Map Section

1. Akhnur: This historical place of Kashmir was a great centre of religious activities between 8th and 10th centuries. A hoard of clay made statues was found from this place. These statues represent the art of prosperous class. Historians are of the opinion that the headquarters of feudal classes of Kashmir were centered at Akhnur.
2. Arikamedu: A place near Pondicherry, known to the Periplus as Padoaka, was a part of the Chola kingdoml in Sangam times (200 B.C.-300 A.D.) on the route of Malaya and China. Recent excavations during which a very rich treasure of Roman beads, glass and coins, and of Roma and South Indian Pottery were found have proved that it was once a prosperous settlement of western trading people, including the Romans the favourable balance of payments position enjoyed by India is its trade with Rome is amply revealed by the rich haul of Roman gold coins.
3. Barabar: The caves of Barabar were built for the Ajivika sect by Ashoka. They are 19 miles away from Bodh Gaya. Smith records that the art of polishing hard stone was carried to such perfection that it is said to have become a lost art beyond modern powers. The sites of Barabar caves are polished like glass mirrors. The two widely known wood-imitating chambers are the Lomas Rishi and Sudama caves. The details of these caves show a clear influence of wooden architecture. These rock-cut chambers mark the beginning of great tradition which would span more than a 1000 year in the history of Indian art.
4. Bagh: It is a village in the Gwalior district of Madhya Pradesh on the bank of a small river, Bagh. This village is surrounded by the mountains of Vindhya. Nine caves of Gupta period came into light in 1818 A.D. The paintings of Bagh portray secular and religious subjects. These caves of 4th-5th centuries are known for tempera painting.
5. Bhumra: A Shiva temple of Gupta period is found at Bhumra near Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh. This is a very good example of Nagar styled temple. A Gupta inscription has also been found from this temple.
6. Bodh Gaya: Bodhgaya, situated six miles south of Gaya in Bihar on the Western Bank of the Lilajan River, was the place where the Buddha attained enlightenment. It was a part of the Magadha Janapada.
7. Bhagatrav: Situated on the bank of Kim River near the Gujarat-Maharashtra border, Bhagat Rao is the southern most, known so far, site of Harappan culture.
8. Chandraketugarh: This historical site is known for its association with Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW) culture. This place got prominence during the post-Mauryan period.
9. Dhamner: This place is near Bodhgaya in Bihar where Ashoka erected a Buddha stupa.
10. Elephanta: A beautiful little island off Bombay, with latest cave-temples in Ellora style was famous for their sculpture, especially the great Trimurti figure of Siva, emblem of the Maharashtra Government representing the highest plastic expression of the Hindu concept of divinity.
11. Eran: This place, in Sagar district (Madhya Pradesh), is famous on account of Eran Inscription dated 510 A.D. This inscription sheds some light on the Huna raid into India, the history of later Gupta rulers, and the performance of ‘Sati’. Eran furnished the example of the early (5^th century A.D) temple architecture, i.e., the flat-rooted square temple with a shallow verandah. It is interesting to note that this inscription mentions the practice of Sati, first of its kind. It is also famous for its closed broad, the Varah incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
12. Gop: From this site of Gujarat a temple of Lord Vishnu has been found. The period of this temple can be traced back to 5^th-7^th centuries. This is a beautiful example of Northern style.
13. Gyarspur: It is a pre-historic site of Maharashtra near Inamgaon. Remains of Chalcolithic period were found from this place.
14. Harappa: This famous site on the bank of Ravi in Pakistan witnessed a high grade of town-planning. Main streets are as wide as 30 feet wide in a grid plan. These are straight and intersected each other at right angles and thereby dividing the city into large rectangle blocks. The houses and bath-rooms probably meant for washing which is pouring pitchers of water over head and shoulders instead of bathing. The citadel was raised on a mound. Below the citadel was the town proper over a square the citadel on the bank of the river. To the south-west of the citadel the cemetery indicates that an alien population probably destroyed the Harappa city.
15. Harwan: We have the remains and findings of post-Harappan period from Harwan on the Maharashtra-Gujarat border. Rise of ancient village community is noticed here.
16. Karle: This is a historical site of the Satavahana period where rock-cut Chaitya-halls were built. This place is at a distance of 50 km from Pune in Maharashtra. A Vaijayanti merchant was responsible for enriching Karle and Kanheri Buddhist caves. The capitals of the pillars in Karle caves are elaborately-sculpted. In brief, cave architecture and building of stupas witnessed certain developments under the auspices of the Satavahanas, and the donations or the merchants belonging to the guilds prove the commercial prosperity of the area.
17. Mohenjodaro: It is situated on the bank of the Indus River, in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is a Harappan site where R.D. Banerjee, Dayaram Sahni, Mackay, K.N. Dixit and M. S. Vats excavated the remains of Indus valley civilization. The city of Mohenjodaro was based on a grid plan, the main streets were as wide as 30 feet. They were straight and intersected each other at right angles thereby buildings were provided with drains made out of burnt bricks whereas houses were equipped with rubbish bins and bathrooms. The most important excavation was the Great Bath.
18. Martand: King Lalitaditya made a temple for Lord Surya (Sun god) during 8th - 9lh century at Martand in Kashmir. Almost, all aspects of the art of Kashmir are visible in the Martand temple. The roof of this temple is triangular and made of wood.
19. Maski: On the bank of a small tributary of Tungbhadra there is a village named Maski. Implements of Copper-Bronze age were recovered from this place in addition to Minor Rock edicts of Ashoka. This rock edict records Ashoka’s name in addition to his policy of Dhamma.
20. Mahendragiri: The Kalinga Rock Edicts (XII and XIII) of Ashoka have been discovered at Mahendragiri in Orissa. These edicts record the instruction of Ashoka which was to be followed by the people of Kalinga.
21. Mukhalingam: This place is identified as ancient Kalinga Nagar in Ganjam district of Orissa. It was the capital of ancient Kalinga. The rulers of Ganga dynasty were in power during 10^th–11^th centuries. Ananta Varman (1076-1147) was the famous ruler of this family who got built of the temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri. Mukhalingam is situated on the bank of Vanshadhara River. It is said that Ashoka erected a pillar here.
22. Nachna: Situated near Ajaygarh in Madhya Pradesh, this place is also known as Nachna-Kuthar. The famous temple of Parvati was built during the Gupta-period which is famous for its beauty of Nagar style. There is also a temple of Lord Mahadev.
23. Piprahwa: On the ruins of Piprahwa, on the Nepal border, a stupa was built in ancient period. The stupa is surrounded by a great wall of stone. There is a dome upon the stupa which is made of brick.
24. Rajim: An ancient temple of Rajiv Lochan Lord Ramchandra is found at Rajim in Raipur of Chhattisgarh. This temple was built by King Jagatpal during 8th century. There are two inscriptions in this temple one of which records that the daughter of Magadh King Suryavarma and mother of Shivgupta, Vasata got this temple built. There is a statue of Lord Chaturbhuj on the pillar of this temple which was prepared by the Chalukyas. A copper-plate of Kosala King Tivardev of Pandu dynasty has been recovered from this place which records granting of a village named Pimparivadrak in favour of a Brahmin.
25. Sanghol: This place is presently in Ludhiana district of Punjab. We have several evidences to prove that this was an important place during the post-Harappan period. The coins found from here can be associated with Indo-Greeks, Kushanas and other rulers of post-Mauryan period. Sanghol was also a centre of Mathura Art.
26. Sisupalgarh: This place is near the capital of modern Orissa, Bhuwaneshwar. Cultural remains of ancient India, B.C. 300-300 A.D. have been recovered from here. This place is identified as the capital of Kharvela, Kalinga-Nagar. Dhauli is not far from this place where we have the famous rock-edicts of Ashoka. Coins of the Kushana rulers, Roman goods and a large bead of tusk are found from this place.
27. Sirpur: The temple of Lord Lakshman at Sirpur in Madhya Pradesh near Gwalior has all the features of Nagar style. This triangular temple is made entirely of brick. It is beautified with several courses of well-preserved friezes and moulded bricks with designs exceedingly varied and beautiful. The temple has a pyramidal roof and its walls were decorated on the outside with terracotta panels, depicting scenes from Hindu mythology. Architecturally, the temple is important as possessing the earliest true arch found in India.
28. Sonkh: Sonkh is a village near Mathura in UP. A bronze flake of Kushana period shows the image of Mother Goddess, accompanied by her fellow God, with a child on her lap. A broken statue of the same period portrays three goddesses, one of them has the head of Varah (pig), while the other has a lion face.
29. Satkagen-Dor: It was a natural port during the Harappan period. This place is situated on the Makran cost, 30 miles off Arab sea in the mouth of Dashk River. A big front fort and houses surrounded by big walls have been excavated at Sutkagen-Dor.
30. Tigwa: The famous temple of Tigwa near Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh was built during the Gupta-period. There is a Shiva-linga in the Garbhagriha (womb house) of the temple which is made on a high floor. The roof of the temple is flat. There is a pillar in front of the temple upon which the statue of flour lions is remarkable.

Answer : 1. Kot-diji: Kot-diji is situated on the bank of River Indus and has shown evidence of proto-Harappan Culture phase. The site reveals traces of defensive walls and well-aligned streets and houses with large communal five-place.

It also shows the use of highly sophisticated wheel-made pottery along with tools and weapons of stone, copper and bronze, besides artistic toys. There is plenty of evidence of suggest that the site of Kot-diji was destroyed by fire.

2. Kalibangan: Kalibanga is one of the important Indus Valley sites. It located in Ganganagar district of Rajasthan. The site shows features of pre-Harappan and Mature-Harappan phase.

The finds at the site include Boustrophedon Script, copper bulb, a human head, evidence of six types of pottery etc. Certain evidence suggests that Kalibangan, which was named after the availability of black bangles, was destroyed by fire.

3. Ahicchatra: The site of Ahicchatra in Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh represents the Capital of North Panchala, one of the Sixteen Mahajanapadas during the 6^th century B.C. The site is extremely rich in antiquities belonging to different periods ranging from 2^nd century BC to 4^th century AD. Presence of Painted Grey Ware (PGW) and the Northern Black polished ware (NBPW) suggest that PGW had preceded NBPW.

4. Bhimbetka: Located in the state of Madhya Pradesh, Bhimbetka has South Asia’s richest collection of pre-historic rock paintings. It covers the entire art activity in the form of paintings found in 133 caves. With the largest collection of rock paintings in the country, Bhimbetka was recently placed on UNESCO’S world heritage site list.

5. Kanauj: The site is located in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Kanauj finds mention in ancient literary work like the Mahabharata and Ramayana. During the eight century, Kanauj became a major cause for the tripartite struggle between the Gurjara-Pratihara, Palas and Rashtrakutas. Kanauj is flourishing city at present, famous for its perfume industry.

6. Siddapura: Siddapura is 155 km from Karwar in Karnataka. The Billagi King enriched this place. He constructed a Siddhavinayaka temple here, and named it Siddapura. The site was of importance during the Maurya period and most formed the Southern-most boundary of the empire as suggested by the Jatinga Rameshwar minor edict of Ashoka.

7. Udayagiri: Udayagiri is situated in Bhubneshwar district of Orisssa. The caves of Udayagiri include the famous Hathigumpha caves (Elephant cave) with an inscription of Kharavala on his military exploits and his work. The famous Ranigumpa Cave is also at Udayagiri. Udayagiri also has the largest Buddhist Complex in Orissa.

8. Kaveripattinam: Kaveripattinam, also known as Puhar on Pumpuhar was located at the mouth of river Kaveri in Tamil Nadu. Kaveripattinam or Puhar was the capital of the early Cholas. It was the chief port in the Sangam period, and was a great center of trade and commerce. Ptolemy, the Greek author mentions it as Khaberis. Excavations reveal that it had trading links with Romans in the first century AD.

9. Tiruchirapalli: Tiruchirapalli lies to the South of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, on the bank of river Kaveri. Tiruchirapalli is mentioned by Ptolemy in the 2^nd century B.C. The Cholas the Pandaya, the Pallavas and the Vijayanagara Kings of Hampi ruled over this place. It was from the Vijaynagara rulers that the Nayakas snatched power over Tiruchirapalli.

10. Sisupalgarh: Sisupalgarh is situated near Bhubneswar district in Orissa. It is identified as Kalinganagari, the capital of Kharavela. It is situated near Bhanti from where Ashok’s inscriptions have been found. The other findings consist of coins of Kaniska and Huviska, Roman articles etc.

11. Anurdhapura: Anuradhapura was the capital of Kings of Ceylon (Srilanka) before the capital was shifted to Polonnaruva in order to avoid the Chola invasion led by Rajaraja and his son Rajendra I in 11^th century AD. A center of ancient art, Anuradhapura is full of Buddhist shrines of various forms for the city was a center of Buddhism.

12. Hampi: Hampi is situated in Ballary district of Karnataka. It was the capital of Vijayanagara, the largest Hindu Kingdom. Founded by Harihara and Bukka in 1336, it reached the height of its glory under Krishnadeva Raya. The city was destroyed during the battle of Talikota in 1565. Now Hampi is famous for the ruins of Vijayanagara Empire and is among the world heritage sites listed by UNESCO.

13. Srirangapatnam: Srirangapatnam is situated on the banks of river Kaveri in Mysore district of Karnataka. Srirangapatnam is named after its 12^th century Sri Ranganathaswamy (Vishnu) Temple. In the year, 1133, it served as a refuge for the philosopher Ramanuja. However, it is most famously associated with Hyder Ali and his son Tipu. Srirangapatnam was largely destroyed by the British after Fourth Anglo-Mysore War (Battle of Srirangapatnam).

14. Puri: Puri is situated on the seashore of the Bay of Bengal in the state of Orissa. Its temple is the abode of lord Jagannath or Purushottam, which means the Lord of the universe. It is one of the four holy Kshetras of India which include temples of Rameshwaram, Dwaraka and Badrinath. The annual rath yatra festival is the high point of all festivals celebrated here.

15. Kolhapur: Kolhapur is situated near Tungbhadra River in Maharashtra. It was an important center of the Maratha power in medieval period.

It was the center of Tarabai, who fight against Shahu. Later Sahu recognized the independence of Kolhapur under Tarabai.

16. Haldighati: Haldigahti is situated near Aravali hills in Modern Rajasthan. It was the seat of power of Sisodia Rajputs. In 1576, the famous battle of Haldighati was fought between Akbar and Maharana Pratap.

17. Golconda: Golconda is located in Telengana region of Andhra Pradesh near Hyderabad. It was famous as a capital under the Qutub Shahi dynasty of Golconda, who ruled over the area from 1507 to 1687. Golconda is also famous for one of the most inaccessible forts of medieval India, though now it is in ruins. It was originally built in mud of Kakatia rulers of Warrangal in 12^th century AD.

18. Chittagong: It is a coastal town in Modern Bangladesh. It was a famous port in medieval period up to 1415-18 it was ruled by Raja Ganesh and then Arcanese established their rule here. During the reign of Aurangzeb, Shaista Khan occupied it.

19. Chittor: Chittor, known as Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan now, was the capital of Mewar rulers from 7^th century AD till the capital was shifted to Udaipur. The Fort of Chittor was built somewhere around 7^th century/ Rana Kumbha built a victory tower to mark his victory over Hosang Shah of Mandu. Allaudin Khalji was able to sack the city in 1305.

20. Calicut: Calicutt is situated on the Malabar Coast of Kerala. It was an important port town during ancient and medieval period. Vasco da gamma landed in Calicut in 1498, and then it was under the control of the Hindu rulers with the title Zamorin. The Portuguese established their first factory at Calicut in 1502. Pepper was the chief export from Calicut and it was also a center of manufacture of cotton.

Answer : 1. Konark: Konark is situated near Puri in the State of Orissa. It is a coastal town and is famous for the ‘Sun Temple’ which is also known as the Black Pagoda.

The temple was originally built in the tenth century and it was restructured in the fourteenth century by the Ganga King Narasimha I (1238-1269). The Konark temple represents the temple of the Nagara style.

2. Taxila: Taxila is situated near Rawalpindi in Pakistan. In ancient times, it served as an important political, economic, cultural, educational and religious centre. The site has been repository of Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW) cultural remains. During the rule of the Mauryan dynasty, it was the capital of the Uttarapatha province. Moreover, the city was an important centre of Buddhism. Several stupas were built in this city. The city also served as a major commercial centre with many trade routes converging and taking off from here. The city was also an important educational centre. The Taxila University produced luminaries like Kautilya and Jivaka.

3. Talikota: The site of Talikota is located in the Krishna-Tungabhadra doab. It was here that in 1565 A.D. the decisive battle was fought between the armies of Vijayanagar and the armies of four successor Bahmani states viz. the Barid Shahis of Bidar, the Qutub Shahis of Golkonda, the Adilshahis of the Bijapur and the Ahmadshahis of Ahmednagar. The battle led to the defeat of Vijayanagar armies. The battle fought here is considered to have ended the illustrious career of Vijayanagar Empire for all practical purposes. The place is also known as Bannihatti and lies at the junction of the Rakshas and Tangoli villages.

4. Somnath: This historical site is situated in the Kathiawar peninsula of the state of Gujarat. It was an important coastal city. It was an important Hindu religious centre having the famous Shiva temple. The temple was known for its rich wealth. The city gained prominence in medieval times when it was targeted by the Mahmud of Ghazni. Mahmud attacked the city raging the temple to ground and plundering its wealth in 1026 A.D. At that time Somnath was under the rule of Solanki dynasty and Bhima-I was the ruler. Throughout medieval ages, Somnath served as an important pilgrimage centre.

