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India Tourist Attractions and Sights
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 Delhi
Don't let your first impressions of Delhi stick like a sacred cow in a
traffic jam: get behind the madcap facade and discover the inner peace of a
city rich with culture, architecture and human diversity, deep with history
and totally addictive to epicureans.
Mix four major religions, thousands of years of history and cultural
development, significant movements of different populations, invasions and
colonialisation and you get one of the most vibrant and profound cultures in
the world. This civilisation is evident in the plentiful historical sites
around Delhi.
 Agra
The Taj Mahal has become the de facto tourist emblem of India. This
poignant Mughal mausoleum was constructed by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of
his second wife Mumtaz Mahal, whose death in childbirth in 1631 left the
emperor so heartbroken that his hair is said to have turned grey overnight.
The city's other major attraction is the massive red sandstone Agra Fort,
also on the bank of the Yamuna River. Stunning walls, a maze of superb
halls, mosques, chambers and gardens which form a small city within a city.
Unfortunately some of these buildings are closed to visitors.
 Goa
It's a shame Goa comes burdened with a reputation for louche living,
because there's so much more to it than sun, sand and psychedelia. The
allure of Goa is that it remains quite distinct from the rest of India and
is small enough to be grasped and explored in a way that other Indian states
are not.
It's not just the familiar remnants of Portuguese colonialism or the
picture-book exoticism that make it seem so accessible; it's the prevalence
of Roman Catholicism and a form of social and political progressiveness that
Westerners feel they can relate to.
 Jaipur
The capital of Rajasthan is popularly known as the 'pink city' because of
the ochre-pink hue of its old buildings and crenellated city walls. The
Rajputs associated the colour pink with hospitality, and reputedly daubed
the city in preparation for the visit of Britain's Prince Alfred in 1853.
Jaipur is a city of broad avenues and architectural harmony, built on a
dry lake bed surrounded by barren hills. It's an extremely colourful city
that radiates a magical warm glow in the evening light. The most obvious
landmark in the old city is the Iswari Minar Swarga Sul, which overlooks the
city.
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 Varanasi
Call it a city of Lord Shiva or city of Ghats or City of Cyclerikshaws or
City of immigrant widows!! Yes, that's Varanasi as its official name stands
today or Kashi for Hindus or Benaras or Anandvan as it was known in ancient
times. Varanasi is one of the oldest living cities in the world.
Mark Twain rightly said that "Benaras is older than history, older than
tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put
together". Norman Macleod describes Varanasi like this "Benaras is to
Hindoos what Mecca is for Muslims and Jeruslem is for Jews. It is holy city
of Hindustan. It is visible embodiment of religion."
For any Hindu visiting Varanasi three places are must for his itinerary
this is what locals say. The places are Kashi Vishwanath Golden Temple,
which is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, Sankatmochan Hanuman Temple and
Kalbhairav Temple. There are dozens of other places of tourist attraction.
The most important is Kashi Vishwanath Golden Temple.
 Kochi (Cochin)
With
its wealth of historical associations, and its magnificent setting on a
cluster of islands and narrow peninsulas, Cochin is one of the most
fascinating cities of coastal South India. It is a city with indelible marks
of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Jewish traditions. Of Special mention
is the older parts of the Fort Cochin area. It more or less exists as it
used to be a 1000-year behind our times. This part of the city reflects an
unusual blend of medieval Portugal, Dutch and English country life grafted
on to the tropical Malabar coast. The 16th century Mattancherry Palace, also
known as the Dutch Palace is a fascinating fort with elegant buildings and
interesting collections from the Royal traditions of the region. The unique
feature of Cochin is the unexpected and isolated Jewish community, whose
origins date back to AD 52.
They are self-contained and have there own Synagogue. The area around the
Synagogue, known as 'Jew Town' is one of the main centres of spice trade.
Scores of small firms huddle together in old dilapidated buildings and the
air is filled with the aroma of ginger, cardamom, cumin, turmeric and
cloves. The area is very busy.
The harbour at Kochi is one of the finest in the world and is called the
'Queen of the Arabian Sea'. It offers complete protection against the fury
of the monsoons.
Kochi comprises a number of islands and a part of the mainland. The
Willingdon island which was dredged from the sea bed, the Bolghatty island
and the Vypin island (where Chinese fishing nets can be seen billowing
against the skyline) are three of these islands.
The Chinese fishing net was introduced into Kerala by traders from Kublai
Khan's court. The huge net is lowered into the water on the end of a pole,
which rotates about a fulcrum. A lantern on top attracts fish into the
meshes. At least half a dozen men are needed at the other end of the pole to
lift the haul out.
Fort Kochi, which lies by the side of the harbour on the mainland is
believed to be the oldest European settlement in India.
The Church of St. Francis, built by the Portuguese in 1510, is the oldest
existing European church in the country. The mortal remains of Vasco da Gama,
who died at Kochi in 1524, were interred in this church. His gravestone,
enclosed by polished brass railings, can be seen on the church's southern
side. His body, however, was taken to Portugal by his son in 1538.
