UNESCO World Heritage Sites, India

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Taj Mahal

Agra is the city of the Taj Mahal. It is a sublime experience of the greatest love story ever told. Today, India’s most fascination and beautiful masterpiece, this perfectly symmetrical edifice is set amidst landscaped gardens on the banks of the Yamuna.


Taj Mahal


The Taj was built to enshrine the remains of Begum Mumtaz Mahal, the consort of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Built by the Persian architect Ustad Isa, the Taj has the verses of the Holy Quran inscribed on it, with the gate being crowned by 22 small domes.

Renowned for its architectural magnificence and aesthetic beauty, Taj counts among man’s proudest creations. The Taj has been constructed on 313 square feet marble platform that stands above sandstone. The entire portion is enclosed within a high boundary wall with broad octagonal pavilions at the corners.

The most elegant dome of the monument has a diameter of 60 feet that rises 80 feet over the building. Semi-precious stones are inlaid in to the marble in beautiful patterns and with superb craftsmanship in a process known as pietra dura. Within the dome lies the jewel-inlaid cenotaph of the queen.

The Taj in all its timeless beauty is still the inspiration of poets and painters, writers and photographers. The dome is made of white marble, but the tomb is set against the plain across the river and it is this background that works its magic of colors that, through their reflection, change the view of the Taj.

So perfect are proportions of the Taj, so exquisite its workmanship, that it has been described as having been designed by giants and finished by jewelers.

Tourist information

Open from sunrise to 19 hours. Entry fee for those above 12 years : Rs.15. Free entry on Fridays.

Best time to visit : From November to February.

Access : Agra is connected to Delhi by air. One can also use the Taj express or the Shatabdi to get there. One can even drive or bus it ( 204 km from Delhi).

Where to stay

Agra has a wide range of hotels and resthouses. The luxury hotels provide air conditioned accommodation. UPSTDC’s tourist complex, Taj Khema near the Taj Mahal offers accommodation in tents and deluxe rooms. There is a UPSTDC tourist Bungalow as well. Hotels and restaurants offer both Indian, Continental and Chinese food. Mughlai cuisine is Agra’s speciality. There is an ITDC restaurant near the Taj.

Places to visit : Itmad-us-daula’s Tomb, Chini-ka-rausa, Ram Bagh, Agra fort, Fatehpur Sikri (36 km, another a world heritage site).

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Mamallapuram Group of monuments

Lying 58 km south of Chennai, this group of sanctuaries, founded by the pallava kings, was carved out of rock along the Coromandel coast in the 7th and 8th centuries. These monuments are specially known for their rathas (temples in the form of chariots), manadapas (cave sancturies) and giant open-air reliefs.
The famous Shore Temple, one of the oldest in South India, stands on the sea shore with its paved forecourts.


Shore temple, Mamallapuram

Another wonder is Arjuna’s Penance, which is the world’s largest bas-relief. This 27 meter long as 8 meter high massive rock panel is titled after Arjuna, the hero of the Indian epic ‘Mahabharata’.

The ‘Decent of the Ganga’, which is another interpretation of the bas-relief, is a brilliant composition in stone. Myriad ornamental figures of celestial beings are known adorning the divine spectacle. Among the other exclusive frescoes are recreations of the Panchatantra tales.

The Mandapams (porticos) are grand specimens of art. Scooped out of soild rock from a hillside, each mandapam depicts exclusive carvings rich in detail. A serene pastoral scene at the Krishna mandapam shows Lord Krishna lifting the Govardhan mountain, to protect his kinsfolk from the wrath of the Rain God Indra. The Varaha cave portrays the two avatars (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu, a Varaha and Vamana. The Mahishasuramardini Cave which shows the Goddess Durga killing a demon and Lord Vishnu in his cosmic clumber are particularly remarkable. Yet another marvel of sculptural excellence are the Five Rathas, monolithic temples dedicated to Hindu Gods. They are also known as the Pancha Pandava Rathas.

Tourist Information

Open on all weekdays from sunrise to sunset. Entry fee for those above 12 years : Rs.5, free entry on Fridays.

Best time to visit : December & January

Access : Nearest Airport is at Chennai (49 km). Rail links to Chennai, Kanchipuram and Arkonam. Road links to Chennai, Pondicherry and Bangalore. Can be reached by road through State Tourism buses or taxis.

Where to stay : Temple bay Ashok beach resort, Hotel Tamilnadu, Silver Sands, Ideal Beach Resort.

Places to visit : Rock cut caves, Arjuna’s Penance, Rathas & The shore temple.

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Konark Sun Temple

The Sun temple of Konark, also known as Black Pagoda, is the crowning glory of the temple architecture of ancient Orissa. Built in A.D. 1250, during the reign of the Eastern Ganga king Narasimhadeva-I, centuries of myth and legend shroud its history. The design is the celestial chariot of the Sun God pulled by seven exquisitely carved ornamented horses, strained of twelve wheels on either side. The huge monolithic wheels represent time, unity, completeness, justice, perfection and movement and each wheel stands for a fortnight and each horse a day of the week. The walls of the temple contain superb carving of divine, semi divine, human and animal figures amidst floral and geometric ornamentations.


