Indian Heritage and Monuments

Sasanka, the king of Gauda, had his capital at Karna Suvarna, which is located in present-day West Bengal.

Early man chose the place of settlement based on the availability of water. The early urban settlement in India is Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. Great civilisations like Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro flourished on the banks of river. This civilisation flourished on the banks of river Indus.

Calcutta is not an example of India's ancient town. This is because there is no ancient history associated with the state. Its history is associated and is limited only to the Britisher's time. Calcutta was the capital of British India. It was famous for its river port for trade and commerce with the rest of the world. Further, if we talk about Prayagraj, Patliputra, and Varanasi, these states have an ancient history. 

The Chola dynasty was the most civilized and one of the longest ruling dynasties in the history of southern India. The dynasty originated in the rich Kaveri (Cauvery) River valley. Uraiyur (now Tiruchchirappalli) was its oldest capital.  The Chola empire stretched from the Vaigai River in the south to Tondaimandalam, the capital of which was Kanci (now Kanchipuram), in the north.

The Cheras were the ruling dynasty of the present-day state of Kerala and parts of Tamil Nadu in South India. Their capital was Muziri also known as Vanchi. The Early Cheras are said to have spanned the period between the 4th century BCE to 5th century CE. and the later Cheras were in power between the 8th and 12th century.

The Pandyas ruled regions in southern India which now lie in the state of Tamil Nadu, existing there alongside other dynasties such as the Cholas, the Cheras, the Pallavas, etc. Their capital was Madurai from 3rd century BCE to 1345 CE. The Pandyan kings were Jains in their early ages but later became Shaivaites.

Megalithic culture in India is most prominently associated with Southern India, characterized by large stone burial monuments like dolmens and urns.

The Chalukyas of Badami were great builders as well as art-lovers. They built beautiful temples at Badami, Aihole and Pattadakallu. They developed a special style of sculpture called ‘The Chalukya Style’ in Indian architecture. Aihole was one of the cradles of temple architecture. Evolution of the series of temples architecture was first experimented here. This style found its full expression at Pattadakallu.

The temples at Badami, Pattadakallu, and Aihole represent the Chalukya style of architecture, which is a synthesis of Nagara and Dravida styles, often referred to as the Vesara style.

Angkor Wat was built by King Suryavarman II in the 12th century as a state temple dedicated to the Hindu deity Vishnu.

The Ananda Temple, a masterpiece of Mon architecture, is located in Bagan, Myanmar.

Angkor Wat is widely recognized as the largest religious monument in the world, covering a vast area of temple grounds and moats.

Borobudur, located in Central Java, Indonesia, is the world's largest Buddhist temple, built in the 9th century.

The Ananda Temple is a significant Buddhist temple, renowned for its architectural beauty and its role as a center for Buddhist worship in Myanmar.

Angkor Wat is a prime example of Khmer architecture, which evolved from earlier Indian styles but developed unique features like the temple-mountain design.