Top 10 attractions in India

Delhi

Being one of the most historic capitals in the world, Delhi has many tourist sites. This is a list of Delhi's tourist sites.  A tour of Delhi will provide the visitor with much to see and admire from Mughal monuments to modern malls, from traditional arts and crafts to trendy fashion shows, from skyscrapers to parks and gardens. Delhi is a city that combines the historic and the modern in its own unique way.

Delhi is the sixth most populous region in the world with a vibrant history and a modern metropolis. Delhi is a political and business center as well as one of India's busiest international gateways.

          

Tourism in Delhi has always been among the lists of tours and travel packages of different contries.Tourism in Delhi has taken the shape of an industry which is growing like never before.Travel and tourism in Delhi coupled with the cultural heritage make Delhi the best place to visit.

• Taj Mahal

• Redfort

• Rashtrapati Bhavan

• Qutab Minar

• Swami narayan temple

• Akshardham template

• Lodi gardens

• India gate

• Chandi Chowk

• Humayun Tomb    

• Gurudwara Bangla Sahib  
                      

Kerala

Kerala is a state located in southern India. It is often known as God's own country. It is filled with lots of coconut trees, beautiful backwater places, temples which are distinct in their architecture, hill resorts and beaches.

Ayurvedic tourism is an increasing trend for both foreigners and people from other states.  Kerala was a major spice export hub and the westerners came looking for the spice.

Kerala Tourism Development Corporation has taken many steps to regulate tourism these days. 

• Munnar

• Kochi

• Guruvayur

• Kovalam

• Trivandrum

• Athirampally falls

• Wayanad

• Kumarakom

• Thekkady

• Alapuzha

Bangalore - Garden City

Bangalore - Garden City

Bangalore, is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. It is also known as the "Garden City of India". It is one of the most important tourist centers of the Karnataka state. Central business district of Bangalore consists of places MG Road, Brigade Road, Commercial street, Vidhana Soudha etc

      

There are many lakes and parks. BMTC offers special buses for sightseeing in Bangalore, including Cauveri - a double-decker open roof bus. The fastest growing metropolis in India, Bangalore is the face of India’s IT revolution.

Places to see:

• Lal Bagh[Botanical Garden]
• Cubbon Park
• Bangalore Fort
• Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace
• Bangalore Palace
• Mayo Hall 
• Dodda Alada Mara[big banyan tree is 400 years old and has a span of 3 acres]
• Thottikallu Falls
• Nandi Hills
• Bugle ROCK bugle 
• Hebbal lake
• Ulsoor lake 
• DRDO lake
• Banerghatta National Park
• Butterfly Park
• Bangalore Aquarium
• Ranganthittu bird Sanctuary
• Dharmaraya Swamy Temple
• Ranganathaswamy Temple   
• BULL Temple
• ISCON Sri Radha Krishna -Chandra Temple

Rajasthan - land of kings

Rajasthan - land of kings

Rajasthan, known as "the land of kings", is a state in Northern India. It attracts tourists for its historical forts, palaces, art and culture. Every third foreign tourist visiting India also travels to Rajasthan as it is part of the Golden Triangle for tourists visiting India.

The palaces of Jaipur, lakes of Udaipur, and desert forts of Jodhpur, Bikaner & Jaisalmer are among the most preferred destinations of many tourists, Indian and foreign. A camel safari near the inhabited desert trading centre of Jaisalmer gives a hint of the area's beautiful desolation

The capital, Jaipur, is a shopper's dream

Attraction in Rajasthan are

• Hawa mahal -palace of Wind, Jaipur  
• Amber [Amer] fort and Palace, Jaipur
• Abhaneri Step Well, Jaipur
• Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing, Jaipur
• Govind Devji Temple, Jaipur
• Shesh Mahal [Hall of Mirrors], Jaipur     
• Jantar Mantar, Jaipur
•  Pichola lake, Udaipur
•  Jain Temple-Ranakpur, , Udaipur
•  Kumbhalgarh Fort, Udaipur
•  Lake Pichhola Udaipur    
•  Bagore KI Haveli, , Udaipur
•  Eklingji Temple, Udaipur
•  Jagdish Temple, Udaipur
•  Jag Mandir, Udaipur
•  Sajjan Garh [monsoon palace], Udaipur
•  Meherangarh fort, Jodhpur
•  Spice Paradise, Jodhpur
•  Jaswant Thada, Jodhpur
•  Dilwara Jain Temple, Mt Abu
•  Sunset Point, Mount Abu  
•  Nakki Lake, Mt Abu

Ajanta and Ellora caves

Ajanta and Ellora caves

The caves are in northern Maharastra, around 400 kilometers (250 miles) from Mumbai

The first Buddhist cave monuments in Ajanta date between the 2nd and 1st century B.C. During the Gupta period (golden age), many more richly decorated caves were added to the original group. The paintings and sculptures of Ajanta, considered masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, have had a considerable artistic influence.

