5 Most Famous Ruins Of India

India is a land of rich historical heritage. Through years of domination, revolution, cultural, social and economic exchanges, India has seen world of changes. The nation has sustained through ages and the ruins are the living proof of it. These stunning and awe-inspiring structures, even in their state of ruins stand proudly bearing testimony to the golden era of the bygone days.

Every architectural marvel has a story; the story of the glory days which are immortals by the remains. Visiting these places are like walking down the corridors of history. If you are fond of exploring the trails of the former civilizations, these awe-inspiring sites can leave your imagination and curiosity fuelled!

Here are a list of 5 such destinations which will take you on a tour in the glorious past

* Hampi

Once known as the world’s largest city, Hampi stands a proud witness to the prosperity and heritage of the Hindu capital of Vijayanagara Empire in Southern India.The site at Hampi is home to countless architectural wonders. Besides the magnificent Virupaksha Temple which is composed of successively smaller stories so that from below, there are several fascinating structures not to miss, including the Lotus Mahal, the geometrically intricate Stepped Tank, and the iconic stone chariot (pulled by little stone elephants). Strolling down the overgrown paths from building to building it is easy to see how less than 500 years ago, Hampi was a metropolitan bigger than Rome or Istanbul!

* Muziris

A port city on the banks of the Periyar River in Kerala, Muziris is one of the lost ancient Indian cities that have been discovered and excavated.Once the gateway to India for Buddhists, Arabs, Chinese, Jews, Romans, Portuguese, Dutch and even the British, Muziris was the heart of the Spice Route. In the glory days this port city has stood witness to civilisations being born, wars being waged and history being written. The Muziris Project by the Government of Kerala is an effort to reinstate the former glory and the legendary status of the port of Muziris. In this old port town one can still experience the a part of the rich history in its architecture and cuisines

* Ellora Caves

Covering an area more than 2 kilometres in size, the Ellora Caves are a massive and humbling tribute to faith and medieval-era workmanship in India. The premises have 34 Buddhist, Brahmanist and Jainist temples, eachcarved out of the mountainside and decorated with delicate works of art.The caves feature art, temple and habitation space from three different religions. The temples date back to the 5th through 10th centuries and that is half the reason why the intricate carvings and the fact of the temples being vertically excavated out of stones shrouds the place with an air of mystery

* Dholavira

Dholavira is one of the lost Indian cities of the Indus Valley Civilisation. The excavated site includes reservoirs, step well, and various other antiquities such as seals, beads, animal bones, gold, silver, terracotta ornaments, & vessels. Excavations here also brought light to the well-planned designs and organised constructions during those times. This site is located in Khadir Bet in Bhachau Taluka of Kutch, Gujarat. Sprawling over 100 hectares of semi-arid land at the north-west corner of the island of Khadir, this is the site where archaeologists have found 10 large stone inscriptions, carved in Indus Valley script, perhaps the world’s earliest signboard.Dholavira is one of the two largest Harappan sites in India, and 5th largest in the subcontinent. A visit to these ruins unfold the interesting stories of how it was once deserted and revived again only to witness the gradual end of a once powerful civilization.

* The Great Wall of Kumbhalgarh

Protecting a massive fort that contains over 300 ancient temples, the wall was constructed half a millennium ago in tandem with Kumbhalgarh Fort itself. The wall extends over 36 kilometers (22 miles) around the perimeter of the fort, making it the second-longest continuous wall on the planet after the far more well-known Great Wall of China.As it snakes through valleys and along mountaintops,the wall is 15 meters thick at its widest sections and beautifully built with thousands of stone bricks and decorative flourishes along the top. Once effective as a deterrent, the anonymity of these impregnable walls are still as dangerous as they are mystical. While many of the traps and defensive mechanisms along the wall and fort have been deactivated, there are still chances that you might end up getting stranded on this off-the-beaten-path destination.It is advisable to have a guide.The most pleasant weather conditions in the area are from October through March.