TRAVEL GUIDE

           Rajasthan and North India

• Delhi – Located in the northern India on the bank riverYamuna, the capital city is second largest metropolis afterMumbai with a population of over 13 million. The city isrich with historical culture,human diversity and modernoutlook. Both Old and New Delhi exert a captivatingcharm on visitors while old Delhi is famous for imperialmonuments like Red fort, Qutub Minar, Humayun Tomband mazy streets of Chandni Chowk, New Delhi is

Red Fort Delhi

illustrious for shopping malls, museums, art houses.

 

Jaipur – Settled in the rugged hills of the Aravalis capital of Rajasthan known as 'Pink City' is known for its naturalbeauty and historical relics. Lose yourself unwinding thesecrets of the city's Rajput past in royal Amber Fort or lostyourself into the steps of mysterious Jantar Mantar. Thereare innumerable palaces and forts that are the favorite spotsfor tourists, both Indian and foreign. The city has a uniqueculture that one should experienced.

    Amber Fort, Jaipur

Bikaner -Bikaner is fine amalgamation of gothicgrandeur with modern city's lifestyle popularly known forroyal forts with a timeless appeal. Also famous for camelride, the ship of desert is an inseparable part of life here.Bikaner is a home of many attractive tourist places.Junagarh Fort, Lalgarh Palace and Ganga Golden JubileeMuseum are some of the most sought after tourist places inBikaner.historic wealth is the major attraction among tourists.

Jodhpur

 Jodhpur , the second largest city in Rajasthan setat the edge of Thar desert is famous for many beautifulpalaces, forts, temples and scenic beauty of desertlandscape. The city is also known as 'Sun City' as it enjoyssunny weather all over year. Prime sites are Mehrangarhfort, Jaswant Thada, Umaid Bhavan Palace. Massive

Mehrangarh fort on a 125 m rocky hill with its historic

wealth is the major attraction among tourists.

Agra

    Agra is a city located on the banks of Yamunariver in state of Uttar Pradesh. Mainly famous for

imperial Taj Mahal but also illustrated for Agra Fort and

Fatehpur Sikri, all three of which are UNESCO World

Heritage Sites. Also, excursion from Agra to Mathura

that is 58 kms is a good option. It is famous as the

birthplace of Krishna now one of the major pilgrimage

centers for the Hindus and has become a prominent

spiritual tourist attraction in India.

ChambaThe city lies on the Ravi river between two

mountain ridges is in the Himachal Pradesh. It is built on

two terraces; on the lower are public offices and the Bhuri

Museum, while on the upper is the residential area. Famous

places in Chamba are Chamunda Devi temples, Hari Rai

Temple, Rang Mahal, Church of Scotland, Rock Garden and

many more.-

                  

Lucknow – Lucknow, capital city of most populous statethat is Uttar Pradesh is famous for courteous behavior of itspeople and poetry. The city lies near the Gomti river was thecity of Nawabs, the ancient Muslim rulers. Rulers of thecity of Lucknow had a taste for art, dance and music all thisis quiet evident from what the city offers visitors.

Mussoorie - Mussoorie is a former British hillstation in thefoothills of the Himalayas, located in the new state ofUttaranchal. It’s a place of beauty, fresh mountain air,lushgreen forests, quiet hideaways, nature tours and more. Withits varied flora & fauna , its absolutely a scenic beauty.Mussoorie is conveniently connected to road by Delhi andmajor cities and is the 'Gateway' to Yamunotri and Gangotri Shrines of Northern India

Manali

- Staying calm on the Beas River Valley, Manali is

an important hill station in the Himalayan mountains of

Himachal Pradesh. It is popular Himalayan tourist

destination widely famous for its Hashish trail. Although it

is quiet and modest village but because of tourists traffic ,

the place is overcrowded with hotels and restaurants. Skiing is major past time in Manali.

Shimla - Once a summer capital in India, the natural

beauty of the 2159 m high Shimla makes it one of the most

popular hill resorts in the country. Shimla's Mall is the

happening place where it is always crowded with tourists.

Besides, there are some ancient temples, which also attracts tourists.

