Ramappa Temple, Telangana
(Image: Sarah Welch/ CC0 1.0)
This 13th century temple complex in Palampet, Telangana, showcases the craftsmanship of the Kakatiya dynasty that ruled most of eastern Deccan region between the 12th and 14th centuries. Their kingdom comprised present-day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and parts of eastern Karnataka and southern Odisha.
Apart from their other achievements like building reservoirs, the dynasty is known for its distinct style in architecture, especially in temples. And one fine example is the Ramappa temple complex, which stands on a six-foot star-shaped platform and has pillars with intricate carvings. Perhaps the only temple in India to be named after its sculptor, the main structure is of reddish sandstone and the columns outside are of basalt. The carvings of mythical animals, dancers and musicians are brilliant examples of Kakatiya art.
The temple complex was built by Racherla Rudra Reddy during the period of the Kakatiya ruler Ganapati Deva in 1213 and it took over four decades to complete it. It is described as “the brightest star in the galaxy of temples” by the famous traveller Marco Polo when he visited India in between 1289 and 1293.
Dholavira, Gujrat
(Image: Rahul Zota/CC BY-SA 4.0)
An archaeological site at Khadirbet in Kutch District, Gujarat, it is one of the five largest sites of the Indus Valley Civilisation and also believed to be the grandest. Discovered in 1967-68, the site is located on Khadirbet island in the Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary in the Great Rann of Kutch.
Initially, Dholavira was thought to have been occupied from 2650 BCE, declining slowly after about 2100 BCE. Recent research, however, suggests that occupation began around 3500 BCE and continued until 1800 BCE.
Excavations have highlighted the urban planning and architecture and Dholavira is believed to have been an a centre of trade between settlements in south Gujarat, Sindh and Punjab and Western Asia. An important discovery was the Dholavira Signboard over a gateway, measuring about 3 m (9.8 ft) in length and contained 10 letters of the Indus script.
Painted black-on-red-ware pottery, square stamp seals, large black jars, a giant bronze hammer, a big chisel, a bronze hand-held mirror, a gold wire, gold ear stud, gold globules with holes, and bangles, shell bangles were among the many artefacts found at the site.
