Tourist places in India

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World Heritage Centres by UNESCO (28 in India ) : TAJ MAHAL, Agra fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Humayun's tomb, Qutb minar, Chhatrapati Shivaji terminus/ Victoria terminus, Elephanta caves, Ellora caves, Ajanta caves, Mahabodhi temple at Bodh Gaya, toy train route to Darjeeling, Se cathedral & Bom Jesus cathedral of Goa, Pattadakal, Hampi, Brihadeshwara temple - Tanjavur , Brihadisvara temple (Gangaikonda cholapuram, Tanjavur), Airvastesvara temple (Parasuram, Tanjavur), Mahabalipuram, Nilgiri mountain railway (Ooty), Konark Sun temple, Khajuraho, Keoladeo Khana national park (Bharatpur), Kaziranga national park (Assam), Manas national park (Assam), Sundarbans national park (West Bengal), Nanda Devi and Valley of flowers national park (Uttaranchal), Rock shelters of Bhimbetka (Bhopal), Sanchi Stupa, Champaner - Pavagadh archaeological park (Vadodara), Lumbini(Nepal).

India is one of the few countries having this much number of world heritage centres by UNESCO.

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Travel to the scenic India, visit New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkota, Chennai, Agra, Jaipur, Mussoorie, Shimla, Kashmir, Khajuraho, Kerala, Mysore, Ranakpur, Mount Abu etc.

Visit the following important tourist circuits :

Amritsar-Waga-Srinagar-Gulmarg-Leh
Dehradun-Mussorie-Gangotri-Yamnotri-Kedarnath-Badrinath
Delhi-Agra-Jaipur-Jodhpur-Jaisalmer
Khajuraho-Varanasi-Gaya-Kathmandu
Shimla-Kullu-Manali-Dharmasala
Mumbai-Ellora-Ajanta-Goa-Jog falls
Bhavnagar-Palitana-Mount Abu-Udaipur
Belgaum-Hampi-Badami-Pattadakal-Aihole-Bijapur
Hyderabad-Warangal-Nagarjunakonda
Bhubaneshwar-Puri-Konark-Chilka
Kolkotta-Darjiling-Kalimpang-Gangtok-Guwahati-Kaziranga
Chennai-Mamallapuram-Kanchipuram-Tiruchirapalli-Tanjavur-Velamkanni
Bangalore-Mysore-Ooty
Madurai-Kodaikanal-Thekkadi-Alapuzha-Kochi

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India is the 4 th most favourite destination of foreign travellers. Discover and enjoy the fascinating diversity of the people of India, their culture, customs, traditions, faiths, fairs, festivals, pilgrimage centres, cities etc. Only few countries in the world can offer such a vast variety of exhilarating experiences as does India. Its spectacular beauty, grandeur, splendour and cutural unity in diversity are a joy for ever. Discover the beautiful India in its varoius charms, moods, colours and fantasies.

Jewish Synagouge, Kochi : Built in 1568 is the earliest surviving synagouge in India. It has great scrolls of the Old Testament.

Jewish Synagouge photos

[marktang]

Thanks for the nice photo.
Mark

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Ajmer Sharief

About 135 km south west of Jaipur is Ajmer in Rajastan, the most sacred of all Muslim places of pilgrimage in India. The revered Sufi saint, Khwaja Muin ud din Chisti, who came to Ajmer from Persia in 1192, and died in 1236, was buried here. His tomb, the dargah, is visited by thousands of devout Muslims every year. The later Mughal kings erected the 0shrine.

The entrance to the complex is from the Dargah Bazar, which leads to the first courtyard. This courtyard has a mosque built by Akbar and two cauldrons known as degs (huge cooking pots) in which food donations are made. These doantions later distributed among the poor. The saint's tomb is in the centre of the second court. It is enshrined in a domed marble chamber and has doors and rails of silver. The tomb attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims every year on the saint's death anniversay, which falls in the seventh month of lunar calendar. Ajmer takes a festive air during the Urs festival. Along the winding streets, merchants who came from as far as Lucknow and Delhi set up stalls. The shrine was visited every year by Akbar and later by Shah Jahan to seek solace and blessings of the saint. It was here that Sir Thomas Roe, the ambassador of king James I of England met Jehangir. Hindus in a large number also visit the shrine. One has to cover one's head to enter the Dargah.

Rajastan photos

[nooon]

Thanks for the nice photo.

