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CULTURAL & ARCHITECTURAL TOURS |
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| Mumbai |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Mumbai, previously
known as Mumbai, is a large
metropolitan city of India
and also the commercial capital
of the country. The main Stock
Exchange is located here as
well as the film industry
which is now popularly known
as “Bollywood”.
The city has an ancient past
connected to the British who
have left behind some excellent
architectural marvels including
the Crawford Market and the
Victoria Terminus.The city
runs lengthwise along the
edge of the Arabian Sea and
the main road is called Marine
Drive. All it up at night,
it is popularly known as the
“Queen’s Necklace”. |
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| Aurangabad
(Ajanta & Ellora Caves) |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Aurangabad
is named after Aurangzeb, the
last of the six great Mughal
emperors. It is a convenient
base for visiting the famous
rock-cut temples of Ajanta &
Ellora. Chiseled during the span between the 2nd century BC and the 8th century AD, the Ajanta and Ellora caves are two of the most alluring tourist destinations in India. Your tour to India is, in fact, incomplete without a trip to this wonderful tourist site near the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. the caves of Ajanta and Ellora lay amidst the Sahyadri hills, carved into the mountain side, over the Waghora River. They illustrate the story of Buddhism, spanning over a period from 200 BC to 650 AD. There are 29 caves which were built as isolated retreats of the Buddhist monks, who preached and performed religious rites in the Chaityas and Viharas, the ancient centers of learning of the Buddhist cultural movement. The saints carved out the stunning figures to decorate the walls of these structures with the help of hammer and chisel. A lot of the caves exhibit panels demonstrating stories from the Jatakas - tales of the several incarnations of the Buddha. One can notice images of nymphs and princesses amongst others. |
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| Kolkata |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| While
the new name has been changed
to Kolkata, most people would
relate to the city of Kolkata.
Called the “City of
Joy”, it is the place
where Mother Teresa first
started her work in India
and set up the Missionaries
of Charity. Located on the
River Hooghly, it retains
the nostalgic aura of a bygone
era, weaving the past and
the present, the intense and
the funloving into a charming
fabric. Home to four Nobel
laureates - Ronald Ross, Rabindranath
Tagore, Mother Teresa and
Amartya Sen, Kolkata is the
nerve centre of intellect
and human values, where many
modern “movements”
began in art, cinema, theatre,
science and industry. India's
quest for freedom from the
British began here initially. |
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| Bhubaneshwar |
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Tourist Places |
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| The
capital of Orissa is famous
for its role as the ancient
capital of the Kalinga Empire.
It is the architectural legacy
of that period which is Bhubaneshwar's
greatest attraction. The Jain
and Buddhist shrines give a
clear picture about the settlements
around Bhubaneswar in the 1st
century BC. One of the most
complete edicts of the Mauryan
Emperor Ashoka, dating from
between 272-236 BC, remains
carved in rock just 5 miles
to the south west of the modern
city. The Sisupalgarh, the remains
of a ruined city have been excavated
to show that it was occupied
from the beginning of the 3rd
century BC to the middle of
the 4th century AD. Bhubaneshwar
has a comfortable climate round
the year, but the best season
to visit the city is during
the months of October to April. |
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| Puri |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Hilgiri,
Niladri, Hilachal Purushottam,
Sankhakshetra, Srikehetra, Jagannath
Dham and Jagannath Puri are
various names by which the city
has been known over the centuries.
Two great forces dominate Puri:
the sea (Bay of Bengal) and
the great temple of Lord Jagannath.