 

Dharamshala – Dharamshala is a small town in Himachal

Pradesh well associated with Hinduism and Buddhism for

a long time. Hill station is wooded with oak and conifer

trees and snow capped mountains enfold three sides of the

town. Main attractions are Mc Leod Ganj, Bhagsunag

Falls, St. John Church, Dal Lake and number of Buddhist monasteries

.

Ladakh - Moonlandlh or LgLittle Tibeh often called , the

land of snow and mystery coupled with interesting history,

Ladakh invite striking bleakness through the eyes of a

traveler. In an extremely harsh environment where most of

the time temperature is hovering around minuses, still it

attracts travelers. Exotic monasteries and lifestyle of

Ladhakis are the main attractions.

North East and Kolkata

Assam

– Located south of eastern Himalayas on the bank

of Brahmaputra and the Barak river, the state is most

developed among seven sisters. (north eastern states). It is

a home of World Heritage Sites like Kaziranga and Manas

wildlife sanctuaries where one can witness one horned

rhinoceros and tiger respectively. This north eastern state

is entangle with rebellion movements has a rich petroleum

resource and exquisite tea gardens.

                               

Sikkim – The small north eastern state nestled in the

Himalayas is the least populous state in India. Sikkim is

surrounded by Nepal to the west, Tibet (China) to the

north, Bhutan to the west and the Indian state of West

Bengal to the south has some of the loftiest mountains in

the world. Kanchenjunga, the world's third highest peak, is

located in the north western part of the state on the

boundary with Nepal , and can be seen from most parts of

the state. Sikkim has become one of India's most visited

states, owing to its reputation of cleanliness, scenic beauty

and political stability.

Arunachal Pradesh

– 'Land of rising sun' is known for its

mysterious and magical culture, located on the north

eastern tip of India, the place is well deserve for the offbeat

travelers. It is bounded by independent countries on the

three sides and by Assam and Nagaland in the south. The

long international border comprises of Bhutan on its west

(160 km), the Tibet region of China on its northern and

north east border (1080 km) and Myanmar (formerly Burma (440km) on the eastern border.

Passighat - Arunachal Pradesh

Tripura

- Tripura is a landlocked hilly state in north east

of India. Tripura has several diverse ethno-linguistic

groups, which has given rise to a composite culture. The

dominant culture is Bengali. Tripura has a rich cultural

heritage of music, fine arts, handicrafts and dance. Music

is an integral part of the tribal people of Tripura. There are

number of tourist attractions like Buddha Vihar, Tripura

State Museum, Jampui Hills, Amarpur and others.

Nagaland

– It is a hill state located far north eastern part of

India with a population of nearly two million people ,

making it one of the barren state in India. Nagaland is

mountainous state with rich biodiversity. The Great Indian

Hornbill is one of the most famous birds found in the state.

Nagaland is basically a tribal state with Christianity is the

predominant religion of nagaland. The World War II

Cemetery that lies in a beautiful surrounding, the

Cathedral of Reconciliation with its striking red roof, the

Bara Basti, the Nagaland Museum, Nagaland Zoo and

Park are some of the attractions of Kohima.

Mizoram - An amalgamation of the former north and

south Lushai hill districts, Mizoram is a land of great

natural beauty, an endless variety of landscape with rich

flora and fauna, clusters of pines and quaint villages with

houses on piles. The flavor of social life in the Mizo

society has undergone tremendous change over the last

few years. Main attractions are handicraft, virgin forest

and waterfalls.

Manipur - Manipur means “ the jewel of a land” . The

name is well suited with its beautiful landscapes, smoky

blue mountains and abundant forests. Nestled in the

northeast corner of India state is not only famous for

nature's charisma but also for its culture, especially divine

Manipuri dance form.There are number of tourist

attractions like Govindajee temple,World War II

cemetery, Langthabal , which features relics of historical

palace and beautiful temples.

Kolkata- Kolkata is famous for its liveness and known as a

cultural capital of country where people have enough time

to engage themselves in cultural activities, chatting, politics

and other activities, which are nonessential to their routine

job. At first look Calcutta seems to be slovenly and unkempt

but beauty lies on the crowded and dirty narrow lanes and

numerous bylanes, which is very discordant from other

metropolitan cities in India. Known as an urban disaster,

Kolkata remains a favorite spot among travelers because of

its sheer energy, imagination and zest for life.