               

Located near the city of Aurangabad in Maharashtra Ajanta and Ellora caves are the world famous for the cave shrines that cut out of rock, all by hand. There are 34 caves at Ellora and 29 caves at Ajanta. And all are sheer outstanding specimens of Indian architectural excellence.

The Ajanta caves are rich in paintings and sculpture and are all Buddhist, the Ellora caves are renowned for their extraordinary architecture and is a mixture of Buddhist, Hindu and Jain

 Bring a torch with you to the Ajanta caves as many of them are quite dark and lighting is poor. The best time to visit is from November to March when it's cooler and dry.

Tourists can undertake short excursion to nearby places of attractions like to the Sai Baba Temple located in Shirdi.

Nearby attractions

• Bibi Ka Maqbara
• Daulatabad Ford
• Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple
• Bhadra Maruti
• Panchakki[water mill]                

Madurai - Temple town

Madurai - Temple town

The most important place to see in Madurai is the Goddess Meenakshi Amman temple, a historic Hindu temple located in the southern bank of river Vaigai. The temple is a significant symbol for the Tamil people, and has been mentioned since antiquity in Tamil literature, though the present structure is built during 1623 to 1655. The temple attracts 15,000 visitors a day, around 25,000 during Fridays and gets an annual revenue of sixty million

   The temple was in the list of top 30 nominees of the "New Seven Wonders of the World.  The "Aayiram Kaal Mandapam" or Thousand Pillar Hall contains 985 (instead of 1000) carved pillars. The hall was built by Ariyanatha Mudaliar in 1569 and it is a structure where the engineering skill and artistic vision are blended.

     A three-storied 'gopuram' stands at the entrance of the shrine and on the outer sanctum, the golden flagstaff, Thirumalai Nayakar Mandapam, brass images of Dwarapalakas, and shrines of Vinayaka can be seen

Places to see

• SrI Meenakshi Temple
• Gandhi Memorial Museum
• Aayiram Kaal Mandapam
• Mariamman Theppakkulam Temple
• Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal

Shimla - Queen of hill stations

Shimla - Queen of hill stations

Shimla, formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, located in northern India. 

           

Winter in Shimla is known as the season of "Long moon-night." The trees are covered with snow and the branches bend down and the scenery looks very beautiful. There are places where you can do ski and snow mobile.  There is also mountain biking available. There is also a race that gets conducted every year

You can do nice shopping at Mall Road

Place to see

• The Ridge
• Kalka-Shimla
• Tara Devi Temple 
• The Mall road
•  Jakhu Temple 
•  Shimla Christ Church
•  Shimla Glen 
•  Kufri Ski Resort
• Viceregal Lodge

Varanasi

Varanasi - The city of Temples

Varanasi is also known as "the holy city of India", "the religious capital of India", "the city of lights", "the city of learning", and "the oldest living city on earth.  Varanasi is the spiritual capital of India

Varanasi , also Benares, Banaras  or Kasi, is a city on the banks of the Ganges in Uttar Pradesh, 320 kilometres (200 mi) southeast of the state capital, Lucknow.

Other major commodities manufactured and traded in Varanasi include hand-knotted Mirzapur carpets, rugs, brassware, copperware, wooden and clay toys, handicrafts, gold jewellery, and musical instruments

Tourism is Varanasi's very important industry. 

Vaishnavism and Shaivism have co-existed in Varanasi harmoniously. With a number of temples, Mrs. Annie Besant chose Varanasi as the home for her 'Theosophical Society'.

Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya also setup 'Benares Hindu University" here

Places to see

•  Ganga River 
•  Banaras Ghats
•  Kashi Vishwanath Temple
•  Sarnath
•  Assi Temple
•  Manikarnika Ghat
•  Golden Temple 
•  Chaumsathi Ghat
•  Alamgir Mosque
•  Durga Temple
•  Tulsi Manas Temple
•   Banaras Hindu University

            

Goa - place of beautiful beaches

GOA - place of beautiful beaches

Goa is known for its beautiful beaches and a lot of westerners visit each year.  Besides beaches, it is also known for churches.  Goa has a tropical climate and receive rainfall during the southwest monsoon season from June to September. 