One of the four celebrated religious
centers (Char Dhams) of India,
Puri is the abode of Lord Jagannath
and a giant Rath ( Chariot)
is taken out in a procession
on the birthday of Lord Jagannath. |
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| Konark |
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Tourist Places |
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| The
magnificent Sun Temple at Konark
is the culmination of Orissan
temple architecture, and one
of the most stunning monuments
of religious architecture in
the world. The poet Rabindranath
Tagore said of Konark that 'here
the language of stone surpasses
the language of man', and it
is true that the experience
of Konark is impossible to translate
into words. |
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| Delhi |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Delhi
is the capital of the Republic
of India. A city with history
dating back through the centuries,
it has seen the arrival fo Muslim
raiders and the British. Today
the city has expanded many times
over from what was once established
on the west bank of the River
Yamuna, straddling the river.
The city has two distinct parts,
Old Delhi & New Delhi. Old
Delhi consists of the area around
Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid and
Red Fort which contains the
“walled city”. New
Delhi boasts of “Lutyens
Delhi” - designed principally
by the British with wide open
roads, green avenues, palatial
bungalows and art centres. |
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| Agra |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Agra is
famous as being home to one
of the Seven Wonders of the
World - the Taj Mahal. The
architectural splendour of
the mausoleums, the fort and
the palaces is a vivid reminder
of the capital in the 16th
and early 17th centuries.
Built by Emperor Shah Jahan
for his beloved wife, Mumtaz
Mahal, it is a marvel in marble
which took Persian craftsmen
20 years to build as an edifice
of undying love of an Emperor
for his Empress. While its
significance as a political
centre ended with the transfer
of the capital to Delhi in
1634 by Shah Jahan, its architectural
wealth has secured its place
on the international map. |
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| Gwalior |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| The ancient city
of Gwalior is steeped in its
past splendour. A multitude
of reigning dynasties - the
Pratiharas, Kachwahas and
Tomars have left imprints
of their rule in this city
of palaces, temples and monuments.
In more modern times, the
city has been the home of
the famous Scindia family
and the palace residence and
family museum is certainly
worth a visit. The Gwalior
Fort has a long and eventful
history – the fort having
changed hands 22 times in
its history! |
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| Orchha |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Orchha
was founded in the 16th century
by the Bundela Chieftain,
Rudra Pratap, who chose this
stretch of land along the
river Betwa as an ideal site
for his capital. Orchha is
famous for its sunken baths,
cenotaphs and “chatris”. |
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| Khajuraho |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| The
capital of the Chandela Kings,
Khajuraho is famous for its
magnificent temples dedicated
to Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and
the Jain Tirthankaras. These
temples were built between 950
A.D. & 1050 A.D. and represent
some of the most exquisite specimens
of art and architecture in medieval
India. Only 22 temples of the
original 85 now survive. The
Temples are famous in the world
for their exotic and “erotic”
carvings – which are quite
suggestive – but were
obviously designed for a specific
purpose in the olden days. |
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| Varanasi |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Picturesquely situated on the crescent shaped left bank of the holy Ganga, Varanasi, one of the ancient seats of learning in India, is said to be a compound of the names of two streams, the Varuna and the Assi, which still flow in the north and south of the city respectively. Varanasi is probably one of the most ancient living cities in India. From time immemorial it has been a great religious center for Hindus and one of their most sacred places of pilgrimage, being visited by millions of people every year. Varanasi presents a unique combination of physical, metaphysical and supernatural elements. |
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| Ahmedabad |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Ahmedabad
is the largest city in the state
of Gujarat and one of the largest
urban agglomerations in India,
with a population of approximately
52 lakhs (5.2 million).Located
on the banks of the River Sabarmati,
the city is the administrative
centre of Ahmedabad district
and was the capital
of Gujarat from 1960 to 1970;
the capital was shifted to Gandhinagar
thenafter. In colloquial Gujarati,
it is commonly called Amdavad.Ahmedabad
was founded in 1411 by Sultan
Ahmed Shah to serve as the capital
of the Gujarat Sultanate. The
city is named after its founder.
Under British rule, a military
cantonment was established and
the city infrastructure was
modernised and expanded. Although
incorporated into the Mumbai
Presidency during the British
rule in India, Ahmedabad remained
the most important city in the
Gujarat region. The city established
itself as the home of a booming
textile industry, which earned
it the nickname "the Manchester
of the East."The city was
at the forefront of the Indian
independence movement in the
first half of the 20th century.
