UNESCO World Heritage Sites, India

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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

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Group of Monuments at Hampi


The Vijaynagar city ruins near the village of Hampi, 353 km from Bangalore, are one of the most fascinating historical sites in South India. Hampi holds many a delightful surprises. The most famous is the King’s Balance where kings were weighed against gold or money which was then distributed to the poor.


Vitthala Temple

Also worth a visit are the Queen’s bath with its arched corridors, projecting balconies and lotus shaped fountains, the two storeyed Lotus stables, the splendid Vitthala Temple with its musical pillars and the Stone chariot, the Virupaksha Temple, Ugra Narasimha, the 6.7 meter tall monolith, the Pushkarini Tank, the Mahanavami Dibba, etc.

Temples of this city are notes for their large dimensions, florid ornamentation, bold and delicate carvings, stately pillars, magnificent pavilions and great wealth of iconographic which include subjects from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

The Pampapati temple is one of the largest temples at Hampi. The Vitthala temple is an excellent example of Vijayanagara style.

Also present are some monolithic statues of Lakshmi, Narasimha and Ganesa which are noted for their massiveness and grace. Other temples in the surroundings are the Krishna temple, Pattabhirama temple, Hazara Ramachandra, Chandrasekhara temple and the Jain Temple.

Tourist Information

Timings : Open on all weekdays from sunrise of sunset. Entry fee for those above 12 years. Rs 5 for Royal enclosure and Vitthala temple. Free entry on Fridays

Access : The nearest rail point is Hospet (or Guntakkal junction) from where one travels another 12 km by road to reach Hampi. Regular bus services from Bangalore to Hospet. The nearest Airport is Bellary (97 km). Other convenient airports are Belgaum (190 km) and Bangalore (353 km).

Best time to visit : September to February

Where to stay : Hampi power house, Tungabhadra dam – Vaikuntha guest house, inspection bungalow at Hospet-hotel Mayura Vijayanagar (KSTDC), Kamalapura –PWD inspection bungalow.

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Khajuraho group of monuments


The temples of Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh are one of India’s unique gifts to the world. They were built between 950-1050 A.D near the village of Khajuraho under the patronage of the Chandela kings of northern central India who ruled about 1,000 years ago.


Khajuraho Temple

These 85 granite and sandstone temples of Khajuraho are renowned for their fine blend of sculpture and architecture. They consist of bands of horizontal sculptures which balance and blend with the vertical line of the temples’ superstructure.

Besides the Chausath-Yogini, the Brahma and the Mahadeva temples which are of granite, all the other temples are made of fine grained sandstone and are buff pink or pale yellow in color.

They have been constructed on a high and solid platform which provides an open ambulatory.

The temple of Vishnu built by Yasovarman (AD 954), now famous as the Lakshmana temple proclaims the prestige of the Chandellas. The Visvanatha, Parsvanatha and Vaidyanatha temples belong to the time of king Dhanga, the successor of Yasovarman.

The Jagadambi, and the Chitragupta Temples, are noteworthy among the western group of royal temples of Khajuraho.

The immortal Kandariya Mahadeva temple is the largest and the grandest temple of Khajuraho, attributed to king Ganda (AD 1017-29)

These temples are known for their lofty terraces (Jagari) and functionally effective plans.

The sculptural embellishments include parivara, parsa, avarana devatas, dikpalas, the apsaras and sura-sundaris in their delicate, youthful female forms of ravishing beauty exuding irrevocable charm and grace.

Tourist information

Timings : Open on all weekdays from sunrise to sunset, Entry fee for those above 12yrs: Rs.5.00 free entry on Fridays.

Best time to visit : October to April

Access : Air links to Delhi, Agra and Varanasi. Nearest railheads : Harpalpur, Mahoba, Jhansi. Road links to Satna, Harpalpur, Jhansi (175 km) and Gwalior (280 km).

Where to stay : Hotel Chandela, Jass Oberoi, Holiday Inn Khajuraho, Clarks Bundela, Hotel Khajuraho Ashok. The Madhya Pradesh Stare tourism development corporation runs hotel Jhankar, Hotel Payal, Hotel Rahi, and Tourist bungalow.

Places to visit : Rajharg Palace, Dhubela museum (65 km), Pandav Falls (34 km), Ranesh Falls (19 km), Ken Natural Trail (22 km), Benisagar lake (11 km), Ranguan Lake (25 km), Gangau Dam (34 km), Panna national Park (25 km), Panna (45 km).