Puri – Situated on the eastern coastline of the country, Puri

is one of the holiest places in India. Blessed with some

exotic temples and a finest beach, it is must see for any

overland traveler. Puri has a typical tropical climate and is

best visited during the winters between October to April.

The Jagannath Temple, one of the four most important

Hindu pilgrimage sites, wonderfully wide white-sand

beaches, fishing farms and excellent resorts make it a

sought after tourist destination.

Bhubaneswar - The capital of Orissa, Bhubaneswar is an

important city of the temple triangle of Orissa.

Bhubaneswar is well-planned road with broad tree lined

road and empty spaces. Bhubaneswar is the gateway to

Orissa, it has all the modern facilities and attractions cannot

be overlooked. It has a home of several tourist attractions,

famous is Sun Temple also a World Heritage Site. Also

Buddhist sites like Ratnagiri, Udaigiri,Khandagiri,Lalitgiri,Dhauli are famous tourist attractions.

                   Mumbai and Central

Khajuraho

Khajuraho is a small village in Madhya

Pradesh become a hotspot among tourists for its erotic

sculptured temples. It is also one of the World Heritage

Site. It is one of the top tourist places of India. Khajuraho

is India's unique gift of love to the world, contradicts

Indian conservative culture. The temples are grouped into

three geographical divisions : western, eastern and

southern. An Airport also has been built in this small

village.

Gateway of India

– Mumbai is the financial capital of India

famous for its incredible pace and Hindi film industry

(Bollywood). Though it doesn't have much historical

relics like in other metropolitan cities, Mumbai has

always managed to allure people across the world.

Signature attraction of Mumbai is Gateway of India, there

are many other popular tourist attraction like Prince of

Wales Museum , Hanging Garden, Juhu Beach and

offcourse never to miss, the Film City.

Pune-Once a small village is now one of the most

happening cities in India, Pune made it big on the map with

its strong industrial base as well as liberal thoughts and

culture. With a large number of colleges and institution

Pune is a home to students from all parts of the country.

Pune University is also a good place to visit. From Pune

tourists have an option to explore nearby beautiful hilly

place of Lonavala and Khandala.

Indore-Industrial city in Madhya Pradesh have plenty oftourist attractions – palaces, temples and monuments,

which embellished the whole city. The prominent tourist

attractions in Indore are the architectural marvels , one of the famous structureis the Rajwada or theOldPalace,located inthe old city, is a 200-year-old palace. Excursionscan be madefrom Indore to interestingsites nearby.For the spiritually inclined, a trip to theOmkareswar templewill be good one.

Ujjain – Ujjain is an ancient city of central India located

in Madhya Pradesh. Tourist places ranges from temples to

observatory to palaces and heritage structures. For

Hindus, this is a holy site. Tourist attractions in Ujjain are

Jai Singh observatory , Mahakal Mandir, and Kalideh

Palace, which display superb domes built in Persian style.

Orchha - Orchha, now a small hamlet in the state of

Madhya Pradesh. The place is not all about history and

legends but it has grandeur beauty with exotic valley and

serene rivers. Important tourist attractions are Raj Mahal,

Jahangir Mahal, Rai Parveen Mahal and some ancient

temples.

Mandu – A deep and wide valley located in the state of

Madhya Pradesh. It separates the plateau from the

tableland in the north. Deep ravines cut into the sides of

the plateau which looks isolated and cut off from the rest

of the countryside. The place is full of temples, palaces,

tomb and mosques.

Bhopal – Bhopal the capital of Madhya Pradesh also

famously known as 'city of lakes', situated around two

artificial lakes amidst picturesque settings. The laid-back

and charming city has crowded market place, ancient

mosques and exquisite palaces. The city is also a gateway

to the Buddhist center- Sanchi- and the neolithic caves of

Bhimbetka.