The states of Maharashtra in the north and Karnataka in the south and east surround Goa. Goa was under Portuguese rule for long time and you could see their influence in many of the temples and churches

Places to see in Goa are

• Agonda Beach
• Mandrem Beach
• Calangute Beach 
• Candolim Beach
• Panjim  
• Baga
• Anjuna Beach
• Varca Beach
•  Cavelossim Beach
•  Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary ,Panaji

Top 10 attractions in Delhi

Delhi Attractions

1. Taj Mahal

One of the new seven wonders of the world and is mosque-mausoleum located in Indian city of Agra. It is made up of marble and resembles architecture of persian origin. It is a symbol of love built by the mogul emperor Shah Jahan in memory for his wife Mumtaz.

It is told that the emperor used to watch this monument when he was jailed in later years and got comforted. The complex is set around a large 300-metre (980 ft) square charbagh or Mughal garden. 

Nearby attractions:

• Agra Fort 
• Akbar's Tomb Sikandra
• Jama Masjid
• Chinni Ka Roja
• Itmad-Ud-Daulah
• Fatehpur Sikri
• Vrindavan

2. RedFort

Built by Shah Jahan in 1638. It served as a residence place for the emperors.  The color is due to use of red sandstone.  The main gate, Lahore Gate, is one of the emotional and symbolic focal points of the modern Indian nation and attracts a major crowd on each Independence Day.

Every year on 15 August, the day India achieved independence from the British, Prime Minister hoists the national flag at the Red Fort, followed by a nationally broadcast speech from its ramparts. The Red Fort is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Old Delhi, attracting thousands of visitors every year

3. Rashtrapati Bhavan

Rashtrapati Bhavan (Hindi for President House) is the official home of the President of India. It has a 340 room main building and was built during the British era.  It was the residence of the Viceroy of India till the year 1950 and was known as the Viceroy's House. The visiting days of Rashtrapati Bhavan and Mogul Gardens are Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Rashtrapati Bhavan is not open for visitors from Monday to Thursday and on Govt. Gazetted holidays.

4. Qutub Minar

Qutub Minar, also known as Qutb Minar and Qutab Minar, is the tallest minaret in India. It was survived through many different political changes in India.

he tower has five distinct storeys, each marked by a projecting balcony and tapers from a 15 m diameter at the base to just 2.5 m at the top. The first three storeys are made of red sandstone; the fourth and fifth storeys are of marble and sandstone. At the foot of the tower is the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, the first mosque to be built in India

5. Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple

Akshardham is a Hindu temple complex in Delhi and it situatated at the banks of River Yamuna. The temple is surrounded by gorgeous green gardens fitted with fountains. Visitors can go in boats on an artificial river passing through a model of Takshashila.

It is one of the biggest temples in India

6.  India Gate

The India Gate is the national monument of India. Situated in the heart of New Delhi, it was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.  A statue of statue of King George V  used to be here before it was removed. There is a fire under the gate which is known as Amar Jawan Jyoti which is used for remembering the soldiers.

The road reaching to the gate were opened for the traffic until recent threats of terrorist which made the closely of these roads

7.  Humayun's Tomb

The tomb of the second Mughal Emperor Humayun, one of the 23 World Heritage Sites in India, was the first of the monumental mausoleums to be built in the country. It is made up of red sandstone and white marble.  It is a garden tomb and the there are small water paths that divide them into 36 squares.  The square garden is surrounded by a high rubble wall divided initially into four large squares separated by causeways and channels

8. Chandi Chowk

Means moonlit square or market and is one of the oldest markets in old Delhi.  You can find fake jewelry, embroidered bags, wall hangings,embroidery clothes, sweets, electronic goods and many more.  Chandni Chowk is most famous for Parathewali Gali where you can taste unique but delicious parathas. Besides this area also has various restaurants and eateries where you can taste Indian street food as well as other cuisines of India

9. Lodi Garden

Coolest green places in Delhi. Trees are labelled to help visitors to understand the diversity of them. You can find trees like the ashoka, with brilliant orange flowers, the fragrant neem, and the banyan. You could also find bonsai trees here.