Sun Temple

Although the main sanctum is in ruins, the 39 meter high audience hall, the dance hall and the ruined temple of Chhaya Devi are still there. Two horses and two monolithic elephants, exhibit the dynamism of the sculpture.

Tourist information

Open on all weekdays from sunrise to sunset. Entry fee for those above 12 years Rs.5, free entry on Fridays.

Best time to visit : November to February

Access : It is well connected by all weather motorable roads to Puri, Bhubaneswar and other parts of the state. It is 65 km from Bhubaneswar, 35 km from Puri and 85 km from via Pipli. The nearest railheads from Konark are Bhubaneswar and Puri.

Where to stay : Konark offers various government approved accommodations at Panthanivas, travelers lodge, inspection bungalow, Yatri Nivas etc.

Places to visit : Karuna, Chaurasi, amachandi, Astranga, kakarapur, Pipli (a village famous for handicrafts - colourful canopies, beach umbrellas, hand bags etc).

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Manas Reserve, Assam

The Manas river divides the lush, mixed deciduous forests that run through Indian to Bhutan. On both sides, the habitat is zealously protected as it house not less than 20 species of birds and animals that are highly endangered. Manas, 391 sq km in area, is also the primary habitat of the rare golden langur.

Tourist Information

Best time to visit : Nov to Mar

Prominent fauna : Golden Langur, wild buffalo, hispid hare, capped langur Indian one-horned rhinoceros, water buffalo gaur, hog deer, tiger

Access : By road: Nearest airport is Huwahai (186 km). Nearest town/railhead is Barpeta road (41 km).

Where to stay : Tourist lodge and forest bungalow

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Kaziranga National Park, Assam

Located on the banks of the Brahmaputra river, in Assam, Kaziranga is one of the last strongholds of the endangered Indian one-horned rhinoceros. With open country, covered mostly with elephant grass, Kaziranga gives the visitor a chance to see the fauna at fairly close quarters.

Tourist Information

Area: 430 sq km

Best time to visit : November to March

Access : Nearest town is Bokaghat (23Km) by Road , Nearest railhead-Mariani (115 km) and nearest airport is Jorhat (95 km).

Where to stay : Forest lodge, rest houses, forest bungalow.

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Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary, Bharatpur

The rich aquatic plant animal life in the shallow, fresh water marsh of Bharatpur has been attracting resident and migratory aquatic birds in thousands since times immemorial. There are over 353 species, belonging to 56 families. The Siberian cranes visit all other waters in India, except the marshes of Keoladeo.

For the number and variety of birds to be seen, Keoladeo is matches. Being a unique bird place, the UNESCO has recognizes it as a world heritage site. The park is now India’s best water-bird sanctuary. It is truly a paradise of feathered life which provides unlimited opportunities to the bird watches, wildlife photographers, landscape painters, writers on nature and researches.

Tourist Information

Area: 29 sq km

Best time to visit : October to February

Prominent fauna : Egrets, darters, cormorants, grey herons, stroks, pheasant tailed and bronze-winged jacanasm greylag geese, Siberian cranes during winter. Also nilgai, chital, sambar, black bucks, pythons.

Access : 3 km from Bharatppur city, Agra 55km, New Delhi 212 km. Connected by a good network of road and rail. Nearest airport is Agra.

Where to stay : ITDC Bharatpur forest lodge, forest guest house, Saras tourist bungalow

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Fatehpur Sikri

Fatepur Sikri was Akbar’s capital for approximately 12 years. Akbar selected Sikri as the seat of his government believing it to be auspicious both with architecture and art and built a city expressing his ideals and vision.


Fatehpur Sikri

Today, Fatehpur Sikri is a deserted, phantom city. But the inner citadel is immaculately preserved.

The finest monuments within this area are the Diwan-i-Am, Diwa-i-Khas, Panch house, Panch Mahal, Buland Darwaza and the tomb of Saint Sheikh Salim Chishti, and the Jama Masjid (one of the largest mosques in India).

Tourist information

Timings : Open on all weekdays from sunrise to sunset.

Best time to visit : From November to February

Access : Agra is connected to Delhi by air. One can also use the Taj express or the Shatabdi to get there. One can even drive or travel by bus (204 km from Delhi).

Where to stay : Agra has a wide range of hotels and rest houses. UPSTDC’s tourist complex, Taj Khema near the Taj Mahal offers accommodation in tents and deluxe rooms.

There is a UPSTDC tourist Bungalow as well. Hotels and restaurants offer both Indian, continental and Chinese food. Mughal cuisine is Agra’s specialty, There is an ITDC restaurant near the Taj.

Place to visit : Itmad-ud-daula’s Tomb, Chini-ka-rausa, Ram Bagh, Fatehpur Sikri

[AllenScott]

Nice picture its makes me to remember lots of memories.... really good one...