5. Kalinjar: The historic site of Kalinjar is located in the present day Banda district of Uttar Pradesh. The site had the distinction of possessing innumerable impregnable forts. The site of Kalinjar was under the Chandella Rajputs of the Bundelkhand. The fort town of Kalinjar was attacked by Muslim raiders since the time of Mahmud of Ghazni.

Even Sher Shah tried to capture it where he was killed due to an accidental explosion in 1545. The fort site later came under the control of Akbar. In the nineteenth century, the site came under the control of the British East India Company when the British paramountcy over Rajputana was established.

6. Mandu: The historic site of Mandu is located over the Malwa plateau in the present day state of Madhya Pradesh. It was located in the old Dhar state of Madhya Pradesh. In the medieval times, it served as the capital city of the Muslim sultans of Malwa. The city subsequently was ruled by Baz Bahadur of Malwa. The city possesses several monumental buildings which stand as epitomes of rich Malwa style of architecture. The most notable and beautiful constructions here include – the Jami Masjid, the Ashrafi Mahal (the Gold Muhar Palace), the Jahaz Mahal and the Hindola Mahal. Mandu emerged as important centre for music during rule of Baz Bahadur, who himself was an accomplished musician. Later on, Mandu passed under the control of Akbar who inducted Baz Bahadur into imperial service by conferring him Mansabdari.

7. Murshidabad: The historic site of Murshidabad is situated in the present day state of West Bengal. The city of Murshidabad was founded by Murshid Quli Khan who established it as capital of the Provincial Kingdom of Bengal taking advantage of disintegration of the Mughal Empire. The city passed on to the British control after the Battle of Plassey in 1757. Even under the British East India Company, Murshidabad served as the capital till 1772 when Warren Hastings had got the capital transferred from Murshidabad to Calcutta. During medieval times, the city was a famous centre of textile and craft.

8. Nalanda: The historic site of Nalanda is located in the present day state of Bihar. It is a site of great antiquity. Also known as Bargaon, the site came to prominence as the educational hub when the University of Nalanda was established here by the Gupta ruler Kumaragupta Sakraditya. The University at Nalanda attracted scholars from far away lands as China, Burma, and Ceylon. To the Nalanda came luminaries like Huen Tsang, It-Sing.

Many students from Nalanda like Kumarajiva and Dipankar travelled to far away lands to propagate Buddhism. Nalanda retained its prominence and glory during the period of Harsha and the Palas. It came under attack of Turkish invaders in the thirteenth century. A colossal copper image of Buddha has been found here. During the fourteenth and the fifteenth centuries, it became centre of Firdausia sect of Sufism.

9. Tanjore: The historic site of Tanjore is located in the present day state of Tamil Nadu. The city was founded by Vijayalaya and served as the capital of Imperial Cholas of the medieval times. It stands as an epitome of the mighty power of the Cholas. Tanjore is famous for the majestic Brihaddeswara temple or the Rajarajeswara temple built by Rajaraja Chola-I. It is a temple dedicated to the Lord Shiva. The two hundred and sixteen feet temple is the tallest. It is the most grandeur testimony of the Dravidian style of architecture with big vimanas and the majestic gopurams serving as its crowning glory. The temple also has a sculpture in hat believed to be that of Marco Polo. Tanjore is also famous for its grand Nataraja statue (statue of the Lord of Dance) in bronze. Economically, Tanjore was a famous bronze and copper metallurgical centre, and was inhabited by a section of craftsmen known as Idangai. Politically, with Tanjore as the base, the Cholas established their mighty empire.

10. Amber: The historic site of Amber is located near modern Jaipur, in the present day state of Rajasthan. The city was established by the Kachchwaha Rajput King Dulla Ray in the thirteenth century. The city rose to prominence when the Kachchwaha King Bharamal of Amber established matrimonial relations with Akbar by marrying off his daughter to the latter in 1562 A.D. The site is also noted for its majestic and elegant forts. There is also a huge artificial lake near Amber. Amber continued to serve as the capital of Rajputs of Kachchwaha dynasty till the foundation of Jaipur as the new capital. Amber during the eighteenth century had illustrious ruler in Swai Raja Jai Singh who was as much a town planner as a reformist, administrator and a scientist. The city of Amber came to accept British paramountcy during the early half of the eighteenth century and with the accession of the princely states became integral part of state of Rajasthan.

11. Anegondi: This historic site of Anegondi is located in the present day state of Karnataka in the Raichur doab region. It was an important fort town held by the dynasties of Vijayanagar Empire. Anegondi was bone of contention between the Vijayanagar and the Bahmani kingdoms. First, it was contested fiercely between Deva Raya I and Firoz Shah Bahmani. Later on, Deva Raya II also his successors fought the Bahmani rulers for possession of this fort town. However, Anegondi remained part of the Vijayanagar Kingdom since its foundation till the battle of Tallikota in 1565. The fort of Anegondi besides being of strategic importance also had huge economic significance for it commanded the highly fertile tract of Krishna-Tungabhadra doab in the otherwise highly Deccan tract. Later on, after decline of Vijayanagar empire, the fort town passed under the control of Wodeyar Dynasty, and then under British control.

12. Chanderi: This historic city of Chanderi is located in the present day state of Madhya Pradesh near Gwalior. The site was an important political and economic centre during the medieval times. The place came to face the invasions of Qutb-ud-din Aibak, Iltutmish, Ala-uddin Khilji and also by later rulers between the twelfth and the fifteenth centuries. After the disintegration of the Delhi Sultanate, Chanderi came to be ruled by Raja Medini Rai. Raja Medini Rai initially was an important noble under Sultans of Malwa, but later established his own control. He fought alongside Rana Sanga against Babur in the Battle of Khanwa in 1527. Later, in 1529, Babur had to fight the battle of Chanderi with Medini Rai in which Babur defeated the latter.

13. Arikamedu: This historic site is situated near Pondicherry on the eastern coast of India. It was also known by the name of Poduca. Arikamedu served as an important port town and trade emporium during 200 B.C. to 300 A.D. It had vigorous trade relations with the eastern part of the Roman Empire. From this port-town was exported Indian textiles, muslin, precious stones, and iron and cutlery items to the Roman world. To this place came wine amphorae, Argentine ware and large number of gold coins from the Roman Empire. Archaeological excavations at this place have unearthed a hoard of evidence establishing the vigorous nature of Indo-Roman trade. The place also finds mention in the books like Periplus of Erythrean Sea, Pliny’s Natural History, and in Sangam Literature.

14. Kalibangan: Literally meaning black bangles, this historic site is located on the banks of the river Ghaggar in the present day Ganganagar district of Rajasthan. Kalibangan was one of the important cities of the Indus Valley Civilization. The site shows evidences of both proto-Harappan and Harappan levels. From the proto-Harappan phase comes the evidence of the ploughed fields. In the Harappan phase, the city emerged as a prominent city. Here has been found the characteristic Harappan pottery, the evidence of defensive wall, copper statues, and the evidence of fire altars. From Kalibangan also, comes the evidence of occurrence of earthquake and also the standardized burnt bricks. The city was divided into two parts – the citadel and the city with both the parts enclosed by a solid defensive wall.

15. Nagarjunakonda: This historic site is located in the present day state of Andhra Pradesh on the right bank of the river Krishna in Andhra Pradesh. The site was politically, religiously and culturally significant city of the ancient times. During the pre-historic period, the site served as site of southern Neolithic culture. The site also served as important Chalcolithic and Iron Age site and many pit-dwellings came to light here. In historic phase, the city came into prominence during the Satavahanas first and later under the Ikshvakus in A.D. third and fourth centuries. It was an important centre of the Mahasanghika sect of Buddhism. The site has large number of Buddhist monuments and famous Buddhist stupa called Mahachaitya. Excavations have brought to light evidences of craft, trade and guild activities.

16. Eran: This historic site is located I n the present day Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh. The site is very closely related to the Gupta Empire. It was the site which yielded the land charter of the time of Samudragupta. Besides this, many Gupta inscriptions have been found here.

The most important of the inscriptions is the famous Eran inscription dated 510 A.D. This inscription gives us the first concrete evidence of Sati in the ancient India. The inscription notes that the widow of Gupta General Goparaja self immolated herself on his death. The Gupta ruler Bhanugupta is also known to us from this single inscription at Eran.

17. Kausambi: This historic site is located near Allahabad in the present day state of Uttar Pradesh, on the bank of river Yamuna. The site served as the capital of the Mahajanapada of Vatsa in the sixth century B.C. The place during the Northern Black Polished Ware phase (NBPW phase) revealed elaborate drainage arrangements. During the Mauryan period, the Asoka pillar containing inscription was placed here. Kausambi during the Gupta period was for all purposes the next important city. Moreover, economically, the site was the meeting point of many subsidiary routes of the Uttarapatha. The Allahabad pillar Inscription of Samudragupta was also excavated from this place. At this place, Jahangir established his studio too. Besides, Akbar built a fort near Kausambi in Allahabad in medieval times.

18. Pattadakal: This historic site is located in the present day Bijapur district of the state of Karnataka. The city rose to prominence during the rule of the Chalukyas of Vatapi. During their rule, the city was an important temple town. Both rock-cut and structural temples have been found here. The most important and famous monumental structure is the Virupaksha temple. Besides this, the Sangameshwara temple is also found here. The city was thus the cradle for the development of the Vesara style of architecture so characteristic of the Deccan.

19. Halebid: This historic site is located in the Hassan district of Karnataka. It is also known as the Dwarasamudra. It served as the capital of the Hoysalas of Dwarsamudra who ruled the Karnataka region between the thirteenth and the nineteenth centuries A.D. The site is famous for the Hoysala monuments of which the most important is the Hoysalesvara temple. The temple is richly decorated and sculptured with pillars and sculptures. Further, the temple is dedicated to the great Lord Shiva. The temple is referred to as a fine example of the Jewellers’ art in stone.

20. Dwarsamudra: This historic site is located in the present day Hassan district of the state of Karnataka. It was also known as Divaravalipura. Its modern name is Halebid. It served as the capital city of the Hoysala dynasty in the medieval period. The capital city faced the mighty army led by Malik Kafur during the reign of Ala-ud-din Khilji in 1310 A.D. Following the disintegration of the Delhi Sultanate, the place had to face the invasion of Madurai Sultans. After decline of Madurai Sultans, Dwarsamudra passed under the control of Vijayanagar Kingdom and the Hoysala Kingdom became extinct.

Answer : 1. Mohenjodaro: It is situated on the bank of the Indus River, in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is a Harappan site where R.D.Banerjee, Dayaram Sahni, Mackay, K.N.Dixit and M.S.Vats excavated the remains of Indus valley civili­zation. The city of Mohenjodaro was based on a grid plan; the main streets were as wide as 30 feet. They were straight and intersected each other at right angles thereby dividing the city into large rectangular blocks. Streets and building were provided with drains made out of burnt bricks whereas houses were equipped with rubbish bins and bathrooms. The most important excavation was the Great Bath.

2. Burzahom: This place in Kashmir valley near Srinagar is associated with megalithic settlements (dating 2400 B.C.) where the people lived on a plateau in pits using tools and weapons of stone (axe) and bones.
The information that we gather from Burzahom throws light on the proto-history of India.

This site was discovered first by De Terra and Paterson in 1935, yet its Neolithic character was established after the excavation from 1960-71. The deposits of this place can be divided into four periods. The first-two of them are Neolithic settlements while the third is of the Megalithic age and the last belongs to early historic era. The people of the I Phase lived in pit-dwellings of irregu­lar shapes; some of them are round, oval, square, or rectangular. Circular pits were bigger and deeper.

3. Inamgaon: This place of Maharash­tra in the Narmada valley is associated with Chalcolithic Culture of India. This culture belongs to the period between 1400 and 1000 B.C. but it continued up to the 700 B.C. level at Inamgaon. The people of this site lived in rectangular and circular houses. Walls were made from clay and kneaded mud with straw roofs. The black-on-red diagnostic potteries with the designs of paral­lel lines are found here. The people used to produce bajra, wheat, lentil, kulthi etc. They domesticated cow, buffalo, goat, sheep, pig and horse. The disposal of the dead is an important feature here. Urns or jars were used many times. These urns were buried underneath the house floor or close by.

4. Sannathi: Situated in the district of Ludhiana in Pun­jab, Sannathi was an urban centre during the Post-Mauryan period. This site is known for its largest hoard of ancient coins. Some of the coins bear the testimony of the inscriptions of the Kushanas. Evidences of grainary, cottages of servants etc. have been noticed from the excavation of this site.

5. Kaveripattinam: Known also as Puhar, Kaveripattinam was the Chola capital and chief port in Sangam period (200 B.C.-300 A.D.) with a large colony of foreigners. It was an important trade centre. Ships were sailing from here to South-East Asia. A long poem on this Chola capital is the part of the fa­mous Sangam work Pattupattu (Ten Idylls).

6. Sisupalgarh: This place is near the capital of modern Orissa, Bhuwaneshwar. Cultural remains of ancient India, B.C.300-300 A.D., have been recovered from here. This place is identified as the capital of Kharvel, Kalinga-Nagar. Dhauli is not far from this place where we have the famous Rock-Edicts of Ashoka. Coins of the Kushana rulers, Roman goods and a large bead of tusk are found from this place.

7. Anuradhapura: This was the capital of Srilanka in an­cient period. This is on the bank of Malvattuoy River. The fa­mous Buddhist texts the Mahavamsh records that Ashoka’s son and daughter, Mahendra and Sanghmitra cropped a branch of the Bodhi tree at Anuradhapura. The Cholas plundered this city several times and changed its name to Polannarua.

8. Karnasuvarna: It refers to the capital of Sasanka of Bengal who was a contemporary of Harshavardhan and Bhaskar Varman. Actually, it was on the western bank of the Ganges River in between Murshidabad and Rajmahal. It was a famous trade centre of ancient period. The empire of Karna­suvarna refers to the region of Bengal, Jharkhand and Orissa in the early 7th century A.D. Harsha and Bhaskar Varman divided this region after the death of Sasank in 619 A.D.

9. Chittagong: The present city of Chattogram in Ban­gladesh was once a famous trade centre because of its geo­graphical location. This was the capital of King Ganesh from1415 to 1418 A.D. Thenceforth, it went under the rule of the King of Arakans. Famous ruler of Bengal Hussain Shah once again occupied this city. After his death it was regained by the Arakans. Mughal General Shaishta Khan brought this city under the empire of Aurangzeb.

10. Chitore: This place near Udaipur on the bank of the Gambhira River was the centre of power of the Kingdom of Mewar. The fort of Chitore was inaccessible to Muslim invad­ers of Medieval India. It was Alauddin Khilji who captured it from Ratan Singh and changed its name to Khizrabad. Later on, Bahadur Shah of Gujarat got victory of Chitore and then Akbar occupied it from Rana Sanga for a short time.

11. Pratishthana: Modern Paithan at the mouth of the river Godavari in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra was called Pratishthana in ancient time. It was the capital of the Satavahana Kings during Post-Maurya period. Coins and inscriptions of these rulers are found from here. It was an important commercial mart linked with Shravasti, Bhrigu-Kachha, Kaushambi and Gandhar. Greek and Roman writers also record the prosperity of this city in their accounts.

12. Vidisha: Modern Besnagar, near Bhilsa at East Malwa in Madhya Pradesh, was a part of Sunga Empire with Agnimitra, the son of Pushyamitra Sunga, as the viceroy. The Vidisha guild of ivory workers was famous for these work­ers carved the stone sculpture on the gateways and railings surrounding the Sanchi Stupa. It indicates commercial pros­perity. It was also famous for the Garuda Pillar Inscription which testified its erection by a Greek Ambassador named Heliodorus in honour of Vasudeva Krishna, the god of the Bhagavatas.

13. Hampi: 353 kms from Bangalore and 74 kms from Bellary is Hampi on bank of the Tungabhadra River. The erstwhile capital of the Vijayanagar Kingdom (1336-1565 A.D), this place is full of delightful surprises like the King’s Balance where rulers were weighed against grain, gold or money which was then distributed to the poor, the Queen’s bath with its arched corridors, the Lotus Mahal, the Virupaksha and the Vithala temples. The once powerful Vijayanagar Empire was compared to Rome by the Portuguese traveller Paes.

14. Warrangal: It refers to the modern district of Warran­gal of Andhra Pradesh on the Southern bank of the Godavari River. It was the capital of the Kakatiya Kingdom in the 12th century. The ablest general of Alauddin Khilji Maliq Kafur invaded Warrangal and Ram Chandra Deva was compelled to pay a huge sum. It was brought under the Sultanate of Del­hi by Firoz Shah Tughlaq.

15. Diu: It was as a famous port on the Western coast which was under the rulers of Gujarat. Prior to their rule, it was called Devabandar. Mahmud Begra gave this island to the Portuguese for their settlements.

16. Seringapatam: This place of Karnataka was once un­der the Kingdom of Mysore,Tipu Sultan planted the ‘Tree of Liberty’ here. After the Third Anglo-Mysore War, Tipu con­cluded a humiliating treaty here and almost half of his em­pire was given to the English.

17. Debal: At the mouth of Sindhu on the Arabian coast, Debal was an important trade centre and part of pre-medieval India, over the issue of trade control there began a dispute, and Muhammad Bin Qasim invaded Sindh in 712 A.D. and Dahir was killed.

18. Fatehpur Sikri: 40 kms from Agra, the city of Fatehpur Sikri served as the capital of the Mughal Empire between 1570 and 1586 A.D. Akbar founded this city in hon­our of Saint Salim Chisti. The finest monuments within this area are the Dewan-i-Am, Diwan-i-khas, Panch Mahal, Jama Masjid, Buland Darwaza and the Tomb of Saint Sheikh
Salim Chisti.

