Gold chemical element Gold (Au), chemical element, a dense lustrous yellow precious metal of Group 11 (Ib), Period 6, of the periodic table of the elements. Gold has several qualities that have made it exceptionally valuable throughout history. It is attractive in colour and brightness, durable to the point of virtual indestructibility, highly malleable, and usually found in nature in a comparatively pure…
The earliest known purpose-built weapons in human history date to the Bronze Age. Maces, which were little more than rocks mounted on sticks, had questionable value as hunting tools, but they were superbly suited for smashing the bones and skulls of other humans. Later in the Bronze Age, the sword made its first appearance. Since…
Rashtrapati Bhavan Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official residence of the president of India. When it was completed, in 1931, it was known as The Viceroy’s House after the British viceroys who ruled India in the setting years of the Raj. Its construction followed the decision to move the capital of India from Calcutta to…
Mughal emperor Shah Jahān transferred his capital from Agra to Delhi in 1638. The foundation of the new citadel Lal Qalʿah, or Red Fort, was laid in April 1639, and it is so-called because it is built of red sandstone. It took nine years to complete. The fort is close to the Yamuna River, and…
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly known as Victoria Terminus) in Mumbai is one of the most prominent vestiges of British colonialism in India. Designed as a railway station and administrative hub, it was completed in 1888, after ten years of construction. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (officially Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus since 2017, formerly Victoria Terminus (VT),…
A symbol of purity metaphorically rising out of the muddy water of life and blossoming in liberation—that is how the lotus flower has been perceived though eons of cultural and religious evolution in India. The understanding of this is what drove architect Fariborz Sabha to conceive the house of worship for the Baha’i faith in…
One of the first structures of the Islamic architectural legacy, the Quṭb Mīnār stands tall in the midst of the sprawling Qutb complex. The best-preserved building of the complex, it may have been inspired by the minaret of Jām in Afghanistan. The tower was probably commissioned by the first Muslim ruler of Delhi, Quṭb al-Dīn…
भारत की वास्तुकला विरासत का विकास काफी हद तक मण्डली के धार्मिक स्थानों की अवधारणा के कारण है। हरमंदिर साहिब एक ऐसा प्रतिष्ठित स्थान है, जो कई लोगों की वास्तुकला की सिख शैली को स्थापित करता है। अपार उदात्तता और भव्यता की पूजा का एक मंदिर, ऐसा कहा जाता है कि इसकी उत्पत्ति 14 वीं…
A UNESCO World Heritage site, Fatehpur Sikri was commissioned by the Mughal emperor Akbar the Great and completed in 1585. This fort city is one of the best-enduring examples of the Mughal architectural legacy, even though it was only occupied for about 15 years. Situated on the top of a rocky outcrop, it has been…
The Brihadishvara Temple is just as much a symbol of power and wealth as it is a shrine to the Hindu god Shiva. Inscriptions—made on the walls detailing the ruler Rajaraja I’s lavish gifts to the temple—are evidence enough of the wealth of the Chola empire. They list jewels, gold, silver, attendants, and 400 female…