These 8 Indian Monuments You Probably Don't Know Were Built By Women For Their Loved Ones
READING TIME 4 Minutes
Kritika Vashist
8 DAYS AGO IN TRAVEL
For most of history, Anonymous was a woman - Virginia Wolf
Only a very few people know about the monuments and structures that were built by Queens largely because of the fact that the social, political and architectural history of India is dominated by men. In India, there are not just monuments dedicated to women, but there are several mightily beautiful monuments built by women.
Here, take a tour of these iconic monuments and celebrate the unsung contributions by formidable women of India.
Virupaksha Temple, Pattadakal, Karnataka
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The Virupaksha Temple at Pattadakal is the grandest of all the temples built in Pattadakal by Queen Lokamahadevi in 740 AD to commemorate her husband King Vikramaditya II's victory over the Pallava rulers. Its original name was Lokeshvara as a tribute to the queen who built it.
Not to be confused with Virupaksha in Hampi, the Virupaksha temple at Pattadakal is embellished with elegant carvings and aesthetically modeled sculptures.
Itmad Ud Daula, Agra, UP
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Situated on the left bank of river Jamuna, Itmad Ud Daula was built by Noor Jehan on the banks of river Yamuna as a tribute to her father Mirza Ghiyas Beg. Itimad-ud-Daula was the title given to Mirza Ghiyath Beg.
The tomb is located at the centre of a quadrangle with gardens laid out on the Char Bagh pattern surrounding it. The cenotaphs and walls of the ground floor contain inscription in Persian. The yellow and red sandstone work in staircases inside the tomb magnifies its beauty.
Humayun's Tomb, Delhi
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One of the major tourist attractions in Delhi is the Humayun tomb, which was built by the wife of the second Mughal ruler, Humayun. This beautiful architectural beauty is situated in Nizamuddin area and lies on the bank of the holy river Yamuna.
The first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent was inspired by Persian architecture and has some resemblance with the Charbagh. Its inlaid tile work and carved stone screens are what that make this grand red sandstone mausoleum an extremely significant archaeological setting.
Rani Ka Vav, Patan, Gujarat
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An example of the artistic and technological height of stepwell tradition, Rani Ka Vav (the Queen's Stepwell) was built by Udaymati for her husband King Bhimdev I of the Solanki dynasty in the 11th century. A distinctive form of subterranean water architecture of the Indian subcontinent, it is located on the banks of the Saraswati River in Patan.
Rani-ki-Vav is a single-component, water management system. The stepwell has seven levels of stairs, more than 500 principal sculptures and over a thousand minor ones on its panelled walls.
Mirjan Fort, Kumta, Karnataka
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Known for its architectural elegance, Mirjan Fort is located on the west coast of the Uttara Kannada district in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. The fort enclosed by a double layer of high walls and towering bastions was established by Queen Chennabhairadevi of Gersoppa, who ruled over lands that grew the best pepper.
There are many secret doors, tunnels, watch tower. Mirjan was the main port that used to export pepper, rice, elaichi, coconuts and other spices to different parts of the country.
Lal Darwaza Masjid, Jaunpur, UP
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Dedicated to Saint Sayyid Ali Dawood Kutubbudin, Lal Darwaza Masjid was built in 1447 by Rajye Bibi, queen of Sultan Mahmood Sharqi of Jaunpur.
The Lal Darwaza mosque is smaller and gets its name from the imposing vermillion painted gate and is somewhat a replica of the Atala Masjid. The queen also founded the first school for girls in the region during her husband's reign.
Mohinishwara Shivalay Temple, Gulmarg,
Shivalay Temple standing proudly on a small hill, right in the middle of Gulmarg, was named in honour of the queen who built it; Maharani Mohini Bai Sisodia, the wife of the then king of Kashmir, Raja Hari Singh, built the temple in 1915.
The bright red sloping roof framed against a background of snowy peaks makes this structure picturesque and is viewed from almost every corner of Gulmarg town.
Khayr al-Manazil, Delhi
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Khayr-al-Manazil mosque located directly opposite the Purana Qila, was built in 1561 by Maham Anga, a powerful wet nurse of Emperor Akbar, who was an influential woman in the court, and ruled the Mughal empire during Akbar's childhood.
The mosque which was also used as a Madrasa, has five high arches that lead into the main prayer hall having beautiful inscriptions .
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