19. Bijapur: At the confluence of Bhima and Krishna rivers, Bijapur is now in Karnataka. It was called Vijaypur during pre-medieval period when it was the capital of the Yadava rulers. It was a part of the Bahmani Kingdom in the 14th century. After the fall of this kingdom, Yusuf Adil Shah founded the independent state of Bijapur.

20. Sasaram: At present Sasaram is a district town of Bihar which was the main centre of activities of the Afghans in medieval period. Sher Shah began his career from this place and started his revenue reforms. His tomb is famous for its architectural excellence and composite technique.

1. Ahichattra: Ahichhatra is said to be the capital of North Panchal during Mahabharat period. Dronacharya was the ruler. There is a fort of that ancient period. A number of Jain images & scriptures have been found during excavations in these places. Many Jain rulers ruled this region. One king Vasupal had constructed a beautiful temple called “Sahrsa kut chitalaya” in which the image of Bhagwan Parsvanath of the height of 9 hath (hands) was installed.
2. Amaravati: Amaravati is a small town situated on the banks of the River Krishna in the Guntur District (of which it is a mandal) of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is an excavation site of an ancient Buddhist Stupa. It was also the capital of Satavahanas, the first great Andhra kings who ruled from the 2nd century BCE to the 3rd century CE, after the downfall of Maurya empire.The town was the site of a great Buddhist stupa originally built during the reign of emperor Ashoka. It was completed in 200 CE and is decorated with carved panels which tell the story of Buddha’s life.
3. Bhimbaitka: The rock shelters compose an archaeological site and World Heritage Site located in Raisen District in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The Bhimbetka shelters exhibit the earliest traces of human life in India; its Stone Age rock paintings are approximately 9,000 years old. The name Bhimbetika comes from the mythological association of the place with Bhima, one of the Pandavas, the five sons of king Pandu and the queens Kunti and Madri in the Hindu epic Mahabharata.
4. Champa: It was the capital of ancient Anga Mahajanapada situated i between the Magadh and tha Rajmahal Hills at the confluence of the Champa River and the Ganges. Modern Chanpa Nagar near Bhagalpur in Bihar has been identified. We have the description of Champa in the Mahabharata as the capital of Karna. King Ajatashatru forced Anga to accept Magadhan sway. Jain Tirthankar Vasupujya was born at Champa. Fahien and Hieun Tsang visited this town during their journeys to India. This town was connected with Tamralipti, Taxila, Ujjayini and South India by roadways and Waterways.
5. Kalibangan: Kalibangân is a town located on the left or southern banks of the Ghaggar (Ghaggar-Hakra River), identified by some scholars with Saraswati River between Suratgarh and Hanumângarh in Hanumangarh district, Rajasthan, India 205 km. from Bikaner. The prehistoric and pre-Mauryan character of Indus Valley Civilization was first identified by Luigi Tessitori at this site. Kalibangan was a major provincial capital of the Indus Valley Civilization. Kalibangan is distinguished by its unique fire altars and worlds’ earliest attested ploughed field.
6. Kanauj: Kannauj also spelt Kanauj, is a city and a municipal board or Nagar Palika Parishad in Kannauj district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The city’s name is traditionally derived from the term Kanyakubja (maiden’s womb). Kannauj is an ancient city, in earlier times the capital of a great Hindu kingdom. Kanyakubja Brahmin’s are originally from Kannauj. Kannauj is known for the distilling of scents and is a market center for tobacco, perfume, and rose water.
7. Kapilvastu: Identified today with ancient Kapilvastu, moderm Piprahwa lies at a distance of 20 km from Siddharthnagar (Naugarh). Kapilvastu was the ancient capital of the Sakya clan whose ruler was the father of the Buddha, for which reason the Buddha is also referred to as the Sakyamuni. The Sakya domain was one of the sixteen independent principalities of the 6th century BC. Prince Gautam, as the Buddha was then known, left his palace in Kapilvastu at the age of 29, and revisited it 12 years later, long after he had attained enlightenment. A large stupa stands at the ancient site which is said to have housed the bone relics of the Buddha. The presence of these relics is testified by an ancient Brahmi inscription discovered at Piprahwa.
8. Karle: Karle Caves, an example of Indian rock-cut architecture, is a complex of cave shrines built by Buddhist monks around 3rd to 2nd century B.C. It is located in Karli near Lonavala, a hill station, in the western state of Maharashtra between the cities of Mumbai and Pune in India. It is on a major trade route that runs from the Arabian Sea eastward, into the Deccan. Karli’s location in Maharashtra places it in a region that is the division between North India and South India. Buddhism, having become identified with commerce and manufacturing through their early association with traders, tended to locate their monastic establishes in natural areas close to major trade routes so as to provide lodging houses for travelling traders.
9. Mahabalipuram: Mahabalipuram lies on the Coromandel Coast which faces the Bay of Bengal. This is an elegant place to watch which a well established sea port was during the 7th and 10th centuries of the Pallava dynasty. This was the second capital of the Pallavas who ruled Kanchipuram. It was during the rule of the pallavas, great poets, dramatists, artists, artisans, scholars and saints emerged. As one can say that the pallavas are the pioneers and forerunners of new styles both in art and architecture and mahabalipuram is the best place to praise off their skill and talent. New sculptures and unique paintings were innovative and exuberant. This place mahabalipuram itself became their exploring field and they made the best use of the resources. They game a shape and creative energy to what they imagined. It became a dream come true as it witnessed innovations in all styles.
10. Mathura: Mathura is a holy city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. During the ancient period, this was an economic hub, located at the junction of some relatively important caravan routes. Mathura is reputed to be the birthplace of Krishna at the centre of Vraja, called Krishnajanmabhoomi, literary ‘Krishna’s birth place’. The Keshav Dev temple was built in ancient times on the site of Krishna’s legendary birthplace (an underground prison). As per epic Mahabharata and per Bhagavata Purana, Mathura was the capital of the Surasena Kingdom, ruled by Kansa the maternal uncle of Krishna. Mathura is also famous as one of the first two centres of production for images of the Buddha (the other being Gandhara in present-day Pakistan/Afghanistan).
11. Mehrgarh: Mehrgarh, one of the most important Neolithic (7000 BC to 3200 BC) sites in archaeology, lies on what is now the “Kachi plain” of today’s Balochistan, Pakistan. It is one of the earliest sites with evidence of farming (wheat and barley) and herding (cattle, sheep and goats) in South Asia. Located near the Bolan Pass, to the west of the Indus River valley and between the present-day Pakistani cities of Quetta, Kalat and Sibi, Mehrgarh was discovered in 1974 by an archaeological team directed by French archaeologist Jean-François Jarrige, and was excavated continuously between 1974 and 1986.
12. Paithan: Paithan formerly Pratishthana, is a city and a municipal council in Aurangabad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The city was the capital of the Sâtavâhana Empire of ancient India that ruled from 2nd century BC to 2nd century AD. It is one of the few inland towns named in the famous 1st century AD Greek book, Periplus Maris Erytharaei. Paithan is located 56km south of present-day Aurangâbâd on the Godavari River in Maharashtra. Paithan was home of the great Maharashtrian saint Eknath, whose “samadhi” can be found there. The little town is famous for its Shrine of ‘Sant Eknath’ where people flock every year during the time of ‘Paithan Yatra’ also known as NathShashti.
13. Pataliputra: Patliputra, Modern-day Patna is originally built by Shishunaga dynasty’s Ajatashatru, in 490 BC as a small fort (Pataligrama) near the River Ganges and later the capital of the ancient Mahâjanapadas kingdom of Magadha. Its key central location in north central India led rulers of successive dynasties to base their administrative capital here, from the Nandas, Mauryans, Sungas and the Guptas down to the Palas. In the Lord Buddha’s day it was a village known as Pataligarma. He visited it shortly before his death and prophesied it would be great but would face destruction either by fire, water, or civil war.Two important councils were held here, the first at the death of the Buddha and the second in the reign of Asoka.
14. Sarnath: It is also known as Mrigadava, Migadâya, Rishipattana, Isipatana. Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma, and where the Buddhist Sangha came into existence through the enlightenment of Kondanna. Sarnath is located 13 kilometres north-east of Varanasi, in Uttar Pradesh, India. Isipatana is mentioned by the Buddha as one of the four places of pilgrimage which his devout followers should visit, if they wanted to visit a place for that reason.
15. Siddapura: Siddapura is a town and the headquarters of Siddapura taluk (administrative division) in North Canara district. It is nestled among the Western Ghats of Karnataka. Areca nut cultivation is the primary occupation of the people of this taluk. It is Famous for kamarshale Devi temple, scenic beauty, Mur kai, chaukalmuki, finest cashew in south Kendra.
16. Somnath: Somnath Temple located in the Prabhas Kshetra near Veraval in Saurashtra, on the western coast of Gujarat, India is the most sacred of the twelve Jyotirlings (lingas of light) symbols of the God Shiva. It is mentioned in the Rig Veda. Somnath means “The Protector of Moon God”. The Somnath Temple is known as ‘the Shrine Eternal’, as although the temple has been destroyed six times it has been rebuilt every single time.
17. Tamralipti: Tamralipta is the name of an ancient city on the Bay of Bengal corresponding with Tamluk in modern-day India. Tamralipti may have been one of the most important urban centres of trade and commerce of early historic India, trading along the Silk Road with China, by Uttarapatha, the northern high road, the main trade route into the Middle East and Europe; and by seafaring routes to Bali, Java and other areas of the Far East. This excavation of this place has revealed four successive occupational periods, the first of which (Period I) yielded an assemblage of Neolithic celts, ill-fired pottery, a large number of microlithic tools, bone awls and a small number of copper objects.
18. Taxila: Taxila is an important archaeological site in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It dates back to the Ancient Indian period and contains the ruins of the Gandhâran city of Takshashila (also Takkasila or Taxila) an important Vedic/Hindu and Buddhist centre of learning from the 6th century BC to the 5th century BC. In 1980, Taxila was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site with multiple locations. Historically, Taxila lay at the crossroads of three major trade routes: the royal highway from Pâ?aliputra; the north-western route through Bactria, (Peshawar); and the route from Kashmir and Central Asia, via Œrinigar, Mansehra, and the Haripur valley across the Khunjerab pass to the Silk Road.
19. Tripuri: Tripuri is an ancient town situated 13 km to the west of Jabalpur on the Bheraghat road. Old name of this town was Tewar. Archeological remains spread extensively over a vast area in the town. Tripuri was the site of the 1939 session of All India Congress, where Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was elected president. A gate (Kamania) was erected in the city to commemorate the event.
20. Udaigiri: Udaygiri caves are situated in Vidisha district of Madhya Pradesh in India. These caves are at a distance of 4 km from Vidisha and 13 km from Sanchi. Udaygiri is word of Sanskrit language meaning sunrise hills. These are a group of rock-cut caves sanctuaries carved into a sandstone hill that stands sentinel-like on the horizon. The Udaygiri caves possess all the distinctive features that gave Gupta art its unique vitality, vigour and richness of expression; the beautifully moulded capitals, the treatment of the intercolumniation, the design of the entrance way and the system of continuing the architrave as a stringcourse around the structures.

1. Kot Diji: The place of Indus Valley civilization, Kot Digi is situated at twenty four km to the south of Khairpur in the Sindh province of Pakistan and 40.24 km to the east of Mohanjodaro. Archaeological evidences show that probably the pre-Indus village of Kot Digi was destroyed in fire and later the people from the Indus civilization inhabited this place.
2. Banamali: It is situated in the dry bed of the lost Sarasvati in district Hissar, Haryana. The excavations have revealed the remains of the pre, mature, and post Harappan cultures. In the earliest phase, the settlement was fortified with the mud-bricks of the ratio 3:2:1 and later, of 4:2:1. Town planning was based on that of the Harappan form a citadel on the higher level and a lower town segregated from the former by a massive wall. The most important antiquity found over here is a complete clay model of a plough. Other antiquities include terra-cota perforated jar, goblet, gold beads, bronze/copper arrows, speadheads; beads of Lapis Lazuli, agate, carnelian; seals and sealings etc.
3. Tiruchirapalli: At present, Tirucharapali is a district in Tamil Nadu. Situated on the bank of river Kaveri. It was under the rule of the Cholas, the Pandyas and also the rulers of Vijaya Nagar. Later, it was under the governance of Madras Presidency. In the modern times, it was an important place during the British-French battle (the Karnataka battle).
4. Tamralipti: It is identified with modern Tamluk near the mouth of the Ganges in the Midnapur district of West Bengal. It was the most important seaport and the emporium of trade in eastern India. It was connected with Taxila by land and river on one hand and with south-east Asia by sea on the other. It is mentioned in Jatakas and other texts as a port where from the merchants of northern India sailed to Suvarnadvipa, i.e. Java and Sumatra.
5. Vaishali: Vaishali has been identified with the village Basarh which is situated 20 miles away from Mujaffarpur district headquarters in Bihar. In 6th century BC it was the capital of the Lichchavi republic and also the headquarters of the powerful Vajji confederacy. It was annexed by Ajatshatru to the state of Magadh. Later a Lichchavi princess Kumaradevi married Chandra Gupta I and this event was glorified in the Gupta coins
6. Kundagram: Kundagram is situated in the Vaishali district of Bihar. Mahavir was born here. The remains of the ancient Vaishali are found here. The republic of Jataka dynasty was established during the 6th century BC. Kundagram is a very important place of pilgrimage for the Jains.
7. Puri: It is situated in the state of Orissa. The temple of Vishnu-Jagannatha and the “Black Pagoda” of Konarak (built in the 15th century) are situated here, making the place an important pilgrimage. The “Black Pagoda” is a temple of Surya, the sun-god. It was formerly one of the largest and most splendid temples of India. Though the exceptionally frank eroticism of many of the Konarak sculptures has given the ‘Black Pagoda’ a rather infamous reputation. Possibly it was a centre of a tantric cult though erotic sculpture doesn’t suggest the solemn ritual of the saktas, but something much less inhibited.
8. Ujjain: Ujjain lies on the eastern bank of the river Shipra in Madhya Pradesh. It was the capital of Avanti, one of the Sixteen Mahajanpadas in the sixth century BC. During the Mauryan period, it was the seat of a governor (Kumara) which was occupied by Ashok before he was sent to Taxila. Ozene or Ujjain was under the rule of Saka king Chastana at the time of Ptolemy (2nd Century AD). Ujjain was situated on the trade route from the north and north-west to the western coast and was an important emporium of trade. According to the Periplus, the commodities from different parts of the country were first brought to ‘Ozene and then sent to Bargaya for export to foreign countries’. It was also an important religious centre and was traditionally associated with Mahakala Shiva as one of the seven holy cities of India.
9. Badami: Badami, earlier called Vatapi, is situated in the Bijapur district of Karnataka. It was the capital of the early Chalukyas under whom it developed as an important centre of rock cut architecture. There are four caves here three of Brahminical faith, dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu and one of Jaina faith. They were dug in the 6th century A.D, as an inscription of King Mangiest dated 578 in cave III indicates.
   • The Brahminical caves here are the earliest rock-cut caves in South India, and show an advance over the earlier Brahminical caves at Udaygiri (Bhilsa, MP).
10. Sarnath: Sarnath is situated 5 km north of the Varanasi city in U.P. It is one of the four holiest cities of the Buddhists as Buddha preached his first sermon here, called in the Buddhist texts as the “dharma-chakra parivartana’. Saranath is quite rich in Buddhist antiquities.
    • Ashoka had built a Dharmarajika stupa here and erected a pillar surmounted by a magnificent capital of four lions and an abacus having wheels with twenty four spokes representing ‘dharma-chakras’. An edict is also inscribed on it warning the monks and nuns not to create dissensions in the Buddhist vihars. It indicates the present of a large number of Buddhists at Sarnath. A monastery probably dating from the Gupta times is also here.
11. Amravati: It is situated in Guntur district on the southern bank of the river Krishna, about sixty miles above its mouth. Lying on the outskirts of the ancient town of Dharnikota, it is famous for the Buddhist stupa and its marble like limestone sculptures which represent the earliest Buddhist monuments in the Krishna Valley and range from 200 BC to AD 300.
12. Jaugada: Located in Ganjam district of Orissa, Jauguda is known for the discovery of Ashokan major rock edicts which include two separate edicts called the Kalinga edicts. The latter edicts are addressed to the officers and ministers of a town Sampa, identified with Jaugada itself, and instruct them to be judicious and fair in their dealings with the people so that Ashoka’s policy of ‘Dhamma’ could achieve the desired results.
13. Kolhapur: Kolhapur is situated near Tungbhadra, tributary of Krishna river. In the middle ages it was the main centre of the Marathas. In 1707, Tarabai, the wife of the youngest son of Shivaji, led a battle against Shanu here. Later, Shanu conceded independence of Kolhapur state. A box with an inscription from the times of Ashoka has been discovered in a large stupa at Kolhapur. It was also an important place under the rule of Satvahans.
14. Nagarjunakonda: It lies on the right bank of the river Krishna about 100 km west of Amravati. It was the capital of the Ikshvaku kings in the third-fourth century AD and was known as Vijaypuri. It was a centre of the Purvashaila and Aparshaila schools of Mahasamghika sect of Buddhism and famous for the great Buddhist stupa called Mahachaitya, and about thirty other Buddhist monuments. It is one of the most intensively excavated site and has revealed the evidence of neolithic and megalithic phases of culture. During Satavahana and Ikshavaku periods it became an important settlement. It was inhabited by a number of merchants and artisans who were organized in guilds. Terracota objects, beads of semi-precious stones, ivory bangles etc. have been recovered here. The copper coins of the Satvahanas and the lead coins of the Ikshavakus have also been found. Roman coins indicate the trade connections with the Romans.



