India travelguide

[Perfection]

KERALA : General Information

Capital : Thiruvanathapuram.

Area : 38, 863 sq.km.

Literacy : 96%.

Languages : Malayalam, Tamil.

Roads : 1, 41, 856 km.

Railways : 105 km.

Airports : Kochi, Thiruvanathapuram.

When to visit : Nov to April.

Climate(in °C) : Summer 35 to 21.

Districts : 14, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kannur, Kasargod, Kollam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Wayanad.

Places of Tourist importance : Thiruvanathapuram, Kovalam beach, Ponmudi, Kochi, Vembanad lake, Kappad beach, Munnar, Kumarakom, Thekkady, Periyar, Silent valley.

[Perfection]

KERALA: Tourist Information

One of the ten most beautiful places in the world (Kumarakom) by National Geographic Traveller. Known as God's own country/spice garden of India. Famous for Snake boat race, Kathakali dance, Ayurveda system of healing.

ALAPUZHA (ALLEPPEY) - Onam snake boat race (Aug/Sept), boating through the backwaters to Kollam or Kottayam, Ambalapuzha temple (25 km), Mannarasala temple at Haripad, Kanichukulangara temple - Shivratri festival, Arthunkal church (20 km) - Festival on Jan 20th.

KOCHI/ERNAKULAM - Known as 'Queen of the Arabian Sea', Parishat Thampuran museum, Bolgatty palace by boat from Marine drive, Hill palace museum at Thripunithura.

FORT KOCHI (10 km) - St.Francis church of 1510 AD where Vasco Da Gama was buried, Dutch cemetry, Santa Cruz Basallica, Willington island, Coonan kurisu shrine at Mattanchery, Jewish synagogue (1568 AD), Jew town, Dutch palace, Chinese fishing nets, Vypin island via boat.

ALUVA - Shivratri is celebrated here. Kalady - Birth place of Adi Sankaracharya, Malayattur church (25 km, Easter/Good Friday).

ATHIRAPALLY & VAZHACHAL - Waterfalls. 30 km from Chalakudy. The forest road leads to Pollachi in Tamil Nadu.

MUNNAR (1600 m) - Hill staion, tea plantation. 136 km from Kochi. Anamudi peak (2695 m) is near by.

THRISSUR - Archaeological museum, Pooram at Vadakkunathan Shiv temple (April/ May), zoo, fort, palace; Guruvayur temple (30 km, 63 temple elephants).

KOTTAYAM - Churches, Syrian Christian cultural centre. Popular tourist centre Kumarakom is 16 km away.

SABARIMALA - Ayyappa temple 160 km from Kottayam at 914 m, Nov to Jan - Major Hindu pilgrim centre, 5 km trek from Pamba.

TEKKADY - Periyar lake wild life sanctuary, famous for wild life - Elephants, tigers, birds and flying lizards. 130 km from Kottayam. PIRUMED - Hill station, plantation.

VARKALA - Beach, Janardhana temple, Anchuthengu fort (10 km).

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Padmanabhaswami temple, Old muslim clock, zoo, Napier museum and Sri Chitra art gallery, palace, Science and technical museum, Secretariat, Shankumukham beach, Veli beach (10 km); Kovalam beach (16 km), Neyyar dam and Lion safari (32 km). Ponmudi hill station (60 km). Padmanabhapuram palace (54 km).

MALAMPUZHA (12 km from Palakkad) - Dam, garden with fountains.

EDAKKAL - Cave in Wayanad district.

KANNUR - Fort, Payyambalam and Muzhapilangad beaches. KASARGOD - Bekkal fort (20 km).

FESTIVALS - Onam (Aug/Sept), Vishu, Ramzan, Christmas, Aluva Shivratri.

[Perfection]

MADHYA PRADESH : General Information

Capital : Bhopal.

Area : 3, 08, 000 sq.km.

Literacy : 64.7%.

Languages : Hindi, Urdu, Marathi.

