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7 Wonders of India

Discussion in 'Travel advice' started by Silvia, Jul 7, 2016.

  1. Silvia

    Silvia New Member

    I have heard that there are 7 wonders of India, now I don't know if this is true or false. I have researched a bit on the internet and found that there is different information posted on blogs, which makes it very unreliable.

    I have registered with the forum, so I can get some accurate information and find out exactly what are the 7 Wonders of India and which part of India they are in.
     


  2. briannagodess

    briannagodess Well-Known Member

    Hello and welcome to the forum!

    There are two lists for this: The 7 Wonders of India by NDTV (A Survey Conducted by the Ministry of Tourism along with NDTV) and The 7 Wonders of India by Times of India (Survey Conducted Through SMS).

    The 7 Wonders of India by NDTV - A Survey Conducted in 2008-2009

    1. Meenakshi Amman Temple. Located in Madurai in Tamil Nadu, this is a temple dedicated to Parvati and Shiva. It is believed that the temple dates as far back as the early years of A.D. But the temple was almost destroyed in 1310 after the attack of Malikkapur. He is an Islamic conqueror and was intolerant to other religions, hence the destruction of the temple. Thankfully, the temple was restored in the 14th Century when the Hindu Rulers came back to power in Madurai.

    2. Dholavira Reservoir. Located in the Kutch District of Gujarat, you'd fine this ancient marvel of hydro-engineering that the Harappans have invented. You would also see some inscriptions here although it's still undeciphered now. It's a proof of one of the first written languages in India. There's also a small museum in the area, where artefacts excavated in the region are displayed.

    3. Red Fort. Located in Delhi, this is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built under the leadership of Shah Jahan showcasing the majesty of Mughal architecture. But besides that, you'll find elements of other architectural styles like Islamic, Persian and Timurid.

    4. Jaisalmer Fort. Located in Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, this was once home to the Rajputs. They built this fort to protect themselves from outside enemies. It is now considered as a living fort, as about 3,000 people still live here.

    5. Konark Sun Temple. Located in Konark in Odisha, this is yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is known all over the world for its intricate sculptural work and grandeur. The entire temple is an image of the Sun God with about 24 wheels, all intricately designed with quite elaborate carvings.

    6. Nalanda. Located in Bihar and built during the 5th Century A.D. It was a school mostly dedicated to Buddhist learning but other fields like science, mathematics and astronomy were also taught here. It is also one of the first schools to have a dormitory for students. Perhaps its main feature is its nine-storey library where monks copied several books and documents so the students can have their own collections.

    7. Khajuraho Group of Monuments. Located in Chhatarpur in Madhya Pradesh, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. There were about 85 temples until the 12th Century but now, only the 20 remaining temples have survived. The temples are dedicated to both Hinduism and Jainism.

    The 7 Wonders of India by Times of India

    1. Gomateshwara. Located in Karnataka, this is a 60 feet statue of Gomateshwara. Devotees visit the statue especially during the Maha-Mastak-Abhisheka Festival. It is observed every 12 to 14 years and so lots of devotees set some time to visit the statue. The Jain devotees wash the head of the statue with water, milk, honey, or sandal (with about eight different types of sandal paste).

    2. Harmandir Sahib or Golden Temple. Located in Punjab, this was designed by Guru Arjan. It's a pilgrim site for Sikh devotees.

    3. Taj Mahal. Located in Agra in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It was Shah Jahan who built this for his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal who died after giving birth to their baby. It was completed after about 22 years of work. The Taj Mahal changes colours all throughout the day and it's especially mesmerising during the sunset.

    4. Hampi. Located in Karnataka, this is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It's mostly in ruins now but still a testament of the beauty of the architecture at that time.

    5. Konark Sun Temple. This was also included in the list above. It is mostly in ruins now but you can still see the majesty of its architecture.

    6. Nalanda. This was also included in the list above. It is said that students all over the world would go to India to study in Nalanda. Sadly, the university was destroyed in 12th Century AD by an army of Turkish Muslims.

    7. Khajuraho Group of Monuments. This was also included in the list above. This has Nagara style of architecture and is most famous for its unique sculptures.

    There you go. I hope this helps!
     


  3. deepak-sh

    deepak-sh New Member

    Yes, it is true. There are seven wonders of India such as:
    • Meenakshi Amman Temple
    • Reservoir at Dholavira
    • Red Fort
    • Jaisalmer Fort
    • The Temple at Konark
    • Nalanda
    • Khajuraho Group of Monuments
     
  4. djordjem87

    djordjem87 Member

    I read all posts here and the only constant that I saw was Nalanda. :) I will have to check online what that is and to add that a country that big and that beautiful has to have more than 7 wonders. Hmm, Nalanda is an old Buddhist Monastery. It really is amazing how things like this, with such a great history and this old get neglected for things that are relatively young in comparison to them. Eiffel Tower being one of those things. Not that it is not a monumental sight but it is a baby in comparison to some sights.
     
  5. EdmondE

    EdmondE New Member

    I find it really interesting that the "wonder" of India that the Western World is most aware of, the Taj Mahal, is not even mentioned in either of these lists! I have personally never seen the storied structure, but when I do visit India, you can be sure that it will feature prominently on my to-do list while I am there. I have seen many pictures and heard many personal anecdotes, and from what I can tell, to see it in real life would surely be breathtaking!
     
  6. vegito12

    vegito12 Member

    I think it is interesting that these places are still around even in these modern times and it can be fascinating to read about the history and to visit the place as well as you can imagine what life was like when the places had people and were busy as well, I saw some photos of the Hampi location and Taj Mahal when my family visited last year which was nice to visit when they went India. Gomateshwara is an interesting place and the back history is exciting and it is a place to visit if you ever go to that area and has many statues and going with friends and family can make the trip worthwhile as you have someone to share the experience with and you can take photos together in the process as well. It can be easy to forget the old places as the new generation may not know about it or not show that much interest unless they are told about it and they may enjoy the visit if they are told about the history in a way which makes listening to it fun and makes them want to see it for themselves.
     
  7. melanie

    melanie New Member

    Oh wow! Those sound really beautiful! I'd love to see photos! I've seen photos of the Taj Mahal, but not the others (I believe.) I know so little about India, but would love to travel there and see all these amazing site! Thank you for the list!
     
  8. Casiox

    Casiox New Member

    Well, I actually took my time to look up for every single wonder you just stated and these are basically awesome, the landscapes, the weather, and everything else looks really on point, I am already getting excited about going to India, now I got some more reasons to pay them a visit soon.