Kandariya Mahadeva Temple

Situated in Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, Kandariya Mahadeva Temple is the largest, tallest
and most ornate among the western group of temples in the city built by the Chandela rulers
between 950 and 1050 CE. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple is considered one of the best-
preserved temples from the medieval period in India.

It is also celebrated for its intricate sculptures and for the dramatic geometric massing in its
lofty towers that resembles a mountain.
Charminar
Built in 1591 CE in Hyderabad by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth Sultan of the Qutub
Shahi Dynasty, Charminar is considered a monument as well as a mosque. It is believed to
have been built to commemorate the end of a widespread plague during that period.

Charminar is built on a square structure and has four grand arches and four minarets on each
corner that are built into the main structure. It is interesting to note that the number ‘char’ or
four and its multiples can be figured in at least 22 spots in the design of the structure.
Ranakpur Jain Temple
The Ranakpur Jain Temple in Pali district of Rajasthan is known for its classic architecture and
is believed to have been constructed by a Jain trader named Dharna Shah in the 15th century.

Considered one of the largest Jain temples in the country, it is dedicated to Adinatha, the first
Tīrthaṅkara of Jainism. It is also known for the dense network of 1,444 carved pillars, despite
which the design allows a clear sight of the idol of Adinatha.
Modhera Sun Temple
Dedicated to Surya, the solar deity, the Modhera Sun Temple is situated in the Mehsana
district of Gujarat. It was built in 1026 CE by King Bhimdev – a Solanki King on the banks of
river Pushpavati. The temple has 52 heavily carved pillars signifying the weeks of the year, a
mandap divided into seven sections signifying the days of the week and a panel of 365
elephants on the base of the temple signifying the number of days in a year.
Samrat Yantra
The Samrat Yantra, the world’s biggest stone sundial standing at 73 feet high, is situated in
Jantar Mantar in Jaipur, Rajasthan. It is one of the 19 astronomical instruments built by Rajput
King Sawai Jai Singh II.

The Samrat Yantra is known for its precision in measuring time and tells the local time with an
accuracy of 2 seconds using the shadow cast from the sunlight.
Virupaksha Temple
The Virupaksha temple is the largest and most sophisticated out of the monuments in
Pattadakal, a complex of Hindu and Jain temples in Bagalkot district of Karnataka. Dedicated
to Lord Shiva, the temple was built by Queen Lokamahadevi in the 8th century to
commemorate the victory of her husband Vikramaditya II over the Pallavas. It is known for its
triangular dome and square layout built to create fractal patterns that echo the geometry of
nature.
Sundial at Konark Sun Temple
The wheels of Konark Sun Temple in Puri, Odisha are sundials that help in calculating time to
a minute including day and night. The sundial is unique as it shows time anti-clockwise. It has
eight major spokes that divide 24 hours into eight equal parts which means the time between
two major spokes is three hours.
Taj Mahal
One of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal is considered to be one of the finest
masterpieces of architecture in India. It was commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in
1632 in the loving memory of his wife Mumtaz and was believed to have been completed in
1653.The monument was built using advanced mathematics, particularly geometry, that
was well ahead of its time (as stated by mathematicians). This magnificent edifice is
made up of several geometrical structures. The height of all the windows and doors is the
same. All four minarets are similar and have the same height. The construction stands on
a raised square base, with the tomb in the exact middle of the foundation. The stones are
set out in a manner that combines squares and extended hexagons to form regular
octagons in a pathway. Overall, the Taj Mahal is unquestionably one of the most unique
and gorgeous instances of symmetry in architecture and design. The monument that
houses the tombs of both Shah Jahan and Mumtaz is built inside out in white marble. Their
tombs lie at the centre of the base and all the windows there are equidistant from one another.
Another marvel of this structure is that the walkway tiles combine to form squares and
hexagons to create octagons.