Marvelous Monuments

Sarkhej Roza is a mosque and tomb complex located in the village of Makarba, 7 km south-west of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, India. Although there are many rozas across Gujarat, the Sarkhej Roza is the most revered. Sarkhej was once a prominent centre of Sufi culture in the country, where influential Sufi saint Shaikh Ahmed Ganj Baksh lived. It was on the saint's suggestion that Sultan Ahmed Shah set up his capital on the banks of the Sabarmati, a few miles away from Sarkhej. Shaikh Ahmed Khattu Ganj Bakhsh of Anhilwad Patan, the friend and adviser of Ahmad Shah I, retired to Sarkhej in his later life and died here in 1445. In his honour a tomb, begun in 1445 by Muhammad Shah II, was, in 1451, finished by his son Qutbuddin Ahmad Shah II. The next Sultan Mahmud Begada was fond of the place and expanded the complex greatly. Entering the covered eastern gateway on the north bank of the Sarkhej Lake, the building to the right with a handsome stone pavilion in ...

Helical Step Well is located at Champaner in Gujarat. It is situated a little outside the town of Champaner, towards Vadodara. This 16th century step well has a 1.2 meter wide staircase that spirals down along the wall of the well shaft, making it quite unusual in design among step wells of the region. These steps are narrower towards the center and wider at the wall. The well wall is made of brick while the steps are made of stone. This step well is unique in that it has a circular stairway leading down to the water. Champaner’s rulers designed a very good water management system, to avoid the water shortage during summers. Champaner (Pavagadh) has a large numbers of small and big Talao, step wells, and other water management systems. The city of Champaner is also otherwise known as "the city of a thousand wells". The Pavagadh hills which overlook the city of Champaner contain a number of pools and ponds and are hence known as "the hills of a hundred p...

The Gateway of India is an arch monument built during the 20 th century in Mumbai, India. The monument was erected to commemorate the landing of King George V and Queen Mary at Apollo Bunder on their visit to India in 1911. Built in Indo-Saracenic style, the foundation stone for the Gateway of India was laid on 31 st March 1911. The structure is an arch made of basalt, 26 meters (85 feet) high. The final design of George Wittet was sanctioned in 1914 and the construction of the monument was completed in 1924. The Gateway was later used as a symbolic ceremonial entrance to India for Viceroys and the new Governors of Bombay. It served to allow entry and access to India.   The Gateway of India is located on the waterfront at Apollo Bunder area at the end of Chatrapati Shivaji Marg in South Mumbai and overlooks the Arabian Sea. The monument has ...

Nagina Masjid (meaning 'Jewel Mosque') is a mosque in Champaner, Gujarat state, western India. It was built during the time of Mahmud Begada, in the 15th century. It is part of the Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The masjid is about 0.75 Miles (1.21 KM) to the south of the citadel, and 1,800 feet (550 meter) north of the Bhadra gate. A small lake is situated considerably to the north. After James Burgess and Henry Cousins wrote descriptions of the Nagina, Kevada, and Jama Masjids, roads were built to reach them. The masjid is a large monument built on a high-rise plinth with a large open courtyard in front. The building was constructed of pure white stone. At the main entrance, the masjid is marked by minarets, which have intricate and elegant carvings. It has floral designs in its niches. Three large domes rise over the main prayer hall, above decorative columns and windows. The architecture also features a series of beau...