Marvelous Monuments

Elephanta Caves are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a collection of cave temples predominantly dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. They are located on Elephanta Island, or Gharapuri (literally "the city of caves") in Mumbai Harbour, 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the east of the city of Mumbai in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The island, located offshore about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) west of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port, consists of five Shaivite caves and a few Buddhist stupa mounds that may be dating to the 2nd century BCE, as well as a small group of two Buddhist caves with water tanks. The main cave, also called Cave 1, Grand Cave or the Great Cave, is 39.63 metres (130.0 ft.) square in plan with a hall (mandapa). The Cave has several entrances, the main entrance is unassumingly small and hides the grand hall inside. The main entrance faces north, while two side entrances face east and west. The cave's main entrance is aligned with the north–south axis, unusual for...

Sidi Bashir Mosque is a former mosque in the city of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Only the central gateway and two minarets survive; they are known as the Jhulta Minar or Shaking Minarets. The mosque is believed to have been constructed either by Sidi Bashir, a slave of Sultan Ahmed Shah, or by Malik Sarang, a noble in the court of Mahmud Begada, another Sultan of Gujarat. It has been dated to 1452, although the style and material of the minarets point to the close of Mahmud Begada's reign (1511) or later. The body of the building was destroyed in 1753 during the war between the Marathas and the Khan of Gujarat Sultanate; only two minarets and the arched central gateway connecting them remain.   Though much damaged, especially near the foot, the stairs inside the minarets may still be used. The minarets are three stories tall with carved balconies. A gentle shaking of either minaret results in the other minaret vibrating after a few seconds, though the connecting pa...

Jhulta Minara is located on Platform No. 1 of Kalupur Railway Station, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Also known as the Shaking Minarets, they are playful but with a whir of quivering mystery. There are two well-known pairs of Shaking Minarets in Ahmedabad, one located opposite the Sarangpur Darwaja and the other near the Kalupur Railway Station Area. It is one of the most intriguing architectural wonders that the world has ever seen. They are still an unsolvable mystery. What makes the minarets unique is if one of the minarets is shaken then the other minaret shakes within a few seconds, while the connecting passage doesn't transmit any movements or vibrations. Many architects and historians have tried to understand the physics and logic behind the unrelated movements of the minarets. It is these movements that have led to its name, Jhulta Minara which translates to swinging minaret.   They are three storey tall with carved balconies where visitors were once allowed t...

Teen Darwaza  is a historical gateway on the east of Bhadra Fort, Ahmedabad, India. Completed in 1415, it is associated with historical as well as legendary events. The gates are featured in the logo of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation. The  Teen Darwaza  was an egress from Bhadra Fort to the eastward. The gateway has three arches which led into a large enclosure, forming the outer courtyard of the palace called  Maidan Shah  in past, with a fountain and raised terrace in the centre. The roadway in the central opening is 17 feet wide, and that of each side arch is 13 feet wide. It has highly decorated buttresses on the faces of piers between the arches. The height of the arches is twenty-five feet. The terrace on the top of the gateway was formerly roofed over. But in 1877 the gateway was repaired, and the terrace thrown open. Here the great feudatories or foreign embassies assembled before approaching the presence...