Amaravati

Lakshmi Vilas Palace

He pioneered the Indo-Saracenic style or architecture and built grand landmarks across India. And yet, he did not trust his own designs and never

Culture, History, Places, Religions

What Do Japan’s Torii, China’s Paifang & Korea’s Hongsalmun Have in Common?

What’s common to the Torii of Japan, China’s Paifang and Korea’s Honsalmun? All these ceremonial gates have a shared inspiration – the toranas of

History, People, Places

The Prison That Secured Aurangzeb’s Throne | Gwalior Fort

Beneath the palaces of Gwalior Fort lies one of the most dreaded prisons of medieval India. Here, princes vanished and rivals were erased from

Culture, History, Mythology, Places, Religions

Why the Original Sanchi Stupa Had No Images of Buddha | Sanchi

Did you know the first human images of the Buddha appeared nearly 500 years after his death? Before that, artists used symbols to represent

History, People, Places, Religions

The Strange Partnership that saved Bateshwar | Madhya Pradesh

In the ravines of Chambal in Madhya Pradesh, lies Bateshwar, a complex of 200 ancient temples. For centuries they lay in ruins, swallowed

Culture, History, Places

Bhimbetka Rock Shelters, Madhya Pradesh

The Bhimbetka Rock Shelters in Madhya Pradesh are among the 10 oldest prehistoric cave painting sites in the world. Some of these paintings are

History, Places, Religions

Mackenzie: The Man Who Found Amaravati

Buddhism, during its golden age, inspired several unique contributions to art and architecture in India. But by the 13th century, there was almost no trace of the religion left in the country, and many of the creations inspired by Buddhism too had vanished, buried deep under layers of earth, where they lay forgotten for centuries…. Until one man named Colin Mackenzie made a spectacular discovery - the relics of Amaravati.

History, Places, Religions

The Satavahanas and India’s Ancient Tollgates

The Ajanta Cave paintings in Maharashtra date back to the 1st century BCE. These caves and their paintings were created not long after Buddha’s death under the patronage of a dynasty called the Satavahanas, a dynasty that ruled for over three centuries and greatly influenced Indian art. Who were they and what made them so successful? Historians are still figuring out the answer to that question. But a 2200-year-old pot that can be seen in Naneghat pass in Maharashtra’s Western Ghats holds a clue.

History, Places, Religions

The Satavahanas at Sanchi

History textbooks teach us that the Sanchi Stupa was built by emperor Ashoka. However, the credit doesn't entirely go to him. Who built the stupa that stands in Sanchi today?

Culture, History, Places, Religions

The Buddhist Relics of Amaravati | Egmore Museum, Chennai

The 2000 year old Amaravati marbles at the Egmore Museum in Chennai are the remnants of a Buddhist stupa built by the mighty Satavahana kings. Who were these Hindu kings that created such beautiful Buddhist art? What does a small statue of Hercules sitting amidst Buddhist relics at the Museum tell us about the evolution of Buddhism? Watch this video to know all this and more!

Amaravati

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