Carved between the 6th-12th centuries AD, Maharashtra’s Ellora Caves are hailed by many as an overlooked wonder of the world. The site is home to the spectacular Kailasa Temple (Cave 16), but over
Kailasa Temple is easily among the most stunning Hindu temples in India, and it arguably rivals Angkor Wat for the finest of them all. Like many temples, it features towers, multiple stories, and
Nashik may be a city of 1.5 million inhabitants that’s just a few hours from Mumbai, but it’s well off the tourist trail – at least for foreigners. The city largely attracts religious
Due to the abundance of volcanic rock in the region, the Indian state of Maharashtra is teeming with ancient manmade caves. The most impressive among them are the Ajanta and Ellora caves near
A trip from hectic Mumbai to the Elephanta Caves feels like entering a vastly different world. But the journey to see these enigmatic Shiva carvings located on a small island to the east
Though privately run, Mumbai’s CSMVS Museum is arguably India’s flagship museum. Or, it’s at least on par with New Delhi’s National Museum. But what can one expect to see here, and what does
In the year 928, King Jayavarman IV decided to move the capital of the Khmer Empire from Angkor to Koh Ker, around 60 kilometers away. To this day, scholars have no idea why.
Amongst the Khmer Empire’s hundreds of temples, no more than a handful were ever built on mountaintops. Of these, Preah Vihear is the largest. Its layout is also unusual, making it one of
Everywhere you look, the Angkor temples are teeming with symbolism. Thanks to the master artists who constructed and carved the temples, the vivid imagery is bound to captivate even those with little knowledge
In Part One, we covered the evolution of Angkorian architecture from the 9th century Roluos temples up to the refined gem of Banteay Srei. Here, we’ll cover the remainder of Khmer architectural styles,
The My Son temple complex, the spiritual center of the Champa Kingdom, contains buildings constructed over a span of 1,000 years. Ranging from the 4th to the 14th century, this is one of
Entering the park, I gaped in awe at the towering, monolithic structures surrounding me. There weren’t only Buddhas, but giant Hindu deities and characters from the Indian epics as well. Not to mention
The unassuming suburb of Samut Prakan, about 30 kilometers outside of Bangkok, is home to one of Central Thailand’s most unique and awe-inspiring attractions. Visible even from the highway is a 29-meter bronze
It’s said that in Bali, there are more temples than there are houses. Some estimates are even as high as 50,000, in fact. While this may be hard to believe at first, it
The beautiful island of Nusa Penida, home to some of the region’s most idyllic beaches and diving spots, also happens to be Bali’s island of exile. Around 30km from the main island of
The towns along the periphery of Ubud are home to some of Bali’s most significant temples and fascinating legends. Bedulu, Pejeng and Tampaksiring were all once royal capitals and are where you can
The ancient religious monuments of Borobudur and Prambanan are two of the most prominent landmarks in the Yogyakarta region, if not all of Indonesia. While both are relatively close to the city, the