India travelguide

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TAMIL NADU : General Information

Capital : Chennai.

Area : 1, 30, 058 sq.km.

Literacy : 73.5%.

Languages : Tamil, Urdu, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada.

Roads : 20, 576 km.

Railways : 4, 000 km.

Airports : Chennai, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Coimbatore, Tanjavur, Tuticorin.

When to visit : Nov to Mar.

Climate(in °C) : Summer 43 to 18.

Monsoon : Oct to Dec.

Districts : 30, Chennai, Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Erode, Kancheepuram, Kanyakumari, Krishnagiri, Karur, Madurai, Nagapattinam, Namakkal, Perambalur, Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Salem, Sivaganaga, Thanjavur, The Nilgiris, Theni, Thiruvallur, Thiruvarur, Tiruchirappally, Tirunelveli, Tiruvanamalai, Toothukudi, Vellore, Viluppuram, Virudhunagar.

Places of Tourist importance : Chennai, Kancheepuram, Kanyakumari, Kodaikkanal, Madurai, Mamallapuram, Rameswaram, Thanjavur, Tiruchirappally, Ooty.

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TAMIL NADU : Tourist Information

CHENNAI (MADRAS) - Marina beach : Second longest beach in the world with a length of 11 km, Anna memorial, MGR memorial, Madras University, San Thome cathedral, Kapileswar temple at Mylapore (39 m high), Valluvar Kotlam memorial shaped like a chariot (1976), St.Thomas mount with bleeding stone cross, Egmore museum, Government museum and art gallery, St.George fort - State Assembly and museum, parks, Guindy national park, Kishkinda fantacy park with 3D theatre, Vandalur zoological park (35 km), Pulicat (59 km, backwaters, boating, bird sanctuary, beach).

MAMALLAPURAM / MAHABALIPURAM - World heritage centre, 70 km from Chennai, rock cut temples, shore temple and 'rathas', sculpture, beach, crocodile bank (14 km), Tirukkalukundrum temple - (16 km), Dolphin city with Sea Lion, MGM Dissiworld at Tambaram, VGP, Little folks.

KANCHIPURAM - City of 1000 temples 60 km from Chennai, One of the seven holy places for Hindus, (others are Dwaraka, Ujjain, Varanasi, Ayodha, Mathura and Haridwar), Vaikundaperumal temple, Ekambaranathar temple (59 m, 540 pillared hall), Kailashnath temple (700 AD), Varadarajaperumal temple (3 km, 100 pillared hall with rock carved chain), Sriperumbudur - Rajiv Gandhi memorial (30 km).

PALANI - Temple & rope way.

MADURAI - Sri Meenakshi temple with 30 million sculptures, one of the largest temples in India, museum, Gandhi memorial museum and government museum, Tirumalai Nayak palace museum, Kapiliswarar temple, Parthasarthy temple, Thirupparankundram temple (8 km).

SRIVILLIPUTUR - Highest temple tower, 74 km from Madurai.

KODAIKANAL (2100 m) - Hill station 120 km from Madurai, lake, Solar Physics observatory, Shenbegannur museum of orchids, Pillar rocks (120 m), Byrant park (trees and shrubs), Silver Cascade (waterfall).

RAMESWARAM - Indira Gandhi Setu over sea (Pamban bridge, 2.3 km), temple with longest corridor (197 m), One of the four most sacred Hindu pilgrim centres.

UDAGAMANDALAM / OOTACAMUND / OOTY - Coimbatore (95 km), hill resort, toy train route from Mettupalayam to Ooty is in world heritage centre list : 16 tunels, 31 bridges, 326 m to 2193 m , 1899 AD, 46 km in 4.5 hour. Botanical garden, fossil tree trunk (20 million year old), lake, rose garden, Dodebetta peak (2636 m, 10 km), tea plantation, Government museum, Deer park, Pykara (21 km) : Toda settlement, trekking, Kotagiri hill station (40 km); Coonoor hill station (20 km) : Dolphin's nose (26 km) to view Catherine falls, Lamb's rock : View of Coimbatore plains, Sim's park, botanical gardens; MUDUMALAI Wild life sanctuary (30 km).

