Statue of Unity
• Height: 182m (597 ft.)
• Location: Sardar Sarovar Dam, Kevadiya, Narmada district, Gujarat, India.
• Country: India
• Depiction: Vallabhbhai Patel
• Year of completion: 2018
Key Point: It is the India’s tallest statue standing on the base of 58 m, total Statues height is 240 m. on October 31st, 2018, this monument of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was uncovered by PM Narendra Modi at the 143rd birth anniversary of Vallabhbhai Patel. This is the tallest statue in India and pretty much suited for the country.
The Hindu Temples and Monuments of Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu
As a chunk of a month-long trip explored the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, I wasn’t prepared for what I found within the tiny seaport city of Mamallapuram. Few of the most surprising temples and carvings I had ever seen in my life sit calmly, and almost secretly, without the crowds of flocks you would expect from such ancient and stunning pieces. My best loves include the Five Rathas, a set of 5 buildings that was actually carved from a single large rock, each one devoted to a god or goddess and buried under sand up until just over 200 years ago. And although not temples, Arjuna’s Penance, a giant rock relief depicting scenes of Krishna’s Butterball and Hindu mythology, a dangerous balanced stone boulder that sits on the slope are so exquisite I felt overwhelmed with emotion in the presence. It’s also in this tiny city where I found one of the awesome places to practise yoga in India with 7am one-on-one classes in association with Mamallaa Heritage.
The Golden Temple, Amritsar
Before making my way north to the Nek Chand Rock Garden I had spent time in the absorbing city of Amritsar with its enchanting Golden Temple. Spiritually, this is the most significant site of Sikhism and visually I thought it’s one of the most stunning Indian temples, if not the world. Covering in pure gold, sitting in the manmade lake centre, the temple appeared to be magical floating as pilgrims and devotees lined the walkway making their pathway inside. I visited the temple thrice, once in the middle of the day when the sun was hot and high, making the gold shine brighter than ever, and once at dusk, when the temple reflection on the lake made the most magically graceful scene. Equally as stunning as the temple itself, is the society kitchen where each day up to 100,000 humans are fed for free and anyone do join in, regardless of caste religion, race.
Ranakpur Jain Temple, Rajasthan
Coincidentally, a man in Udaipur told me about a Jain temple while I was reading a novel on Jainism, so I built up the decision to stop at the small village of Ranakpur on my pathway to Jodhpur. Aside from being one of the biggest and most significant Jain culture temples. It also features white marble hand-carved pillars with not 2 being the same. The perfect beauty of the place is amazing, made all the more impressive by the fact the temple dates back to the 1400s. You should eliminate your shoes before entering and you could not touch anyone of the opposite sex once inside. If you plan on staying in Rajasthan for a while it’s worth booking a few nights staying at the Fairmont Jaipur for their swimming pool and bathtubs alone.
Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, Khajuraho
Hidden deep in the India centre is a fascinating group of Jain and Hindu monuments otherwise denoted as the Kama Sutra temples, since numerous are covered with high suggestive sculptures. I spent certain days in Khajuraho giving them the time they deserved, I had suggested doing the same before heading up to Bandhavgarh to look out for wild tigers.
Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai
Visiting the awesome Meenakshi Hindu Temple is one of my best-loved things to do in Madurai. It’s a highly fascinating, deeply spiritual place where masses of devotees merge, each one bringing offerings of fruits and flowers daily. Right in the centre of the crowded city, the temple is devoted to a format of the Hindu goddess Parvati, the pilgrimage site featuring shrines, thousands of complex carved pillars and secret chambers spread over an enormous 14 acres.
Ellora Cave Temples, Aurangabad
I had taken a jeep taxi to Ellora that was fully packed (28 people!) that I thought would probably tip over if we had taken a corner too fast. But I’ve never taken a journey more worth it, arriving at Ellora I exploring 34 temples, carved from rock by hand. Some had taken 200 years to complete and the key Hindu temple had 250,000 tonnes of rock cut away to build it, the temples here are so huge, so gorgeous and so tangled that they make me cry.
