Unveiling the Legacy of 10 Mighty Women Who Built Iconic Monuments in India

Itmad Ud Daulah

Agra

The tomb of Itmad Ud Daulah was built by Nur Jahan between 1622 and 1628. The Taj Mahal is thought to have been influenced by Nur Jahan. She commissioned this marble mausoleum in honor of her father, Mirza Ghiyas Beg, who was also the Lord Treasurer of Mughal Emperor Akbar.

Rani Ki Vav

Patan

Rani ki Vav, which can be found in Patan, Gujarat, is the pinnacle of step-well construction. It was constructed as a seven-level inverted temple in the 11th century. It was built by Rani Udayamati in honor of her husband, Solanki king Bhima I.

Mohinishwara ShivalayaTemple

Gulmarg

Kashmir's Mohinishwara Shivalaya Temple can be found in the middle of the town of Gulmarg. Maharani Mohini Bai Sisodia, the wife of the then-king of Kashmir, Raja Hari Singh, of the Dogra dynasty, constructed the temple in 1915 on a small hill.

Lal Darwaza Masjid

Jaunpur

Rajye Bibi, queen of Sultan Mahmud Sharqi, constructed this mosque in 1447 on the outskirts of Uttar Pradesh. She gave it to Saint Sayyid Ali Dawood Kutubuddin as her dedication.

Mirjan Fort

Kumta

The Mirjan Fort in Karnataka's Uttar Kannada district is renowned for its striking architectural beauty. Queen Chennabhairadevi built it in the 16th century, and she lived there most of her life. Because her country had the best pepper cultivation, the Portuguese gave her the title of "Pepper Queen."

Taj-ul-Masajid

Madhya Pradesh

India's largest mosque, Taj-ul-Masajid, was constructed by the Begums of Bhopal, a four-woman dynasty that ruled from 1819 to 1926. This architectural marvel was initiated by Nawab Shah Jahan Begum. Sultan Jahan Begum, her daughter, continued the construction after her mother passed away, which was finally completed in 1985.

Virupaksha Temple

Pattadakal

In the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, the largest Hindu and Jain temple is the Virupaksha Temple. The temple was built in the 8th century by Queen Lokamahadevi to commemorate her husband Vikramaditya II's victory over the Pallavas.

Dakshineswar Kali Temple

West Bengal

Rani Rashmoni led by example. She became famous for speaking out against sati, polygamy, and child marriage, and she was born into a fishing family. In 1857, she purchased 20 acres of land in Dakshineswar and constructed the Kali Temple, a two-story structure with nine spires.

Humayun’s tomb

Delhi

The first garden tomb on the Indian subcontinent can be found in the Mughal Emperor Humayun's tomb in Delhi. The Mughal emperor Humayun's widow, Hamida Banu Begum, commissioned the tomb in 1569 after his death in 1556.

Khayr al-Manazil

New Delhi

In 1561, Akbar's chief wet nurse, Maham Anga, constructed the Khayr al-Manazil Masjid in New Delhi. She served as the Mughal empire's de facto regent and served as Akbar's political advisor. Scholars believe that the mosque was a school for women.