TIRUCHIRAPALLI - Rock fort temple (84 m with 437 steps cut into a tunnel through rock, in 1660), Jambukeshwar temple, museum, St.John's church, SRIRANGAM temple (10 km) : World's biggest Hindu temple with 21 gopurams and 904 pillared hall, tallest tower is 72 m high.

TANJAVUR - Brihadeshwara temple, a world heritage centre. 63 m high temple has a single piece of granite weighing 80 tonnes as dome, 6 m high Nandi statue, palace, Saraswati mahal library and art gallery, Raja museum, temple museum, Kumbhakonam temple (30 km), VELANGANNI - Church of Our Lady, Major christian pilgrim centre with festival on Sept 7 (94 km), Nagore - Muslim pilgrim centre.

CHIDAMBARAM (106 km from Tanjavur) - Natraja temple with 1000 pillared hall, four 49 m gopurams and a huge chariot, Thillai Kali Amman temple.

TIRUVANNAMALAI - Arunachal temple tower of 66 m with 1000 pillared hall, 80 km from Vellore. Ginjee fort (40 km).

TIRUNELVELI - Kantimati and Nellaipapper temples, Tiruchendur shore temple (13 km).

KUTTALAM - Waterfall near Tenkasi near the Kerala border.

HOGENAKKAL - Waterfall near Karnataka border. Access from the Salem - Hosur road.

KANYAKUMARI (CAPE COMORIN) - Land's end, Guganatha sami temple, Gandhi memorial, Vivekananda rock (via boat 200 m from shore), temple, church, Suchindram temple (13 km) : Musical pillar and 5.3 m Hanuman statue, Padmanabhapuram (30 km) - Palace, museum, temple.

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TRIPURA : General Information

Capital : Agartala.

Area : 10, 491 sq.km.

Literacy : 73%.

Languages : Tripuri, Manipuri, Bengali.

Roads : 14, 726 km.

Railways : 45 km.

Airports : Agartala, Kailashahar, Kamalpur.

When to visit : Sept to Mar.

Climate(in °C) : Summer 35 to 24 Winter 27 to 13.

Monsoon : June to Aug.

Districts : 4, Dhalai, North Tripura, South Tripura, West Tripura.

Places of Tourist importance : Ujjayanta palace, State museum, Jagannath temple and Rabindra Kanan at Agartala, Wild life sanctuary - Sephahijala, Trishna, Gumti and Roa.

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UTTARANCHAL : General Information

Capital : Dehradun.

Area : 53, 483 sq.km.

Literacy : 72.6%.

Languages : Hindi, Garhwali, Kumaoni.

Roads : 18, 000 km.

Railways : 600 km.

Airports : Dehradun, Pant nagar.

When to visit : Oct to Mar.

Climate(in °C) : 1.9 to 40.5 .

Districts : 13, Almora, Bageshwar, Chamoli, Champawat, Dehradun, Garhwal, Hardwar, Nainital, Pithoragarh, Rudraprayag, Tehri Garhwal, Udhamsigh nagar, Uttarkashi.

Places of Tourist importance : Dehradun, Mussoorie, Hardwar, Almora, Nainital, Pithoragarh, Auli, Gangotri, Yamnotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath, National parks - Nanda Devi, Valley of flowers, Rajaji, Askot, Corbett, Kedarnath ; Glaciers - Gangotri, Pindari, Maiktoli, Sunderdhunga, Milam, Ralam, Namik, Khatling, Nanda Devi, Satopnath, Bhagirathi-Kharak, Bandarpunch, Chorbari, Doonagiri ; Kailas Manasarovar Yatra.

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UTTARANCHAL : Tourist Information

DEHRADUN - Capital of Uttaranchal, hill station, Indian military academy.