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Vijayanagar fort, Hampi :This fort complex is on the banks of the river Tunabhadra in Karnataka reminds one of the might and strength of the empire that existed during the 14 th century. Founded in 1336 by the brothers Harihara and Bukka, their capital's magnificence dazzled visitors from China, Persia, Africa and Protugal. These travellers spoke of the large ramparts surrounding the 'beautifully laid out' city, its bazaars, its palaces and temples. They all waxed eloquent in describing its greatness and opulence, believed to be the richest capital city in all India, perhaps in the entire Orient, on par with Rome in size, art, architecture, trade and commerce. The city is believed to have covered an area of 33 sq km. with a staggering population of half a million. The city also boasted of a refined culture where poets and musicians flourished. The famous Sangama ruler Krishnadeva Raya was a patron of art and culture. It was during his rule that many palaces, pavilions and temples were added to the fort complex. The Vshnu temple and the Saptaswara pedestal speak volumes of the artisans' skills and the aesthetic sense of the ruler. The complex has now been included in the World Heritage centre's list by UNESCO.

World heritage centre, archaeological museum, Vijayanagara ruins - Vithala temple with monolithic chariot, Vrupaksha temple, Hazara Ramaswami temple, fort, Elephant stable and Lotus Mahal.Hampi can be reached from Guntakal railway station via Bellary.

Hampi photo gallery

[income]

Nice photos and amazing india... i will try to update my blos to give indian travel information.. but congratulations to all ..nice photos

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Bahai Lotus temple, New Delhi : Lotus temple is a very recent architectural marvel (1980 to 1986) of the Bahai faith. The temple is shaped like a lotus with 27 petals which are made of concrete and clad in Italian white marble tiles. The nine sided lotus shaped temple is located at Kalkaji near Delhi. The temple is designed amidst pools and gardens to make people conscious about the beauty of life. Bahai is an independant world religion which welcomes people of any faith. The view of the temple is very spectacular just before dusk when it is floodlit. It is one of the major tourist attractions in Delhi.

New Delhi photo gallery

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Matheran (768 m) - Matheran is 100 km from Mumbai and is an easy escape for Mumbaikars, which offers a well deserved holiday. Neral junction (39 m ASL) is on the Mumbai-Pune rail route. Matheran is 6 hour journey by toy train (now not operational due to landslides in 2005 - 06) and 30 minute by taxi car ( 13 km, Rs 50 on sharing).

Then 21 km long Neral - Matheran narrow gauge railway was constructed from 1901 - 1907 by Mr Abdul Hussein Admjee Peebhoy at a cost of Rs 16, 00, 000. The centenary celebrations of the Matheran railway is due on 2007. Traveling to Matheran by toy train, one of the last mini trains in the world, from Neral is an experience in itself. The train stops at different railway stations on its way to top and it passes through a tunnel - 'one kiss tunnel'.

Matheran is a popular hill station with large number of trekking routes. From One tree point one can trek down to Bhorgav via Shivaji's ladder and then to Karjat road in 3 hour (the trail is said to be tried by King Shivaji himself) . Another trekking route is from Porcupine point (Sunset point) to Dodhani village (1 hour) and then to Panvel by bus.

The Heart point offers beautiful view of Mumbai at night. The Porcupine point, Louise point, Echo point, Monkey point, Chouk point, Chaelotte lake, caves, Paymaster park are the places of interest in Mahteran. The main bazaar (market) offers a variety of items such as cane and leather articles, hats, chappals, dried flowers, chikki, honey etc. As a hill station, food and accomodation is costly. The main way to see the points is by walk or on hired horse (Rs 300 with 7 points). Beware of touts. Rs 25 per person is the entry fee levied by Municipality. Dasturi nakka is where the taxi stops and is 2 km from the market. If one travels by taxi, 2 km has to be covered on foot or by horse at Rs 100.

Just after the monsoon the area become scenic with flowers and waterfalls and is the right time for a visit. Maps of Matheran can be purchased from shops near the market at Rs 30. This car free 'eco friendly' (cycle free) hill station offers salubrious climate and an unpolluted atmosphere. Matheran has few heritage bunglows and worth a visit.

Matheran Photo Gallery

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Bandipur Sanctuary : The sanctuary is 80 km south of Mysore in Karnataka and is adjascent to Mudumalai sanctury in Tamil Nadu. The deep forest covering the hills is an ideal place for different kinds of flora and fauna to exist. It was a private preserve of the Mysore royal family, now dedicated to 'Project Tiger'. The sanctury offers an excellent opportunity to watch elephants, deer, bisons, black panthers, antelopes, tigers and leopards. Many of these animals can be seen from close proximity from 'machans' or raised platforms. A visit to Bandipur will satisfy a nature lover's quest for beauty. The sanctury can be visited on ellephant back, by jeep or open trucks. The best season to visit is January to June and September to October. There is a Forest rest house where Ooty buses stops.

