Marvelous Monuments

Stepwell of Shamlaji which is in Campus of Shamlaji Temple is located in Aravalli district of Gujarat state of India on the banks of the Meshvo river in the valley surrounded by well wooded hills.  It is built around in 11th century in Chaulukya style and renovated at least 500 years ago. Several ruins of stepwell, scattered stones and old brick-works surrounding the place establishes antiquity of the place. Picture Credit:  Parth Vaghela

Shamlaji is a major Hindu pilgrimage center in Aravalli district of Gujarat state of India. It is located on the bank of the Meshvo river in the valley surrounded by well wooded hills.  It is also referred as Dholi Dhajawala due to white silk flag fluttering on top of the temple. The present temple dedicated to Shamlaji, a form of Vishnu or a name of Krishna, is built probably in 11th century in Chaulukya style and renovated at least 500 years ago. The temple was claimed by Jains in the past. Years ago, the Idar State rulers gave the fiefdom of Shamlaji temple to the Modhari Rao Saheb with other villages like Revdar, Devdar, Napada, Khalsa, Sunsar, Modhari, etc. Built of white sandstone and brick it is surrounded by a wall with a gateway. It is of two stories, supported on pillars, and a canopy with arches on each side. The lower courses of richly carved stone are of great age. Above them runs a frieze with an unintelligible pattern, and, above this, runni...

The Tomb of Khawaja Safar Sulemani is near Marzan Shami Road, Variyavi bazar, Surat, Gujarat. This tomb and the architecture is approximately 500 years old. It is arcuated and is famous for beautifully carved stone latticework windows (jalis) on the side and rear arches. Safar Sulemani was Governor of Surat and Sufi Saint during British Raj. He is also known as Khudavanda Khan. Safar Sulemani born in Non-Muslim Family of Italy. In Early age he visited Turkistan to meet Sultan for business. At that time, he attracted by Islam and became Muslim. Afterwards he married to sultan's daughter and came to India from Turkistan for business. He had mastery in marine War and Naval Wal Techniques. The British loots the people with the help of sea way. So, Sultan of Gujarat demanded to Delhi Sultanate for security. So, they sent Safar Sulemani for the Governance of Surat. At that He had gifted Surat a Fort which is in Chowk Bazar. The fort was equipped with cannons which was b...

Jain Group of Temples are in Champaner Village near Pavagadh, Panchmahal district in Gujarat, India. These temples of the Jain religion are noteworthy.  They are of three diverse groups: The first consists of the Bhavanaderi temples near Naqqarkhana gate called the Navalakka temples, the second group is in honor of the tirthankaras Suparshvanatha and Chandraprabha and the third group, situated on the south east of Pavagadh Hill (Mataji's cliff), is near the Pārśva temple next to the Dudhia tank. In Vikram year 1540, the Muslim Sultan Mohammed Begada invaded this place and heavily damaged the temples. The resuscitation of temples commenced in Vikram year 1931 and 1937 on Magh Sukla 13 at the hands of Digambar Bhattarak Sri Kanakkirtiji Maharaj the temple was again ceremonially consecrated. In this Digambar Jain temple, every year on Magh Sukla 13 a large annual festival is held, and a flag is hoisted on the mast of the temple shikhara. The shrine is believed to...

Sahar Ki Masjid is situated in "Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park" which is UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is in Panchmahal district in Gujarat, India. This masjid near the royal palace, very large and imposing, was for the exclusive use of the Sultans. It has five mehrabs. At the front, the entrance has an arched doorway with a large dome, with smaller domes at the four sides and minarets on either side embellished with a projection which is inclined chhajja. The other two openings flanking the central doorway are embellished with jharokhas. Picture Credit:  Parth Vaghela

Tambekar Wada is located at Tambkear no Khancho, Raopura Area, Vadodara (Baroda). Tambekar Wada, also known as Vitthal Khanderao, was once the private residence of the Bhau Tambekar, Diwan of Baroda (1849–54 AD). Inside of Wada, there are some of the most beautiful but decaying 19th Century murals. The Building is almost 140+ Years Old. The walls, doors and ceilings on the first and second floors of this old fashion building are adorned with the be st specimens of mural paintings dating back to 17th and 18th centuries. It also features 19th-century murals, paintings, exquisitely sculpted doors, minutely carved walls, series of decorated arcades and columns. The paintings are in poly-chrome and are of Maratha style of paintings. They are the best specimen of mural paintings in Gujarat. The entire mansion structure is raised on a stone plinth and back walls are built into a wooden framework. The shell-lime plastered walls and wooden doors on the first floor ...

The Dutch Cemeteries at Surat are situated in a locality known as 'Gulam Falia' near the mail road leading to Katargam Gate. The Dutch tombs are of numerous sizes and shapes, but the one that excels all the rest in magnificence is the grandiose mausoleum of Baron Adrian Van Reede. The Armenian cemetery is situated adjacent to that of the Dutch. Though, the graves in this cemetery, arc bearing many inscriptions slabs they have no super-structures rais ed above them as is the case in the Dutch cemeteries. The oldest epitaph is the one of Armenian verse over the tombstone of a lady named Marinas, the wife of the priest Woksan, who was a crown to her husband, according to the proverbs of Solomon. The date of her death is mentioned as 1028 of the Armenian era (Christian year 1579). Picture Credit:  Parth Vaghela

The English cemetery which is situated outside the city-wall (which was known as 'Alampanah') near the Katargam Gate in Surat reminds the visitor eloquently of many a famous name in the historical narratives of the English factory at Surat who were the significant persons in the political history of the city.  As per the "Revised List of Tombs and Monuments of Historical or Archaeological Interest in Bombay and other Parts of the Presidency" published in 1912 there were about  19 tombs in the English cemetery during that time, many of which are still existing. In addition to these, there is many simpler structures, and inscription slabs-over the graves of less important persons. The most imposing mausoleum in the English cemetery is that erected over the graves of those 'most brotherly of brothers' Christopher Oxenden and Sir George Oxenden. A grand structure, near the mausoleum of the Oxendens, which strangely enough, has no ori...