MUSSOORIE - Major hill station 28 km from Dehradun, gardens, trekking, Gun hill rope way, Tibettan market, Kempty falls (15 km), Yamuna bridge (27 km), Surkhanda devi temple (35 km), Yamnotri (140 km).

YAMNOTRI - Source of river Yamuna, Hindu pilgrim centre - temple, hot springs - Surya kund (88oC), Divya shila rock pillar near the temple. Mussoorie to Hanuman chatti (130 km). 13 km trek via Janaki chatti for Yamnotri. 120 km for Gangotri.

GANGOTRI (3048 m) - Glacier at Gaumukh (24 km trek), source of Ganga river, Hindu pilgrim centre, temple, access from Dehradun by bus, Open May to October. Mussoorie to Lanka (112 km). Trek to Gangotri (11 km), to Bhajbasa (3800 m, 12 km) via Chibasa, to Gaumukh (3970 m, 12 km) and back .

HARIDWAR - Kumbh mela is held here after every 12 years, Chandi devi temple, Bharatmata temple, Mayadevi temple, Bhimgoda temple, Mansadevi temple (ropeway), Vaishnodevi temple, Hari-i-Pairi Ganga ghat for evening Aarti, temples, ashrams.

RISHIKESH - Hindu pilgrim centre, Trivel ghat : Evening Aarti, Swarg ashram : famous for Yoga and meditation, Kali temple, Lakshman Jhoola (bridge), Ram Jhoola. Kedarnath (222 km), Badrinath (300 km).

KEDARNATH - Hindu pilgrim centre near Badrinath (180 km, 3584 m, 13 km trek from Gaurikund - hot springs, May to Oct), jyotirlinga, Shankaracharya samadhi, Chaukamba glacier (2 km), Vasuki tal lake (4200m, 5 km , 2 km in dia.), trekking, wild flowers .

12 JYOTIRLINGAS : Bhimashankar (Pune), Grishneshwar (Aurangabad), Vajyanath (Parali/Bid), Nageswar/AundaNagnath (Nanded), Trikambeswar (Nashik), Viswanath (Varanasi), Mallikarjun (Srisailam, AP), Mahakaleswar (Ujjain), Kedarnath (UA), Mamaleswar (Omkareswar, Indore), Somnath (GJ), Rameshwar (TN).

BADARINATH - Hindu pilgrim centre (bus from Rishikesh, 300 km, 12 hour, 3100 m), hot springs : Taptakund and Surya kund (550C), from temple steps leads to Charan paduka. The last village Mana is at 3 km. Vyas gupha : cave, trek to Vasudhara falls via Bhim pul (5 km, 122 m water fall at 3658 m). The route leads to Mt. Nilkantha (6596 m, 10 km). Mt. Kamet (7756 m).

ALMORA - Hill station, temples, trekking, Pindari glacier via Bagheshwar (120 km, May - June for flowers), Kausani (53 km, hill station).

NAINITAL - Hill station, lakes, boating, Ranikhet hill station (50 km) - Jhodadevi temple; Railhead is Kathagodam connected to Bareilly. Almora (90 km).

CORBETT NATIONAL PARK - First national park in India, named after Jim Corbett at Dhikkal, Season : Nov to May.

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Trekking in UTTARANCHAL

1. NAG TIBBA (3040 m) - Mussoorie to Barkot/Kuwa. On the way getdown at Nainbagh (1115 m). Trek to Panthwari (1524 m, 11 km) and then to Nag Tibba (8 km).

2. HAR KI DOON - Mussoorie to Purola (97 km). Then to Netwar (50 km) and to Taluka (23 km) via Saur, Trek to Osla (2559 m, 11 km), to Har Ki Doon (3566 m, 8 km). The road upto Taluka is motorable except during monsoon.