It was the centre of many campaigns
of civil disobedience to promote
workers' rights, civil rights
and political independence. |
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| Lothal |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Lothal is
one of the most prominent
cities of the ancient Indus
valley civilization. Located
in the modern state of Gujarat
and dating from 2400 BCE,
it is one of India's most
important archaeological site
that dates from that era.
Discovered in 1954, Lothal
was excavated from February
13, 1955 to May 19, 1960 by
the Archaeological Survey
of India (ASI). Lothal's dock—the
world's earliest known—connected
the city to an ancient course
of the Sabarmati river on
the trade route between Harappan
cities in Sindh and the peninsula
of Saurashtra when the surrounding
Kutch desert of today was
a part of the Arabian Sea.
It was a vital and thriving
trade centre in ancient times,
with its trade of beads, gems
and valuable ornaments reaching
the far corners of West Asia
and Africa. Lothal's people
were responsible for the earliest-known
portrayals of realism in art
and sculpture, telling some
of the most well-known fables
of today. Its scientists used
a shell compass and divided
the horizon and sky into 8–12
whole parts, possibly pioneering
the study of stars and advanced
navigation—2000 years
before the Greeks. The techniques
and tools they pioneered for
bead-making and in metallurgy
have stood the test of time
for over 4000 years. |
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| Palitana |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| The
Palitana temples are considered
the most sacred pilgrimage place
(tirtha) by the Jain community.
There are more than 1300 temples
located on the Shatrunjaya hills,
exquisitely carved in marble.
The main temple on top of the
hill, is dedicated to 1st tirthankar
lord Adinath (Rishabdeva). No
one is allowed to sleep overnight
including the priest, because
the temple city has been built
as an abode for the Gods. The
town is considered by many Jains
to be more important than the
temple covered hills of Jharkhand,
Mt Abu and Girnar. Palitana
was the capital of a princely
state of the Gohil Rajput clan.
It is also one of the greatest
tourist attractions in Gujarat
for foreign tourists. Every
year millions of people come
to visit these temples.There
are hundreds of other temples
(besides those on the Shatrunjaya
hills). Guest houses (dharmashalas)
are found in Palitana city.
It is believed that every Jain
should visit Palitana at least
once in his lifetime to get
"Bhavya" status (fit
to attain nirvan or salvation). |
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| Diu |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| The Island of Diu has chaptered History, having been under the possession of and ruled by many Kings and Dynasties; beginning with the Pauranic period and the last being Portuguese from whom it was liberated along with Goa and Daman on 19th December, 1961. The word 'ISLAND'. Pandavas during their fourteen years of exile are believed to have passed a few days at a place known as Mani Nagar (DIU) which was under the Yadavas led by Krishna Vasudeva during Mahabharata period. According to mythology, Diu was ruled by the great king Jallandhar who was a daitya (Demon) and was killed by Lord Vishnu with his Sudarshan Chakra (disc). The temple of Jallandhar still exists in Diu. Gazetteer of Goa, Daman and Diu says that Diu was known as Jallandhar Ksshetra during Satyug and is famouos for its Jallandhar temple. As daitya (Demon) Jallandhar harassed the Gods, Lord Vishnu left Sudarshan Chakra after killing Jallandhar is known as Chakra tirtha which is situated in Diu. |
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| Somnath |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Somnath temple stands at the shore of the Arabian ocean on the western corner of Indian subcontinent in Gujarat State. This pilgrimage is one of the oldest and finds its reference in the ancient texts like Skandpuran, Shreemad Bhagavat, Shivpuran etc. The hymn from Rig-Veda quoted below mention the Bhagvan Someshwar along with the great pilgrimage like Gangaji, Yamunaji and Eastward Saraswati. This signifies the ancient value of this Tirthdham. |
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| Gir |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Gir National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary comprises 1412 sq km of deciduous forest interspersed with semi-evergreen and evergreen flora, acacia, scrub jungle, grasslands and rocky hills. Fed by perennial and seasonal rivers and streams, the sanctuary has large water bodies like the Kamleshwar Dam that are good for crocodiles and birds. |