15. Calicut: It is situated on the coast of Malabar in Kerala. On 17th May, 1948, Vasco de Gama discovered a new sea route to India and reached near this famous port of Calicut. This really had ‘far-reaching repercussions from the civilized world. Through this Portuguese were the first among the European nations to embark on the adventures in the East. At that time, Calicut was ruled over by the Hindu ruler bearing the hereditary title of ‘Zamorin’.
16. Haldighati: Haldighati is situated near Aravali hills in Rajasthan. A fierce battle was fought at Haldighati near Kumbhalgarh on 18th June, 1976 between Akbar and Ranapratap, the Sisodia Rajput King. The place is mainly famous for his gallantry and heroic battle against Akbar. His army fought bravely but at last he had to take sojourn in the hills. Hunted from rock to rock by his implacable enemy, and ‘feeding his family from the fruits of his native hills’, he continued the war with undaunted spirit and energy and had the satisfaction of recovering many of his strongholds before he died on 19th January, 1597, at the age of fifty-seven.
17. Golkonda: It is situated on the bank of the river Moosi near Hyderabad in Andhrapradesh. The remains of medieval south Indian establishment have been found here on a very large scale. It was ruled over by the Yadavas of Devgiri and Kaktees of Varangal. It was linked with the Delhi Sultanate in 1310, when Malik Kafoor reached here. In 1518, Quli, Qutub Shah established his dynasty in Golkonda. Aurangzeb assimilated it into the Moghul Empire in 1687. It was once famous for diamonds. The Golkonda fort was made on the hills of granite.
18. Somnath: Situated near the coastal area at Prabhaspattan in Kathiavad in the state of Gujarat, the place is famous for the celebrated Shiva temple. It was built by the Chalukyas. The most famous invasion of Mohmud Ghazni took place in 1025-1026 when he marched against this famous temple of Somnath. The temple was famed throughout India. The treasure accumulated in it was also proportionate to its wide popularity.
19. Mathura: It is a district in Uttar Pradesh. It has been to historical importance during different time periods as it was in the centre of north India. In 6th century B.C. it was the capital of the Mahajanpada of Shoorsen. During excavation here, coins of the Indo-Bactrian ruler Minander, have been found. At the end of the 1st century, the school of Mathura began. Working for centuries in the white-spotted red sandstone of the locality, it produced works which were carried a and wide. It’s inspiration was Jaina. The most striking remains of the Mathura school are the ‘yakshis’ from the railings of a stupa, which was probably Jaina. It provided a reflection of the ancient Indian outlook of life.

1. Aizawl: It is the largest city as well as the capital of the state of Mizoram. It has rich tribal culture owing to the Mizo tribal people and exotic natural beauty like those of the Himalayas. It was a trade centre connected with Silchar and Dacca: it was enrooted to Suvarnabhoomi. It was well known for its local handicrafts. It seems probable that the Mizos moved from China to Burma and then to India under forces of certain circumstances. They first settled in the Shan State after having overcome the resistance put up by the indigenous people. The Shans had already been firmly settled in their State when Mizos came there from Chhinlung around 5th Century. The Shans did not welcome the new arrivals, but failed to throw the Mizos out. The Mizos had lived happily in the Shan state for about 300 years before they moved on the Kabaw Valley around the 8th Century.
2. Amritsar: Amritsar in Punjab is home to Harmandir Sahib, also known as the Golden Temple, the spiritual and cultural center of the Sikh religion. It is considered important and holy by Hindus as well. Bhagvan Valmiki’s or Nirankar Valmiki’s ashram was considered to have been situated close to Amritsar, where Goddess Sita, wife of Lord Rama gave birth to Lava and Kush. The forest around the ashram was considered Valmiki’s “Tapo van” (forest of meditation). Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh are considered incarnations of Lava and Kush as stated in the shri sooraj parkash granth. The Durgaina temple is also a very famous Hindu temple located on the city.
3. Arikamedu: Arikamedu is an archaeological site near Pondicherry, southern India, where Mortimer Wheeler conducted its best-known excavation in the 1940s. According to Wheeler, Arikamedu was a Tamil fishing village which was formerly a major Chola port dedicated to bead making and trading with Roman traders . It flourished for centuries until the Romans left. Various Roman artifacts, such as a large number of amphorae bearing the mark of Roman potter schools VIBII, CAMURI and ITTA, have been found at the site, supporting the view on an ancient trade between Rome and the ancient Tamil country of present day south India. Now Arikamedu is a part of Ariyankuppam Commune. Arikamedu was an important bead making centre.
4. Bangalore: Bangalore , officially Bengaluru, is the capital of Karnataka. Though historical references to the city predate 900 CE, a modern written history of continuous settlement exists only from 1537, when Kempe Gowda I, who many regard as the architect of modern Bangalore, built a mud-brick fort at the site and established it as a province of the imperial Vijayanagara Empire. During the British Raj, it became a centre of colonial rule in South India.
5. Bharukacha: It was the ancient name of Bharuch in Ghujarat. It became known to history by various names such as Bharakuccha, Bhrigu Kaksha (the domain of Bhrigu, an ancient Indian sage), Bhroach, as well as Bhrauch. Certainly by the 500s BC, the city was known (at least by reputation, via land-sea routes reaching the Levant) to the Arab and Ethiopian traders feeding goods westwards to the Egyptians, Greeks, Persians, Western Romans, Carthaginians, and eventually, the Eastern Roman Empires, and the Republic of Venice. It is likely even the Phonecians knew of it and so it has acted since antiquity as a link port to the luxury goods trade from the Far East and the interior of the Indian sub-continent to the civilizations of South-west Asia, the Middle-East, the Mediterranean basin including Northern Africa and Europe.
6. Bhaja: Bhaja Caves, near the Karla Caves, are a group of 18 rock-cut caves dating back to 200 BC. located near Lonavala, a hill station, and Karli in the western state of Maharashtra between the cities of Mumbai and Pune in India. It is on a major trade route that runs from the Arabian Sea eastward, into the Deccan in a region that is the division between North India and South India. Viharas make up ten caves, and one is a chaitya, stylistically similar to the Karla Caves. There is also group of 14 stupas, five inside and nine outside the caves. One of the caves has some fine sculptures. Near the last cave is a waterfall which, during the monsoon season, has water that falls into a small pool at the bottom. The chaitrya has unique reliefs of Indian mythology. Other caves have a nave and aisle, with an apse containing a solid stupa and the aisle circling round the apse, providing the circumambulation path.
7. Gangotri: Gangotri is a town and a nagar panchayat in Uttarkashi district in the state of Uttarakhand. It is a Hindu pilgrim town on the banks of the river Bhagirathi. Gangotri, the source of the river Ganga and seat of the goddess Ganga, is one of the four sites in the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit. The river is called Bhagirathi at the source and acquires the name Ganga from Devprayag onwards where it meets the Alaknanda. The origin of the holy river is at Gaumukh, set in the Gangotri Glacier, and is a 19 km trek from Gangotri.
8. Itanagar: It is the capital of Arunachal Pradesh. Itanagar is situated at the foothills of Himalayas. It has been identified with Mayapur, the capital of the 11th century AD JItri dynasty. Itanagar, the capital city of Arunachal Pradesh is derived from his historical fort called Ita Fort situated at the heart of the capital complex in Papum Pare district. It is a historical fort of an irregular shape, built mainly with bricks. The total total brickwork done on the fort comprise of 16,200 cubic mtr. length. There are also three gates on three sides viz; Eastern, Western and Southern, which is said to be built by Ahom rulers.



9. Jaugada: It lies 35km north-west of Berampur and 160km south-west of Bhubaneshwar by car. Once a provincial Mauryan fortified capital of the newly conquered province of Kalinga, Jaugada is famed by its version of the monumental stone-cut edicts in Prakrit of the Mauryan emperor Asoka.
10. Jhansi: It is a city of Uttar Pradesh. In the 9th century, the region of Jhansi came under the rule of the Rajput Chandela dynasty of Khajuraho. The artificial reservoirs and architectural remains probably date from this era. The Chandelas were succeeded by the Khangars, who built the nearby fort of Karar. About the fourteenth century the Bundelas poured down upon the plains from the Vindhya Range, and gradually spread themselves over the whole of the Bundelkhand region which now bears their name. The fortress of Jhansi was built by the ruler of Orchha state in 1610.
11. Kalsi: In between the intimidating cliffs and the undulating plateaus, there lies a sleepy hamlet with astounding vistas and rich legacy. With its awe inspiring vistas, Kalsi in the state of Uttaranchal displays a dazzling serenade of natural panorama and aesthetic beauty. A virtual paradise for thrilling escapades, this one time frontier of King Asoka boasts of a colourful history that has a religious fervor. Famed as a heritage site with lot of excavated spots, Kalsi is an unexplored locale in the foothills of Himalayas whose pristine environs offers an exquisite romantic allures.
12. Kanchivaram: It is a temple town and the headquarters of Kanchipuram district. In ancient times it was called Kachi and Kachiampathi. There are several big temples, like Varadharaja Perumal Temple for Lord Vishnu and Ekambaranatha Temple which is one of the five forms of abodes of Lord Siva, (it is the earth abode here, other abodes include Chidambaram (Sky), Sri Kalahasti (air), Thiruvanaikaval (water) and Tiruvannamalai (fire)), Kamakshi Amman Temple, Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Kumara Kottam, Kachapeshwarar Temple, Kailasanathar Temple and many more.
13. Kanheri: The Kanheri Caves are located north of Borivli on the western outskirts of Mumbai. These caves date from 1st century BCE to 9th century CE The earliest are 109 tiny rock-cut cells, carved into the side of a hill. Unlike the elegant splendor of Elephanta Caves nearby, these are spartan and unadorned. Each cave has a stone plinth for a bed. A congregation hall with huge stone pillars contains the stupa, a Buddhist shrine. Farther up the hill are the remains of an ancient water system, canals and cisterns that collected and channeled the rainwater into huge tanks. Once the caves became permanent monasteries, they began to be carved out of the rock with intricate reliefs of Buddha and the Bodhisattvas carved into the walls. Kanheri had become an important Buddhist settlement on the Konkan coast by the 3rd century A.D. Most of the caves are the Buddhist viharas meant for living, study, and meditation. The larger caves were chaityas, or halls for congregational worship, are lined with intricately carved Buddhist sculptures, reliefs and pillars, and contain rock-cut stupas for congregational worship. The Avalokiteshwara is the most distinctive figure. One hundred inscriptions carved in Brahmi, Devanagari and Pahlavi scripts have been found. The large number of viharas obviously prove a well-organized existence of Buddhist monks’ establishment, which was also connected with many trade centers such as the ports of Sopara, Kalyan, Nasik, Paithan and Ujjain. Kanheri was a University center by the time the area was under the rule of the Maurayan and Kushan empires.
14. Kumrahar: The archaeological remains of ancient Pataliputra namely the Eighty pillared hall and Arogya Vihar are located at Kumrahar about six kms east of Patna railway station. Ancient literature refers Pataliputra by various names like Pataligrama, Patalipura, Kusumapura, Pushpapura or Kusumdhvaj. In 6th Century B.C. it was a small village where Buddha, sometime before his mahaparinirvana, had noticed a fort being constructed under the orders of King Ajatasatru of Rajagrih for defence of Magadh kingdom against the Lichchavi republic of Vaisali. Impressed by its strategic location king Udayin, son and successor of Ajatasatru, shifted the capital of Magadh from Rajgrih to Pataliputra in the middle of 5th Century B.C. For about next thousand years Pataliputra remained the capital of great Indian empires of Saisunaga, Nanda, Maurya, Sunga and Gupta dynasties. The place has also been an important centre of activity in the fields of education, commerce, art and religion. During Asoka’s time the third Buddhist council was held here. Likewise Sthulabhadra, the eminent Jain ascetic had convened a council here during the time of Chandragupta Maurya.
15. Konark: It is a small town in Puri district of the state of Orissa, India, on the Bay of Bengal, sixty-five kilometres from Bhubaneswar. It is the site of the 13th-century Sun Temple (also known as the Black Pagoda), built in black granite by King Narasimhadeva I (AD 1236-1264) of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. The temple is a World Heritage Site. It takes the form of the chariot of Surya (Arka), the sun god, and is heavily decorated with stone carving. The entire complex was designed in the form of a huge chariot drawn by seven spirited horses on twelve pairs of exquisitely decorated wheels. The entrance is guarded by two lions, which are each shown crushing a war elephant. Each elephant in turn lies on top of a human body. The temple symbolises the majestic stride of the Sun god. At the entrance of the temple is a Nata Mandir. This is where the temple dancers used to perform dances in homage to the Sun god. All around the temple, there are various floral and geometric patterns.
16. Mathura: It is a holy city in Uttar Pradesh. It is located approximately 50 km north of Agra, and 150 km south of Delhi; about twenty kilometers from holy Vrindavana. During the ancient period, this was an economic hub, located at the junction of some relatively important caravan routes. Mathura is reputed to be the birthplace of Krishna at the centre of Vraja, called Krishnajanmabhoomi, literary ‘Krishna’s birth place’. The Keshav Dev temple was built in ancient times on the site of Krishna’s legendary birthplace,an underground prison. As per epic Mahabharata and per Bhagavata Purana, Mathura was the capital of the Surasena Kingdom, ruled by Kansa the maternal uncle of Krishna. Mathura is also famous as one of the first two centres of production for images of the Buddha (the other being Gandhara in present-day Pakistan/Afghanistan). Human images of the Buddha began to appear approximately at the same time (1st Century AD) in both centers but can be distinguished from one another as the Gandharan images are very clearly Greco-Roman in inspiration with the Buddha wearing wavy locks tucked up into a chignon and heavier toga-like robes whereas the Buddha figurines produced in Mathura more closely resemble some of the older male fertility gods and have shorter, curlier hair and lighter, more translucent robes.
17. Madurai: One of South India’s great temple towns, Madurai is synonymous with the celebrated Meenakshi Temple. Situated on the banks of river Vaigai, Madurai has a rich cultural heritage passed on from the great Tamil era more than 2500 years old. Madurai was an important cultural and commercial centre even as early as 550 AD. It was the capital city for the great Pandya kings.
18. Nalanda: The site of Nalanda is located in Bihar, about 55 miles south east of Patna, and was a Buddhist center of learning from 427 to 1197 CE. It has been called “one of the first great universities in recorded history.” The Buddha is mentioned as having several times stayed at Nalanda. When he visited Nalanda he would usually reside in Pâvârika’s mango grove, and while there he had discussions with Upâli-Gahapati and Dîghatapassî, with Kevatta, and also several conversations with Asibandhakaputta. The Buddha visited Nâlandâ during his last tour through Magadha, and it was there that Sariputta uttered his “lion’s roar,” affirming his faith in the Buddha, shortly before his death. The road from Râjagaha to Nâlandâ passed through Ambalatthikâ, and from Nâlandâ it went on to Pâtaligâma. Between Râjagaha and Nâlandâ was situated the Bahuputta cetiya. According to the Kevatta Sutta, in the Buddha’s time Nâlandâ was already an influential and prosperous town, thickly populated, though it was not until later that it became the centre of learning for which it afterwards became famous. There is a record in the Samyutta Nikaya, of the town having been the victim of a severe famine during the Buddha’s time. Sâriputta, the right hand disciple of the Buddha, was born and died in Nâlandâ. Nâlandâ was the residence of Sonnadinnâ. Mahavira is several times mentioned as staying at Nâlandâ, which was evidently a centre of activity of the Jains. Mahavira is believed to have attained Moksha at Pavapuri, which is located in Nalanda (also according to one sect of Jainism he was born in the nearby village called Kundalpur.) King Asoka (250 BC) is said to have built a stupa in the memory of Sariputta. According to Tibetan sources, Nagarjuna taught here.
19. Nasik: It is a city in Maharashtra, India. Nashik is located in the northwest of Maharashtra, 180 km from Mumbai and 220 km from Pune. Hindu mythology has it that Lord Rama, the King of Ayodhya, made Nashik his abode during his 14 years in exile. At the same place Lord Laxman, by the wish of Lord Rama, cut the nose of Shurpnakha and thus this place was named as “Nashik”. Nashik in 150 BC was believed to be the country’s largest marketplace. From 1487-1818, the city was under Mughal rule and was known as Gulshanabad (City of Gardens).The city got its present name in 1818 when the Peshwas got control of the city.
20. Palitana: It is now a city in Gujarat. The Palitana temples are considered the most sacred pilgrimage place by the Jain community. There are more than 1300 temples located on the Shatrunjaya hills, exquisitely carved in marble. The main temple on top of the hill, is dedicated to 1st tirthankar lord Adinath (Rishabdeva).
21. Rajagriha: It is now called Rajgir, which is a city and a notified area in Nalanda district Bihar. It was the first capital of the kingdom of Magadha, a state that would eventually evolve into the Mauryan Empire. Its date of origin is unknown, although ceramics dating to about 1000 BC have been found in the city. The city was in a valley surrounded by five hills: Vaibhara, Ratna, Saila, Sona, Udaya, Chhatha, and Vipula. The epic Mahabharata calls it Girivraja and recounts the story of its king, Jarasandha, and his battle with the Pandava brothers and their allies Krishna. It is also mentioned in Buddhist and Jain scriptures, which give a series of place-names, but without geographical context. The attempt to locate these places is based largely on reference to them and to other locations in the works of Chinese Buddhist pilgrims, particularly Fahien and Huien Tsang.
22. Sasan Gir: The Sasan Gir Lion Sanctuary lies on the southwestern fringes of the Saurashtra Peninsula. It was known for forest resources in ancient India.Various forest products were exported to Ancient Rome. Sasan Gir Forest is today the only place in the world outside Africa, where the lion can be seen in his natural habitat. The forest also harbours a variety of smaller animals and birds. Other predators are the Panther and the Hyena. The Indian Deer, Sambar, Chital (spotted deer), Nilgai (blue bull), Chinkara and the Chowsingha (four horned antelope) are found here, alongwith the bear and the long tailed langur.
23. Shrinagar: It is the capital of the northernmost state of Jammu and Kashmir. The city was founded by the King Pravarasena II over 2,000 years ago, and the city of Srinagar has a long history, dating back at least to the 3rd century BC. The city was then a part of the Maurya Empire, one of the largest empires of the Indian subcontinent. Ashoka introduced Buddhism to the Kashmir valley, and the adjoining regions around the city became a centre of Buddhism. In the 1st century, the region was under the control of Kushans and several rulers of this dynasty strengthened the Buddhist tradition. Vikramaditya (of Ujjain) and his successors probably ruled the regions just before the city fell to the control of the Huns in the 6th century, and Mihirkula was the most dreaded ruler of the city and the valley. The Hindu and the Buddhist rule of Srinagar lasted until the 14th century, when the Kashmir valley, including the city, came under the control of the several Muslim rulers, including the Mughals.
24. Udaygiri-Khandagiri: Orissa is well known for the ancient caves located in the twin cities of Udaygiri (meaning the hill of the sunrise) and Khandagiri (meaning the broken hill). They are situated near the capital city of Bhubaneswar. Udaygiri caves are approximately 135 ft high and Khandagiri caves are 118 ft high. The caves are reminiscent of influence of Buddhism and Jainism in Orissa. The origin of the rock cut caves of Udaygiri and Khandagiri dates back to the 2nd century BC. The main attraction of these caves consists of its stupendous carvings. Of all the caves in Udaygiri, the largest one is the Rani Gumpha or the Queen’s Cave. The cave of the queen is adorned with elaborate carvings. There is also an Elephant Cave or the Hathi Gumpha, where you can find the amazing statues of elephants installed on the gate. In the Khandagiri city, one can find a large number of caves and most of them have been occupied for meditative purposes. Some of the popular caves in Khandagiri include Akshay Ganga, Gupta Ganga, Shyam Kund and Radha Kund. One of the most interesting caves is the 24-Tirthankaras Cave. It contains the carvings of the twenty-four Apostles of Jainism, on the monolithic stones. There is another fascinating cave known as the ‘Ganesh Cave’. Udaygiri & Khandagiri caves are one of the famous tourist attractions near the Bhubaneshwar city of India today.
25. Uchh: This site is near modern Sialkot in Pakistan. More reliable and validated historical references relating to the city date back to 327 BCE in which it has been stated that the city is of Persian and/or Greek origin. Excavations throughout the area have revealed large amounts of Greek coins, ancient Zoroastrian temples and several Buddhist stupas. Siálkot is believed to have been founded by Raja Sul or (Shalya), emperor of Madradesa and brother of Madri, second wife of emperor Pandu and mother to Nakul and Sahadeva. He was the uncle of the Pandavas, whose heroic deeds are recorded in the epic Mahábhárta. After his death, some 5000 years ago, there is a tradition that the dynasty continued for some 1500 years. The seasonal stream, known as the Aik Nala, that still flows through the city, has been mentioned in the Upanishads. In the late Vedic period (c. 1500 - c. 200 B.C.E.), Sákala (Siálkot) was the capital of the Madras (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad). Sákaladvipa (island of Sákala) was the name of the doáb (land lying between two rivers) between Chandrabhága (Chenab) and Irávati (Ravi). In those early days, Sákala was studded with thick forests and inhabited by a pastoral race called Yahars or Yirs.
26. Ujjain: Ujjain is an ancient city of Malwa in central India on the eastern bank of the Kshipra River in Madhya Pradesh.. In ancient times the city was called Ujjayini. As per epic Mahabharata Ujjayani was the capital of Avanti Kingdom. It has been the first meridian of longitude for Hindu geographers since the 4th century BCE. It is one of the seven sacred cities of the Hindus, and the Kumbh Mela religious festival is held there every twelve years. It is also home to Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines to the god Shiva.
27. Valabhi: It was an ancient city located in Saurashtra peninsula in Gujarat, in western India, near Bhavnagar. Also known as Vallabhipura, it was the capital of the ancient Maitraka dynasty.Legend has it that a Kshatriya named Vijayasena founded the city around the 3rd century. The Maitrakas, descending from general Bhatarka, a military governor of Saurashtra peninsula during Gupta ruler Skandagupta (455-467), had ruled the peninsula and parts of southern Rajasthan from Vallabhi from the fifth to the eighth centuries. Vallabhi has been a famous Jain center, and there is a possibility that the Maitrakas (Sun-worshippers) may have embraced Jainism later on. But when Chinese traveller Xuanzang visited Vallabhi during second quarter of 7th century, he found its ruler to be a Buddhist follower. When Itsing, another Chinese traveller visited Vallabhi in the last quarter of 7th century, he found the city as a great center of learning including Buddhism. Gunamati and Sthiramati are stated to be two famous Buddhist scholars of Vallabhi at the middle of seventh century. Vallabhi was famous for its catholicity and the students from all over the country, including the Brahmana boys, visited it to have higher education in secular and religious subjects. We are told that the graduates of Vallabhi were given higher executive posts.Maitraka rule ended with the sacking of Vallabhi by the barbarians in 524.
28. Vidisha: Vidisha or Besnagar or old name Bhelsa is a city in Madhya Pradesh, near its capital Bhopal. The Emperor Ashoka was the governor of Vidisha and it finds mention in Kalidasa’s immortal Meghdoot. Besnagar was abandoned in the sixth century, it came into prominence again as Bhelsa during the medieval period. It thus, passed on to the Malwa Sultans, the Mughals and the Scindias. The ruins of a Hindu shrine at Vidisha dedicated to Vishnu reveal that the foundation bricks were cemented together with lime mortar, the first known example of the use of cement in India. The ruins are of period prior to 2nd century BC. Close to the ruins are the remains of votive pillars with palm-leaf capitals; the only one that still stands is the Heliodorus pillar, also known as Khamba Baba. A monolithic free-standing column, the pillar bears an inscription which states that it was Garuda Pillar, raised in honour of Vasudeva by Heliodorous, a resident of Taxila, who had been sent to the court of Bhagabhadra as an envoy of Indo-Greek monarch, Antialkidas. This inscription is a valuable historical record, revealing both the relations that existed between the region and the Greek kingdoms of the Punjab, and the fact that the Greek ambassador had become a follower of Hindu god Vishnu. The inclusion of the name of Antialkidas dates the erection of the pillar to approximately 140 BC.
29. Vaishali: Vaishali or Vesali (Pali) was a city, the capital of the Licchavis and the Vajjian Confederacy. It is one of the first governments in the world to have elements of what we would today consider democracy. At the time of the Buddha, Vesali was a very large city, rich and prosperous, crowded with people and with abundant food. There were seven thousand seven hundred and seven pleasure grounds and an equal number of lotus ponds. Its courtesan, Ambapali, was famous for her beauty, and helped in large measure in making the city prosperous. The city had three walls, each one gávuta away from the other, and at three places in the walls were gates with watch towers. Buddhaghosa says that Vesali was so called because it was extensive.
30. Vatapi: It was the ancient name of modern name of Badami in Karnataka. It was the regal capital of the Badami Chalukyas from 540 to 757 AD. It is famous for rock cut and other structural temples. The rock-cut Badami Cave Temples were sculpted mostly between the 6th and 8th centuries. The four cave temples represent the secular nature of the rulers then, with tolerance and a religious following that inclines towards Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Cave 1 is devoted to Shiva, and Caves 2 and 3 are dedicated to Vishnu, whereas cave 4 displays reliefs of Jain Tirthankaras. Deep caverns with carved images of the various incarnations of Hindu gods are strewn across the area, under boulders and in the red sandstone. From an architectural and archaeological perspective, they provide critical evidence of the early styles and stages of the southern Indian architecture. The Pallavas under the king Narasimhavarman I seized it in 642 A.D. Vikramaditya I of Chalukyas drove back Pallavas in 654 A.D. and led a successful attack on Kanchipuram, the capital of Pallavas. The Rashtrakutas absorbed karnataka including Badami around 757 AD and the town lost its importance. The later Chalukyas of Kalyani defeated them and were able to keep region from 973 A.D. to 1189 A.D., when it was occupied by the Hoysalas. Then it passed on to Vijayanagara empire, The Adil Shahis, The Savanur Nawabs, The Marathas, Hyder Ali. The Britishers made it part of the Bombay Presidency.