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Elephanta Caves

About 10 km north east of Apollo Bunder, lies the island of Elephanta, the glorious abode of Lord Shiva. An epitome of Hindu cave culture, Elephanta consists of seven caves of which the most notable is the Mahesa-murti cave. It has very impressive size with a main body of 27 meters square supported by rows of six columns each. The main temple consists of a large pillared mandapa (hall) and a free standing square shrine at the west end of the hall. The pillars and relief in the cave are gigantic in scale.


Elephanta Caves

Set in various niches are a number of large reliefs depicting different aspects of Shaivaite iconography. Around the perimeter of the cave are sculptured compartments in this cave with images from the Hindu mythology. They depict Lord Shiva as Andhakasuravadha, impaling the demon of darkness, a Kalyanasundara-the gentle loving god as Ardhanarishwara, Shiva and Shakti, male and female, Nataraja- Shiva as the cosmic dancer and as Ravana anugraha – the destroyer of enemies.

Tourist Information

Best time to visit : November to March is the best time to visit the Island.

Access : Located on a small Island of Mumbai in Maharashtra, Elephanta can be reached by regular ferries that leave from Mumbai’s gateway of India harbour except during the monsoon season.

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Pattadakal Group Of Monuments


Pattadakal, in Karnataka, illustrates the Chalukyan art which, in the 7th and 8th centuries A.D, under the Chalukya dynasty achieved a harmonious blend of architectural forms from north and south of India. There is an impressive series of nine Hindu temples, as well as a Jain sanctuary.


Pattadakal Temple

The oldest temple at Pattacakal is the Sangamesvara temple built by Vijayaditya Satyasraya (A.D 697-733). It is a simple but a massive structure. The temple of Virupaksha, built around 740 A.D by queen Lokamahadevi to commemorate her husband’s victory over the kings from the south is a masterpiece in itself.

Travel information

Timings : 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 : October to February.

Access : The nearest railway station is Badmi, 29 km away. Pattadakal is connected by road to Badami and Aihole (17 km).

Where to stay : One can stay at Badami (29 km) or Bijapur (17 km).

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Sunderbans National Park

The Sunderbans national Park, covering about 1330.10 sq km, is the habitat of nearly 200 Royal Bengal tigers. Bangladesh lies to the east of the Park and it is estimated that the combined population of tigers in the region could well be about 400 in number. Adapting itself to the saline and watery environment, the tigers at the park are good swimmers and practically amphibious.


Sundarbans National Park

Traversing the mangroves by motor launch is quite an experience, for the area is completely unspoilt and very different from the more conventional wildlife park. He estuarine crocodile is often seen along the mud banks but owing to the dense undergrowth the tiger is rarely sighted. The park is also noted for its conservation of the Ridley sea turtle.

Tourist Information

Best time to visit : September to May

Where to stay : Forest lodge at Sajnakhali, nearest town is Gosaba (50 km)

How to Reach : By Rail: Canning (48 km), By Air: Kolkata (112 km).

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Nanda Devi National Park



The Nanda Devi national park is one if the most spectacular wilderness area in the Himalayas, and is dominated by the peak of Nanda Devi, which reaches over 7,800 meter. It is the habitat of several endangered mammals, especially the snow leopard, Himalayan musk deer and bharal.

The National park is located in Uttarakhand and can be reached via Rishikesh and Johimath on the Badrinath road. Regular early morning buses operate in this route from Rishikesh/Haridwar. Badrinath is 300 km from Rishikesh.

Valley of Flowers National Park, Uttaranchal

VALLEY OF FLOWERS (3658 to 3962 m) - A world heritage centre and the only flower national park in India with variety of flowers, discovered by Frank Smythe. HEMKUND/LOKPAL (4329 m) : Sikh Pilgrim centre, 6 km trek from Ghanjhira. Lakshman temple and lake. Hem Kund is a glacial lake sorrounded by six high peaks.

Season - July to August

Govind ghat (1828 m, 18 km after Joshimath on Badarinath road) to Ghanjhira (3048 m, 15 km, 7 h, Gurudwara/Rest house) by trek. Take permit from Govind ghat and trek to Valley of flowers (5 km). There is camera fee and entry fee for this 10 km long route.

Trek Itinerary

Day 1 : Govind Ghat-Ghangaria

Day 2 : Ghangria-Valley of Flowers and back in 5-6 hour.

Day 3 : Start early to visit Hem Kund and return to Ghangria for night stay. Night stay is not permitted at Hem Kund Gurudwara.

Day 4 : Ghangria-Govind Ghat.