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| Junagarh |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Junagarh is situated in the western state of Gujarat at the foothills of the Girnar Hills. The city extends from latitude 21°31¢ in the North to longitude 70°36¢ in the East. It is an ideal departure point for visiting the Gir forests.he city of Junagarh takes its name from the fort that encloses the old city. Junagarh was an important trade center as testified by the Ashokan edicts dating from 250 BC. At the time of partition, the Nawab of Junagarh opted to take his tiny state into Pakistan. However, the predominantly Hindu population forced the Nawab to leave the country instead. The present-day city has many archeological sites and historical monuments that reflect the rich history of the place. |
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| Modhera |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| 99 kms from Ahmedabad, the 11th century Sun temple of Modhera is easily one of the finest examples of devotional in western India. Built by the Solanki Rajput kings, the aid of donations from the people, the temple features carved torana arches mounted on kirti stambhas (pillars of victory) as the entrances, a large rectangular stepped with 108 smaller shrines, an exquisite 52 pillared portico, beautiful domed central portion and a sanctum sanctoruim designed so that the sun light fell on the bejewelled statue of the God, specially at sunrise during the equinox. The exterior of temple is carved with traditional erotic scenes, rivalling at Konark and Khajurao, and depictions of various Gods and, while inside are friezes of the Mahabharata and portrayed on the pillars. The temple is framed by a well garden, and sits on the banks of river Pushpawati. There is a cafeteria here run by the Tourism corporation of India tea, and a PWD Guest House. |
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| Patan |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Pattan is one of the historical capitals of Kashmir, nearly in the centre of the valley of paradise. It is a municipality having a population of 16,320 in 2006. However it may be a town of 40,000 when including its suburbs within a 3 kilometre radious. The tehsil has remains of 4 palaces including 2 in the municipal limits… |
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| Bhopal |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, is a fascinating amalgam of scenic beauty, old historic city and modern urban planning. It is the 11th century city Bhojpal, founded by Raja Bhoj, but the present city was established by an Afghan soldier, Dost Mohammed (1707-1740). His descendants build Bhopal into a beautiful city.The two lakes of Bhopal still dominate the city, and are indeed its nucleus. Bordered along their shores stand silent sentinels that testify to the growth of the city. Bhopal today presents a multi-faceted profile; the old city with its marketplaces and fine old mosques and palaces still bears the aristocratic imprint of its former rulers, among them the succession of powerful Begums who ruled Bhopal from 1819 to 1926. Equally impressive is the new city with its verdant, exquisitely laid out parks and gardens, broad avenues and streamlined modern edifices. It is greener and cleaner than most cities in the country. |
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| Sanchi |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Sanchi
is a small village in Raisen
District of the State of Madhya
Pradesh, India. It is located
46 km north-east of Bhopal It
is the location of several Buddhist
monuments dating from the 3rd
Century B.C to the 12th Century
AD. Toranas surround the Stupa
and they each represent love,
peace, trust, and courage. |
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| Bhimbetka |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Surrounded by the northern fringe of the Vindhyan ranges, Bhimbetka lies 46 km South of Bhopal. In this rocky terrain of dense forest and craggy cliffs, over 600 rock shelters belonging to the Neolithic age were recently discovered. Here, in vivid panoramic detail, paintings in over 500 caves depict the life of the pre-historic cave-dwellers making the Bhimbetka group an archaeological treasure, an invaluable chronicle in the history of man. |
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| Ujjain |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Ujjain,
is an ancient city of Malwa
region in Central India, on
the eastern bank of the Kshipra
River, today part of the state
of Madhya Pradesh. In ancient
times, the city was called Ujjayini.