Mattancheri, to the south of Fort Kochi, is the home of the Kerala Jews. The
number of Jews has fallen drastically as many of them have migrated to
Israel, The Jewish colony at Mattancheri was established in the 4th century
A.D. The synagogue, called the Paradesi synagogue, was built around 430
years back. A clock tower, built in the mid-18th century dominates the
synagogue.
Close to the synagogue is the double-storeyed Mattancheri
Palace, whose inner walls are decorated with murals depicting the Ramayana
and the Mahabharata. A part of the palace serves as a museum housing
palanquins and royal costumes used by the Kochi maharajas.
The palace was earlier called the Dutch Palace although it was not built by
the Dutch. It was constructed by the Portuguese as a peace offering to the
Raja of Kochi, whose palace they had destroyed. The Dutch however, renovated
the palace adding the typical Dutch-style roof to the structure.
The palace's floor gives the impression of being made of polished black
marble, but is actually made from a mixture of burnt coconut shells,
charcoal, lime, plant juices and egg whites. The art of making such
flooring, unique to Kerala, has been lost over the years and there are very
few places where it can be seen today.
 Kolkata
Formerly Calcutta and, more rarely, Kolcutta, Kolkata by any name still
conjures up images of squalor, poverty and urban disaster. Too few bother to
discover its enchanting colonial beauty, the energy and humour of its people
and the charm of the city's distinctly Bengali soul.
Kolkota isn't an ancient city like Delhi - in fact it's largely a British
creation that dates back a mere 300 years. As a crumbling snapshot of
British colonialism, it is unrivalled. For such a smoggy, frantic city, it
is also notable for its lovely green spaces.
 Mumbai
Mumbai (AKA Bombay) is the glamour of Bollywood cinema, cricket on the
maidans on weekends, bhelpuri on the beach at Chowpatty and red
double-decker buses. It is also the infamous cages of the red-light
district, Asia's largest slums, communalist politics and powerful mafia
dons.
Many travellers spend their time cocooned in Colaba, but there's much
more to explore - take the time to check out the majestic remnants of
colonial history, the galleries showing the latest in Indian contemporary
art, the busy markets and the evening parade of locals at Chowpatty Beach.
Mumbai's Dhobi Ghat
The sight, which is surrounded by filth, overflowing drains and old
buildings, is one of Mumbai's best-loved tourist spots. The dhobi ghat where
the city's traditional launderers provide a much valued service of washing
dirty clothes and ironing them for a meager fee.
Mysore
 Mysore,
which has been for centuries an important centre for South Indian culture
and learning. It is also the city of lingering aroma of Jasmine, Musk, rose,
sandalwood, etc. This is so because Mysore is one of the major manufacturers
of incense sticks through scores of family owned factories. The city is also
a crafts centre. It is an extremely friendly and easygoing city and at an
altitude of 770 metres it has a wonderful climate. The sites here include
The Maharaja's Palace (1907), the temple of Shri Chamundeshwari, set on top
of the Chamundi Hills (1602 metres.), the famous Nandy (Lord Shiva's Bull -
His vehicle) carved out of a single solid piece of granite and 5 metres in
height. True to our style we would feel Mysore by visiting the extremely
colourful Devaraja Fruit and vegetable market where tropical fruits and
vegetables are arranged in fascinating heaps and shapes. The adjoining local
bazzar is also a very popular spot with local Indian shoppers where all
things needed for daily use can be found.
Shimla
 Situated
in the north-west Himalayas, Shimla is the capital of Himachal Pradesh.
Spread across 12 kms along a ridge that overlooks terraced hillsides and
cultivations, Shimla is magnificently robed in dense forests of oak and
pine, fur and rhododendron, and it is best to travel here on the slow train
from Kalka. Shimla also is a convenient base for variety of adventure sports
such as Skiing, Trekking, Fishing and Golfing etc.
The Nepalese call Shimla (it was once part of Nepal), Shyamala, another
name of the Hindu goddess Kali. But the Himachal town became an important
destination only after the British made it the summer capital of India. From
then onwards every summer till 1939, it played host to the British
administration, the scene of a hectic social life: balls, bridges and
parades.
Shopping is a wonderful experience here, such is the variety. Exquisitely
designed shawls of Kinnaur, the distinctive woolen caps of Kullu, and the
embroidered handkerchiefs of Chamba accent their colourful, festive
clothing. The Kangra Valley school of paintings are other popular souvenirs.
 Udaipur
The most romantic city in Rajasthan, built around the lovely Lake Pichola,
has been dubbed the 'Venice of the East'. Founded in 1568 by Maharana Udai
Singh, the city is a harmonious Indian blend of whitewashed buildings,
marble palaces, lakeside gardens, temples and havelis (traditional
mansions).
It boasts an enviable artistic heritage, a proud reputation for
performing arts and a relatively plentiful water supply, which make it an
oasis of civilisation and colour in the midst of drab aridity. The lake is
the city's centrepiece and contains the island palaces of Jagniwas and
Jagmandir.
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