Roads : 1, 98, 936 km.

Railways : 5, 893 km.

Airports : Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur, Khajuraho, Raipur.

When to visit : Oct to May.

Climate(in °C) : Summer 48 to 2 Winter 23 to 4.

Districts : 45, Balaghat, Barwani, Betul, Bhind, Bhopal, Chhatarpur, Chindwara, Damoh, Datia, Dewas, Dhar, Dindori, East Nimar, Guna, Gwalior, Harda, Hoshangabad, Indore, Jabalpur , Jhabua, Katni, Mandla, Mandsaur, Morena, Narsimhapur, Neemuch, Panna, Raisen, Rajgarh, Ratlam, Rewa, Sagar, Satna, Sehore, Seoni, Shahdol, Shajapur, Sheopur, Shivpuri, Sidhi, Tikamgarh, Ujjain, Umaria, Vidisha West Nimar.

Places of Tourist importance : Khajuraho, Sanchi, Bhimbetka, Pachmarhi, Omkareshwar, marble rocks at Bhedaghat, Mandu.

[Perfection]

MADHYA PRADESH: Tourist Information

BHOPAL - Taj ul masjid (India's biggest), upper & lower lakes, fort, State museum, Moti masjid, Shaukat Mahal, Van Vihar safari park, Bhimbetka (40 km) - 700 caves with paintings, a world heritage centre.

SANCHI (47 km) - 300 BC stupa, a World heritage centre, Great stupa is 16.4 m high and 36.5 m in diameter with 4 carved gateways, Buddhist pilgrim centre, archaeological musuem. Vidisha (10 km) - Heliodorous pillar, Udayagiri caves.

INDORE - Central museum, Jain Kabch temple.

OMKARESWAR JYOTIRLINGA - 77 km from Indore situated in an island, Sidhanath mandir, 24 Avatar's Jain mandir, Satmatrika temple group (6 km), Kajal Rani caves (9 km).

UJJAIN - Indore (53 km). Mahakaleswar temple (jyotirlinga), Vikram university museum. Jai Singh observatory, Bade Ganeshji ka mandir, Gola mandir, Navagraha mandir, Kal Bhairava mandir, Gad Kali mandir, Vikram Kirti mandir.

MAHESWAR (91 km from Indore) - Maheswar temple, fort with Ragaddi and Rajwada, famous for sarees.

GWALIOR - Fort with Tansen's tomb and archaeological museum at Gujari mahal, Man mandir palace, temple, Suraj kund, Jivaji Rao Scindia museum, Ghaus Mohammed's tomb, memorials to Rani of Jhansi and Tantya Tope.

ORCHHA - 16 km from Jhansi. Fort complex - Jehangir mahal, Raj mahal, Anand mahal, Ram raja mandir, Chaturbhuj mandir, Lakshmi Narayan mandir, Kanchan ghat of Betwa river.

KHAJURAHO - By Chandelas in 950 AD. Erotic sculptures in temples, archaeological museum. (Rail head Jhansi/ Satna : 172/117 km), Dubela museum (64 km).

Western group temples : Kandariya Mahadeo, Chausat Yogini, Chitragupta, Viswanath, Raja Rani.

Eastern group temples : Parasvanath (largest in this group), Adinath.

Southern group temples : Duladeo temple having figures of sexual intercourse and women in different poses, Chaturbhuj temple. Dance festival (March).

JABALPUR - Bheraghat (23 km, marble rocks, one of the most scenic spots, cruising in the gorge), Chausat Yogini temple, Dudhsagar falls.

PACHMARHI - Hill resort, Priyadarshini point, Handi Khoh - 100 m high precipice, Rajat Prapat and Apsara vihar, Mahadeo temple with Shivling, Jatashankar cave, Pandav caves, Dhoopgarh : highest point. Railhead : Piparya on Mumbai - Howrah line (47 km), trekking.