As mentioned in the Mahabharata
epic, Ujjayini was the capital
of the Avanti Kingdom, and has
been the first meridian of longitude
for Hindu geographers since
the 4th century BC. Ujjain is
one of the seven sacred cities
of the Hindus, and the Kumbh
Mela religious festival is held
there every 12 years. |
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| Indore |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Indore
is a commercial capital and
the largest city of Madhya Pradesh,
India. It is situated on the
Malwa Plateau, just north of
the Vindhya Range. It formerly
served as the capital of the
former princely state of Indore
and the summer capital of the
erstwhile state of Central India.
Indore is one of the fastest
growing cities of India. Popularly,
it is also known as “City
of Temples” and Mini Mumbai. |
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| Mandu |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Mandu,
or Mandavgarh, is a ruined city
in the Dhar district in the
Malwa region of western Madhya
Pradesh state, central India.
In the 11th century, Mandu was
the sub division of the Tarangagadh
or Taranga kingdom. This fortress
town on a rocky outcrop is about
100 kms from Indore and is celebrated
for its fine architecture. Mandu
celebrates in stone the life
and love of the poet-prince
Baz Bahadur for his consort,
Rani Roopmati. The balladeers
of Malwa still sing of the romance
of these royal lovers. |
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| Omkareshwar |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Omkareshwar, the sacred island, shaped like the holiest of all Hindu symbols, 'Om', has drawn to it hundreds of generations of pilgrims. Here, at the confluence of the rivers Narmada and Kaveri, the devout gather to kneel before the Jyotirlinga (one of the twelve throughout India) at the temple of Shri Omkar Mandhata. And here, as in so many of Madhya Pradesh's sacred shrines, the works of Nature complement those of man to provide a setting awe-inspiring in its magnificence. |
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| Maheshwar |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Maheshwar
was a glorious city at the dawn
of Indian civilization when
it was Mahishmati, capital of
king Kartivarjun. This temple
town on the banks of the river
Narmada finds mention in the
epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Revived to its ancient position
of importance by the Holkar
queen Rani Ahilyabai of Indore.
Maheshwar's temples and mighty
fort-complex stand in quiet
beauty, mirrored in the river
below.Today, Maheshwar is also
known for its distinctive handwoven
sarees called Maheshwari. |
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| Mandawa |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Built
in 1890 by a Marwari Jeweller,
Mandawa is a small village principality
tucked into the desert. The
Mandawa Haveli is a piece of
architectural marvel, the first
frescoed haveli en-route to
the old town and now a Heritage
Hotel. Its spacious rooms named
for synonyms of Lord Krishna,
with legendary paintings, provides
cozy comfort & complete
relaxation. |
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| Bikaner |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Bikaner
- the royal “fortified
city”, stands on a slightly
raised ground, and is circumscribed
by a 7 km long wall with five
gates. The magnificent forts
and palaces created with delicacy
in reddish-pink sandstone bears
testimony to its rich cultural
heritage. Bikaner, more popularly
called the “camel country”
is renowned for the best riding
camels in the world and camel
breeding center as well. |
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| Jaislamer |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
|
Rising
from the heart of the Thar Desert
like a golden mirage is the
city of Jaisalmer. A commanding
fort etched in yellow sandstone,
stands with all its awesome
splendour, dominating the amber-hued
city.
The city has an interesting legend associated with it according to which, Lord Krishna- the head of Yadav clan foretold Arjuna that a remote descendent of the Yadav clan would build his kingdom atop the Trikuta Hill. His prophecy was fulfilled in 1156 AD. when Rawal Jaisal, a Bhatti Rajput abandoned his fort at Lodurva and founded a new capital Jaisalmer, perched on the Trikuta Hill. The city glows in the setting sun and boasts small lanes and bylanes within its fort. Beautiful “Havelis” add a touch of heritage gone by. Camel riding is a fun sport experienced at Sam Sand Dunes outside the city walls. |
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| Jodhpur |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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A
valiant sentinel in the desert,
on the eastern fringe of the
Thar Desert, Jodhpur has the
distinction of neither being
a part of the Thar Desert nor
out of it. At best, it is a
doorway to the wonderland of
sand dunes and shrubs, rocky
terrain and thorny trees. It
is the home of the Rathors -
the awesome princely state of
Rajasthan, who conquered Marwar.
