Sunday, July 18, 2010

Golden Temple, Amritsar


Amritsar, the city of Golden Temple earns its fame mostly as a Sikh pilgrimage with numerous holy places of the Sikh religion in and around the city. The city owes its name to the holy lake inside the Harmander Sahib (Amrit = nectar, Sar = lake). Apart from those, the monument of Jallianwala Bagh and the evening Change of Guard at Wagah Border feature among the tourist attractions in Amritsar.


Saturday, July 17, 2010

Tirumala Tirupati Shrine, Andhra Pradesh

Tirumala Venkateswara Temple is a famous Hindu temple of Lord Vishnu in the form of Lord Venkateswara located in the hill town Tirumala, near Tirupati in the Chittor district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is situated on Venkatadri, one of the seven hills of Tirumala, and hence is also known as the Temple of Seven Hills (Saptagiri-Sanskrit name). The presiding deity of the temple, Lord Venkateswara, is also known by other names - Balaji, Govinda and Srinivasa.



This temple is probably the richest and most renowned temple in India. Tirumala can be approached only after crossing a range of hills of the Eastern Ghats. Almost all the kings from great dynasties of the southern peninsula - Pallavas, Pandyas, Cholas, Vijayanagar kings have revered and worshiped the presiding deity. The Lord Venkateswara also referred to as Lord of the Seven Hills.

Khajuraho Temple, Madhya Pradesh

The biggest tourist attractions in Khajuraho are undoubtedly the erotic sculptures on the temples. Perfectly carved figurines depict the scenes and postures straight from Kamasutra - the ancient Indian erotica.

Situated in the heart of Central India, in the state of Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho is a fascinating village with a quaint rural ambience and a rich cultural heritage. The fascinating temples of Khajuraho, India's unique gift of love to the world, represent the expression of a highly matured civilization. It is one of the top tourist places of India. An Airport has been built in this small village. Tourists with fat pockets but less time can fly Delhi-Agra-Khajuraho-Delhi in a day! There are a lot of hotels in the area to stay. A few are run by foreginers. The shops in Khujaraho sell a lot of handicrafts and some of them are really good and reasonably priced.

History of Temples:

Khajuraho temples were constructed between 950 and 1050 A.D. during the reign of Chandel Empire. Khajuraho derives its name from the Khajur tree (the date palm tree) which can be found in abundance in the area. These temples are considered the "high point" of Indian architectural genius in the Medieval period.

Historic Monuments in Delhi


Being the capital of India and an integral part of the glorious history of the country, Delhi travel guide unveils the rich heritage of the country of India. Delhi, located in the northern part of the country, has a strong influence of the north Indian culture and derives its outlook from the Punjabi culture.

Delhi, India being a cosmopolitan city and the capital of the country is home to people from all over the country and is a melting point of various cultures. Delhi preserves the great Mughal architecture, which includes the most magnificent buildings and structures. With the presence of numerous historical and modern amusement sites, Delhi has always been one of the major tourist destinations of the country.

Tourist spots in Delhi:

Some of the popular tourist spots in Delhi are:

  • Red Fort: This elegant fort built out of red stand stone, is considered to be one of the most visited places of Delhi.
  • Jantar Mantar: This observatory was made by Maharaja Jai Singh.
  • Humayun's Tomb: Built in the 16th century by wife of Humayun, this grand structure is made of red sand stone.
  • Qutab Minar: Built in 1199, it has a height of 72.5 meters from the base.
  • Lodhi Gardens: It has man-made streams and is located around the tombs of Lodhi and Sayid rulers.
  • The Bahai Temple: Also known as Lotus temple, it was founded in 1986. It has the shape of a lotus after which the name has been kept.
  • Jama Masjid: Built by Shah Jahan, it happens to be one of the largest mosques in India.

Ajanta Ellora Caves, Maharashtra


The tourist attractions in Ajanta are undoubtedly the Ajanta and Ellora caves, located near the city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra and about 300 kilometers northeast of the city of Mumbai. The 34 caves at Ellora and the 29 caves at Ajanta remained in obscurity for over a millennium, till John Smith, a British Army Officer, accidentally stumbled upon them while on a hunting expedition in 1819.