Pachmarhi- Pachmarhi located in Madhya Pradesh is an

archaeological 'treasure-house' rich in amazing cave

paintings. It is well known hill destination with green

shades sweep up the mountains.Bridle paths lead into

tranquil forest glades, groves of wild bamboo and jamun,

dense sal forests and delicate bamboo thickets. Must see

places are Mahadeo, Sunder Kund, Pandav Caves,

Satpura National Park and medieval churches.

Kerala and South India

- Trivandrum, the State Capital of Kerala is

famous for its historical temples, museum and a long shore

line, with internationally renowned beaches, backwater

stretches, and a rich cultural heritage. The famous places are

Shri Padmanava Temple, Zoological Park, Shangumukham

Beach and beautiful Veli Tourist Village.

 Cochin or Kochi is the commercial and industrial

capital of Kerala. It is located on the western coast of Kerala.

Cochin is set on a cluster of islands surrounded by sparkling

blue lagoons and backwaters on the vast area of the Vemband

lake. The main tourist attractions in Cochin are willingdon

Islands, Jewish Synagogue, St. Francis Church, Bolghatty

Palace, Chinese Fishing nets, Hill Palace Museum and

Mattancherry Palace.

Mysore is the second largest city in the Indian state

of Karnataka. Mysore is a beautiful city of palaces, gardens,

and sacred temples and is famous for its silk and sandalwood

and incense center." Mysore attractions are Brindavan

gardens, Kabani Jungle Lodge(80 km away),Chamarajendra

art gallery,Lalitha palace, Maharaja palace and some

beautiful temples.

Hyderabad– The city ofNizams has lush green treeslined up on the sides ofroads famous for elegantCharminar. The city knownfor its rich history,

culture, mosques, monuents,a rich and variedheritagein arts, crafts and dance.and SalarJung Museum museumsare the prime attracti-Ons of Hyderabad.

 Badami The town is

Situated in North Karnataka and is well known for its

magnificent carved cave temples, artificial lake, museums

and rock-cut into a cliff. Famous four cave temples- the

main attractions of the town are carved out of sandstone on

the cliff of a hill. The nearest airport is Belgaum -150 km.

On can also take up rail coach to Badami that is well

connected to Bangalore.

Hampi is a village in northern Karnataka famous

for its ruins belonging to the erstwhile medieval Hindu

kingdom of Vijaynagar and it is declared a World

Heritage site. The main tourist spots in Hampi can be

divided into two broad areas: the Hampi Bazaar area and

the Royal center near Kamalapuram. Main attractions are

Virupaksha temple, Vittal temple, Queen's bath, Lotus

Palace.

Kanchipuram – The Indian state located in south India is

seven most sacred pilgrims centers for the Hindus and a

home of thousand temples. It is famous for temples and

silk sarees, which are woven manually by skilled weavers

some of these silk weavers are here from more than 400

years ago. Such is the popularity of Kanchipuram silk that

the city hosts the world famous Silk Tourism Festival in

the month of October, each year.

Madurai – A city with a rich cultural heritage of more

than 2500 years old and has functioned as an important

commercial center located on the bank of river Vaigai in

the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The city of Madurai is

originally built around the Meenakshi temple. Though

there are numerous other temples in Madurai, which is

why it is known as the "Temple City", the Meenakshi

temple's architectural grandeur subdues all other

masterpieces.

Port Blair – Capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands,

which is a union territory of India attracts tourists for its

picturesque location spread over a number of hills and

natural heritage with evergreen moist deciduous and

swamp forests. There are number of islands like Neil,

Ross and Chatam islands, which are beautiful destination

to visit.

                                     

Bangalore- In a recent times Bangalore is one of the

hottest cities in India. With advent of numerous IT

companies Bangalore has developed a sound economy

and modern lifestyle. There are numerous gardens in this

"Garden City" and historical sites too that are worth

visiting. Vidhan Soudha, Cubbon Park, Lal Bagh

Botanical Garden and some beautiful temples are the

main attractions.

serves as the capital of two state: Punjab and Haryana.

famed for its neatly laid out residential blocks, grid-planned

roads and numerous gardens. The Shivalik range forms a

spectacular backdrop to the city.