At the Red
Fort in
Delhi
, the saga of varied cultural influence and of the dynasties that ruled
India
through history unfolds in the son-et-lumiere presented here every evening.
Built by Shah Jehan, this was the seat of the Mughal kings. Excellent examples
of Mughal architecture abound in
Delhi
. The Jama Masjid, Purana Qila, the tombs of Safdarjang and Saint Nizamuddin
Auliya, the Qutab Minar; and the Tughlaqabad-Adilabad complex, mesmerize with
their grandeur.
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A marvel captivates just 3 hours away, at
Agra
. With its exquisite filigrees and inlay in marble, the Taj Mahal is the
cynosure of Mughal architecture. On the banks of the river Yamuna, near the Taj,
stands Agra Fort. It houses the Pearl Mosque besides many palaces.
Fatehpur-Sikri,
nearby, with its imperial sandstone ruins was Akbar’s experiment in art and
architecture.
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Further to
the west, among the rippled sand dunes of the Thar desert, like a mirage looms
‘
Pink
City
’ Jaipur, capital of Rajasthan. You see a marvelous synthesis of Hindu, Jain
and Mughal architectural influences – the Jantar Mantar, the city palace and
museum, the Hawa Mahal, and the forts of Amber, Jaigarh and Nahargarh in the
hills nearby.
Forts and
palaces in red sandstone stand in stark contrast, among the stretches of sand at
Bikaner
, 316 kms to the northwest of Jaipur. The 11-day camel safari from Bikaner to
the ‘golden’ fortress city Jaisalmer, 328 kms away, along the many camping
oases in between, brings visions of old trade routes and caravans.
Near
Udaipur
, in Rajasthan, is the hill resort and sacred pilgrimage of the Jains,
Mount
Abu
. The Dilwara Temples here are an exposition of Jain art and architecture. There
are also good rock climbing facilities at
Mount
Abu
.
160 kms
from
Udaipur
, just off the
Udaipur
–
Mt.
Abu
road, stands the intricately carved vast Jain temple complex at Ranakpur, dating
back to the 15th century.
Chandigarh
, is a dream in city planning,
designed by Le Corbusier. Here a local sculptor, Nek Chand, has created a
magical garden using discarded scrap and natural rock.
Mathura
, believed to be the birth place of Lord Krishna, and Brindavan, popular as Braj
Bhoomi, on the west bank of the Yamuna near
Agra
are eminent Hindu pilgrimage centres.
In the
southeast of Uttar Pradesh,
Varanasi
, enshrines the essence of Hinduism. Pilgrims take a dip in the holy
Ganges
here, which is believed to be sin-cleansing. A short distance away, Sarnath
where Lord Buddha attained Nirvana (salvation), is a major Buddhist pilgrimage.
Further up
the
Ganges
are the sacred cities of Haridwar and Rishikesh. From Rishikesh upto the source
of the torrential
Ganga
(grade 3-4), the best of river rafting adventure in the world beckons.
Not far
away from Gangotri, the glacial source of the Ganga, up in the
Himalayas
, is the source of river Yamuna – Yamuntori, and the shrines, Kedarnath and
Badrinath. Thirty eight kilometers from Badrinath is the world famous ‘Valley
of Flowers’ – a lush meadow of exotic flowers in full bloom from mid-July to
the end of August.
High up,
in the Garhwal Himalayas, is the queen of hill resorts Mussoorie.
Auli, much
known for excellent ski-slopes flanked by tall
Deodar trees , just 253 kms away from Rishikesh,
A sylvan
hill resort, Shimla in Himachal Pradesh is a major hang-gliding site in India
, and also offers a number of treks along wooded glades.
The
Kangra
Valley
in the Himalayan foothills is becoming the adventure nerve centre of
India
, with facilities in hang gliding, mountaineering, trekking and Mahseer trout
fishing. A hang gliding rally is held here in the month of May annually.
Onto
Srinagar
, a fascinating land of parks and gardens.
Srinagar
offers the hang gliding enthusiast the most breathtaking take-offs in the world.
Gulmarg
near
Srinagar
is the premier ski-resort of
India
. In summer the ski-slopes become one of the highest 18-hole golf courses in the
world. Less than a 100 kms away, Pahalgam, on the banks of the river Lidder, is
the most popular trout water in India
. Kashmir, the
Paradise
Valley
, also offers excellent facilities for heli-skiing.
Leh, is
the river running capital of
India
. The Zanskar river in the Zanskar valley and the
Indus
river comprise the rafting arena here.
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Nestling
the foothills of the Shivalik mountains in Uttranchal , lies the
Corbett National Park (295 kms from Delhi), home to the Kumaon tiger, the
panther, wild boar, sloth bear, elephant, deer, crocodile and a variety of
birds.
The
Keoladeo
Ghana
National Park
and Bird Sanctuary at Bharatpur, (152 kms from
Delhi
) in Rajasthan is a 26 sq. Km tract with the largest concentration and variety
of birdlife in
Asia
.
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Spot the
Great Indian Tiger at the
Ranthambhore
National Park
, 180 kms away near Sawai Madhopur, a Project Tiger reserve.
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Northern India
