Dargah of Shah Daulat in Maner, Bihar
India's Eastern state of Bihar was once the civilizational centre of the North Indian plains. Its old capital of Patliputra (now Patna) was reputed to be a grand and glorious city and Greek chroniclers left impressive accounts of its many gateways and palaces. Of greater significance are its ancient universities such as at Nalanda and Vikramshila (near Bhagalpur). These universities attracted scholars from throughout South East Asia and China and the curriculum included the study of astronomy, medicine, the scientific method and philosophy. Jain and Buddhist scholars, along with scholars owing allegiance to a variety of non-theistic (and rational) streams and religious sects broadly associated with Hinduism studied and engaged in vigorous debates with each other.
With the onslaught of the Islamic invasions, the universities came under attack, and most of the texts preserved in the libraries of Bihar's ancient universities were set to fire. Although some of the content of these texts has been reconstructed (or inferred) from surviving texts in Tibet (and other second-hand sources), some of the treatises and historical records are simply lost, though it is possible that aspects of the destroyed legacy may have lived on in some other form.
One of the few towns in modern Bihar to retain it's Buddhist flavor is Bodh Gaya (roughly 90 miles south of Patna) with its famous MahaBodhi temple. A flourishing centre for Buddhism, it attracted pilgrims from all over the world. In the 14th century, Burmese Buddhists renovated the grand temple which continues to draw followers of the faith.
Maner, a small town East of Patna is one of the earliest centres of Sufism in Bihar, and the town took its name from the 13th century Sufi saint Hazrat Makhdum Maneri. This handsome Dargah commemorates his disciple, Shah Daulat. Bihar Sharif and Vaishali (better known for it's Buddhist heritage) also developed as centres of Sufism in the period from the 13th to the 15th centuries, and it is likely that as in Bengal, a number of those who converted to Islam may have been Buddhists.
Further south, is the town of Sasaram, once capital of Sher Shah Suri's North Indian empire. Most of it's surviving monuments date from the 16th century, and Sher Shah's octagonal tomb is one of the grandest of that period. Once brilliantly decorated in yellow, turquoise and blue tiles, it was impressively conceived. Today, only its delicate jaalis provide an indication of the sort of craftsmen it employed. There is also some fine craftsmanship in the memorial (located in nearby Chainpur) to Aliwal Khan - the architect of Sher Shah's tomb.
The Aurangabad region of Maharashtra was also an important centre of Buddhism in ancient India. And like the Patna region of Bihar, it also emerged as a centre of Sufism in the medieval period. Towards the end of his life, Aurangzeb regretting his allegiance to Islamic orthodoxy began to move closer to the teachings of some Sufi saints, and asked that he be buried in a simple grave in Khuldabad, a Sufi centre.
Aurangabad itself has an interesting history. Founded in 1610 by Malik Amber (an Abyssinian slave who went on to become the Ahmednagar king's prime minister), it later became associated with Aurangzeb, who built the well-known Bibi-ka-Maqbara in the city.
Ajanta designated as a 'World Heritage Site' for it's remarkable collection of caves could hardly be described as a site off one of India's back roads. But there are other historic sites scattered throughout the district, and the drive to Pithalkhora (another ancient site) is particularly scenic with it's gentle hills and many lakes.
Although overshadowed by Agra and Jaipur, Gwalior is home to one of the most spectacular forts in the country. And though it's fort and museum are justifiably renowned, it's tombs are often missed. The 16th century tomb of Muhammad Ghaus has some particularly fine jaali-work, and close to it is the tomb of Miya Tansen - the legendary musician from the court of Akbar.
Similiarly, Ajmer has been overshadowed by Jaipur and is known almost exclusively for it's Dargah. But the Adhai-din-ka-Jhompra is also an interesting monument - once a Jain college but then converted into a mosque in the twelfth century.
In the Jhalawar district of Rajasthan, there is a densely carved sun-temple dating from the 12th century in Jhalrapatan. And in the nearby district of Mandsaur (in Madhya Pradesh) there are some impressive sculptural remains of what may have been a Gupta period monument.
Although rarely visited, the state of Chhatisgarh has quite a rich historical legacy with remnants of some fine Buddhist monasteries, and Hindu and Jain temples. The legacy of the Kalachuris is particularly impressive, and also unusual are the erotic carvings in Mandwa Mahal (near Bhoramdeo, Kawardha)
The Himalayas provide a spectacular backdrop to many hill resorts of Northern India. Of these, Nainital is one of the most frequented. Less frequented are Ranikhet, Bhimtal and Almora. Ranikhet provides some panoramic views of the Himalayas, while Bhimtal is not far from the charming Naukuchiya Tal.
The hills of Central India and the Deccan plateau can also provide some panoramic views. Dakshina Kannada is an especially scenic region and Mysore has long held the reputation of being a garden city. With a splendid palace and easy access to hill resorts in the Coorg region, it has been justifiably popular with regional tourists.
Many Indian cities (like elsewhere in the world) came up along the banks of large rivers. Vijayawada - nestled between the hills of the Eastern Ghats and the Krishna river is one of many such cities and offers charming views of the serene river and it's many islands.
If you are a nature lover, also visit Gardens of Delhi or Flowering Trees of India.
Back to the introduction for IMAGE INDIA.
Photographs: Shishir Thadani
(Visiting for the first time? Please read the introduction to Image India)