Karnataka photo gallery

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Aga Khan's palace, Pune : Palace is located near the Mula river at Yerwada in 6.5 hectares of garden. Mahatma Gandhi delivered his momentous Quit India resolution in Bombay in 1942, the British interned him and other leaders of India's independence movement here for nearly two years. Both Kasturba Gandhi, the Mahatma's wife, and Mahodoebhai, his secretary for 35 years, died while imprisoned here. Their ashes are kept in memorial samadhis in the gardens.

Photos and paintings exhibitng moments in Gandhi's extraordinary career, but most moving are the simple details (such as a pair of sandals and a thermos) and a narrative on the personal tragedies met by Mahatma. Admission fee Rs 5 (Rs 100 for foreigner). Time : 0900 to 1745h daily.

Aga Khan's palace photos

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Haji Ali tomb (reached by a long causeway, which can be crossed at low tide), gardens, Mahalaxmi temple and Nehru Planetarium & science museum are 3 km from Mahalaxmi railway station are nice places to visit.

Mahalaxmi Dhobi ghats : At Mahalaxmi Dhobi ghat (place where cloths are washed) in Mumbai, some 5000 men use rows of open air troughs to beat the dirt out of thousands of kilogram of soiled cloths brought from all over the city each day. The best view, and photo opportunity, is from the bridge across the railway tracks near Mahalaxmi railway station, which can be reached from Churchgate railway station.



Haji Ali tomb & Mahalaxmi Dhobi ghat photos

[samik]

Very useful informations tx

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Mattanchery: 12 km from Kochi has Jewish Synagogue (Closed on Saturdays), Jewish cemetery, Jew town with lots of Antique shops, Dutch palace cum archaeological museum, Jeevamatha Church and Holy Cross church ('Koonankurusu').

Archaeological museum, Mattanchery

History : The rise of Kochi in the 15 th century was due to the combination of geographical and political factors. After the flood in the Periyar river in 1341 AD importance of Kodungallur port declined and Kochi became one of the prominent ports in Kerala. In about 1405 AD, the royal seat of Perumpadappu Mooppil was shifted from Mhaodayapuram to Kochi. The ruler of Kochi facilitated construction of factories for the trade activites of the Portuguese and in return sought military assitance against Zamorin of Kozhikode. The repeated attacks of the Zamorin were repulsed, as the
rulers of Kochi practically became the vassals of the Portuguese. Subsequently, the Dutch esablished their supremacy over the Portuguese and took over Mattanchery in 1662 AD. Later in 1752 AD, the rulers of Travancore overran Kochi. In 1776 AD, Mysore forces under the Commandership of Sirdarkhan invaded Malabar and reduced Kochi Raja as his tributary. The English took over control of Kochi in 1795 AD, and held it till Kochi state merged with the Union of India on July 1, 1949.

The Palace

Mattanchery palace is situated at about 12 km northeast of Kochi. The palace was built and presented by the Portuguese to the Raja of Kochi Vira Kerala Varma (1537 - 1565 AD) around 1555 AD. Subsequently, the Dutch renovated the palace hence it is popularly known as the Dutch palace. The Palace has both European and indigenous architectural features. It is a double storied quadrangular structure built in 'Nalukettu' style with a courtyard in the middle.Mattanchery palace museum was established in 1985, consist of six galleries viz Coronation hall, Ramayana hall or 'Palliyara' (Bed chamber), Dutch gallery, Kovanitalam (staircase room), Dining hall and Ladies chamber.

The Exihibits

The exihibits consists of portrait paintings, umbrellas, palanquins, costumes, coins, stamps, arms of Raja of Cochin, and some of the rare mural drawings (wall painting) of Dutch of the 17 th and 18 th centuries. Krishnaleela and Sivaleela are depicted at the underground chamber of the palace.

The royal umbrellas are made of silk with brass and lace decorations while another is of Palm leaf and was used by the King while going to the temple for worship.

Weapon display include sheathed swords, daggers and axes besides ceremonial spears decorated with feathers. Attendants of the Raja of Kochi used these weapons.

Entrance fee : Rs 2 for those above 15 years old. Closed on Fridays.Timing : From 10 am to 5 pm.

Mattanchery photos