Modern art and architecture without a doubt have been producing some great pieces of monuments, structures, designs, and other types of infrastructures that almost look like magic. However, ancient India wasn’t far behind in terms of detailing and love for art. Here is the list of The Most Beautiful Places of Ancient India to Visit.
The workers and the engineers were so skilled and hardworking that most of these structures are still standing today as it is. These places are also some of the most underrated tourist spots in India. People who visit them, get lost in their history, their past, and their culture.
Surely, it’s fun to visit the beaches, the mountains, the lakes, the deserts, and the waterfalls. But a trip to the below listed ancient places will be a completely different experience of your lifetime, it’s just like time travel. Let us begin with the most beautiful places of ancient India that you must keep on your bucket list:
Places of Ancient India
Nalanda, Bihar
| Nearest Airport | Patna Airport |
| Nearest Railway Station | Rajgir Railway Station |
| Climate | hot climate during summers and is cool in the winters |
| Major attractions | Nav Nalanda Mahavihara, Surya Mandir, Nalanda Archaeological Museum, Pawapuri, The Great Stupa, Hiuen Tsang Memorial Hall, Nalanda University, Surajpur Baragaon, |
| Activities to do | Hiking to Vishwa Shanti Stupa, Walking tour in Nalanda, Photography, Shopping, etc. |
| Best time to visit | October to March |
This place in Bihar is famous all over the world for the Nalanda University that was established in 5th century BC during the Gupta Empire. This university was the finest education centre of its time that taught Vedas, Grammar, Science, Medicine, etc.
It had students from all over the world such as Tibet, China, Central Asia, etc. In its prime time, the University had meditation halls, temples, classrooms, dormitories and more than 10000 students and 1900 professors.
Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra
| Nearest Airport | Aurangabad Airport |
| Nearest Railway Station | Jalgaon city |
| Climate | wet season is oppressive and overcast, the dry season is mostly clear, and it is hot year-round |
| Major attractions | Bodhisattva Padmapani, King Janaka & Wife, Buddha Paintings, Doorway Painting, etc. |
| Activities to do | Explore the caves, Take photos, shopping, etc. |
| Best time to visit | June to March |
These are almost 30 rock-cut Buddhist caves carved over a period from the 2nd century BC to 480 CE. They are located in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra and are part of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. They are known for their beautiful wall paintings and intricate designs on the walls of the caves. Inside the cave, there are many temples and other structures that leave you mesmerised.
The caves also have many residential places for Buddhist monks and it is believed that most of these paintings were made during the time of Satavahana Dynasty.
Ellora Caves, Maharashtra
| Nearest Airport | Aurangabad Airport |
| Nearest Railway Station | Jalgaon city |
| Climate | wet season is oppressive and overcast, the dry season is mostly clear, and it is hot year-round |
| Major attractions | Kailasha Temple, Ravana ki Khai, Vishwakarma Cave, Indra Sabha, Do Tal, Teen Tal, Rameshwara Cave, Dashavatara Cave, etc. |
| Activities to do | Explore the caves, Take photos, shopping, etc. |
| Best time to visit | June to March |
This is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and located in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra, just 104km from Ajanta Caves. It takes two and half hours from Ajanta Caves to reach Ellora Caves. Ellora has more number of Caves and is dedicated to three religions- Hindus, Jains and Buddhists.
These caves are famous in the world as the largest single monolithic excavation in the world. These were built during the period from 6th to 9th century by Chalukya and Rashtrakuta Kings.
Vittala Temple Complex at Hampi, Karnataka
| Nearest Airport | Bengaluru Airport |
| Nearest Railway Station | Hospet Junction |
| Climate | summers are short, sweltering, dry, and partly cloudy and the winters are long, warm, muggy, windy, and mostly cloudy |
| Major attractions | Vijaya Vittala Temple, Sri Virupaksha Temple, Hanuman Temple, Hemakuta Hill Temple Complex, etc. |
| Activities to do | Explore the temples, Take photos, shopping, etc. |
| Best time to visit | October to March |
Vittala Temple Complex is located on the banks of Tungabhadra River and it is one of the largest and most famous monument in Karnataka.
It is famous for its Stone Chariot and musical pillars and it was built around 15th century AD during the rule of king Deva Rai. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and the art and architecture of this structure is unmatched.
Today it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site and it is also one of the most famous tourist destinations in the state of Karnataka.
Temples at Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh
| Nearest Airport | Jabalpur Airport |
| Nearest Railway Station | Khajuraho Railway Station |
| Climate | wet season is oppressive and mostly cloudy, the dry season is mostly clear, and it is hot year-round |
| Major attractions | Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, Lakshmana Temple, Light And Sound Show, Javari Temple, Parsvnath Temple, Shantinatha Temple, Jagadambi Temple, etc. |
| Activities to do | Explore the temples, Take photos, shopping, etc. |
| Best time to visit | October to March |
The temples at Khajuraho are dedicated to Hindus and Jains and these are located in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. They are also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and are a type of Nagara style of temple architecture.
Most of these temples were built from 885 A.D. to 1050 AD by kings of Chandela Dynasty . These temples are known for their intricate designs and detailings that loudly express the symbolism and expressions of ancient Indian art.
Pancha Rathas, Tamil Nadu
| Nearest Airport | Chennai Airport |
| Nearest Railway Station | Chengalpattu Junction |
| Climate | the tropical wet and dry climate |
| Major attractions | India Seashell Museum, Shore Temples, Five Rathas, Tiger Caves, Mahabalipuram Beach, Arjuna’s Penance, Mahishasura Mardini Cave Temple, Krishna Cave Temple, etc. |
| Activities to do | Explore the temples, go to beaches, explore the lighthouse, Take photos, shopping, etc. |
| Best time to visit | October to March |
These temples are called as Pancha Rathas also called as Pandav Rathas and there located in Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu. These are also part of the UNESCO World Heritage site and each of the ratha is carved on a single stone of granite.
These temples were built from the seventh century AD during the rule of Pallava Dynasty. One can visit the temples from 6 AM to 6 PM and the entry fees for the Indians is Rs.10 and for the foreigners, it’s more than Rs.300.
Make your road trip memorable with zingbus
Have you read the blogs and considered where I would get the car for it and how I would manage the budget? Well! Who has told you that a road trip can only be made through a car?
Taking a bus will cost you far less than renting a car, along with full comfort and fun. zingbus offers you several discounts on your first booking. Also, you may install the zingbus app to take advantage of additional benefits.
Our buses are clean and offer complete luxury and comfort with free wifi, blankets, water bottle, and entertainment/ TV. You can make your booking as per your requirements. Plan a road trip with zingbus. Get your bus ticket bookings done now!
Leave a Reply