1. Aihole: It is a temple complex in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka. Early inscriptions call this town ‘Ayyavole’ and ‘Aryapura’. Aihole has its own historical significance and is called as cradle of Hindu rock architecture. Many temples and caves of historical importance can be found at Aihole. Aihole was the first capital of the early Chalukyas. Here they built over 125 temples in various styles and is said to be a laboratory of experiments in rock cut architecture. The first phase of temple building in Aihole dates back to the 6th century CE, the second phase up to the 12th century CE. Some temples were even built as early as the 5th century CE.
2. Amravati: It is a city in the state of Maharashtra in India. The city boasts of historical temples of Goddess Amba, Lord Shri Krishna and Shri Venkateshwara. Amravati means ‘abode of immortals’. Amravati was the capital of Berar, which was part of present-day Vidharbha. Berar was part of the Mauryan emperor Ashoka’s empire.
3. Besnagar: Besnagar or Vidisha is a city in the central Indian state Madhya Pradesh, near its capital Bhopal.The town of Besnagar, 3 km from present-day Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh, on the west side of the river, became an important trade center in the sixth and fifth centuries BCE, under the Sungas, Nagas, Satavahanas, and Guptas, and was mentioned in the Pali scriptures. The Emperor Ashoka was the governor of Vidisha and it finds mention in Kalidasa’s immortal Meghdoot.
   • The ruins of a Hindu shrine at Vidisha dedicated to Vishnu reveal that the foundation bricks were cemented together with lime mortar, the first known example of the use of cement in India. The ruins are of period prior to 2nd century BC. Close to the ruins are the remains of votive pillars with palm-leaf capitals; the only one that still stands is the Heliodorus pillar, also known as Khamba Baba. A monolithic free-standing column, the pillar bears an inscription which states that it was Garuda Pillar, raised in honour of Vasudeva by Heliodorous, a resident of Taxila, who had been sent to the court of Bhagabhadra as an envoy of Indo-Greek monarch, Antialkidas. This inscription is a valuable historical record, revealing both the relations that existed between the region and the Greek kingdoms of the Punjab, and the fact that the Greek ambassador had become a follower of Hindu god Vishnu. The inclusion of the name of Antialkidas dates the erection of the pillar to approximately 140 BC.
4. Bhagwanpura: It is a site of archaeological interest in Kurukshetra District of Haryana. It lies on the right bank of the Saraswati River, about 3 km from Kurukshetra on Jhansa road. Excavations at Bhagwanpura are an evidence of a pre-Harappan and Harappan culture. The place has yielded various objects of antiquarian interest and a distinctive class of pottery known as the Painted Grey Ware. Some oval-shaped structures meant for religious functions were discovered during the recent excavations.
5. Brigukachcha: It was the ancient name of Bharuch in Ghujarat. It became known to history by various names such as Bharakuccha, Bhrigu Kaksha (the domain of Bhrigu, an ancient Indian sage), Bhroach, as well as Bhrauch. Certainly by the 500s BC, the city was known (at least by reputation, via land-sea routes reaching the Levant) to the Arab and Ethiopian traders feeding goods westwards to the Egyptians, Greeks, Persians, Western Romans, Carthaginians, and eventually, the Eastern Roman Empires, and the Republic of Venice. It is likely even the Phonecians knew of it and so it has acted since antiquity as a link port to the luxury goods trade from the Far East and the interior of the Indian sub-continent to the civilizations of South-west Asia, the Middle-East, the Mediterranean basin including Northern Africa and Europe.
6. Dholavira: An ancient metropolitan city, and locally known as Kotada Timba Prachin Mahanagar Dholavira, is one of the largest and most prominent archaeological sites in India, belonging to the Indus Valley Civilization. It is located on the Khadir island in the Kutch district of Gujarat, India which is surrounded by water in the monsoon season. The site was occupied from about 2900 BCE for about a millennium, declining slowly after about 2100 BCE, briefly abandoned and then reoccupied, finally by villagers among its ruins, until about 1450. Excavation was initiated in 1989 by the Archaeological Survey of India under the direction of Dr. R. S. Bisht. The excavation brought to light the sophisticated urban planning and architecture, and unearthed large numbers of antiquities such as seals, beads, animal bones, gold, silver, terracotta ornaments and vessels linked to Mesopotamia. Archaeologists believe that Dholavira was an important centre of trade between settlements in south Gujarat, Sindh and Punjab and Western Asia.
7. Daimabad: On the left bank of the river Pravara, a tributary of the Godavari, the site has been excavated on three different occasions. The excavation carried out in 5 m thick occupational deposit revealed evidence of five phases, each characterized by the occurrence of a distinct class of painted ceramic of its own: Phase I, Savalda; Phase II, late Harappa; Phase III, buff-and-cream ware; Phase IV, Malwa; and Phase V, Jorwe. The Savalda Ware of Phase I was chiefly painted in ochre-red colour and only occasionally in black and white pigments. The houses of this phase were of mud walls with rounded end, trilateral, of single room, two rooms and three rooms. The people cultivated barley, lentil, common pea, grass pea, black gram/green gram, horse gram and hyacinth bean.Phase II was characterized by a thick, sturdy red ware of fine fabric. The pottery is made of fine clay mixed with fine sand and powder of lime and/or shells as a tempering material.. The most important finds which have established the Harappa character of Phase II were the two terracotta button-shaped seals and three potsherds, all bearing Harappan symbols. The buff-and-cream ware which characterized Phase III was mainly a slow-wheel-made ceramic, fast-wheel-turned examples. Phase IV was represented by the Malwa Ware. The evidence from Daimabad show that the Jorwe was mainly derived from the Malwa.
8. Girinagar: It was the ancient name of Girnar situated near Junagadh at a distance of 327 from Ahmedabad. It is a holy place and an important pilgrimage for both Hindus and Jains. The place has been an important religious place since the 3rd century. According to Jain religious beliefs, Neminath, the 22nd Tirthankar became an ascetic after he saw the slaughter of animals for food on his wedding. He renounced all worldly pleasures and came to Mount Girnar to attain salvation. Here, Bhagwan Neminath reached the highest state of enlightenment, Keval Gyan and Moksha, after great austerities. His bride-to-be also followed his path and founded the ‘Sandhvi Sangh’, the organization of women ascetics.
9. Inamgaon: On the banks of the river Ghod in Maharashtra, it is one of the largest and most exciting chalcolithic sites in India. The word ‘chalcolithic’ means that people used stone along with copper to make different things. Inamgaon was excavated in the 1960s and 1970’s. The excavations were horizontal, which means that the digging was done over a large area. The aim of the archaeologists was to find out as much as they could about the early farmers who lived at this site between about 1600 B.C. to 700 B.C..
10. Kalinganagar: It is a small town in Jajpur district of coastal Orissa.It was the capital of Kalinga Empire, which comprised most of the modern state of Orissa, as well as some northern areas of the bordering state of Andhra Pradesh. This region was scene of the bloody Kalinga War fought by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka the Great of Magadha circa 265 BCE. Kharavela was greatest warrior Jain king of Kalinga.He was responsible for the propagation of Jainism in East India but his importance in neglected in many accounts of Indian History. According to the Hathigumpha inscription near Bhubaneswar, Orissa, he attacked Rajagriha in Magadha, thus inducing the Indo-Greek king Demetrius to retreat to Mathura. The Kharavelan Jain kingdom had a formidable maritime empire with trading routes linking it to Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Borneo, Bali, Sumatra and Java. Colonists from Kalinga settled in Sri Lanka, Burma, and the Maldive and Indonesian archipelagos. Even today Indians are referred to as Keling in Malaysia because of this. Many Sri Lankan kings, both Sinhalese and Tamil, claimed decent from Kalinga dynasties. So do the first kings of the Solar and Lunar dynastries of the Maldives. Kalinga is mentioned in the Adiparva, Bhismaparva, Sabhaparva, Banaprava of Mahabharata so also is the conquest of Karna. Kalinga King Srutayu stated to have fought the Mahabharat war for the Kauravas. Kalinga is also mentioned as Calingae in Megasthenes’ book on India - Indica & Megasthenes states that Magadha & Kalinga were Jain Dominant Kingdoms.
11. Kanheri: The Kanheri Caves are located north of Borivli on the western outskirts of Mumbai. These caves date from 1st century BCE to 9th century CE The earliest are 109 tiny rock-cut cells, carved into the side of a hill. Unlike the elegant splendor of Elephanta Caves nearby, these are spartan and unadorned. Each cave has a stone plinth for a bed. A congregation hall with huge stone pillars contains the stupa, a Buddhist shrine. Farther up the hill are the remains of an ancient water system, canals and cisterns that collected and channeled the rainwater into huge tanks. Once the caves became permanent monasteries, they began to be carved out of the rock with intricate reliefs of Buddha and the Bodhisattvas carved into the walls. Kanheri had become an important Buddhist settlement on the Konkan coast by the 3rd century A.D. Most of the caves are the Buddhist viharas meant for living, study, and meditation.
    • The larger caves were chaityas, or halls for congregational worship, are lined with intricately carved Buddhist sculptures, reliefs and pillars, and contain rock-cut stupas for congregational worship. The Avalokiteshwara is the most distinctive figure. One hundred inscriptions carved in Brahmi, Devanagari and Pahlavi scripts have been found. The large number of viharas obviously prove a well-organized existence of Buddhist monks’ establishment, which was also connected with many trade centers such as the ports of Sopara, Kalyan, Nasik, Paithan and Ujjain. Kanheri was a University center by the time the area was under the rule of the Maurayan and Kushan empires.
12. Karle: Karle Caves, an example of Indian rock-cut architecture, is a complex of cave shrines built by Buddhist monks around 3rd to 2nd century B.C. It is located in Karli near Lonavala, a hill station, in the western state of Maharashtra between the cities of Mumbai and Pune. This complex of very well-preserved Theravada Buddhist caves, built on the difficult terrain of a rocky hillside, is one of the finest examples of the ancient rock-cut caves to be found in India. The large Karle caves were excavated by hewing out the rock. Great windows light the interiors. The main cave has a magnificent Chaitya with huge pillars and intricately carved reliefs dating back to the 1st century B.C. There are well carved sculptures of both males and females as well as animals, including lions and elephants a testimony to the skill of the artisan builders. Within the complex are a great many other magnificently carved prayer halls or chaityas as well as viharas or dwelling places for the monks. A feature of these caves is their arched entrances and vaulted interiors. Built in the time of the Theravada Buddhists, these caves do not actually show the image of Buddha. The outside facade has intricate details carved to imitate finished wood. The central motif is a large horseshoe arch. There is a lion column in front, with a closed stone facade and torana in between.
13. Kausambi: Kausambi was one of the greatest cities in India in the Buddha’s time (500 BC). It was the capital of the Vatsas, one of the Mahajanapadas (Great Kingdoms) of ancient India. Kausambi was a very prosperous city, where a large number of millionaire merchants resided. It was an important entreport of goods and passengers from north-west and south. The excavations of the archaeological site of Kausambi was done by the late Prof. G.R.Sharma of the Allahabad University in 1949 and again in 1951-1956. Kausambî is identified with the two villages of Kosam on the Jamuna River, about 35 miles south-west of Allahabad. The Buddhist Commentarial scriptures give two reasons for the name Kosambî. The more favoured is that the city was so called because it was founded in or near the site of the hermitage once occupied by the sage Kusumba. Another explanation is that large and stately margosa-trees (Kosammarukkha) grew in great numbers in and around the city.
14. Kayatha: It is situated 24km east from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, which is associated with Chalcolithic Culture(2000-1800 B.C.) outside the Indus region. It witnesses pre-Harappan and post-Harappan village communities. Evidences of copper bangles and axes have been found from this site.Besides, the remains of Kushanas and Guptas are also evident.
15. Kili-Ghul Mohammad: It is an archaeological site in North Baluchistan province of Pakistan, representing an agricultural community of 1.2 acres in the Quetta valley, dated during the 4500-4100 BC. Evidences are available for domesticated sheep and cattle; houses built of wattle and daube and, later, mud-brick architecture. Evidence for wheel-thrown black and red pottery is seen as well.
16. Kot Diji: The place of Indus Valley civilization, Kot Digi is situated at twenty four km to the south of Khairpur in the Sindh province of Pakistan and 40.24 km to the east of Mohanjodaro. Archaeological evidences show that probably the pre-Indus village of Kot Digi was destroyed in fire and later the people from the Indus civilization inhabited this place.
17. Kushinagar: Kushinagar or Kusinara is a town and a nagar panchayat in Kushinagar district in . It is an important Buddhist pilgrimage site, where Gautama Buddha died. In ancient times, it was known as Kushavati (Jatakas). It finds mention in epic Ramayana as the city of Kusa the son of Rama, the famous king of Ayodhya. Kushinagar was a celebrated center of the Malla kingdom of ancient India. Later, it would be known as Kushinara, one of the most important four holy sites for Buddhists. At this location, near the Hiranyavati River, Gautama Buddha attained Parinirvana (or ‘Final Nirvana’) after falling ill from eating a meal of a species of mushroom which translates as “pig’s delight”. Many of the ruined stupas and viharas here date back to 3rd century BCE - 5th century CE when prosperity was at its peak. The Mauryan emperor Ashoka is known to have contributed to significant construction at this site.
18. Maamallapuram: Also known as Mabalipuram is a town in Kancheepuram district in Tamil Nadu. It was a 7^th century port city of the Pallavas around 60 km south from the city of Chennai. It is believed to have been named after the Pallava King Mamalla. It has various historic monuments built largely between the 7^th and the 9^th century. The temples of Mamallapuram, built largely during the reigns of Narasimhavarman and his successor Rajasimhavarman, showcase the movement from rock-cut architecture to structural building. The mandapa or pavilions and the rathas or shrines shaped as temple chariots are hewn from the granite rock face, while the famed Shore Temple, erected half a century later, is built from dressed what makes Mamallapuram so culturally resonant are the influences it absorbs and disseminates. All but one of the rathas from the first phase of Pallava architecture are modelled on the Budhist viharas or monasteries and chaitya halls with several cells arranged around a courtyard. Art historian Percy Brown, in fact, traces the possible roots of the Pallava Mandapa to the similar rock-cut caves of Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves. Referring to Narasimhavarman’s victory in AD 642 over the Chalukyan king Pulakesin II, Brown says the Pallava king may have brought the sculptors and artisans back to Kanchi and Mamallapuram as ‘spoils of war’.
19. Maski: It is an archaeological site in the Raichur district of the state of Karnataka, India. It lies on the bank of the Maski river which is a tributary of the Tungabhadra. The site came into prominence with the discovery of a minor rock edict of Emperor Ashoka by C. Beadon in 1915. It was the first edict of Emperor Ashoka that contained the name Asoka in it instead of the earlier edicts that referred him as Devanampiye piyadasi. This edict was important to conclude that many edicts found earlier in the Indian sub-continent in the name of Devanampiye piyadasi, all belonged to Emperor Ashoka. The edict is etched on a rock-face of Durgada-gudda, one of the gneissic outcrops that are present in the site.
20. Mehargarh: Archeological ruins of Mehrgarh are located at the foot of the Baluchistan hills on the Katchi plain southeast of Quetta, situated strategically near the Bolan Pass, in Baluchistan, Pakistan. Neolithic Mehrgarh consists of four mounds. The habitation of the site has been divided into seven periods, the first being the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period that dates to circa 7000 B.C. or even earlier. The site was abandoned between 2000 and 2500 B.C. during a period of contact with the Indus Civilization and then reused as a burial ground for some time after 2000 B.C. It provides evidence for the earliest agricultural and pastoral communities in South Asia.
    • The most important feature of Mehrgarh is the fact that one can witness its gradual development from an early village society to a regional center that covered an area of 200 hectares at its height. In the course of this development, a huge platform that may reflect some form of authority was constructed at the site. Research shows that people here lived in houses and were involved in hunting, domesticating of animals and farming cereals like barley and wheat. This hunting-farming society developed gradually and their pursuits were creative. During the early period these people used stone and bone tools i.e. polished stone-axes, flint blades and bone-pointers. By 6000 B.C. the hand-made pottery appeared and in the 5th millennium B.C. Metallurgy and potter-wheel were introduced and they produced some fine terra-cotta figurine and pottery with exotic geometric designs.
21. Prayag: Prayag is a city in Uttar Pradesh nrea Allahabad, situated at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers. The ancient name of the city is Prayâga and is believed to be the spot where Brahma offered his first sacrifice after creating the world. It is one of four sites of the Kumbh Mela, the others being Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. It has a position of importance in Hinduism and Hindu mythology since it is situated at the confluence, known as Triveni Sangam, of the holy rivers, Ganges and Yamuna, and Hindu belief says that the invisible Sarasvati River joins here also. Excavations have revealed Northern Black Polished Ware objects in Prayag, further corroborating the conjecture that Prayag existed as a town as early as 600 B.C. Prayag was also important in the ancient Buddhist period as attested by the inscriptions on the Pillar of Asoka. The Puranas record that Yayati left Prayag and conquered the region of Saptha Sindhu. His five sons Yadu, Druhyu, Puru, Anu and Turvashu became the main tribes of the Rigveda.
22. Pushkalavati: It is an ancient site situated in Peshawar valley in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. It is located on the banks of Swat River, near its junction with Kabul River, now it is known as Charsadda. Pushkalavati meaning Lotus City was the capital of ancient kingdom Gandhara from the 6th century BC to 2nd century AD. The ruins of Pushkalavati consist of many stupas and sites of two old cities. Bharata’s son, Taksha founded Taksha-sila or Taxi, to the east of the Indus, and known to Alexander and the Greeks as Taxila. Another son founded Pushkala-vati or Pushkalavati, to the west of the Indus, and known to Alexander and the Greeks as Peukelaotis. Thus the sons of Bharat are said to have founded kingdoms which flourished on either side of the Indus river. Ashoka built a stupa there which was described by Xuan Zang when he visited in 630 AD, which is still not found. This site was first excavated in 1902 by Marshal and then by Mortimer Wheeler in 1958. The Bactrian Greeks built a new city at this site which lies one kilometre from Bala Hissar on the other side of the branch of River Jinde. This city was occupied by Parthian, Sakas and Kushans. In 2nd AD, river changed its course and city was flooded. Town moved to the site of modern village of Rajar.
23. Sarnath: It is also known as Mrigadava, Migadâya, Rishipattana, Isipatana. Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma, and where the Buddhist Sangha came into existence through the enlightenment of Kondanna. Sarnath is located 13 kilometres north-east of Varanasi, in Uttar Pradesh, India. Isipatana is mentioned by the Buddha as one of the four places of pilgrimage which his devout followers should visit, if they wanted to visit a place for that reason.
24. Srughna: Srughna or modern Saharanpur is a renowned district of Uttar Pradesh, surrounded by Shivalik ranges in the North and North East. Its boundary is formed by the Yamuna river in the west and the Ganga river in the East. The history of the region can be traced from the days of the Indo-Aryans. This region was known as Ushinar during the latter Vedic Period. A historical survey reveals that the region has undergone a change of name from time to time. Archaeological surveys have provided evidence of the existence of many settlements over the ages. Excavations have been carried out in different parts of the district, such as Ambakheri, Bargaon, Hulas, Bahadarabad, and Naseerpur. On the basis of artefacts discovered during these excavations, human habitation can be traced as far back as 2000 B.C. Traces of the Indus Valley civilization and even earlier have also been found; archaeologically, Ambakheri, Bargaon, Naseerpur and Hulas were centres of Harappan civilisation.
25. Surparaka: It is modern Sopara, which was an ancient port town and the capital of the ancient Aparanta. The site of this ancient town is located near the present day Nala Sopara town in the Thane district of the state Maharashtra, India. In ancient times, it was the largest township on India’s west coast, trading with Mesopotamia, Egypt, Cochin, Arabia and Eastern Africa. The Mahabharata and the Puranas state that the Úûrpâraka was reclaimed from the sea for the dwelling place of Parashurama and it became a tirtha for this reason. The finding of the relics in a stupa and the rock edicts (the fragments of the 8th and 9th major rock edicts) of Ashoka in 1882 proves the importance of this port town from the 3rd century BCE to the 9th century CE. The Buddhist text Mahavamsa states that the first king of Sri Lanka, Vijaya sailed from Supparaka (Sopara) to Sri Lanka. Ptolemy mentioned this town as Soupara, and it was a major commercial centre during his time.
26. Tekkalakotta: It is a Neolithic site (2600-1000) in Deccan where people lived in houses. The remains of hand-made polished implements show that the people were familiar with the primitive knowledge of agriculture.
27. Topra: It is now situated near Ambala in Haryana. During Mauryan period King Ashoka erected his pillar here, which was later on brought to Delhi by Firoz Shah Tughluq in fourteen century. All the seven pillar edicts are inscribed on this pillar.
28. Ujjayini: Also known as Ujain, Ujjayini, Avanti, Avantikapuri, Ujjain is an ancient city of Malwa in central India on the eastern bank of the Kshipra River in Madhya Pradesh. In ancient times the city was called Ujjayini. As per epic Mahabharata Ujjayani was the capital of Avanti Kingdom. It has been the first meridian of longitude for Hindu geographers since the 4th century BCE. It is one of the seven sacred cities of the Hindus, and the Kumbh Mela religious festival is held there every twelve years. It is also home to Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines to the god Shiva.
29. Urayur: Currently in Tiruchirappalli, Urayur was the capital of the early Cholas from before the first century CE until the dynasty was revived by Vijayalaya Chola c. 850CE. The Cholas were one of the three great Tamil dynasties (Cheras and Pandyas being the other two) who ruled over the Tamil country in South India from early antiquity. Urayur was located near the city of Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu. The word Urayur in Tamil literally means “the residence”. Urayur was an ancient Chola city with a fortress and city wall on the southern banks of river Kaveri. The Imperial Cholas of the 9th century CE and later made Tanjavur as their capital. Urayur slowly lost its place in the Chola administration. The famous temples like Sri Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Temple (Naachiyaar Amman Temple), Panchaverneswara temple, Vekkaliamman temple are situated here.
30. Vallabhi: It was an ancient city located in Saurashtra peninsula in Gujarat, in western India, near Bhavnagar. Also known as Vallabhipura, it was the capital of the ancient Maitraka dynasty. Legend has it that a Kshatriya named Vijayasena founded the city around the 3rd century. The Maitrakas, descending from general Bhatarka, a military governor of Saurashtra peninsula during Gupta ruler Skandagupta (455-467), had ruled the peninsula and parts of southern Rajasthan from Vallabhi from the fifth to the eighth centuries. Vallabhi has been a famous Jain center, and there is a possibility that the Maitrakas (Sun-worshippers) may have embraced Jainism later on. But when Chinese traveller Xuanzang visited Vallabhi during second quarter of 7th century, he found its ruler to be a Buddhist follower. When Itsing, another Chinese traveller visited Vallabhi in the last quarter of 7th century, he found the city as a great center of learning including Buddhism. Gunamati and Sthiramati are stated to be two famous Buddhist scholars of Vallabhi at the middle of seventh century. Vallabhi was famous for its catholicity and the students from all over the country, including the Brahmana boys, visited it to have higher education in secular and religious subjects. We are told that the graduates of Vallabhi were given higher executive posts. Maitraka rule ended with the sacking of Vallabhi by the barbarians in 524.

