Top Tourist Spots In India, Tell me yours ONLY in India on this thread with Pix |
Top Tourist Spots In India, Tell me yours ONLY in India on this thread with Pix |
harihar |
Dec 28 2006, 04:29 PM
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#1
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Dedicated Member Group: Angels Posts: 1564 Joined: 12-January 06 Member No.: 4243 |
Top tourist spots in India
Corbett National Park December 22, 2006 Drive into the very heart of the green, tranquil and very vast Corbett National Park (about 1,300 sq km) on the Ram Ganga river, near Nainital, in Uttaranchal, and you realise, with a bit of a jolt, that you are in a world you have never experienced before. A world that has no human habitation. Just animals. It is a magical moment. There is merely endless wilderness. Solitude. And if you are lucky... a glimpse of a tiger. The park, a mix of grassland and forests, in the terai belt, boasts of 500 odd species of birds, 110 varieties of trees, 50 types of mammals and by god's grace hopefully 150 tigers. It is India's oldest game sanctuary and a destination for a memorable holiday. Sikkim December 22, 2006 Terraced emerald rice fields, wee sleepy villages clasping the mountainside, brightly-coloured monasteries, apple-cheeked happy children, orange trees... and the majestic Kanchenjunga -- Sikkim is one of India's most delightful states. A lifetime would certainly not be enough to spend in this land under the Himalayas. Provincial capital Gangtok, rising against a hillside, is small and pretty and thankfully does not overflow with tourists or souvenir shops/hawkers like so many other Indian hill stations. Instead you will find a few restaurants serving excellent Sikkimese and Chinese food and comfortable hotels to match all budgets. You can head out to see one of the largest monasteries east of Lhasa, the serene Rumtek Monastery. Or to Nathu La Pass to have a peek at China. Else head to town to browse interesting bargains -- silver jewellry, lacquered wood furniture, Sikkim cheese, pan liqueur. And few days spare will be well-spent heading into the countryside of west Sikkim to sight orchids, glorious scenery and closer and yet more awe-inspiring vistas of the third highest mountain in the world. Kerala December 22, 2006 Cruising through the shadowy, cool Kerala backwaters -- past bamboo copses, settlements, tiny waterfront churches, colourful temples -- while relaxing in a cane chair, on the top deck of a houseboat, is one of life's rare luxuries. Spending three to four days exploring the glorious inland waterways of this state by boat is a special adventure: look through the tiny bazaars, purchase giant Kerala vallakkus (lamps), watch cantilever fishing, discover how kettuvallams (houseboats) are built or snake boats are stored off season. Kerala offers new experiences at every bend in the backwater. Goa December 22, 2006 India has some of the world's most spectacular beaches. It is next to impossible to pick or choose which strip of sand is the best! Could it be the stupendous-looking beaches, kissing the greeny-blue coral waters of Nicobar Islands? Or Lakshwadeep's sparkling sands? Kerala, Maharasthra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Orissa, Tamil Nadu... the list of states with enviable beaches is endless. But for most of us Goa is a synonym for the word beach. Goa has over the years been extraordinarily successful in transforming itself into an enticing beach paradise where sun and sand can be had along with music, dance, wine, great food and fun. At times -- especially at New Year's Eve and Christmas -- this paradise edges towards becoming hell on earth when its best beaches are run over by the world's most trashy, dustbin tourists, unsightly Coca-Cola umbrellas, garbage and endless shacks. The challenge -- and the utter joy when you are successful -- is to find that deserted spectacular-looking beach where you can spend a day in the sun with only palm trees for company. Goa's southernmost beach, Polem a few kilometres from the Karnataka border, is one of them. So is Terekhol. And Palolem, off season. What's yours? Sanchi December 22, 2006 I journeyed to see Sanchi's famous stupas, 70 odd km from Bhopal in the centre of Madhya Pradesh, on a cool, misty monsoon day a few years ago. Restful. Mystic. Calm... a visit to this 3rd century BC monument located atop a small hillock in this tiny town is a truly spiritual experience. From the top of the hill, standing in the shadow of the monument, you can get a bird's eye view of the endless fertile farmland for miles around and occasionally hear a freight train chugging by. Built by Emperor Ashoka, whose wife hailed from these parts, the intricate stupa gateways/toranas are a treat to view; they illustrate Buddha's life. It is said that the stupas were maintained, 2,000 years ago, by the locals. When a rich merchant or small-time patron had a little extra cash he paid to have a certain panel depicting Buddha's life carved in his name. A few relics of Buddha are located in the main stupa under a giant simple dome with a chhatri on top and hence the sacredness of this place. Aurangabad December 22, 2006 If you base yourself in Aurangabad for a few days you have a wealth of architectural treasures to view. You can venture out to see the massive, imperial Daulatabad Fort. Alternately drive some 100 km to see the amazing Ajanta caves; how a groups/generations of monks persevered in the darkness to create fabulous art is a cause of huge wonderment. Or hop across to view the poor man's Taj Mahal built by Shah Jahan's son Aurangzeb from plaster due to a paucity of funds. Probably the most interesting site of this area in central India is the rock-cut caves of Ellora, 35 km out of Aurangabad. That's not to take away from the magnificence of the paintings and sculpture of Ajanta; which are stunning but rather hard to view for reasons of geography, light and more. Yet when you stand in front of the enormous Kailasa temple hewn delicately and beautifully, with such detail, out of a giant, formless rock in the caves, on a hillside, thousands of years ago you are bowled over. Man, for once, has created something truly remarkable. The drive from Shimla to Manali