Tourist attractions in India

~Aneeshan Sain

“India”

Rajasthan - The Land of the Rajputs Rajasthan conjure up the images of forts, palaces, sand dunes,

local tribes and heritage hotels. Dotted with monuments drenched in history, Rajasthan is home

to some of the most breathtaking cities that you can visit. Right from the lakes and palaces of Udaipur to undulating sand

dunes of the Thar in Jaisalmer and from the blue hues of Jodhpur to the breathtaking hill station, Rajasthan is a bag full of surprises.

Few landmarks of Rajathan

• 36 km long wall of the Kumbhalgarh Fort in Udaipur is the second largest continuous wall in the world.The first city based on the scientific principles of architecture was the city of Jaipur.

A world heritage site, Jaisalmer fort is known for its history and majestic architecture. But, what’s more, intriguing to know is that this fort is still home to a large mass of the population and is probably the only inhabited fort in the world!

The grandiose Mehrangarh Fort of Jodhpur has been featured in two of the mega Hollywood productions namely: The Dark Knight Rises and Octopussy..

Agra

Situated on the banks of river Yamuna, Agra is mostly visited for the white marble monument ‘Taj Mahal’ built by Shah Jahan in the memory of his beloved wife ‘Mumtaz Mahal’.

These tourist sites like the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri have been titled as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.

The city has various other monuments such as Itmad-ud-Daulah tomb, Akbar’s Tomb and Jama Masjid. The city is also famous for a sweet called Petha.

A Few more sites< Agra FortThis spectacular fort made a special appearance in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes mystery called 'The Sign of the Four'!

Chini ka Rauza ^

This mausoleum is India‘sfirst building exclusively decorated using glazed tiles all over its surface built by Mulla Shukrullah Shirazi,

<Itmad-ud-Daulah

Also called the Baby Taj, this is the mausoleum of Mir Ghiyas Beg, and India's very first tomb made completely of white marble, rather than the usual red sandstone seen in Mughal monuments.

Ajanta and Ellora caves Known as the finest surviving example of the sculptured art,

Ajanta & Ellora were carved out of rocks with the help of chisels and hammers centuries ago.

While the Ajanta Caves has a total of 29 rock-cut Buddhist caves, the Ellora Caves are a group of 34 Hindu, Buddhist and Jain rock-cut cave temples.

The Ajanta caves are known for their Buddhist paintings and sculptures. On the other hand, Ellora caves are known for showcasing a harmonizing blend of three different religions.

Khajuraho Temples Sensuous Poetry in Stones

• Khajuraho temples was built in the 10th century by the Chandela rulers.

• Emblazoned as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Khajuraho Group of Monuments teems with a number of Hindu and Jain temples.

• Archeological Survey of India has ranked Khajuraho temples as the best preserved monuments of antiquity.

Kerala - God’s Own Country• Peaceful sandy beaches, composed climate, lush green hill stations,

serene stretches of backwaters, and exotic wildlife are the most sought after attractions of this land.

• Ayurveda tourism too has been pioneered by this south Indian state. • According to the National Geographic Traveler Magazine Kerala is

among the "ten paradises of the world" and "50 places of a lifetime".

A few attractions of Kerala

• Alleppey is the most famous backwater destination in Kerala

Munnar is the most popular hill station in South India and one of the best places to see in Kerala. 

Malampuzha Dam is famous for its greenery and picturesque viewThrissur originally known as ‘Thirusivapperoor’ is the cultural capital of Kerala.The city is also denoted as the ‘Golden capital of Kerala’ because of the surprisingly high sales of gold happening here every year.

Ashtamudi translates in local language as a lake with eight branches and is the second longest lake in Kerala stretching a distance of 16 kilometers finally merging into the sea at the estuary in Neendakara in Kollam. 

Mysore- Cultural Capital of Karnataka

The second largest city in Karnataka, Mysore derived its name from the mythological demon Mahishasura killed by the goddess Durga.

Some major tourist attractions of this place include Brindavan Gardens, Chandeshwari Temple, St. Philomena’s Church and Mysore Palace.

The 10 days Dusshera festival attracts a huge crowd of tourists every year.