FESTIVALS - Basant Panchami (Jan/Feb), Shivratri and Holi (Feb/Mar), Dussera, Diwali (Oct/Nov).

[Perfection]

MAHARASHTRA : General Information

Capital : Mumbai.

Area : 3, 07, 713 sq.km.

Literacy : 77.9%.

Languages : Marathi, Gujrathi, Hindi.

Roads : 3, 59, 262 km.

Railways : 5, 554 km.

Airports : Aurangabad, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Akola, Kolhapur, Nanded, Ratnagiri, Solapur.

When to visit : Sept to Mar.

Climate(in °C) : Summer 39 to 22 Winter 34 to 12.

Districts : 35, Ahmadnagar, Akola, Amravati, Aurangabad, Bhandara, Beed, Buldana, Chandrapur, Dhule, Gadchiroli, Gondiya, Hingoli, Jalgaon, Jalna, Kolhapur, Latur, Mumbai , Mumbai Suburban, Nagpur, Nanded, Nandurbar, Nashik, Osmanabad, Parbhani, Pune, Raigarh, Ratnagiri, Sangli, Satara, Sindhudurg, Solapur, Thane, Wardha, Washim, Yavatmal.

Places of Tourist importance : Mumbai, Lonavla, Mahabaleshwar, Ajanta - Ellora caves.

[Perfection]

MAHARASHTRA : Tourist Information

MUMBAI (BOMBAY) - Chhatrapati Shivaji terminus / Victoria terminus : a World heritage centre, Mumbai mahanagar palika building, Elephanta caves : a World heritage centre (caves of 700 AD, 1 hour/10 km by boat from Gateway of India), Prince of Wales (Chhatrapati Shivaji memorial) museum, Victoria and Albert museum, Gateway of India commemorates the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to India in 1911, near by is Taj Hotel. IMS Vikrant (Ex INS Vikrant Museum ship near Gateway of India), Hanging gardens and Kamala Nehru park on Malabar hills with panoramic view of Marine Drive. At night, the lights of Marine Drive appears to be Queen's necklace. Nariman Point with skyscapers - Reserve Bank of India building, Bombay Stock Exchange, Air India, Mantralay, Haji Ali tomb reached by a long causeway, which can be crossed at low tide, Mahalaxmi temple, Nehru Planetarium and science museum, gardens, parks, Juhu beach, Siddhi Vinayak temple, Double deckker bus, Sripati Arcade (154 m , highest building in India near Grant Road), Borivilli national park (35 km), Kanheri caves (109 caves of 1 C BC, 40 km), Uttan - Manori, Gorai and Marve beaches (40 km), Esselworld fantacy park, Powai lake (27 km) - Indian Institute of Technology, picnic spot, Vasai fort (45 km) - large Portuguese fort with churches.

ARNALA island fort - From Virar station get a bus to Arnala (18 km) and then to fort by boat. Seperate cylindrical watch tower is an attraction. Fort has a temple and darga.

VAJRESHWARI - Temple with hot springs at Ganeshpuri (35 km from Kalyan). Akolola hot springs (2 km) are near by.

MATHERAN - Hill station near Neral on Mumbai - Pune rail route, narrow gauge toy train connects Nearl with Matheran (13 km, 5 hour), Panorama point, arbut point, Hart point, Monkey point, Porcupine point, Louise point, One tree point, Honeymoon point, Alexander point, Lord point, Echo point, Coronation point, Mary point, Olympia point, Pay master park, Chaelotte lake, Madhavji point and Bazaar are some main attractions in the 'car free' hill station.

LONAVLA - Charming hill station on Sahyadri with an average annual rainfall of 500 cm. During the monsoon the area become scenic with lots of waterfalls and greenary. Tata dam (2 km), Bushi dam (7 km), Lion's point (12 km), Sahara lake city (25 km), Duke's nose (8 km), Valvan dam (4 km), Induri fort near Talegaon. Karla caves (12 km, 80 BC), Bhaja caves (8 km, 18 in no.), Bedsa caves (10 km, near Pawna dam) etc. are some main attractions. KHANDALA (5 km) : Hill staton, Rajmachi point - a good vantage point, Bhor ghat route to Khopoli (8 km) is enjoying.

