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Ajanta - Ellora Caves

Located near Aurangabad in Maharashtra. The 29 caves at Ajanta are situated in a horseshoe-shaped ravine. The cave walls are covered with painted narratives of the Jataka tales. The 34 caves at Ellora are excavated out of the vertical face of the Charanandri hills. The exterior of the Kailasha temple is carved with niches, plasters, windows and images of deities and mithunas (erotic male and female figures). The oldest caves at Ajanta date back to 200 BC. Some caves were built in the Gupta period in 5th century AD. Built as secluded retreats of the Buddhist monks. Carved during 350 AD and 700 AD, the rock temples and monasteries at Ellora represent three faiths - Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. The caves depict the story of Buddhism and are popular tourist sites. Ellora has the largest single monolithic excavation in the world.

Elephanta Caves

Located 10 km from the Gateway of India at Mumbai. The entire cave temple complex covers an area of about 60,000 sq ft and consists of a main chamber and two lateral ones, courtyards and several subsidiary shrines. The caves are hewed from solid rock. Cave 1 represents the evolved Brahmanical rock-cut architecture. The caves are thought to date back to the Silhara kings of the 9th through 13th centuries. These rock cut temples dedicated to Shiva Mahadeva. The Trimurti of Elephanta showing the three faces of Shiva is almost akin to the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh. It was named Elephanta by the Portuguese after the statue of an elephant near the landing area of the island.

Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus

Located in Mumbai. Designed in the Victorian Gothic style of architecture. The building exhibits a fusion of influences from Victorian Italianate Gothic Revival architecture and traditional Indian architecture. The design bears some resemblance to St.Pancras station in London. Was christened Victoria Terminus to commemorate Victoria Jubilee Day in 1887 when India`s first steam engine was launched. It took ten years to complete and was named “Victoria Terminus” in honour of the reigning Queen Victoria. It is one of the busiest railway stations in India.