A few facts on Mysore• Mysore has one of the oldest libraries of India, known as the Oriental

Research Institute. It i a strange and wonderfully preserved building.• Mysore is the second largest software exporter in Karnataka, next

to Bangalore. • Mysore will be the first Indian city to have a sky wheel.• University of Mysore and Mysore Medical College were the first

university and medical college of Karnataka to be set up in 1916 and 1924 respectively.

• Karangi Lake in Mysore which is surrounded by Butterfly Park and a walk-through aviary is considered to be the biggest “walk-through” aviary in India.

• In 1935 M.V. Gopalaswamy started the first private radio broadcasting station of India in Mysore.

Jammu & Kashmir – Surrounded by the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal

mountain range, Kashmir is situated in the northernmost part of India. – The beauty of Kashmir valley is enhanced by delicious apple orchards,

snow capped mountains, lush meadows and freshwater streams.

Paradise on Earth

Leh : Land of Queer Beauty and Sheer Adventure

Jammu – The City of Temples : Protected and blessed by Mata Vaishno Devi, who seems to have found her earthly abode on the Trikuta Hills, Jammu City is indeed amongst the top places to visit in Jammu & Kashmir. 

Gulmarg – Skier’s paradise : Meadow of Flowers as it is popularly called Gulmarg is a haven for adventure Enthusiasts. Along with prominent skiing options, trekking, snowboarding, golfing, Mount biking and fishing are the prime options that Gulmarg overwhelms you with.

Udhampur : Named after Raja Udham Singh, Udhampur city is the second-largest city in Jammu region. Set amidst lush green surroundings and fringed by eucalyptus trees, Udhampur is one of the best tourist attractions here.

Goa

• The tiny Indian state of Goa is packed with a lot of surprises to entertain its visitors. As far as the tourism statistics are concerned, around 2 million people throng in Goa every year.

• With its exquisite beaches, luscious seafood, vibrating nightlife, colonial churches and adventure sports, it is clear why Goa holds the top position on the popularity charts.

Andaman & Nicobar• Located in the Indian Ocean, Andaman and

Nicobar is a host of over 570 islands.• Blessed with magnificient coral reefs, beautiful

islands, scenic beaches and intereseting museums, this place serves as one the most visited tourist attractions of India.

• The Shompen and the Nicobase are the two main Mongoloid tribes of Andaman and Nicobar. Many of these tribes have fearfully low number of people left and are s taring extinctions

A few destinationsHavelock Island : Premium scuba diving and snorkeling are the highlights of the gorgeous Havelock Island, the most popular of the Andaman Islands.

Cellular Jail :Located at Port Blair, also known as Kaala Paani (black waters), thecellular jail is perhaps one of the most infamous remnants of India’s struggle for independence. The jail is located at Port Blair and is a recommended place to visit.

Radhanagar Beach :It is one of the most popular beaches in India and is termed as the best beach in Asia by TIME magazine in 2004. One can also enjoy elephant rides here..

Limestone Caves of Baratang Island :It is a cave with interesting limestone structures and stalactite and stalagmites.These natural caves are a splendid sight.

A Few Other Places to Visit in India

Auroville :Designed by architect Roger Anger, Auroville is a universal town where people from all around the world come to live in peace and harmony. The town is an architectural marvel whose purpose is to realize human unity.

Delhi :• The Capital of India has many

attractions like mosques, forts and other monuments that represent India’s history.

• One of the important places in Old Delhi include the majestic Red Fort.

Mumbai :Also known as the ‘Financial Capital of India’, Mumbai is known for its thrilling nightlife, fast-paced life and five star hotels. From the tourist point of view, there are so many colonial buildings to explore.

Darjeeling :

This beautiful hill station in India owes’ its grandeur to its natural beauty, its clean fresh mountain air and above all, the smiling resilient people for whom it is a home.

“India is a land which exemplifies ‘Unity in Diversity’. “

India-holidays is fast becoming a global trend and beckons people from all walks of life. There are too many options available for holidays in India. Holidays in India are preferred by a large number of tourists mainly because the country has to offer limitless options to them.

enjoy A Safe Journey

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