In 1459 AD, Rao Jodha, chief
of Rathore clan of Rajputs,
who claimed descent from Rama,
the epic hero of the Ramayana,
laid the foundation of Jodhpur.
A high stonewall protects the
well-fortified city. The wall
is nearly 10 km in length and
has eight gates facing various
directions. The most famous
monument here is the Umaid Bhawan
Palace, built by the Maharaja
as a means of providing employment
to the local population during
several years of drought. |
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| Udaipur |
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On
the banks of the shimmering
Lake Pichola is one of the most
romantic cities of Rajasthan.
Nestled among the lush hills
of the Aravalis, it has inevitably
been dubbed the “'Venice
of the East'. It is a kaleidoscope
of fairy-tale palaces, lakes,
temples, gardens and narrow
lanes strewn with stalls, carrying
the flavour of the heroic past,
epitomizing valor and chivalry.
Founded in 1568 A.D by Maharana
Udai Singh, the city is a harmonious
Indian blend of whitewashed
buildings, marble palaces, lakeside
gardens, temples and Havelis.
According to the legend, Maharana
Udai Singh, the founder was
hunting one day when he met
a holy man meditating on a hill
overlooking the Lake Pichola.
Maharana followed the advice
of the hermit and founded the
city. The marvellous architecture
of the palaces is spell bounding. |
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| Kolkata |
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| While
the new name has been changed
to Kolkata, most people would
relate to the city of Kolkata.
Called the “City of Joy”,
it is the place where Mother
Teresa first started her work
in India and set up the Missionaries
of Charity. Located on the River
Hooghly, it retains the nostalgic
aura of a bygone era, weaving
the past and the present, the
intense and the funloving into
a charming fabric. Home to four
Nobel laureates - Ronald Ross,
Rabindranath Tagore, Mother
Teresa and Amartya Sen, Kolkata
is the nerve centre of intellect
and human values, where many
modern “movements”
began in art, cinema, theatre,
science and industry. India's
quest for freedom from the British
began here initially. |
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| Shantiniketan |
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Santiniketan
is a small town in the Birbhum
district of West Bengal, India,
approximately 180 kms. north
of Kolkata (formerly Kolkata).
It was made famous by Nobel
Laureate Rabindranath Tagore,
whose vision became what is
now a university town - Vishwa
- Bharati University that
attracts thousands of visitors
each year. Santiniketan is also
a tourist attraction because
Rabindranath wrote many of his
literary classics here, and
his house is a place of historical
importance. |
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| Belurmath |
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| Belur
Math is the headquarters of
the Ramakrishna “Math”
and Mission, founded by Swami
Vivekananda, a chief disciple
of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
It is located on the west bank
of Hooghly River in Belur, West
Bengal. The temple is notable
for its architecture that fuses
Hindu, Christian and Islamic
motifs as a symbol of unity
of all religions. |
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| Chandigarh |
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| Also
called “The City Beautiful”,
it is a city in India that serves
as the capital of two states,
Punjab and Haryana, and is a
union territory of India. The
name translates from Punjabi
to English as "The Fort
of Chandi". The city is
known internationally for its
architecture and urban planning
– being the first planned
city of India. Chandigarh is
home to numerous architectural
projects of Le Corbusier, Pierre
Jeanneret, Matthew Nowicki,
and Albert Mayer. The city tops
the list of Indian States and
Union Territories with the highest
per capita income in the country. |
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