10.  Bahai Lotus Temple

Shaped like lotus flower, designed by Fariburz Sahba in 1986, it has 27 white-marble petals. his House of Worship is generally referred to as the "Lotus Temple". During the Hindu festival Durga Puja, several times a replica of the Lotus Temple has been made to keep the goddess happy

Top 10 attractions in Kerala

1.Munnar

Munnar is a hill station which is surrounded by lot of tea estates. It is one of the favourite honey moon destinations of the south.  The name "Munnar" means 3 rivers.  While going from TamilNadu you need to cross Periyar wildlife sanctuary and if fortunate you could see some wild elephants crossing the road.  Some of the places to see are

• Madupatty Dam

• Kannan Devan coffee/tea museum

• Tea plantations

• Echo point

• Attukal falls

• Rose garden

• Eravikulam national park

• Tea plantations

2. Kochi

This place is formerly known as Cochin and is also known as the queen of Arabian sea. This place has historic significance as traders, missionaries came to this place from all over the world

• Backwaters

• Kerala Kathakali Centre

• Chinese Fishing nets

• Cherai beach

• Paradesi Synagogue

• Mattancherry palace

• Fort Kochi

• Chottanikarra Bhagavathy temple

• Wonderland amusement park

• St Francis Church

• Marine Drive

• Taj Malabar

• Malabar House Fort

• Le Meridien

• Brunton Boatyard

This place is surrounded by lush mangroves, coconut trees (you can find everywhere), ancient churches, forts. There are sightseeing tours also. There are islands you can also visit from here

Some of the places to see are

Hotels in this area

3. Guruvayur

One of the most sacred and important pilgrim towns in India.  Famous for the temple of Lord Krishna in boy form. People have a custom to first feed the baby here. The number of people visiting here would easily cross 7 million annually

Some of the places to see are

• Guruvayur Temple
• Mammiyoor Mahadev Temple
• Elephant Camp
• Guruvayur Museum
• Punnathur Kotta
• Chettuva Backwater boating
• Chakkavad Beach

Hotels in this are

• Saravana Bhavan
• Woodlands Restaurant
• Indian Coffee House
• Surabi Restaurant
• Annapurna

4. Kovalam

Kovalam is a small town which is popular for its beaches. The beach is shallow and has low tidal waves. 

Ayurveda treatment especially during monsoon is another important attraction of Kovalam

Some of the places to see are

• LightHouse Beach
• Hawa Beach
• Speed boat ride
• Padmanabhapuram palace
• Samudra Beach
• Vellayani Lake
• Halycon Castle
• Akkulam Lake

Hotels in this area

• Ayur Restaurant
• The German Bakery
• Bethol
• Coconut Grove
• Spice Restaurant
• Fusion Restaurant

5. Trivandrum

The capital city of Kerala state. Surpsingly,  it does not look too shabby and has a package of tourist attractions like backwater, beaches, wild life sanctuaries, zoo

Some of the places to see are

• Shri Padmanabhaswamy Temple
• Trivandram zoo
• Napier Museum
• Attukal Temple
• Marine aquarium
• Ayurveda centres

Hotels

• Hawah beach resort
• Beach and Lake Ayurvedic Resort
• SP Grand Days
• Coconut Bay Beach Resort
• Hotel Highland Park

6. Athirampally falls

This falls is a very beautiful one and has been shown in many South Indian movies.  One of the must see places in Kerala to feel the water splashing

Other areas to see are Vazhachal falls, Herbal Garden and Tea estates

7. Wayanad

This is a scenic place in the north eastern part of Kerala. It is known for the rubber, cardamom, pepper

Other areas to see are

• Edakkal caves
• Soochipara falls
• Pookot Lake
• Chembra peak
• Neelimala view point
• Wayanad wildlife  sanitary
• Banasura Sagar Dam

8. Kumarakom

This place contains lush greenery, relaxing places and waterways. It is located 14 kms away from Kottayam.  There are boat houses which can be rented

Other places to see

• Vembanad Lake
• Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
• Aruvikkuzhi falls
• Boat houses
• Backwaters
• Ayurveda

9. Thekkady

Fascinating wildlife sanctuaries and exotic spices are major tourist attraction in Thekkady. You can also find elephants in this place. Periyar national park is a major attraction in this place

Places to see are:

• Kadathanadan Kalari Centre
• Elephant Junction
• Periyar Tiger reserve
• Periyar lake
• Periyar Wildlife sanctuary
• Kumily
• Cardamom hills

10. Alapuzha

Also known as Allepey forms connecting link of Kottayam - Kochi - Kollam backwaters. There is boating facility available in Vijaya Beach Park

places to see

• Backwaters
• Secret Beach
• Alappuzha Beach
• St Mary Forance Church
• Ambalapuzha SriKrishna Temple
• Allepey boat race
• House boat cruises