Kedarnath (Hindi: केदारनाथ) is a Hindu holy town located in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is a nagar panchayat in Rudraprayag district. The most remote of the four Char Dham sites, Kedarnath is located in the Himalayas, about 3584m above sea level near the head of river Mandakini, and is flanked by breathtaking snow-capped peaks. Kedarnath hosts one of the holiest Hindu temples, the Kedarnath Temple, and is a popular destination for Hindu pilgrims from all over the world, being one of the four major sites in India’s Char Dham pilgrimage.
Kedarnath is named after King Kedar who ruled in the Satya Yuga. He ruled the seven continents and was a very saintly king. He had a daughter named Vrinda who was a partial incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi. She performed austerities for 60000 years. Because of her, the land is named Vrindavan. Continue reading Kedarnath – Char Dham
Fatehpur Sikri (Hindi: फतेहपूर सिकरी, Urdu: فتحپور سیکری) is a city and a municipal board in Agra district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. The historical city was constructed by Mughal emperor Akbar beginning in 1570 and served as the empire’s capital from 1571 until 1585, when it was abandoned for reasons that remain unclear. The surviving palace and mosque are a tourist attraction and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue reading Fatehpur Sikri
Edakkal Caves are two natural caves located 1000 metres high on Ambukutty Mala 25 km from Kalpetta in the Wayanad district of Kerala in India’s Western Ghats. They lie on an ancient trade route connecting the high mountains of Mysore to the Malabar coast ports. Inside the caves are pictorical writings believed to be from neolithic man, evidence of the presence of a prehistoric civilisation existing in this region. Such stone age carvings are very rare and these are the only known examples in southern India. Continue reading Edakkal Caves
Ranthambore National Park is one of the largest and most famous national parks in northern India. It is situated in Sawai Madhopur district of southeastern Rajasthan, about 130 km from Jaipur, which is also the nearest airport. The nearest town and railway station is at Sawai Madhopur, about 11 km away.
Ranthambhore was established as the Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary in 1955 by the Government of India, and was declared one of the Project Tiger reserves in 1973. Ranthambhore became a national park in 1980. In 1984, the adjacent forests were declared the Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary and Keladevi Sanctuary, and in 1991 the tiger reserve was enlarged to include Sawai Man Singh and Keladevi sanctuaries.
The park lies at the edge of a plateau, and is bounded to the north by the Banas River and to the south by the Chambal River. There are several lakes in the park. It is named for the historic Ranthambhore fortress, which lies within the national park. The park covers an area of 392 km², and is famous for its tiger population, and is one of India’s Project Tiger reserves. Other major wild animals include the tiger, leopard, nilgai, dhole, wild boar, sambar, hyena, sloth bear and chital. It is also home to wide variety of trees, plants, birds and reptiles. Ranthambore is also the site for one of the largest banyan trees in India.
Continue reading Ranthambore National Park
Kanyakumari (Tamil: கன்னியாகுமரி) is a town in Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu state, India. Located at the southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula, it is also know by its former name Cape Comorin. The closest major cities are Nagercoil, the administrative headquarters of Kanyakumari district, (22 km) and Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala (85 km).A popular tourist place in India, the town and the district, Kanyakumari District, in which it is located, is a place of great natural beauty – from the blue seas of Kanyakumari town to the blue hills of the Western Ghats in the interior. Continue reading Kanyakumari – Tip of India
Harsil (हरसिल) is a village and a cantonment area, on the banks of Bhagirathi River, on the way to Hindu pilgrimage, Gangotri, in Uttarkashi district of Indian state of Uttarakhand). Situated at a height of 7,860 ft (2,620 mtrs.) from sea level, Harsil lies 73 km. from Uttarkashi, and 30 km away from Harsil, lies the Gangotri National Park, spread over 1,553 square km. Located in the mountain district of Uttarkashi is the sylvan hamlet , known for scenic landscapes and delicious apples. Sat Tal or seven lakes, nearby ( 2 km ) are a not-to-be-missed attraction. Continue reading Harsil – Camper’s Bay
Ajanta Caves (Devanagari:अजंठा लेणी) in Maharashtra, India are rock-cut cave monuments dating from the second century BCE, containing paintings and sculpture considered to be masterpieces of both “Buddhist religious art” and “universal pictorial art”. The caves are located just outside the village of Ajinha in Aurangabad District in the Indian state of Maharashtra (N. lat. 20 deg. 30′ by E. long. 75 deg. 40′). Since 1983, the Ajanta Caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A National Geographic edition reads, “The flow between faiths was such that for hundreds of years, almost all Buddhist temples, including the ones at Ajanta, were built under the rule and patronage of Hindu kings.” Continue reading Ajanta Caves
Nagarhole National Park, also known as ‘Rajiv Gandhi National Park,’ is located 94 km from Mysore in Karnataka in Southern India. It is spread between Kodagu and Mysore districts. Located to the northwest of Bandipur National Park, Kabini reservoir separates the two. The exclusive hunting reserve of the former rulers of Mysore, the park has rich forest cover, small streams, valleys, and waterfalls. It streches over 640 km², protecting the wildlife of Karnataka. Together with the adjoining Bandipur National Park (870 km²) and Mudumalai National Park (320 km²), it forms the largest protected area in southern India. Continue reading Nagarhole National Park
Kovalam is famous for its beaches, among the most pristine in India. It is about 17 km from Thiruvananthapuram city, the capital of the southern state of Kerala in India. Kovalam is popular region comprising three beaches situated in the state of Kerala in the south of India. The southernmost, known as the Lighthouse Beach, is the most popular of the three. Many hotels, restaurants, lodges and shops are located here. It is frequented by outsiders who stay and enjoy Kovalam. The Northern most crescent is crowded on the weekends, is very popular with the locals, day-travelers, and passing-by tourist buses. Hawa Beach, is among one of the beaches in India where top-less sunbathing is tolerated and well appreciated by the locals, who come on the weekends to admire this view free of charge. The tourism department provides a vigilant life guard service on both Lighthouse and Hawa beach. Those expecting a replica of Goa will be pleasantly surprised by the more relaxed atmosphere,a bit more laid back,the food a touch softer and lighter. Continue reading Kovalam – Beach Town on the Arabian Sea
Auli is a city in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Auli is nestled in the lap of snow-capped peaks of Garhwal Himalayas, in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, near the world famous religious shrine of Badrinath. At an altitude of 2,500 to 3,050 m above sea level, Auli’s well-dressed slopes are flanked by coniferous and oak forests, which offer a panoramic view of mountains. If you are out for adventure, fun and frolic this winter, find yourself in Auli, in the vicinity of the mountain peaks Nanda Devi and Mana Parbat.
Feel the rush of air on your face, blaze a defiant trail as you go skiing on the well-dressed snow slopes. Or pelt each other with snow-balls on a blanket of snow. And if you’re a lover of natural splendor let your eyes feast on the breathtaking view of snow-capped peaks all around you. Continue reading Auli – Skiing Capital of India
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