Ajanta and Ellora are protected monument sites under the Archaeological Survey of India and has been included in the World Heritage list of monuments.
The Ajanta and Ellora cave shrines cut out of rock, by hand, rank amongst the most outstanding historical tourist attractions in India. It is believed that, originally, Buddhist monks sought shelter in these natural grottos during monsoons and began decorating them with religious motifs to help pass the rainy season. Later they taught and performed rituals in these caves, which became their Chaityas (temples) and Viharas (living quarters), the ancient seats of learning, and centers of the Buddhist cultural movement. Using simple tools like hammer and chisel, the monks carved out impressive figures. These murals and frescoes adorning the walls of these structures depict the story of Buddhism, spanning the period from 200 BC to 650 AD.



Many of the caves have panels depicting stories from the Jatakas, a treasure trove of stories about the several incarnations of the Buddha. This makes the Ajanta caves a fascinating spiritual tourist attraction for Buddhists and scholars and researchers of Buddhism.

Backwaters of Kerala






Kerala travel leads the visitors to one of the most popular tourist destinations not only of India, but of the entire world.

Kerala is an internationally reputed Ayurveda hub. Tourists from all over the world travel to Kerala to receive the holistic natural therapy provided by the many high-quality Ayurvedic centers of the state.

A region noted for its biodiversity, Kerala is the considered to be the greenest state of India. It is resplendent with verdant forests and virgin backwaters. The golden sandy beaches and the lush tea plantations add to its beauty. Because of its unsurpassed scenic beauty, Kerala is rightly referred to as 'God's own Country'. Wildlife tourism is one of the greatest attractions of Kerala. The 14 wildlife sanctuaries, nestled in the deep forests of Kerala form a vital part of Kerala tourism.



Kerala has wonderful places that support for adventure tourism as well. The adventure-lovers can also go trekking on the exciting hiking trails that border these exotic destinations. There are, moreover, beautiful plantation fields where tea, coffee, pepper, cardamom, vanilla, oranges, mangoes are grown.




Churches & Beaches, Goa


Goa is one of the most popular tourist destinations of India located in the west coast of India. Blessed with a coastal climate, the best time to visit Goa is from mid July to September end or November end to mid February. Goa referred as the 'Pearl of the Orient” personifies sun kissed beaches, lofty palms, majestic churches and spectacular monuments. A travel to Goa is full of eternal and internal refreshment the physical body as well as the soul.

Goa in Reach
By Air
All the major airline services have daily flights to Goa from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune and twice a week from Chennai and Kochi. The airport has a pre-paid taxi counter.
By Rail
The Konkan Railway makes Goa easily accessible by rail from cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Mangalore, Ernakulam, Thiruvanthapuram. Goa is also linked to Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Pune.
By Road
Private buses are available frequent and provide a relaxed mode of commuting.




For someone who would like to relax at the beach, there are some quiet and serene beaches like the Betul beach, the Palolem beach or even the Bambolim beach. Be it families, friends or honeymoon couples, the beautiful state of Goa has something for everyone.
The first time visitors to Goa will enjoy the liveliness of everything around them. The joy at Goa beaches cannot be found anywhere else.
Here are the list of famous beaches in Goa worth visiting.
Anjuna Beach
Candolim Beach
Colva Beach
Baga Beach
Calangute Beach

The Taj Mahal, Agra




Located at a distance of 253 km from Delhi, Taj Mahal is the single most famous tourist attraction in Agra. People from across the globe flock to the city of Agra to see the Taj Mahal, "symbol of eternal love" also count in "seven wonders of the world".

The Taj Mahal, built in memory of Begum Mumtaz Mahal by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1681. The Taj Mahal stands on the bank of the Yamuna and is built on a red sandstone base, topped by a huge white marble terrace on which rests the famous dome flanked by four tapering minarets The Taj Mahal houses the grave of Mumtaz Mahal.





Later the grave Shah Jahan was also added next to her. The floors and walls have fascinating calligraphy and mosaicwork adorned with precious stones.The tomb is set against the plain across the river and it is believed that it is this background that works its magic of colors that, through their reflection, change the view of the Taj. The colors change at different hours of the day and during different seasons. The Taj is pinkish in the morning, milky white in the evening and golden when the moon shines. These changes, they say, depict the different moods of woman.