By Raza Mehdi
Nov 24, 2022
The tomb of Itmad Ud Daulah—believed to be an inspiration for the Taj Mahal—was built between 1622-1628 by Nur Jahan. She commissioned this marble mausoleum in memory of her father, Mirza Ghiyas Beg, who also served as the lord treasurer of Mughal Emperor Akbar.
Itmad Ud Daulah, Agra
Situated in Patan, Gujarat, Rani ki Vav displays the pinnacle of craftsmanship in step-well construction. It was built in the 11th century as an inverted temple, divided into seven levels. Rani Udayamati built it in memory of her husband, King Bhima I of the Solanki dynasty.
Rani Ki Vav, Patan
The Mohinishwara Shivalaya Temple is situated in the middle of Gulmarg town, Kashmir. The temple is located on a small hill and was built in 1915 by Maharani Mohini Bai Sisodia, wife of the then king of Kashmir, Raja Hari Singh of the Dogra dynasty.
Mohinishwara Shivalaya Temple, Gulmarg
Image: Wikipedia Commons
This mosque is situated on the outskirts of Uttar Pradesh and was built in 1447 by Rajye Bibi, queen of Sultan Mahmud Sharqi. She dedicated it to Saint Sayyid Ali Dawood Kutubuddin.
Lal Darwaza Masjid, Jaunpur
Image: Wikipedia Commons
Mirjan Fort is located in the Uttar Kannada district of Karnataka and is known for its striking architectural elegance. It was built in the 16th century by Queen Chennabhairadevi, where she resided for most of her life. She was named the Pepper Queen by the Portuguese because her country had the best pepper cultivation.
Mirjan Fort, Kumta
Image: Wikipedia Commons
Taj-ul-Masajid is India's largest mosque, built by the Begums of Bhopal, a dynasty of four women who ruled from 1819 to 1926. Nawab Shah Jahan Begum started this architectural marvel. After her death, her daughter Sultan Jahan Begum continued the construction, which was finally completed in 1985.
Taj-ul-Masajid, Madhya Pradesh
The Virupaksha Temple is the largest Hindu and Jain temple in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka. Queen Lokamahadevi built the temple in the 8th century to commemorate the victory of her husband, Vikramaditya II, over the Pallavas.
Virupaksha Temple, Pattadakal
Rani Rashmoni was a leader. Born to a fisherman’s family, she became famous for advocating against sati, polygamy and child marriage. She built the Kali Temple in Dakshineswar by purchasing 20 acres of land in 1857 and constructed a two-storeyed structure with nine spires.
Dakshineswar Kali Temple, West Bengal
The tomb of the Mughal Emperor Humayun in Delhi is the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent. After the death of the Mughal emperor Humayun in 1556, his widow Hamida Banu Begum commissioned the tomb in 1569.
Humayun’s tomb, Delhi
Maham Anga, Akbar’s chief wet nurse, built the Khayr al-Manazil Masjid in New Delhi in 1561. She was the de facto regent and political advisor to the teenage emperor Akbar of the Mughal empire. Scholars believe the mosque served as a women’s school.
Khayr al-Manazil, New Delhi
Image: Wikipedia Commons