1. Amarkot: Presently at the district of Tharparkar near Sindh, Pakistan, this place tells the story of the birth of Akbar. According to Mughal historians, Humayun’s Beghum, Hamidabano bore her son at the palace of Rana Virshal during his stay. Humayun had lost the empire of India and his position was miserable. In March 1843, Sir Charles Napier captured Amarkot and Sindh became a part of British Empire.
2. Asirgarh: This Palace is now in the Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh. There was a powerful fort at Asirgarh. It was under the rule of Turk rulers of Delhi. But it broke its relation during the downfall of the Delhi Sultans. Akbar brought the fort of Asirgarh in 1601 A.D. which was his last military campaign as well.
3. Aurangabad: Named after Aurangzeb, was earlier known as Khadke. It is good base for visiting the Ajanta and Ellora Caves and the city of Daulatabad. It is famous for the tomb of a Mus­lim Saint (buried there in 1624) and Bibi-ka-Makbara, the mausoleum in 1679 by Auranzeb for his wife. The latter is rather a pale imitation of the Taj Mahal; yet it is impressive.
4. Belur: Belure, with a group of Hoysala Monuments including the famous Chennakesava temple (built around 1117 A.D.) represents an art which applies to stone the technique of the ivory worker or the goldsmith. Persian traverller Abdur Razzak visited this place and Saco the magnificent temple of Lord Keshava built by the rulers of Vijaynagar Kingdom.
5. Burhanpur: In the valley of the Tapti, was the seat of the gov­ernment of Farqui kings of Khandesh-Akbar annexed the king­dom to Mughal Empire in 1601 af­ter his capture of Asirgarh. It was the base for Mughal operations against Daccani kingdoms. Parvez, Jahangir’s son died here in 1626. Shah Jahan’s wife Mumtaz Mahal also died here in childbirth in 1631. The chief mosque of the city, erected by Ali-Khan in 1588 is de­scribed as a fine building adored with stone carvings executed in perfect taste.
6. Chanderi: It was under the Rajput rulers of Bundelkhand. The Turk Sultans of Delhi brought it under their rule. After their down­fall Chanderi was an independent kingdom. Babur defeated Medmirai of Chanderi during his India. Cam­paign in 1528 A.D. On 29^th January Medinirai was slian and Ahmed Shah was appointed governor of Chanderi by Babur.
7. Chandenagar: In 1674 A.D. Mughal Gov­ernor Shaista Khan handed over Chandenagar to French East India Company under a treaty. This place is presently in west Bengal. The French erected a fort here. It evolved as an important trade centre during medieval period prior to the estab­lishment of Indian republic in 1950 Chandenagar remained under the French settlement.
8. Golkunda: The capital of the Qutb Shahi Shia state; it grew up on the ruins of the old king­dom of Warangal which was conquered by the Bahamanis in 1424; Aurangzeb annexed it to Mughal empire in 1687. Golkunda is situated at a distance of seven mile from Hyderabad. The kingdom was extended in between the rivers of Godavari and Krishna. It was famous for diamond mines.
9. Hansi: This place is identified with Hansi town in Haryana. It was founded by Prithvi Raj Chauhan’s grand father Anandpal in 12^th cen­tury. In 1192 A.D. Qutub-Ud-Din Aibak won the fort of Hansi. Ala-Ud-Din Khilji imprisoned his cousin Arkali Khan and his brothers in the fort of Hansi after killing his uncle Jalal-Ud-Din Khilji. Ibn-Batuta records the prosperity of this town in his account. It was a great centre of Sufism.
10. Janjira: A rocky island 45 miles south of Bombay, was held by the Siddis or Abyssinian pirated chiefs. They maintained a mighty fleet and were officially recognized Admiral first by Bijapur and latter by the Mughals. The Marathas under Shivaji and Shambuji had to recurring flight against them maintaining a strong force a Kolaba without of success.
11. Jaunpur: The city was founded by Firoz Tughlaq in 1359-60 in memory of his cousin Jauna (Mohammed-Bin-Tughlaq). Under the Sharqi Dy­nasty (founded in 1394), it became a leading cen­tre of artistic and cultural activity. Atala Masjid and Jami Masjid here stand as a brilliant speci­men of the Jaunpur style of architecture which shows indubitable influence of Hindu art.
12. Jungarh: It had been a famous urban cen­tre since the days of the Mauryans. In medieval period it was the sheet of the sultans of Gujarat. It was famous naval centre in the western coast. Gujarat sultan Bahadur Shah, who was the en­emy of Humayun, was killed by the Portuguese army.
13. Kanchi: Modern Canjeevaram, south­west of Madras, is reckoned among the seven sa­cred cities of the Hindus. It was an important cen­tre of Jaina culture in the first half of the first mil­lennium A.D. It was one of the south Indian king­doms conquered by Samudragupta. It was visited by Huen-Tsang. It rose to prominence in 7^th cen­tury A.D. under the Pallava kings. It possesses the famous Kaliasnath temple (built by Pallava King Narasimhavarman - II) and Vaikuntha Perusala (constructed sometimes after the Kailasnath). The Kailasnath temple is a landmark in the development of Dravida temple style with its characteristic components-walls of the court, i.e., Paris style cells.
14. Kandahar: Now in Afghanistan, Kandahar was a place of strategic importance during medieval times. Moreover, it was a famous urban centre and various trade routes originated from this place which leads to India, central Asia, Iranand China. It was under the empire of Babur. After his death Humayun gave it to his brother Kamram. Akbar had control over Kandahar. The Uzbech tribes regularly challenged the Mughal Emperior. Jahangir lost it. However, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb made attempts, to bring it under the Mughal Empire but in Vain.
15. Kannauj: Kannauj, U.P., was the capital of Harsh Vardhan, which was famous for its wealth and strategic importance. After his death each power wanted to bring it under its control. It was Yashovarman who attempted to restore the glory of Kannauj quite for sometime. Soon after three dynasties rose to power one after another. Those were the palas of Bengal, the Pratiharas of Rajputana and the Rastrakutas of South. All of them wanted to win Kannauj for supremacy. This resulted in a confusion and conflict for more than hundred years. This event is known as tripartite struggle for Kannauj. Mahmud Ghazni looted Kannauj when Rajyapal of Pratihar Dynasty was the ruler.
16. Kara: Kara near Allahabad in U.P. was an Iqta under the sultans of Delhi. Ala-ud-Din Khilji was the governor who killed his uncle Jalal-ud-Din Khilji in 1296 A.D. in order to achieve his hidden ambition of becoming the Sultan of Delhi. Later Mughal ruler Shah Alam was granted the Zamindari of Kara by the nawab of Shuja-ud-Daulla under the pressure of East-India Company after the battle of Buxar in 1764 A.D.
17. Kaveripattinam: Known as Puhar, was the Chola capital and chief port in Sangam period (200 B.C. - 300 A.D.) with a large colony of for­eigners. It was an important trade centre. Ships sailing from here to Southeast Asia. A long poem on this Chola capital is the part of the famous Sangam work Pattupattu (Ten Idylls).
18. Konark: The link in Orissa Golden Tri­angle, Konark, 35 km from Puri, is the site of the most spectacular examples of religious architecture in the world, the glorious architec­ture in the world. The glorious ruins of the Konark Temple, dedicated to God Surya, has become so renowned, even internationally, that it is now pro­tected under UNESCO’s world heritage site project.
    • The sun Temple, conceived as a massive chariot, hauling the sun God across the heavens by the might of seven splendidly carved horses, standing aloft on 24 chariot wheels-intricately carved, symbolising the march of time lies in par­tial ruin on Konark Beach. The temple is said to have fallen into disuse after its desecration by the Muslims and time has brought this immense struc­ture to its present condition.
    • Adjacent to the main temple lays the Natyamandira or the dance hall, intricately carved with musicians and dancers in various poses from the original temple dances. Today the amphitheatre with the Sun Temple at the back­drop is the venue for one of the most existing dance festivals. The ancient stones ring with the sound the ankle bells and beat of the mridangam and mardanga as the exponents of classical dance take the stage during the Konark Dance Festival in win­ter.
    • The Sun Temple Museum run by the Archaeo­logical survey of India has an excellent collection of sculptures from the temple ruins collection of sculptures from the temple ruins.
    • Konark beach, its water tends to be trickier-ever strong; swimmers need to be wary. The im­mense back-drop of the sun temple looks breath­taking when illuminated in the evening
19. Multan: It was a famous trade center which is situated on the bank of Chenav River in west Punjab province of Pakistan. Because of its strategic importance the Arabs captured Multan for Sometime. In 10008 A.D. Mahmud of Ghazni brought it under his control. When Muhammad Ghori invaded India in 1175 A.D. he captured it from the ruler of Ghazni. Multan was also a part of Ahmed Shah Abdali’s empire. In 1818 A.D. Maharaja Rangeet Sing won Multan from the Afghan.
20. Murshidabad: The governor of Bengal Murshid Quli Khan led the foundation of Murshidabad as his capital on the bank of Ganga in 1704 A.D. under Aurangzeb. It had been the capital of Bengal Suba prior to 1773 A.D. Alivardi Khan, Siraj-ud-Daulla and Mirzafar were the prominent Nawabs. Moreover, Murshidabad was a famous trade centre where merchants from vari­ous parts of the country gathered for business purpose.
21. Nagpur: Known as the city of orange, Nagpur was the sheet of the Bahmani rulers and the Marathas. It was a place of strategic and com­mercial activities. It rose to its prominence under Shivaji and his son Raja ram. The Bhonsle suc­cessfully ruled form Nagpur under the Peshawar.
22. Nasik: Also known as Nasikya and Govardhan, is famous for exquisite rock-cut Buddhist temples (of the period 2^nd B.C.-1^st A.D.) with an engraved inscription of Gautami Balasri re­cording the achievement of the Satavahana ruler Gautamiputra Satakarni). A large board of silver coins bearing the name, the titles of Nahapana was discovered at Jogalthambi very close to Nasik suggesting the defeat of the Saka ruler by the Satavahana king. It is also famous for the Chaitya and Vihar known as Pan-du-lona.
23. Puri: The holy city of Puri, 60 km from Bhubaneswar, is one of the four holiest points of pilgrimage for Hindus. The reigning deity of the city, Lord Jagannath, whose temple was built way back in the 12^th century, is not only of great reli­gious significance of the people of Orissa but is revered by thousands of pilgrims who seek his blessings from every part of the country.
24. Rajahmundry: This place is presently on the eastern coast in Andhra Pradesh. It was under the Kakatiya rulers in pre-medieval India. Later on the rulers of Vijayanagara ruled over Rajahmundry. Several monuments can be seen here.
25. Ratnagiri: Ratnagiri in the fertile Birupa river valley, 90 kms from Bubaneshwar, was a great centre of Vajrayana Buddhism till the 12^th century and the Mahavihara of Ratnagiri played a great role in the development of the Kalachakratantra during the 10^th century. Today the pilgrims can see the remains of this monastic university along with the beautiful sculpted panels that reveal the intricate motifs on the niches.
26. Satara: Satara is Maharashtra was under the Marathas. It was a part of the empire of Shivaji. In 1818 A.D. Peshwa Baji Rao II lost Satara to the English and it was made a dependent state under Pratap Singh who was a successor of Shivaji’s dynasty. In 1839 A.D. he was deposed by the En­glish in favour of his brother Appa Sahib. After the death of Appa Sahib the English refused his adopted son’s claim to the throne. In 1848 A.D. it was merged to British Empire under the Doctrine of Lapse.
27. Talikota: It is here that a confederacy of five Muslim Sultanates Bijapur, Golkunda, Ahmednagar, Bidar and Berar defeated the Vijayanagar general, Rama Raya, in 1565. After the battle, the city of Vijayanagar was destroyed.
28. Tiruchirapalli: Situated on the bank of river Kaveri in Tamil Nadu, Tiruchirapalli was known as Trishirapalli in ancient India. It was under the Cholas, the Pallavas, the Pandyas and the Vijayanagar Empire. It is 250 mile at a dis­tance of Chennai. Uraiyur near Tiruchirapalli was the capital city of Cholas. The Nayak rulers of Madura also made it their capital. It became a bone of contention between the British and the English in the war of Karnataka.
29. Vatapi: Vatapi or modern Badami in Bijapur district in Karnataka was the capital of the Chalukyas. At about 543 A.D. Pulakesin I made it his capital and performed an Asvamedha or horse-sacrifice because of his capital quests. The glory of Vatapi reached its climax during the reign of Pulakesin II. He made a Vishnu temple at Vatapi. Pallava ruler Narashimha Varma (625-645 A.D.) attacked the Chalukya territory and in the battle that ensued Pulakesin II was defeated and killed and his capital Badami or Vatapi was stormed and plundered.
30. Vengi: Situated in Andhra Pradesh, it was one of the South Indian kingdoms probably joined the Sangha conquered by Samudragupta. It was the capital of the eastern Chalukyas, and was disputed between the Chalukyas and the Pallavas.

