Red Fort. (603k)	Entrance to the Amber Palace. (626k)
Entrance to the Amber Palace in Jaipur. Image of the Hindu God Ganesh above the door. (828k)	Room in the Amber Palace of Jaipur with colored tiles and marble carvings and inlays (334k)	Window in Amber Palace, carved out of marble (1027k)	Details of a marble window. (790k)	Design with convex mirror tiles in the Amber Palace. These mirror tiles make for great light effects with flickering candles. (865k)
Marble column with stone inlays (225k)	Wall Bastion on the Red Fort in Agra. There were two moats. Originally one was filled with water and crocodiles, the other was dry land with roaming tigers. (359k)	Entrance door to the Red Fort. The door is spiked with metal spikes to prevent elephants from pushing the door in with their heads. (614k)	The moat around the red fort. There were two areas in the moat, the outer one with water, filled with crocodiles, and the inner one with a jungle, filled with tigers. (596k)	Marble columns in the Red Fort in Agra (611k)
Carved red sandstone in the palace in Fatehpur Sikri (851k)	Sandstone carving. (898k)	Carved sandstone column. (707k)

Hindu Gods. From left to right Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu (680k)	Not all temples have to be big. This is a temple for the Monkey God Hanuman (654k)	India Hanuman Temple 2 (598k)	Statue of a Boar in the temple complex in Khajuraho (679k)	Buddha Statue in the Buddha temple in Sarnath near Varanasi (former Benares), the holy city for Hindus and Buddhists. This temple was build near the place where Buddha gave his first sermon. (632k)
This Stupa was build around 500 CE at the place where Buddha was believed to have given his first sermon. (846k)	Hindu temple complex in Orchha (674k)	Paintings of a mythical battle with a many-armed daemon. These paintings are in the palace in Orchha. (882k)	Painting of Vishnu with sunshade of Cobras (727k)	Painting with one of the Incarnations of Vishnu (931k)
Painting of the Elephant god Ganesh. (694k)	Painting of the monkey god Hanuman. (722k)	The mosque in Delhi is the largest mosque in India. (802k)	Entrance to the mosque in Delhi, the larges mosque in India. (864k)	The tallest Minaret in India (in Delhi) (339k)
Closeup of the first tier on the Minaret (942k)

The large sundial in the Observatory in Jaipur, built in the 18^th century (573k)	The gradations on the large sundial. (714k)	A smaller version of the sundial. (740k)	Sundial. This and the next are complementary versions, one for times when the sun is above the celestial equator, and one for the times when the sun is below the equator. (733k)	Sundial. (775k)
Metal sundials with astrological markings. (810k)	Metal sundial. (938k)	There was a whole array of sundials, for different constellations. They all served astrological purposes. (712k)	One of the instruments in the Observatory in Jaipur, made of marble (691k)	These instruments were build in pairs. One had marble with inscriptions of the astrological content where the other was open, and vice versa. (811k)
Details on one of the marble bowls. (743k)	Details on one of the marble bowls. (562k)

Entrance building to the Taj Mahal. (733k)	The Taj Mahal through the entrance hallway. (546k)	The Taj Mahal in the morning mist (690k)	Full view of the Taj Mahal in the morning sun (783k)	Taj Mahal with reflection (789k)
Taj Mahal closeup with reflection (735k)	The Taj Mahal, framed by a tree. (455k)	Taj Mahal closeup in the morning sun (823k)	View of the front entrance of the Taj Mahal (948k)	Inlaid marble door in the Taj Mahal. (1107k)
Closeup of the Taj Mahal entrance portal decorations (967k)	Detail of arch over Taj Mahal doorway and Koran inscriptions, inlaid with black stone in marble (854k)	Marble work inside the Taj Mahal (897k)	Marble carvings and stone inlays inside the Taj Mahal (908k)	Sunrise behind the Taj Mahal (540k)

Temple with carved stone figures in the Khajuraho temple complex. These temples date from around 1000 CE (887k)	Another temple in the Khajuraho temple complex. (797k)	Temple in the Khajuraho complex. (869k)	Battle elephants in stone carvings at the Khajuraho temple complex (905k)	Figure of a daemon. (837k)
Figure of a daemon. (903k)	Stone figure of Hindu God Shiva (856k)	Stone figure of Hindu God Ganesh (998k)	Stone figure of the goddess Kali. (812k)	Side view of the temple decorated with stone figures (1126k)
Carvings in the Khajuraho temple complex. (1035k)	Frieze with stone carved erotic figures on Khajuraho temple (933k)	Carved erotic figures. (978k)	Carved erotic figures. (876k)	Carved erotic figures. (876k)
Carved erotic figures. (863k)	Carved erotic figures. (906k)	Carved erotic figures. (656k)