3. DODITAL LAKE (3024 m) - Uttarkashi to Kalyani (1829 m, 11 km) by jeep. Trek 21 km to Dodital lake via Agoda.

4. BUDDHA KEDAR - Tehri to Ghuttu via Ghansali (63 km). (a) From Ghuttu (1524 m) trek to Bhairon Chatti (2493 m, 9 km), to Buddha Kedar (1524 m, 7 km) via Tolachati. Travel to Ghansali by bus (32 km). (b) SAHSRATAL LAKE - Buddha Kedar to Jhala (5 km), to Belak (9 km), to Sahsratal (9 km). (c) From Ghuttu (1524 m) trek to Duphanda (2896 m, 7 km), to PANWALI KANTHA (3963 m, 3 km).

5. KHATLING GLACIER / MASARTAL LAKE - From Ghuttu (1524 m) trek to Reeh (2132 m, 10 km), to Gangi (2584 m, 10 km), to Kalyani (2683 m, 5 km), to Bhelbagi (3110 m, 13 km), to Khatling (3717 m, 7 km), to Masartal (3675 m, 6 km).

6. ROOPKUND LAKE (5030 m) - Bageshwar to Gwaldam and then to Debal (45 km) by bus. Travel by jeep to Mandoli and then to Wan. Wan to Bedni Bugyal (3350 m, 14 km) : 6 hour. Bedni Bugyal to Bhagwa Basa (4100 m, 5 hour). Then to Roop Kund and back : 50 km , 4 days. Lake is at the foot of Trishul (7122 m) peak.

7. SUNDERDUNGA GLACIER - Bageshwar to Song by bus. Trek to Dhakuri via Loharkhet (14 km), to Jatoli via Umla (15 km), to Kathalia (3206 m) via Dungiadong (13 km), (a) to Sunderdunga glacier (7 km, 3800 m) : 90 km, 7 days. (b) to Sukhram glacier (7 km, 3900 m). (c) Maiktoli glacier (7 km, 3800 m). Tharkot (6100 m), Mrigthuni (6856 m), Maiktoli (6804 m) and Pawali Dwar (6663 m) are nearby peaks.

8. PINDARI - KAFNI GLACIER - Bageshwar to Song by bus (40 km, 1400 m). Trek to Dhakuri (14 km, 2680 m) via Loharkhet, to Khati (2210 m, 8 km), to Dwali (2576 m, 11 km), (a) to Pindari glacier (3353 to 4625 m) via Phurkia (8 km, 3260 m) : 90 km, 6 day trek. (b) Kafni glacier (13 km, 3800 m) via Byaligar. All places have dak bunglows. Executive Engr PWD Almora is the reservation authority.

9. MILAM GLACIER (4267 m) - Bageshwar to Munsiyari (135 km, 2290 m). Birthi falls on the way. Trek to Lilam (11 km), to Bugadiar (8 km), to Rilkote (10 km), to Milam village (14 km, 3423 m) via Martoli, to glacier and back (4 km) : 120 km, 8 days.

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Bageshwar to Martoli by bus. Trek to Milam glacier (20 km, length of 27 km and 3 km width). Best Season for trek is May to June and Sept to Oct.

10. NANDADEVI SANCTUARY - A world heritage centre with Mt. Nandadevi (7817 m, India's second highest peak). Joshimath - Malari (70 km) road goes through Tapovan, Reni, Lata (25 km) and Juma. (a) From Malari trek to Niti village (5038 m). (b) Trek from Lata to Dharansi (4250 m, 17 km) and then to Nandadevi sanctuary (40 km) with permit.

11. 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. 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. Trek 5 km to Valley of flowers. Take permit from Govind ghat. HEMKUND/LOKPAL (4329 m) : Sikh Pilgrim centre, 6 km trek from Ghanjhira. Lakshman temple and lake.

12. CURZON TRAIL - Nandaprayag to Ghat (19 km). Trek to Ramni (1982 m, 10 km), to Sarkot (2439 m, 4 km), to Jhenjipatni (1524 m, 9 km), to Panarani (2043 m, 12 km), to Sanatoli (2439 m, 5 km), to Domabhiti (2286 m, 5 km), to Kauri pass (4268 m, 5 km), to Tapoban (18 km). Travel to Joshimath (15 km, Jeep). Joshimath has highest and 3.9 km long rope way to Auli skiing centre (10 km by Jeep).