PUNE - Agha Khan's palace with Kasturba samadhi, temples, Saniwarwada fort, Raja Kelkar museum, Khadakvasla dam (18 km, National Defence Academy), Panshet dam (45 km) - picnic spot, Osho (Bhagawan Rajnish) ashram, Sinhagad fort (25 km), Jejuri - Khandoba temple (38 km), Purandhar fort (45 km), Torna - Rajgad (40 km), Dehu (30 km) - pilgrim centre, Alandi - Pilgrim centre.

ASTAVINAYAK TEMPLES : Swayambhu figures of Sri Ganesh. Madh (15 km from Khopoli), Pali (38 km from Khopoli), Theur (25 km from Pune), Moregaon (15 km from Jejuri, Pune), Ranjengaon (53 km from Pune), Leniyadri (90 km from Pune), Ojhar (75 km from Pune), Sidhatek (20 km from Daund).

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

BHIMASHANKAR - Jyotirlinga, pilgrim centre (100 km from Pune).

ALIBAUG - Beach and Kulaba island fort - at low tide one can walk to the fort (1.5 km). Time : 1100 to 1500 h. CHAUL - Kanoji Angre samadhi, Rameshwer temple, fort, ancient town.

MURUD - Janjira island fort with one of India's largest cannons - Landa Kasam, beach, 12 m high fort walls, 165 km from Mumbai, 300 year old fort of Siddis, palace, nearby Padmadurg fort (3 km by boat), beauiful beaches of Kashid and Murud, Korlai and Revdanda forts on Alibaug - Murud route.

MAHABALESHWAR (1438 m) - Hill station, famous for Strawberry, vantage points are Wilson point, Kate's point, Bombay point, Elphinstone point, Babbington point, Arthur's seat etc., Venna lake - boating, waterfalls like Chinaman, Dhobi, Ludwig, Lingamala. Pratapgad fort (24 km), Panchgani hill station (25 km) : Table land.

GANAPATIPHULE - Ancient Ganapati temple, beach. 50 km from Ratnagiri. RATNAGIRI - Longest rail tunnel in India (6.5 km) at Karbude, fort, beach, mangoes. MALVAN - fort and beach, Sindhudurg island fort nearby.

KOLHAPUR - Mahalakshmi temple and old palace, Renkha Bhairav temple, Sri Chhatrapati Sahu museum, Town hall museum, Ran kele lake, Girloi park, Panhala fort (18 km), deep gorge of Pavan khind, Kopeswar temple at Khidrapur (75 km). AMBOLI - Hill station, flowers.

SATARA - Ajinkyatara fort, Parali fort (Sajjangad), palace, museum, nearby forts are Chandan Vandan forts, Prachitgad, Vasota (From Kas lake, Bambanoli of Satara Or from Chiplun to Chowane by bus, trek to Vasota via Nageshwar temple - steep route, 10 hour trek).

PANDHARPUR - Hindu pilgrim centre (August - October).

BHANDARDHARA - Picnic spot, lake, Kalsubai (1650 m).

NASHIK - Hindu pilgrim centre, Simhastha fair is held here once in 12 years, temples, Ramkund - the holy tank 27 m*12 m, Muktidham marble temple, coin museum, Pandav leni - 24 Jain caves of 100 BC. Trimbakeshwar (35 km) - Jyotirlinga, temple, caves, Source of Holy river Godavari, Brahmagiri hill, Anjaneri fort.

SHIRDI - Major pilgrim centre, Sai Baba temple. 85 km from Nasik.

