7 places to discover
Anchaleshwar Temple is an ancient Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva, located adjacent to the historic Gond Fort in Chandrapur, Maharashtra. Dating from the 12th to 18th centuries, the complex includes a main Maratha-period temple and a pre-13th century phamsana-style structure featuring intricate carvings depicting legends from major Hindu texts. The site is situated on the banks of the Zarpat River and also houses the mausoleum of Gond King Veer Sah.
The Church of St. Anne is a 17th-century Roman Catholic church located in the village of Talaulim within Old Goa, India. Completed in 1695, it is considered a seminal example of Indian Baroque architecture, synthesizing European Jesuit design elements with local Goan craftsmanship under the supervision of native priest Francisco do Rego. The church features unique double-tiered galleries, shell niches, and intricate stucco ornamentation depicting tropical flora. It was declared a national monument during the Portuguese era and has undergone significant restoration by the World Monuments Fund.
The Church of St. Francis of Assisi is a 17th-century heritage church located in Old Goa, Goa. Originally established as a chapel by Franciscan friars in 1517 and rebuilt in 1661, it features a unique blend of Manueline, Tuscan, and Baroque architectural styles. The site is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Churches and Convents of Goa'. The adjoining convent now houses an Archaeological Survey of India museum displaying pre-Portuguese sculptures and colonial portraits.
Daitya Sudan Temple is an ancient Hemadpanthi-style Hindu temple located in Lonar village, Buldhana district, Maharashtra, near the meteorite Lonar Crater Lake. Dating to the late 13th or early 14th century CE, this ASI-protected monument is dedicated to Lord Vishnu in his Daitya Sudan (giant-slayer) incarnation. The temple features an irregular star-shaped plan with intricate basalt carvings reminiscent of Khajuraho temples, though its construction was never completed due to historical invasions.
The Gondeshwar Temple is an 11th-12th century Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Sinnar, Nashik district, Maharashtra. Built during the Seuna (Yadava) dynasty in the Bhumija architectural style, it features a panchayatana plan with a main shrine and four subsidiary shrines dedicated to Surya, Vishnu, Parvati, and Ganesha. The temple is constructed from black basalt stone and is a centrally protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India.
Mahadev Temple at Tambdi Surla is a 12th-13th century Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in the Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park in Goa. Built in the Kadamba-Yadava style using black basalt stone, it is the only surviving specimen of this architectural style in Goa and an ASI protected Monument of National Importance. Its remote forest location allowed it to survive historical invasions, making it the oldest extant Hindu temple in the state.
The Masroor Rock Cut Temples are an early 8th-century complex of monolithic Hindu temples located in the Kangra Valley of Himachal Pradesh. Carved from a single sandstone rock in the North Indian Nagara architectural style, the site features fifteen shrines dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, Devi, and Saura traditions. The complex is symmetrically laid out on a square grid facing the Dhauladhar range and includes a sacred pool. It remains partially incomplete and has suffered damage from historical earthquakes.