Ajanta caves are near Aurangabad in Maharashtra. The caves, famous for their murals, are also great examples of sculptures. The caves were excavated in different periods (circa. 2nd century B.C. to 6th century A.D.) In all, total 30 excavations were hewn out of rock. The caves were both living quarters and worship areas.

Lord Rama is supposed to have shot an arrow into the ground to make Ganga spring forth. Banganga was also the location of the hermitage of Sage Gautam. He advised Lord Rama to worship Lord Shiva to get back his wife. Accordingly Lord Rama made a shivling from the sand (Valuka in Sanskrit) and so the word Walkeshwar Mahadev of the Walkeshwar temple.

The Gwalior Fort is atop a cliff. The Jain community had carved immense sculptures on the vertical rock faces of the hill. These are spread over five locations around the fort. These sculptures date to 15th century AD though some of them are believed to be from the 7th Century AD. These are immense in size but were destroyed by the army of Babur. Jains continue their worship in some of the sites.

The Hoysala era is one that contributed enormously to the development of several creative fields as well as spiritual and humanistic thought. During their reign, the Hoysalas built more than 1500 temples all across their empire of which only a little over 100 survive today. The Hoysaleshwara temple at Halebidu is the most exemplary architectural ensemble of the Hoysalas extant today. Built in 1121CE during the reign of the Hoysala King, Vishnuvardhana Hoysaleshwara. The temple is dedicated to Shiva. More sculpturally and artistically sophisticated than any other Hoysala temple, the Hoysaleshwara temple is most well-known for the more than 240 wall sculptures that run all along the outer wall. Invaders from North India finally succeeded in pillaging the city in 1310.

The first Walkeshwar Temple was constructed in 1127 AD by a GSB minister, Lakshman Prabhu, in the court of Shilahar Kings in Thane. It was reconstructed by the then famous Rama Kamati in 1715 AD.

Unakoti means less than a koti (or crore) in Bengali. The site is in Tripura along its eastern border with Bangladesh.

The Hateshwari temple is at Hatkoti between the Uttarkashi and the Shimla districts. There are five near identical stone temples that are called Pandavas’ toys. These are in the Nagara style. The temples of Hateshwari (Mahishasuramardini) and Shiva are in the pent roof style. The deity and inscriptions are dated around 1300 years old. The varying styles themselves indicate centuries of history around this temple complex.

The Sun Temple of Konark was built in the 13th century. It was conceived as a gigantic solar chariot with 12 pairs of exquisitely ornamented wheels dragged by seven horses. It originally consisted of a Shikhara and Jagmohana. The Shikara is now collapsed and only the Jagmohana is intact though with severe damage.

The Lord Venkateshwara temple is one of Hyderabad’s holiest temples. The temple was built in 1976 on Neeladri hills of Hyderabad at an elevation of about 300 feet.. A towering, nine-and-a-half feet high idol of Lord Venketshwara in black granite is enshrined in the main Garbhagriha. The imposing 51 feet Rajagopuram, designed with South Indian influences, is an added attraction.

The temple projects the concept of universality and unity of religions and universal brotherhood among all religions through panels devoted to Guru Nanak Dev, Guru Gobind Singh, Lord Buddha, Bhagawan Mahaveera and Jesus Christ. People of all religion, race, caste and creed are free to visit the temple.

Renukaji is set in the secluded Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh. Renukaji is the birthplace of Lord Parashurama. His mother, Renukaji, took permanent refuge in the lake and is said to rise from the lake once a year to fulfil Parashurama’s request. The large Renuka lake is named after her and there is a smaller lake for Parashuram. The overflow of Renuka lake feeds Parashuram lake.