AURANGABAD - 9 caves, Bibi ka Maqbara : Tomb of Rabia Durani (w/o Emperor Aurangazeb), Pan Chakki : Water mill (1695 AD), Rani Begum gardens (24 km), Daulatabad fort (13 km) : large fortress and cannon, tomb of Aurangazeb at Khuldabad.

ELLORA Caves (26 km from Aurangabad) - A world heritage centre. Dance festival in March. 34 caves consisting of Buddhist (1-12), Hindu (13-29), and Jain caves (30-34) of 500 to 1100 AD. Kailasha temple is the main attraction, which is carved out of a monolith, is the biggest cave temple : 84 m * 47 m. Grishneswar jyotirlinga temple.

AJANTA Caves (110 km from Aurangabad) - A world heritage centre of 200 BC. 29 caves containing numerous images of Buddha and painting on walls. The caves are located in the hills in horse shoe shape.

LONAR CRATOR (170 km from Aurangabad) - Formed 50,000 years ago by a hyper velocity meteorite (18 km/s), 100 m in diameter and weighing 2 million tonnes. The circular saline lake is 1.83 km in diameter and 150 m deep. The crator rises to 20 m above the surrounding land. It is the 3rd largest crator in the world.

FESTIVALS - Mahashivratri and Holi (Feb/March), Ganesh Chaturthi (Aug/Sept).

[Perfection]

MANIPUR : General Information

Capital : Imphal.

Area : 22, 327 sq.km.

Literacy : 68%.

Language : Manipuri.

Roads : 10, 760 km.

Railways : 1 km.

Airports : Imphal.

When to visit : Nov to May.

Climate(in °C) : Summer 29 to 14 Winter 25 to 7 .

Monsoon : April to Oct.

Districts : 9, Bishnupur, Chandel, Churachandpur, Imphal East, Imphal West, Senapati, Tamenglong, Thoubal, Ukhrul.

Places of Tourist importance : Imphal - war cemeteries, Govindajee temple, women bazaar, Loktak lake, Keibul Lamjao (the only floating national park in the world), Orchid yard at Khongampat, Sendra island.

[Perfection]

MEGHALAYA : General Information

Capital : Shillong.

Area : 22, 429 sq.km.

Literacy : 63.6%.

Languages : Khasi, Garo, Bengali.

Roads : 8, 391 km.

Heliport : Shillong, Tura, Umroi.

When to visit : Oct to Mar.

Climate(in °C) : Summer 25 to 15 Winter 16 to 4 .

Districts : 7, East Garo Hills, East Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills, Ri Bhoi, South Garo Hills, West Garo Hills, West Khasi Hills.

Places of Tourist importance : Ward's lake, Lady Hydary park, Bishop Beadon falls, Elephant falls, Kyllang rock, Uniam lake, Nohsngithiang falls at Mawsmai, Khasi hills: Cherrapunji, Mawsynram, botanical garden.

[Perfection]

MEGHALAYA : Tourist Information

CHERRAPUNJI/MAWSYNRAM - World's wettest place (56 km from Shillong), waterfalls, limestone caves.

JAKREM hot springs (64 km from Shillong).

RANIGODAM - Angler's paradise.

TURA - Hill station, hiking, tribals.

SIJU CAVES with Stalagmites and Stalactites.

FESTIVAL - Wangla (June).

[Perfection]

MIZORAM : General Information

Capital : Aizawl.

Area : 21, 081 sq. km.

Literacy : 88.49%.

Languages : Mizo, English, Bengali.

Roads : 6, 910 km.

Railways : 2 km.

Airports : Aizawl.

When to visit : Oct to May.

Climate(in °C) : Summer 18 to 29 Winter 11 to 24.

Monsoon : June to Sept

Districts : 8, Aizawl, Champhai, Kolasib,Lawngtlai, Lunglei, Mamit, Chhimtuipui, Serchhip.

Places of Tourist importance : The Blue mountain, Pukzing caves, Tam dil lake, Zotlang, Lunglei, Thenzawl hill station, Dingdi art gallery, Saitual resort.