along the Beas December 22, 2006 One of the prettiest drives you can take across India is on narrow, steep mountain roads from Shimla to Manali. By the time you reach Mandi the road is winding next to the deep green mysterious Beas river. The snow-capped Himalayas tower behind, lending the landscape dark shadows when the sun slips behind them. Across the river little villages hug the lower hills. The only access to these hamlets is on foot and then across the river by a hand-pulled basket that runs like a horizontal cable car. As you climb upwards to Manali the mountains get steeper and the snow much closer. You are travelling past apple and kiwi orchards and even angora rabbit farms. Pheasants flit about. Herds of sheep amble across the hillside and the costumes of locals grow more colourful, complex and, of course, woolly and their cheekbones more slanted. The homes are snug, wooden and quaint. In many a hut, you can see the womenfolk weaving rugs on creaking, old-fashioned looms. At Naggar you can stop and marvel at the century old wooden palace with umpteen rooms and a spectacular view. The Beas river gets choppier and icier and when you reach Manali the Himalayas are all around you like a giant and magical amphitheatre. Haridwar/Rishikesh December 22, 2006 An aarti on the banks of the Ganga at sunset at Haridwar can be a deeply moving experience for even a non-believer. As the sun dips below the horizon and casts a rosy glow on the Ganga, the riverside temples -- of all sizes and vintage -- light up giant diyas. The robust and rousing tunes of Jai Jai Jagdish Hari Re begin to emanate and reverberate from underneath the numerous bridges that span the holy river. Thousands line the river singing along joyfully. And then one by one diyas, nestled in wee boats of leaves and flowers, set free by devotees onto the river, come floating downstream in a pageant of lights... 'How far that little diya throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world...' If you drive a little upstream from Haridwar and beyond Rishikesh -- about an hour -- you can stop by at a bright white sandbank on the Ganga and dip your toes into the river, shortly after it has tumbled out of the mountains. The waters are a pale bluey-green and crystal clear. And unforgettable. Ladakh December 22, 2006 When you arrive in Ladakh your ears hurt. Not always from the cold. Or the high altitude. But from the sound of silence. The peace of this beautiful, chilly land located so close to the Himalayas enchants you. Life seems so simple and wonderful. Is it because the Ladakhis are such cheerful, hospitable people? Or because Buddhism lends an indefinable tranquillity to the places where it has followers? Maybe the remoteness of Ladakh has kept the rhythms of life uncomplicated? Or is it because one feels that one can never be unhappy in a land as gorgeous as Ladakh with its stark but ever so alluring vistas? Located on a plateau 9,800 feet above sea level between the Karakoram and the Great Himalayan Range, Ladakh's geography is the reason for its isolation. The entire population of Ladakh (45,110 sq km), which is part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, is estimated to be just a little above two lakhs -- that's about three people per kilometre. One can spend endless days in this mountainous district visiting remote monasteries that command gorgeous views, river rafting, journeying to Pangong Lake or hunting for bright blue Ladakhi jewellery. I know there are many others so fill us in of your wonderful places! Music is moral law. It gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, a charm to sadness and a gaiety and life to everything. It is the essence of order and leads to all that is good, true and beautiful..... AND Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life. ~Ludwig van Beethoven
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Reeth |
Feb 1 2007, 12:04 AM
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#2
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Dedicated Member Group: Members Posts: 2154 Joined: 22-May 06 Member No.: 6151 |
Where are u Harihar?
I am u/ling a few pics ..... Corbett national park Backwaters of Kerala The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind -William James |
Kkusum |
Feb 1 2007, 11:27 AM
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#3
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Unregistered |
Wow..Nice pictures
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Reeth |
Feb 1 2007, 01:48 PM
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#4
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Dedicated Member Group: Members Posts: 2154 Joined: 22-May 06 Member No.: 6151 |
A few more pics.........Unspoilt beauty of Kerala
Goa..........beaches Saligao church...... The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind -William James |
aaryana afghan |
Feb 3 2007, 12:16 AM
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#5
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Member Group: Members Posts: 139 Joined: 27-September 06 Member No.: 6848 |
beautiful pictures keep it up. would you please post a pic of qutub minaar. The most determinative sentence which should alwayz be followed in life- THE RACE IS NOT OVER B'COZ I HAVE NOT WON YET….!
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Reeth |
Feb 8 2007, 08:25 PM
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#6
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Dedicated Member Group: Members Posts: 2154 Joined: 22-May 06 Member No.: 6151 |
Wow..Nice pictures Thank you beautiful pictures keep it up. would you please post a pic of qutub minaar. Thank you aaryana..there is a pic of qutab minar on my thread Architectural wonders...... LADAKH... The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind -William James |
Reeth |
Feb 13 2007, 02:04 PM
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#7
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Dedicated Member Group: Members Posts: 2154 Joined: 22-May 06 Member No.: 6151 |
STUPA at SANCHI , Madhya Pradesh
The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind -William James |
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