1. Ajmer: Ajmer, south of Jaipur, ia green oasis on the shore of the Ana Sagar Lake. It had its strategic location and was sacked by Mahmud of Ghazni, and occupied by Muh. Gauri. It was con­trolled by the Chauhans. It became a favourite resi­dence of the Mughals and it is here that Sir Tho­mas Roe had his first meeting with Jahangir. Later the city was taken by Scindias who handed it over to the British in 1818. It is famous for the mauso­leum of Shaikh Muinddin Chisti, the famous Chisti Sufi Saint, for Adhai-din-ka-Jhompra, a mosque built by Aibak and Iltutmish and for Jain Temples.
2. Attock: Situated on the bank of Indus in Pakistan, Attock was called Hatak in ancient time. It is said that Alexander crossed the river at Ohind which is at a distance of 16 km. from Attock. Mahmud of Ghazni defeated Anandapal near this place. Mughal Emperor Akbar erected a front here. Birbal, Todarmal and Man Singh were sent to Attock by Akbar in order to resist the Usufjai Kabilas. In July 1758 Balaji Bajirao’s brother Raghunath Rao hoisted the Maratha flag at Attock.
3. Benaras: Benaras, or Varanasi, is one of the oldest living cities in the world. Varanasi’s prominence in Hindu mythology is virtually un­rivalled. Benaras is called the city of spiritual light. Kashi is the “Original ground” created by Shiva and Parwati, upon which they stood at the begin­ning of time. Benaras is the microcosm of Hindu­ism, a city of traditional classical culture. Glori­fied by myth and legend and sanctified by reli­gion, it has always attracted a large number of pilgrims and worship­pers from times immemorial. To be in Benaras is an experience in it­self. Kashi Vishwanath temple is a gold spiralled temple rebuilt in 1776 A. D. by Rani Ahilyabai Holkar a Jami Masjid in this city is one of the finest mosques in Gujarat. In 1535 Humayun captured the fort of Champaner after defeating Bahadurshah. But after his death this fort slipped from the hands of the Mughals. Akbar once again won occupied this fort. Champaner is situated on the way to the Bay of Khambat and hence it was a famous trade centre also.
4. Bhatner: Situated near Hanuman Garh in Rajasthan, Bhatner was an inportant place from strategic point of view in Rajput Age. It was under the Bhatias of Jaishalmer who erected a fort to counter foreign invasion.



