Monuments are important historical and cultural structures that were built in the past. They reflect the civilizations and time periods in which they were constructed. Some of the most significant monuments in India include the Taj Mahal, a white marble mausoleum built in the 17th century by Shah Jahan; the Ajanta and Ellora Caves, which contain ancient Buddhist, Hindu and Jain sculptures and paintings; Hawa Mahal, a palace in Jaipur with intricate latticework and windows; Qutub Minar, a 72.5 meter minaret in Delhi; and the massive Chittorgarh Fort built in the 7th century by the Maurya rulers. Preserving mon

2. MONUMENT
• Monuments are the buildings or any infrastructural structures that
were built-in history. They have archeological and social importance.
Monuments are the cultural heritage of a particular place or region.
Monuments are the structure that is built thousands of years ago.
• Monuments reflect the civilization or the particular dynasty in which
they were built. Prehistoric period’s buildings are also excavated and
discovered, they also have equal importance as the medieval or
ancient period monuments.

3. TAJ MAHAL
One of the seven wonders of the
world, Taj Mahal is located on the
banks of River Yamuna in Agra. It was
built by the Mughal Emperor Shah
Jahan as a memorial for his third wife,
Mumtaz Mahal. It also houses the
tomb of Shah Jahan himself.
Constructed entirely out of white
marble in the 17th century, Taj Mahal
is one of the most beautiful
monuments in the world. Every year
visitors numbering more than the
entire population of Agra pass through
the magnificent gates to catch a
glimpse of this breathtaking
monument!

4. AJANTA AND ELLORA
CAVES
Ajanta and Ellora caves, considered
to be one of the finest examples of
ancient rock-cut caves, are located
near Aurangabad in Maharashtra,
India. Ajanta and Ellora caves
complex is adorned with beautiful
sculptures, paintings, and frescoes
and include Buddhist monasteries,
Hindu and Jain temples. The Ajanta
caves are 29 in number and were
built between the 2nd century BC
and 6th century AD, whereas the
Ellora Caves are more spread out
and 34 in number and dates to the
period between 6th and 11th
Century AD.

5. HAWA MAHAL
The massive edifice of Hawa Mahal
stands at the intersection of the main
road in Jaipur, Badi Chaupad and was
built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in
the year 1799. Hawa Mahal derives its
name from its unique structure, which
is a mesh of small windows that allowed
cool wind to enter the palace and hence
kept the palace comfortable during the
hot summer months. The main reason
behind the palace's construction was to
allow the women of the royal house to
observe the festivities on the streets
whilst being unseen from the outside as
was the custom of the land. It is located
right on the edge of the City Palace
Jaipur and extends right to the
'zenana'. It has been embellished with
953 tiny windows, also known as
'Jharokhas' and embellished with
gorgeous latticework

6. QUTUB MINAR
Qutub Minar is a minaret or a
victory tower located in Qutub
complex, a UNESCO World Heritage
Site in Delhi's Mehrauli area. With
the height of 72.5 metres (238 ft),
Qutub Minar is the second tallest
monument of Delhi. Its construction
was started in 1192 by Qutb Ud-
Din-Aibak, founder of Delhi
Sultanate after he defeated the last
Hindu Ruler of Delhi. He
constructed the basement, after
which the construction was taken
over by his son-in-law and successor
Iltutmish who constructed three
additional stories. The fourth and
fifth storeys were built by Firoz Shah
Tuglak.

7. Chittorgarh Fort
Built by local Maurya rulers (often
confused with imperial Maurya
Rulers) in 7th century A.D, the
Chittorgarh Fort in Rajasthan is one of
the largest forts in India. The
Chittorgarh Fort, plainly known as
Chittor is spread majestically over a
hill of 590 feet in height and is spread
across 692 acres of land is a fine
example of the popular Rajput
architecture. The imposing structure
of the fort has many gateways built by
the later rulers of the Maurya clan.
Chittorgarh Fort was previously the
capital of Mewar and is now situated
in the city of Chittorgarh. Chittorgarh
Fort reverberates with tales of
heroism and sacrifice and displays the
Rajput culture and values in the real
sense. Owing to its magnificent
edifice, the Chittorgarh Fort was
declared a UNESCO's World Heritage
Site in the year 2013.

8. Old buildings teach us about
the history that were built
before we were born and
promotes the respect for
those who lived in different
times and different societies.
But simply possessing them is
not enough. Preserving them
should be equally prioritized.
No law, no rule, no force can
save our monuments. Only
self-realization can. These
monuments represent our
tradition, history, art and
design. They are also the
symbols of our architectural
skills. Authorities should pay
proper attention and save
them from ruining away.

9. YOU