India's Golden Triangle Trivia Quiz

Answer: Humayun

While Babur was the first Mughal Emperor of India, his tomb is found in Kabul, Afghanistan. Humayun was the son of Babur and his tomb was commissioned by his wife, Bega Begum, nine years after his death. The tomb is an important milestone in Mughal architecture in India as it was the first garden-tomb complex to be built on the Indian subcontinent.

The tomb was designed by the Persian architect, Mirak Mirza Ghiyas and completed by his son after his death. Combining elements of Persian and Central Asian architecture along with native Rajasthani design, a unique style that came to be known as Mughal architecture evolved. The main tomb was placed in the centre of a quadrilateral shaped, Persian style garden called Charbaugh (literally meaning 'four gardens'). Other smaller tombs are also found within the complex.

The tomb was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

Answer: Baha'i temple

The Lotus Temple is one of only a handful of Baha'i houses of worship found around the world. Built in 1986, the temple is open to people of all faiths. Designed by Iranian architect, Fariborz Sahba, the structure consists of 27 marble petals arranged to give the appearance of a lotus flower.

As is the case with all the Baha'i houses of worship, there are no religious images or statues inside the temple. There is no altar and delivering sermons or carrying out any other ritualistic ceremonies inside the place is not permitted.

Answer: Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is a marbled mausoleum built by the Emperor Shah Jehan in memory of his most loved wife, Mumtaz. Situated on the banks of the river Yamuna, the Taj was built over a period of twenty years. The tomb complex is perfectly symmetrical with the four minarets that frame the mausoleum tilting slightly outwards so that in the event of an earthquake, they fall away from the tomb.

The structure is inscribed with verses from the Koran in calligraphy.

Answer: Yes

Built in the mid 16th century and covering around 94 acres of land, the Agra Fort housed more than 5000 buildings within its ramparts at its peak. These included the Sheesh Mahal (meaning glass palace) which was a royal dressing room inlaid with thousands of small glass mosaics, the Diwan-i-Am, a hall for the king to meet and interact with his subjects and the Diwan-i-Khas, a hall used by the king to meet foreign dignitaries and other important people.

When Shah Jehan fell ill in 1658, a fight broke out among his sons staking claim to the throne. Aurangzeb defeated his brothers and took over the kingdom and had his father placed under house arrest in the Agra Fort. The fort overlooks the Taj Mahal across the Yamuna river and according to myth, Shah Jehan spent his last years looking at his much loved wife's tomb from the Muasamman Burj, a tower which had the best view of the Taj. Shah Jehan spent eight years under house arrest at the fort before finally dying at the age of 74.

Answer: Victory

Fatehbad, now known as Fatehpur Sikri, was built by Akbar after his military victories at Chittor and Ranthambore. Built mainly out of red sandstone, this city was located around 23 miles away from the then capital of Agra. The complex housed a mosque called the Jama Masjid and the tomb of a Sufi saint named Salim Chisti.

Answer: Buland Darwaza

The Buland Darwaza (meaning great gate) is found at the southern entrance of Fatehpur Sikri. Standing at a height of around 55 meters, it was built to commemorate Akbar's victory over Gujarat. There is a Persian inscription on the gate which says "Isa, son of Mariam said: 'The world is a Bridge, pass over it, but build no houses upon it.

He who hopes for a day, may hope for eternity; but the World endures but an hour. Spend it in prayer for the rest is unseen.'"

Answer: The Pink City

Jaipur, named after Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the then ruler of the kingdom of Amber, is the capital of the state of Rajasthan. Most of the buildings in the older part of the city are built out of pink sandstone. In 1876, the then Prince of Wales carried out his maiden visit to India which also included a trip to Jaipur.

The entire city was painted in pink to welcome the prince, thus giving it its nickname.

Answer: Astronomy

The Jantar Mantar was built by king Sawai Jai Singh. It consists of fourteen different types of geometric devices used for various purposes from measuring time to tracking the movement of celestial bodies. Each of the large sized instruments is built out of marble or stone.

It is also home to the Samrat Yantra which at a height of 27 meters is one of the largest sundials found in the world.

Answer: Jaigarh Fort

The Jaigarh Fort - Amer Palace complex is found in the town of Amer (or Amber), located eleven kilometers away from Jaipur. The Amer fort was built by King Man Singh I and overlooks the Maota lake. It was constructed largely using sandstone though some of the important structures inside are made out of marble. Tourists can choose to enter the fort riding atop elephants which adds to the royal ambience of the palace.

Answer: It has over 900 small windows.

The Hawa Mahal is designed in the shape of the crown worn by the Hindu god, Krishna. It consists of 953 small windows which has led to it being called the Hawa Mahal. In earlier times, Rajasthan had a strict purdah system and women were not allowed to be seen by men who were not their family members.

The palace was designed in such a way that during the purdah, the women of the royal family could watch festive processions and other activities from the comfort of their home without being seen by outsiders. Built of red and pink sandstone, the palace is essentially a huge screen with the inside being largely empty.

The many windows also helped keep the place cool in the desert weather of the state.