5. Champaner: Identified with modern Pavagarh town in Gujarat, this place came under Mahmud Begra in 1484.He renamed it as Muhammadabad. In 1535, Humayun captured the fort of Champaner defeating Bahadur Shah. It was a place of importance because of two reason. First,it was situated on the route from North India to the Khambhat sea-coast. Secondly, the fort was extremely strong. Akbar made it a part of his empire.
6. Cutch: We have the de­scriptions of Cutch, on the sea-coast of Gujarat, in the Mahabharata and Panini’s Astadhyayi. The Sishupalvadh beautifully de­scribes the royal activities of Lord Krishna. Mahmud of Ghazni made an invasion of Cutch in the first half o the 11th century. During 1361-62, Firoz Shah Tughlaq made an unsuccessful expe­dition of cutch.
7. Daulatabad: Ala-ud-din Khilji defeated the Yadava king several times and then annexed it to his empire in 1313. Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq made it his capital in 1326-27 and named it as Daulatabad but his experiment of the transfer of capital failed. Shah Jahan captured it in 1633 and extinguished the ruling Ahmediayan dynasty.
8. Delhi: Indraprashta, identified by Jain sCholars with the site around the enclo­sure of the Purana Qila (Delhi), one of the sites of painted Grey ware (10th century B.C.) finds, was the legendry capital of the Pandava brothes of the epic Mahabharata, which they lost to the Kauravas having been defeated in the gambling match. Af­ter the second battle of Tarain (1192), Md. Gauri appointed Qutubuddin Aibak as his deputy at Indraprashtha which became a base for Aibak’s successful operations against north Indian states. Ala-ud-din Khilji, Muhammad Tughlaq, Firoz Shah Tughlaq, Sher Shah and Shahjahan ruled from different places respectively at Siri, Jahanpanah, Tughlaqabad, old fort and Shahjahanabad. They built various monuments and forts at Delhi.
9. Devagiri: Bhillan IV founded Devagiri and since then it became a sheet of the Yadavas. Ala-ud-Din Khilji defeated King Ramchandra Dev and his son Shankar Dev and looted a huge booty. He annexed it to his empire in 1313. Muhammad bin-Tughlaq made it his capital in 1326-27 and named it as Daulatabad but his experiment of the transfer of capital failed. Shah Jahan captured it in 1633 and extinguished the ruling Ahmediayan dynasty.
10. Diu: It is a part of Daman and Diu, a union territory of India in the western coast near Goa. It was called Devbandar in ancient period. It was under the sultans of Gujarat during the 16th cen­tury. Muhammad Beghra gave it to the Portuguese. They established their settlements, the remains of which can also be seen.
11. Ellichpur: It is place near Amravati in the district of Berar in Maharashtra. It was within the empire of the Yadavas of Devgiri. When Ala-ud-Din Khilji attacked Devgiri in 1296 A.D., Ramchandra Dev accepted to give him the Kharaj of Ellichpur. Later on, the Yadava ruler stopped paying it. This made the Sultan angry who again reached Devgiri in 1307 A.D. over the issue of Ellichpur.
12. Ellora: Ellora with three distinct groups of rock-cut architecture associated with Buddhism, Jainism and Brahmanical Hinduism, is famous for its temple of “Kailash (Shiva) -an entire temple complex completely hewn-out of the live rock in imitation of a distinctive structural form”. The temple was built by the Rashtrakuta King Krishna I (758-773 A.D.) and is one of the most magnificent examples of Dravida architecture with its four principal characteristic components, viz., Vimana, mandapa, nandi mandapa and gopuram. The Ellora sculptures are famous for their liveliness.
    • The association of Buddhist, Jaina and Aryan architectural contribution at one place clearly re­veals the catholicity of what has come to be known later as Hinduism.
13. Ghazni: Now in Afghanistan, Ghazni is said to have established by Yakoob-ibn-Lass. Alaptagin established his control over Ghazni in about 933 A.D. Then came Subuktagin, in 976 A.D. who made a powerful kingdom there after conquering various territories like Lamghan, sistan and Khorasan. He also fought battles against the Shahiya rulers of North-west. Mahmud of Ghazni was the illustrious son of Subuktagin who invaded India seventeen times. The glory of Ghazni reached its climax during his period.
14. Ghor: It was a small principality in Afghanistan in between Ghazni and Heart. Muhammad Ghori was the ruler of this principal­ity. He was a great military genius who led a num­ber of laid the foundation of the Muslim empire in India after the second battle of Tarain in 1192 A.D.
15. Gwalior: Gwalior is a legendary city, with a very interesting and colourful past. It is a city which remembers its kings, poets, singers and saints with pride, and preserves every monument of its historical and cultural heritage, with utmost care. Gwalior was established in 18th century A.D. and has been named after Saint Gwalipa, a hermit who had cured Suraj Sen, the king of Gwalior, of leprosy, by offering him water from the Suraj Kund or the Sun Tank located within the Gwalior fort. The city of Gwalior is dominated by the hill­top fort, the history of which goes back over 1000 years. During this period of 1000 years, Gwalior fort has been annexed by many rulers, including the Tomars, Mughals, Marathas and the Britishers. In the early 19lh century, the fort was passed on to the Scindias. The fort has been a mute witness to some of the final and most dramatic events of the Mutiny, in mid 1858. Rani of Jhansi, the heroine of the Indian independence, was killed here during the final assault on the fort in 1858. The Gwalior fort, rising about 100 metres above the ground, sprawls over a length of about three kilometres. The width of the fort also varies between one kilometre and 200 metres at different places. The mightly sandstone walls of the fort encompass about six places, three temples, and several water tanks. The tourist can have a magnificent view from the fort walls, over the old city of Gwalior.
16. Hampi: 353 kms from Bangalore and 74 kms from Bellary is Hampi. A world Heri­tage centre, Hampi is the most beautiful and evoca­tive of all the ruins in Karnataka, the erstwhile capital of the Vijayanagar kingdom (1336 A.D.-1565 A.D.). Hampi is full of delightful surprises. Like the king’s Balance where kings were weighed against grain, gold or money which was then dis­tributed to the poor, the Queen’s Bath with its arched corridors, projecting balconies and lotus-shaped fountains that once sprouted perfumed water, the two-storied Lotus Mahal with recessed archways, the huge Elephant stables, the splen­did Vithala Temple with its musical pillars and the stone chariot, the Virupaksha Temple, still used for worship, Vira Narasimha, the 6.7 m tall monolith, the Pushkarini Tank, the Mahanavami Dibba and so much more. The once-powerful Vijayanagar Empire was compared to Rome by the Portuguese traveller Paes.
17. Hissar: Firoz Shah Tughlaq founded Hissar, a place ini modern Haryana, in 1356 A.D. He drew a canal from the Yamuna river at Hissar and started royal farming there. The agriculture of cotton and sugarcane was promoted by the sultan of Delhi. He also built a palace there, the remains of which can be seen today.
18. Jodhpur: The fortress city founded by Rajput king, Jodha, in the 15th century, the state of Jodhpur accepted Mughal suzerainty during Akbar’s reign. The Rathores of Jodhpur resisted Aurangzeb’s aggressive policy towards it. Maldev was the contemporary ruler of Sher Shah. Akbar got his son, Salim married with the daughter of Uday Singh. Jaswant Singh was a great general of Aurangzeb.
19. Kabul: The capital of Afghani­stan, Kabul was a place of importance for India. Invaders, traders and merchants of central and west Asia came to India through Kabul Babur occu­pied it 1504 A.D. and it became a part of Mughal empire after the battle of Panipat in 1526 A.D. In 1545 Humayun captured it from his brother Kamran. Akbar also occupied it 1581 A.D. The ruler of Kabul Nadir Shah invaded India in 1739 A.D.
20. Katni: It is a place in Madhya Pradesh near Jabalpur. It was a centre of industrial activities during the medieval period. The rulers of Kalinjar had strong hold over these activities. One more Kami was in existence at Himachal Pradesh near Vilaspur which was founded by king Dipchandra in 1653 A.D. European traveller Wigney wrote an account of this town in his memorise in 1838 A.D. However, this town van­ished after the Bhakra-Nangal Dam.
21. Khyber Pass: The foreigners came to India through Khyber Pass which is on the North-West border of Indian sub-continent near Peshawar in Pakistan. It is in the Hidukush range of mountains. The Aryans, Indo-Greeks, Alexander, Mahmud Gazni and Muhmmad Ghori used this pass.
22. Lahore: On the bank of Ravi, Lahore in modern Pakistan was an important ur­ban centre during medieval times. It was under the Hindu Shahi dynasty. Mahmud Gazni captured Lahore for sometime. It was an integral part of the Sultanate of Delhi. Qutub-ud-Din Aibak died at Lahore in 1210 A.D. Babur occupied Lahore in 1524 A.D. Akbar made it his camp-capital for sev­eral year in order to control the North-West bor­der. After the death of Aurangzeb the Mughals lost their control. Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab made Lahore his capital.
23. Peshawar: It was an important urban center because of its closeness to Khyber Pass. It was also a place of strategic importance. Mahmud Gazni occupied it. Sher Shah repaired the trade route from Peshawar to Sonargaon. From Peshawar trade routes went to different places of west and central Asia.
24. Rameshwaram: Rameshwaram a small island, 100 miles from Madurai in the Gulf of Mannar, is also a port of embark to Talaimannar (Sri Lanka). Rameshwaram is a major pilgrim cen­tre. Its most famous attraction is the Ramanathaswamy temple, a gem of late Dravidian architecture. Its most renowned feature is the magnificent corridors lined with sculptured pillars. One of the corridors is an incredible 1220 metres in length-the largest in India. The construction of the temple began in 12lh century A.D. It is a holy as Varanasi in northern India. “Rameshwaram is holy, because Sri Rama, on his return from Sri Lanka, offered his thanks to Lord Siva here. Every Hindu Devout hopes to visit Rameshwaram at least once in his life-time. This place is thus equally sacred to both Vaishnavites and Saivites.
25. Ranthambore: Ranthambore is one of the most impregnable forts of India, it was first conquered by Mohammad Ghori, Shah Jahan demanded the surrender of this fort to himself as a condition to go to reconquer Khandhar in 1622.
26. Sialkot: It is now in Pakistan. It was known as Shakal in ancient period. The Indo-Greeks ruled from this place. Muhammad Ghori made Sialkot a part of his empire. Babur used it as his basis for India march-Akbar also put his sol­diers at Sialkot to control the situation of the North-West border.
27. Thaneswar: Thaneswar near Kurukshetra, to the north of Delhi in the province of Haryana, was the capital of the Pushyabhuti dynasty. The kingdom of Thaneswar emerged into a powerful state under Harsha’s (606-647 A.D.) father, Prabhakarvardha, who was in constant warfare against the Huns on the frontier and with the rulers of Malwa. Harsha shifted his capital from Thaneswar to Kannauj. According to Heium-Tsang the people of the city were specially in­clined to trade. Thus Thaneswar was a principal centre of trade. It was attacked by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1014 A.D. It is here that Ahmad Shah Abdali first defeated the Maratha army in 1759 boding to the Maratha collapse at Panipat in 1761.
28. Thatta: Situated on the bank of Indus River in Sind province of Pakistan, Thatta was an important urban centre of the western coast. Mahmud Gazni and Muhammad Ghori made repeated raids against the Hindu rulers of Thatta. Muhammad Tughlaq died here and his brother Firoz Shah Tughlaq compelled the ruler of Thatta to accept his influence. Thatta was a centre of Mahadvi movement during the Mughal period.
29. Uttaramerur: It is a small village in Tamil Nadu where two Tamil inscription of have been recovered. These inscriptions give de­tails of how the local Sabha functioned. From these inscriptions we came to know about the autonomy of village administration of South India during the Chola period.
30. Warangal: Warangal was the capital of Kakatiya Kingdom of Telingana and was seized by Malik Kafur in 1308. The Kaikatiya ruler, Pratap Rudra Deva, offered stubborn resistance, but in the end he agreed to submit and offer all his treasures to the Muslim invader. Malik Kafur then captured a huge booty and returned to Delhi, with a thousand camels, grounding under the weight of treasures.

1. Ahmadnagar: It was the capital of Nizam Sahi Kingdom which was founded in 1530 after the downfall of the Bahmani Kingdom. It played a big role in the politics of South India. Akbar sent his army in 1597 A. D. against Ahmadnagar. Chand Bibi offered heroic resistance to Akbar for long. She could not succeed and the fort of Ahmadnagar was captured in 1600 A. D. It was Shahjahan who finally occupied the kingdom of Ahmadnagar in 1637 A. D. Aurangzeb died here in 1707.
2. Anhilwara: It was the chief city of Gujarat. Its ancient name was Patan. King Mul Raja I founded this city in 8^th century. Mahmud Ghazni invaded Anhilwara in 1025 A. D. and looted the temple of Somnath. Patan was too strong for the invader Md. Ghori (1178). He was defeated by Bhim Dev II. Alauddin Khilji defeated Rajkarna of Anhilwara in 1299 A. D. and captured his queen Kamla Devi. It continued to be a part of Delhi Sul­tanate until 1401 A. D. It was for sometime the capital of Gaekwads after the third battle of Panipat.
3. Badgara: It was a province in Bengal dur­ing Medieval period; it flourished especially under the Sen Rulers.
4. Balasore: It was a famous trade centre on the sea-coast of Orissa during the Mughal period. A factory was opened here by the Dutch in 1658 A. D. The East India Company had also opened a factory earlier in 1633 A. D. A Viceroy of Aurangzeb named Shiasta Khan put a check on the demons of the English and captured their facto­ries in 1686. The English also looted Balasore in retaliation. Bhonsle surrendered Balasore to the English in 1803 A.D. under the treaty of Devgaon.
5. Bayana: King Vijay pal I of Karawali Dy­nasty of Mathura erected the fort of Vijay temple in the Bharatpur district of Rajasthan. This place became Bayana later on. It was a famous place for indigo plantation during medieval times. Muhammad Ghori occupied Bayana in 1196 A. D. It became a riyasat of the jat rulers of Bharatpur during later Mughal times. Since it was close to Agra, it was also im­portant from strategic point of view.
6. Bidar: Ali Barid founded Bidar, near modern Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh, in 1526-27 after the decline of the Bahmani King­dom. Earlier Mahmud Gawan got built a college at Bidar. This three storied building was massive walls and grand arches. This college is known as Mahmud Gawan’s Madarssa. In 1619 A. D. Bijapur oc­cupied Bidar. Later on it came un­der the Mughals.
7. Chinsura: The Dutch built a factory at Chinsura in mod­ern West Bengal in 1653. They were involved in trade and commerce of this area. The English also came there attracted by cotton and silk trade. In 1698 they were given the right to duty free commercial activi­ties by Mughal Governor Azim-us-Shan. The Dutch East India Com­pany protested this step of the Mughals.
8. Chittor: The fortress city of Rajasthan on the bank of a tribu­tary of Chambal, Gambhira River, which was founded by Bappa Rawal in 18^th century as the capital of Mewar. In 1303 A. D. Mewar was attached and its capital Chittor was besieged by Alauddm Khilji because of his pas­sionate desire to possess Padmani, the queen of Rana Ratan Singh, who was renowned all over India for her exceptional beauty and charm. The Rajputs fought upto the last man while Padmani along with other Rajput women performed Jauhar and perished in the flames. Chittor was put under the charge of Alauddin’s son Khizar Khan and was renamed after his name, as Khizarabad. But the occupation of Chittor, however, did not prove permanent. Mewar gave some great rulers like Rana Kumbha, Rana Sanga and Rana Pratap who continually resisted Turk and Mughal arms. It has a lotty 122 feet 9-storey tower known as Kirti Stambha.
9. Daman: The island of Daman near Goa was a port during medieval times where ships from Africa and Europe came regularly in 1531 the Portuguese bombarded Daman. They captured it in 1559 and settled a factory here.
10. Dharmat: On 25 April, 1658 A. D. Aurangzeb and Murad defeated the army of Dara Shukoh at Dharmat near Gwalior in the war of succession when they heard the news of the illenss of Shahjahan. The joint army of Aurangzeb and Murad was led by Jasant Sinigh and Qasim Khan. The result of the war of Dharmat helped Aurangzeb occupy the throne of Delhi.
11. Dipalpur: Situated on the bank of Indus River in Pakistan, Dipalpur was a place of strategic importance. Balban built a fort at Dipalpur and set his soldiers to encounter Mongol invad­ers.



12. Gangaikonda Cholapuram: It was the capital city of the greatest Chola ruler Rajendra Chola I (1012-1044 A.D.), who built it after the suc­cessful Chola military campaign up to the bank of the river Ganges in 1021-22. Currently the city lies in ruins and its enormous tank has dried up.
13. Gaur: It was the capital of Bengal in me­dieval times; it developed its 14^th century tradition of brick arcaded construction, a curious medley of Muslim and Hindu methods, is famous for Firoz Shah Mihar, Chhota sona and Bera Sona Masjids.
14. Ghargaon: It is a place near Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh which was the sheet of the Parmar rulers in medieval time. It was a famous centre of educational and cultural activities. Fa­mous rulers of this place were Munja and Bhoja. In 1305 A. D. Alauddin Khilji occupied Ghargaon after defeating Mahalakdeo. This place was also known for wheat and betel plantations.
15. Kamatapura: Presently in Cooch Bihar district of West Bengal, Kamatapura got promi­nence in 15^th century. Sena rulers founded a pow­erful kingdom and ruled for about 75 years. Alauddin Hussain Shah of Bengal defeated the last ruler of this dynasty Nilambar and occupied Kamatapura.
16. Katehar: The region of Rohillkhand in modern Uttar Pradesh was called Katehar during medieval times. Ahichhatra was its capital. Iltutmish won after a long struggle against Rajput rulers. In 1254 Balban badly crushed the Rajputs of Katehar when they stopped paying to the sul­tanate exchequer. It became a part of the Sultanate finally by the efforts of Alauddin Khilji. However, there were continuous revolts at Katehar. In 1748 Ali Muhammad Khan Ruhella occupied Katehar and changed its name to Rohillkhand.
17. Kishangarh: Situated in the middle of Jaipur and Ajmer in Rajasthan, Kishangarh was founded in 1575 A. D. by Kishan Singh, the son of the ruler of Jodhpur Uday Singh. It was a famous place in medieval times because a separate school of painting evolved here. The school was started by Sahasmal in 1615-18 A. D. Nihal Chand was a famous painter who performed the painting of Bani-Thani.
18. Lakhnawati: It is in the Malda district of West Bengal. It was the capital of Sean rulers. Lakshman Sen was the last ruler of this dynasty who shifted to Lakhnawati from Nadia in fear of the invasions of Bakhtiyar Khilji in 1204-05. Sher Shah won Lakhnawati in 1538 and it continued to be a part of Mughal Empire.
19. Madurai: Popularly known as the city of festivals, Madurai was the seat of the 3^rd Sangam and was till the 14^th century the capital of the Pandyan kingdom which had sea-borne trade with Rome and Greece. It is famous for the Minakshi temple. In 1311 A. D. Malik Kafur, on behalf of his master Alauddini Khilji, reached Madurai. In memory of huge booty fell into the hands of the invaders, which in the words of Amir Khusrau, comprised 512 elephants, 5,000 horses and a large quantity of emeralds and rubies.
20. Mandu: Known as the city of joy, Mandu was the capital of the old kingdom of Malwa and is one of the most magnificent fortress cities of In­dia. Famous musician king, Baz Bahadur, ruled over the kingdom of Malwa till it was annexed by Akbar. The fortress has within it splendid edifices like Kamal Maula Masjid, Lai Masjid, Hindola Mahal and Rani Rupmati’s palace.
21. Navsari: The merchants of Arab were first to settle in this island which off Gujarat Cost. Later on it came under the Portuguese. Navsari emerged as a centre of commercial activities during medi­eval times. When the Marathas looted Surat, Shivaji occupied this island. After this event there continue a long struggle between the Siddis of Janjira and the Marathas. Later on Peshwa Bajirao II finally made it a part of his empire.
22. Orchha: The rulers of Parihar and Chandela dynasties ruled from Orchha, a place near the Betwa River in Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh. In 1531 A. D. King Rudra Pratap founded Orchha and Bharti Chand shifted his capital to this place from Garhkundar in 1539. At Orchha Abul Fazal was murdered by Parvir Singh Bundela for Jhangir. This place was a center of architecture and literature. Jahangir Mahal and Keshav Dev Bhawan were made by Vir Singh Bundela.
23. Pandharpur: In 13^th century it became a centre of Vithala Swami Sampraday. Pandharpur in Maharashtra attracted famous reformer of Maharashtra like Namdev, Janobai, Narhari, Tukaram and Gyaneshwar. There is a temple of Lord Vithala Swami of Vithoba.
24. Panipat: The famous battle field of Haryana which proved to be a Waterloo for the Lodis, Hemu and the Marathas respectively in 1526, 1556, 1761. In 1626 Babur having defeated Ibrahim Lodi founded the Mughal Empire. It is famous for the Kabuli Bagh Mosque built by Babar in 1526.
25. Patan: The ancient name of Patan was Nihilwara or Anhilpur (Anhilwara). It was founded by Queen Rupsundari in 746 A. D. who was the mother of Banaraj of the Chawda dynasty. Presently in the district of Mehsana in Gujarat, Patan tells the story of the defeat of Muhammad Ghori in 1178 A. D. at the hands of Bhima II. Alauddin Khilji defeated Rajkarna of Anhilwara in 1299 A. D. captured his queen Kamla Devi. It continued to be part of Delhi sultanate until 1401 A. D. Akbar’s regent Bairam Khan was killed at Patan. There are ten Jaina temples at this place.
26. Qamarnagar: It was a famous port near Chennai which was known age Puhar. In Periplus we find a port named Kakandi which can be identified with Qamarnagar. This port was im­portant for foreign trade and commerce. It is said that Chola king Karikal this part from the slaves of Shrilanka.
27. Raichur: This town was part of the 13^th century Kakatiya Kingdom, then part of the Bahamani Kingdom it became the first capital of Bijapur (1489) and Later came under the rule of Vijanagar. The fort, with its impressive gate has a citadel.
28. Sirohi: A place in the west of Udaipur in Rajasthan which was founded by the Chauhans of Delhi and Ajmer after they were defeated by Kutubuddin Aibak. Aurangzeb offered the Sirohi state to the Rana of Mewar in order to get military support.
29. Somnath: Somnath was one of the most celebrated temples of the Hindus and stood in the extreme south of Kathiawar. This temple was known all around for its fabulous wealth and ex­ceptional beauty and grandeur. The temple chains, with which the bells were hung, weighed more than 200 maunds of gold. It is estimated that there a hundred thousand pilgrims used to assemble, a thousand Brahmans served the temple and guarded its treasures, and hundreds of dancers and singers played before its gates. In 1025 Mahmud Ghazni entered the temple, broke the idol into pieces and ruthlessly sacked the temple. A huge booty of diamonds, rubies, pearls and gold fell into his hands, the worth of which exceeded 20 lakh Dinars.
30. Tirhut: Nanyadev of Karnat Dynasty founded the kingdom of Tirhut in 11^th century in the regions of Muzaffarpur and Dharbhanga in Bihar. Simraon was its capital. Earlier it was also called Mithila. Ghyasuddin Tughlaq brought Tirhut under the fold of Delhi Sultanate. He changed its name to Tughlakpur. Tirhut was also brought under the Sharqi rulers of Jaunpur for sometime. In 1519 Nasib Khan killed king Kansanarayan of Tirhut.