India?s cultural diversity guarantees amazing architecture all around the country, but most of it goes unknown. These hidden architectural gems in India are a perfect addition to your bucket list if you are a travel buff who wants to wander off to a relatively less crowded destination or a history junkie who wants to explore more about the country.

1. Basgo Monastery, Ladakh

Basgo Temples in Leh is perched amidst the barren boulders of Ladakh, adding to its mystery. This Buddhist temple was built between the 16th and 17th centuries and dedicated to the fifth incarnation of Sakyamuni, Maitreya Buddha. The rammed earth structure features beautiful murals, intricate details, and a 14-meter-high gilded Buddha statue in the largest temple. The fortress had lost many of the structures in the last 4 centuries, but the three temples of the region, Chamba Lakhang, Serzang, and Chamchung temples stand proud withstanding the test of time. April to June is the ideal time to visit because of the clear routes.

2. Chettinad Mansions, Tamil Nadu

Somewhere amid Tamil Nadu, abandoned by its owners seeking new ground, lay the mansion of Chettiars or Chettinad Mansions. It belonged to the wealthy clan of merchants known as Chettiars whose residence gives us a peek into the lives of grandeur they once led. The mansions are similar to typical Rajasthani Havelis in terms of size and architecture, and each of them has a courtyard and raised platforms serving as informal workplaces. Chettiar Businessmen often travelled far and wide and brought home numerous relics that now adorn these mansions.

3. Raja Gopuram, Srirangam, Tamil Nadu

Standing proud at 236 feet with 13 tiers, this tower on the eastern side of Sri Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam is the tallest temple tower in the world. The Raja Gopuram has an impressive structure with its 166 feet by 97 feet base never bowing down to the villains of the time. This Gopuram has a colourful fa?ade with intricate carvings of scenes from the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. More than 200 workers toiled over 8 years to construct the tower perfectly, often eliciting awe from the onlookers.

4. Kumbhalgarh Fort, Rajasthan

China has The Great Wall and India has Kumbalgarh Fort, the second largest wall in the world. One of the underrated heritage sites in India and built in the 15th century, Kumbalgarh is said to be the birthplace of Maharana Pratap and an important monument for the Rajputs. Kumbalgarh contains more than 300 Hindu and Jain temples with palatial gardens that are best to stroll and relax after exploring the area. Badal Mahal, as the name suggests, Palace of Clouds will surely strike one?s fancy with its beautiful mural paintings. No wars could shake the mighty fort, which also has a wildlife sanctuary, proving that it literally has something for everyone!

5. Pattadakal, Karnataka

Gracing the banks of the Mahaprabha River, the group of monuments built under the Chalukyan Dynasty is the perfect blend of the ancient Indian architecture from the north and south, having 10 temples made in Dravidian, Aryan and a combination of both styles. The temples have ornate carvings and inscriptions chiselled into them. The most famous temple in the Pattadakal group of monuments is Virupaksha Temple, built by Queen Lokamahadevi in c. 740 to celebrate the triumph of her husbands from the kings and emperors of the South.

6. Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, Gujarat

The Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park is located in the Panchmahal district in Gujarat. The site was an early Hindu capital founded by King Vanraj Chavda of the Chavda dynasty in the 8th century and was later converted into an Islamic city from the 15th to 16th century. It is one of the few unchanged pre-Mughal Islamic cities. The temples have both temples and mosques in their vicinity, along with agricultural installations, residential complexes and water installations like step-wells and tanks. The Kalika Mata Temple located 800 m high at the hilltop is an important shrine that pilgrims visit to this day.

7. Murud Janjira, Maharashtra

Just off the coastal city of Murud, with the destination accessible only by a ferry or boat, one can see the impregnable Murud Janjira Fort, still standing even though numerous forces had tried to tame it. It belonged to the Siddi Nawabs and dates back to the 17th century.  The fort is surrounded by water on all sides with only one entry through a massive gateway with Arabic carvings, going down in history as one of the unique cultural sites in India. The fort is built on an oval rock, and inside it lay canons, granaries, soldiers? residences and various other structures that offer a peek into the lives of the Nawabs and their soldiers.

8. Maluti temples, Jharkhand

Temples in India have their fair share of grandeur, but Maluti temple is distinctive in its own way. Located in the forests of Dumka, close to the borders of West Bengal, lies the temple complex of Maluti which had 108 shrines built in the 17th century out of which 72 are still standing today. Eight new shrines have been built to accompany it, totalling up the shrines inside it to 80. What makes the temples unique is their exquisite terracotta structures adorned with carvings of scenes in the Hindu epic Ramayana on its outer wall.

9. Abhaneri Stepwells

About 90k to the east of Jaipur lies the quaint village of Abhaneri. The most notable attraction in the village is the Chand Baori stepwell which has over 3500 narrow steps leading to a pool of cool water about 64 feet under. The step-wells have interesting geometries and offer a cool respite from the scorching summers. The 13-story deep stepwell constructed between the 8th and 9th centuries was designed to allow easy access to water to locals and conserve the water.

10. Kailasa Temple

About 24 km northwest of Aurangabad in Maharashtra, Ellora is the abode of 34 rock-cut caves. Cave 16 contains the largest monolithic structure in the world, the Kailasa Temple. It is one of the best architectural wonders of India carved from a single rock, using only a chisel and hammer. Unlike other temples, it was carved from Top to bottom and depicts the abode of Lord Shiva on top of the Kailash Mountains.

How many of these lesser-known monuments of India did you know before? Which one did you find most charming? Comment below!?

Sources

• https://travellinkslive.com/5486-2/
• https://www.rutsu.in/post/hidden-gems-lesser-known-architectural-marvels-in-india
• https://www.mgmotor.co.in/blogs/discover-the-unknown-by-driving-to-these-lesser-known-historical-sites-in-india
• https://www.nomadicexpeditions.com/10-hidden-gems-of-india
• https://www.newindianexpress.com/xplore/2024/Apr/18/exploring-indias-hidden-gems
• https://thrillingtravel.in/mansions-of-chettinad-karaikudi.html
• https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/destinations/murud-janjira-fort-maharashtras-formidable-island-fortress/articleshow/104630626.cms