13. KEDARNATH (3584 m) - 14 km trek from Gaurikund (1981 m). Accomodation is available at Kedarnath. Chaukamba glacier is nearby. Trek to Vasukital (4135 m, 6 km, 1 km in diameter) with a guide as the route is difficult to find. Paian Tal is 1 km from Vasukital.

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UTTAR PRADESH : General Information

Capital : Lucknow.

Area : 2, 38, 566 sq.km.

Literacy : 57%.

Languages : Hindi, Urdu.

Roads : 2, 37, 358 km.

Railways : 8, 911 km.

Airports : Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Allahabad, Varanasi, Jhansi, Bareilly, Ghaziabad, Rae Bareilli.

When to visit : Oct to Mar.

Climate(in °C) : Summer 45 to 11 Winter 32 to 2.

Monsoon : June to Sept

Districts : 70, Agra, Aligarh , Allahabad, Ambedkar nagar, Auraiya, Azamgarh, Baghpat, Bahraich, Ballia, Balrampur, Banda, Barabanki, Bareilly, Basti, Bijnor, Budaun, Bulandshahar, Chandauli, Chatrapati Shahuji Maharaj nagar, Chitrakoot, Deoria, Etah, Etawah, Faizabad, Farrukhabad, Fatehpur, Firozabad, Gautam Buddha nagar, Ghaziabad, Ghazipur, Gonda, Gorakhpur, Hamirpur, Hadoi, Hathras, Jalaun, Jaunpur, Jhansi, Jyotiba Phule nagar, Kannauj, Kanpur Dehat,Kanpur nagar, Kaushambi, Kheri, Kushinagar, Lalitpur, Lucknow, Maharajganj, Mahoba, Mainpuri, Mathura, Mau, Maeerut, Mirzapur, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, Pilibhit, Pratapgarh, Rae Bareli, Rampur, Saharanpur, San Kabir nagar, Sant Ravidas nagar, Shahjahanpur, Shravasti, Siddharth nagar, Sitapur, Sonbhadra, Sultanpur, Unnao, Varanasi.

Places of Tourist importance : Agra, Fatehpur sikri, Lucknow, Varanasi, Saranath, Allahabad, Ayodhya, Mathura.

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UTTAR PRADESH : Tourist Information

AGRA - TAJ MAHAL : One of the seven wonders of the world, a world heritage centre, a symbol of eternal love, 20 000 people worked day and night for 22 years in the Taj's construction under the archetect Isa Khan, 70 m high dome with 4 towers of 41.6 m high, 580 m * 300 m area, palaces, Agra fort : a world heritage centre, gardens, Radha swamy samadhi at Dayalbagh (highly ornate in marble), Mariyam's tomb (13 km), Akbar's tomb at Sikandra (8 km); Chini ka Roza (7 km) - Tomb of Afzal Mullah.

FATEHPUR SIKRI (35 km) - a world heritage centre, Buland Darwaza : world's largest door way 43 m high by Akbar, 13 m high steps leads to the door, masjid, tomb of Salim Chisti, fort, Panch mahal, palaces, ancient capital of Akbar.

ALIGARH - Famous muslim university, fort, mosque.

MATHURA - Birth place of Lord Krishna, Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi temple, Dwarkadeesh temple, mosque, Kans qila and Raja Jai Singh observatory, Gita mandir, Mathura ghats - Vishram, kali, Dahi, Govindkeshi, Government museum, Vrindavan (10 km) - Krishna Balram temple, Givindev temple, Rangaji temple, Radha ballabh temple, Bankey Bihari temple, Shahji temple.

JHANSI - Fort and museum, Government museum, Rani Mahal museum, Orchha (18 km) and Khajuraho (175 km) in MP.

ALLAHABAD - Sangam, confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and invisible Saraswati, Kumbhmela is held at Sangam is India's biggest festival (once in 12 years) with largest religious crowd, Anand Bhavan : House of Nehru family, Allahabad university building, All saints cathedral, fort, temples, Allahabad museum.

VARANASI - Sacred city for Hindus, Viswanath temple : Jyotirlinga, Gyan Vapi masjid, Ganga bathing ghats, Banaras Hindu university, Ramnagar (18 km, palace, fort, museum), SARANATH (10 km) : Place of Buddha's first sermon, archaeological museum, monastery, Dhamek stupa (44 m in height and 28 m in diameter), Lion capital.

LUMBINI (Nepal) - A world heritage centre, birth place of Lord Buddha, 96 km from Gorakhpur and 8 km from the border, Buddhist pilgrim centre.

FESTIVALS - Lucknow fest (Nov), Janmastami (Aug), Jhoola fair and Holi at Mathura.

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WEST BENGAL : General Information

Capital : Kolkata.

Area : 88, 752 sq.km.

Literacy : 69.6%.

Languages : Bengali, Hindi.

Roads : 77, 579 km.

Railways : 3, 768 km.

Airports : Bagdogra, Kolkata, Cooch-Behar, Malda, Balurghat.

When to visit : Oct to Mar.

Climate(in °C) : Summer 40 to 24 Winter 26 to 7.

Monsoon : June to Sept

Districts : 19, Bankura, Bardhaman Birbhum, Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, East Midanapore, Hooghly, Howrah, Jalpaiguri, Kolkatta, Maldah, Murshidabad, Nadia, North Twenty four Parganas, North Dinajpur, Puruliya, South Twenty four Parganas, South Dinajpur, West Midanapore.

Places of Tourist importance : Kolkata, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Shantiniketan, Sunderbans national park, beaches - Digha, Shankarpur, Junput, Sagardwip, Bakkhali.

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WEST BENGAL : Tourist Information

KOLKATA (CALCUTTA) - Haora bridge : busiest hanging bridge (457 m length and 8 m wide with 8 line traffic), Vidya sagar setu (1993, second hanging bridge across Hooglie), botanical gardens with 2000 year old giant Banyan tree (19 km), Alipore zoological gardens, National library, Indian museum, Birla industrial and technological museum, Shahid minar, Kalighat temple, Victoria memorial, Birla planetarium, St. Paul's cathedral, Raj Bhavan, Writer's building, trams, double deckker bus, Marble palace at Chor Bagan, Parasnath Jain temple, Nakhoda mosque, Metro underground railway (16.5 km from Dumdum to Tollygunje), Belur (15 km, Ramakrishna mission headquarters), Dakshineshwar Kali temple (11 km), Tarakeshwar temple (80 km).

SUNDERBANS - Wild life sanctuary, a world heritage centre (Dec to May), the biggest delta in the world. Diamond harbour : River side picnic spot.

SHANTINIKETAN - Tagore's Viswa Bharathi University (215 km). TARAPITH temple (80 km from Shantiniketan).

DARJEELING (666 km from KOLKATA) - Shiliguri : 90 km toy train route to Darjeeling, a world heritage route, major hill resort, New Jaipalguri (86 km, 7.5 hour) connects Darjeeling by narrow gauge. Trekking (April-May, Oct-Nov), gardens, museums, temples, handicrafts, fishing, Himalayan training institute, zoological park and museum, Lloyd botanical park, Rangeet valley rope way (5 km), Observatory hills, Ghoom Buddhist monastery (6 km), Senchal (11 km) : View of Everest and Mt. Kanchenjunga from Tiger hill, picnic spot.

KALINGPANG - Hill station, tea plantation, handicrafts, Buddhist monastery.

SANDAKPHU - Excellent views of Himalaya, trekking.

JALDHAPARA - Wild life sanctuary (Dec to May).

FESTIVALS - Durga puja (Sept/Oct), Diwali (Oct/Nov), Baisakhi (April/May).